Author Topic: Interesting review of the V85TT...  (Read 7655 times)

Offline Noguzznoglory

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #30 on: February 23, 2020, 06:27:45 AM »
Once agean a reviewer moaning the lack of 150HP, high tech multivalve motors with liquid cooling and speed shifters on every bike produced.. He did have some points, but IMHO the modern bike reviewers do more harm then good to the buyer... Only pushing that "next best thing" for the manufactures.

100% agree. Once a new “thing” is offered on a bike the reviewers trash any bike that comes along without it.
Does one really need a lot more than 80 HP on a  500lb machine. And while I haven’t looked up msrp’s I doubt the V85tt is much different then others in that class
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Offline john fish

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #31 on: February 23, 2020, 06:55:47 AM »
Once again a reviewer moaning the lack of 150HP, high tech multivalve motors with liquid cooling and speed shifters on every bike produced..

I admit that I'm out of the loop on new machines but-- speed shifters on new bikes is a thing now?  Mechanical speed shifters?  I had no idea.

I rode the V85 and loved it.  Wish I could afford one right now.
He lost the run of himself.

Online s1120

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #32 on: February 23, 2020, 07:06:19 AM »
I admit that I'm out of the loop on new machines but-- speed shifters on new bikes is a thing now?  Mechanical speed shifters?  I had no idea.

I rode the V85 and loved it.  Wish I could afford one right now.

Ya, same here..  I was surprised when I started hearing about them, because I had been out of the bike world for about 10 years. Speed shifters were only used on drag bikes...  Seems now its a must have for everything.  Im good using a clutch thank you.. 
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Offline Perazzimx14

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #33 on: February 23, 2020, 07:42:12 AM »
100% agree. Once a new “thing” is offered on a bike the reviewers trash any bike that comes along without it.
Does one really need a lot more than 80 HP on a  500lb machine. And while I haven’t looked up msrp’s I doubt the V85tt is much different then others in that class

Not too many riders can use the 28HP a Ninja 250 puts out. 80HP or more is certainly not needed on any motorcycle.


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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #33 on: February 23, 2020, 07:42:12 AM »

Offline Darren Williams

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #34 on: February 23, 2020, 08:06:40 AM »
Not too many riders can use the 28HP a Ninja 250 puts out. 80HP or more is certainly not needed on any motorcycle.

I hear this a lot and can only think some folks need to come visit me and see what works in a world where you have high speed highways and have to regularly buck 20+ MPH head winds to get anywhere. I guess if I only rode around towns and slow tight back roads, a 250 would be OK, but I live in a bigger world than that.
The best part of riding a motorcycle is to tilt the horizon and to lift the front coming out of a corner and to drift the back end powering thru loose dirt and to catch a little air topping a hill and... yeah it's all good!

Offline Perazzimx14

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #35 on: February 23, 2020, 09:59:09 AM »
I hear this a lot and can only think some folks need to come visit me and see what works in a world where you have high speed highways and have to regularly buck 20+ MPH head winds to get anywhere. I guess if I only rode around towns and slow tight back roads, a 250 would be OK, but I live in a bigger world than that.

You also heard A 250 will do highway speeds and probably still quicker to get there than a lot of cars and its east to go fast in a straight line. Gobs of HP doesn't make you fast and in some instances makes you slower. 










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Offline blu guzz

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #36 on: February 23, 2020, 10:08:01 AM »
5:0x40f492eb53002a5c!8m2!3d38.536456!4d-84.8418926" class="bbc_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.google.com/maps/place/Owenton,+KY+40359/@38.3922335,-84.801809,34986m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8842020a420fcec 5:0x40f492eb53002a5c!8m2!3d38.536456!4d-84.8418926

If you paste this and look for 227, it is in the middle.  The turns you see are generally marked 25-40mph.  The ground is undulating and bumpy in places because the pavement suffers from being subsided and many of the turns are off camber.  In addition, you never know when you come around a turn whether there will be a heaved piece of road, a pile of gravel or a pile of manure in your path. 
The 80 or however many ponies and the 500 lbs. weight of the V85 allows me at 200 lbs to take this road in 5th gear between 50 and 60 mph for the most part and on the worst turns 40mph.  Note:  KY road dept. does not believe in shoulders on their roads, so it is blacktop or ditch.  Keeping the engine at 3,000 or above is all that is needed.  I could go faster in 4th gear all the way, but it would start to feel like work.  At my regular pace, it is a practically effortless dance.  I did this yesterday when it was about 42 degrees and sunny and it was magnificent.  It is hard to describe to people who have not ridden one of these V85s, how effortless it is on roads like that at a pace like that, it just swishes from one turn to the next.  For me, this is the maximum fun on a bike. Maybe not everyone else though.  The HP is so easy to access and the fueling is so well implemented. 
I used to be able to hustle my K1200RS (130 hp), my Victory (100 hp) and my 1400 Cali (95 hp) through these turns pretty fast as well, but it felt like work and was tiring by the end.  Could you go faster on the 250 Ninja, I bet a good rider could, but you would have to ring its neck and it would not be relaxing I am sure.  Also, that road would be a great challenge to its suspension. 
For anyone who visits this area - don't miss this road.
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Offline twowheeladdict

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #37 on: February 23, 2020, 04:22:17 PM »
I hear this a lot and can only think some folks need to come visit me and see what works in a world where you have high speed highways and have to regularly buck 20+ MPH head winds to get anywhere. I guess if I only rode around towns and slow tight back roads, a 250 would be OK, but I live in a bigger world than that.

