As a previous poster noted, I've made a later model Gran Tourer into a daily rider. Today, I rode it about 40 miles to attend a business meeting. I find it a very comfortable bike that I can lope along on all day and still be enjoying the ride at the end.

The later ones have cromoly frames, the earlier ones hi-ten steel, I think the break point was about 1980 or so.

Mine isn't so heavy that it is a pig or anything. The tradeoff is that it is a very sturdy bike and quite comfortable. I appreciate the geometry on mine that on a 23" frame I can run 35mm tires, fenders, large toe clips and not have any overlap. It certainly is an alternative to using a MTB as a durable commuter and utility bike.

While it is far from the "nicest" bike I've ever owned, it is weirdly enough the one that I've gotten the most random compliments on.

Anyhow, ride it like it is, enjoy it for what it is.