Darren, if I had to move to Oklahoma I would probably give up riding.   :cry:

Doesn't sound like a fun place to be riding a bike.  So glad I live in Tennessee where there are hundreds of miles of deserted twisty roads right out my back door.  The trees are so thick you barely notice any wind until the Tornadoes come.  :)
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Offline keener

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #38 on: February 26, 2020, 04:58:36 PM »
Not too many riders can use the 28HP a Ninja 250 puts out. 80HP or more is certainly not needed on any motorcycle.


The fact  is THIS sounds like the usual excuse that some use to justify a smaller motorcycle which in reality is meant for a different purpose than bikes of twice or three times the hp and the torque needed for touring with passenger and or gear..
The reality is smaller motorcycles with less power are only just adequate for highway speeds and dangerous if required to pass quickly ....
Power corrupts those that are weak to start with.
the V85 is more than adequate whereas a Versys 300 for example would probably leave most unimpressed for the same duty.


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Offline Speedysheep

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #39 on: February 27, 2020, 06:42:09 AM »


I've ridden my Versys-X 300 through a dozen different states.  Remarkably competent bike, as long as you don't need to go over 100.

Offline frans belgium

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #40 on: February 27, 2020, 08:10:35 AM »
You either want one or you don’t, what’s anyone going to be able to say that’ll sway any considered opinion that you already hold ?

Spot on.
I stopped reading and writing comments about 9 months ago.
Most readings are errrr... remarkable.
Of course there is a recall. I expected (brand new bike), and rightly trusted Guzzi to make the recall. Many other brands would not have.
And yes, it has flaws, nothing is perfect.

It is slightly overweight, gets dirty too easily and has trouble staying upright when standing still (too long a sidestand).  Among other things.

Actually, it reminds me of me after a night out...

But it is a joy to see and to ride.  Totally unlike me.


« Last Edit: February 27, 2020, 08:17:20 AM by frans belgium »
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Offline Huzo

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #41 on: February 27, 2020, 02:11:16 PM »
Spot on.
I stopped reading and writing comments about 9 months ago.
Most readings are errrr... remarkable.
Of course there is a recall. I expected (brand new bike), and rightly trusted Guzzi to make the recall. Many other brands would not have.
And yes, it has flaws, nothing is perfect.

It is slightly overweight, gets dirty too easily and has trouble staying upright when standing still (too long a sidestand).  Among other things.

Actually, it reminds me of me after a night out...

But it is a joy to see and to ride.  Totally unlike me.
Nice turn of phrase Frans...

Offline DesertPilot

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #42 on: February 27, 2020, 06:57:47 PM »
His comment about, "Smiling all the time"... was certainly my experience.  The dealer offered me a test ride (curse him!), I turned the key, the bike did it's little 'pachunka' dance to the right as the engine caught, and there was really no need for me to take the rest of that ride.  I traded in my beloved and well-used Tiger, rode the V85 home, and I've been smiling for the past 1500 miles :grin:

Prices must be different in SA.  Here in California, the V85 seems to be one of he least expensive mid-size Adv bike around -- roughly tied with the Desert Sled and KTM790, about one Grom (surely that's a unit of currency) less than a Tiger, and don't even think of comparing the price with a Multistrada or BMW...

Offline stubbie

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #43 on: February 27, 2020, 08:07:06 PM »
There a similar price to Australia $20-$25k. I liked the part where he says " it must have been designed by someone who embraces the herbal life and wears wooden shoes". I've not ridden a V85 so can't pass judgement but I do have a r1150gs, top heavy and when you put it on the side stand it sits at such a steep angle it scares the beejesus out of you making you think you have forgotten to put the stand down. Doesn't work well in some of our country towns with large cambers on their main streets, so can't be any worse than that.

Offline DesertPilot

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #44 on: February 28, 2020, 12:25:45 AM »
...so can't be any worse than that.
My Tiger was the opposite.  One of the few things I didn't like about it was that it stood too upright, so I always had to angle it facing back up the street when I parked on steeply cambered roads, or worry when the wind was blowing from the left.  The sidestand lean angle for the V85 is spot on.  Rather boring really -- takes all the excitement out of parking.

Offline Darren Williams

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #45 on: March 01, 2020, 07:47:17 AM »
Darren, if I had to move to Oklahoma I would probably give up riding.   :cry:

Doesn't sound like a fun place to be riding a bike.  So glad I live in Tennessee where there are hundreds of miles of deserted twisty roads right out my back door.  The trees are so thick you barely notice any wind until the Tornadoes come.  :)

I understand your riding mentality. If I only wanted a partner for going to dances, and the dance halls closed, I wouldn't get married either.

For me, bikes are tools for transportation and exploring as much as twisty road toys. YMMV
The best part of riding a motorcycle is to tilt the horizon and to lift the front coming out of a corner and to drift the back end powering thru loose dirt and to catch a little air topping a hill and... yeah it's all good!

Offline giusto

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #46 on: March 01, 2020, 08:58:58 AM »
5:0x40f492eb53002a5c!8m2!3d38.536456!4d-84.8418926" class="bbc_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.google.com/maps/place/Owenton,+KY+40359/@38.3922335,-84.801809,34986m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8842020a420fcec 5:0x40f492eb53002a5c!8m2!3d38.536456!4d-84.8418926

If you paste this and look for 227, it is in the middle.  The turns you see are generally marked 25-40mph.  The ground is undulating and bumpy in places because the pavement suffers from being subsided and many of the turns are off camber.  In addition, you never know when you come around a turn whether there will be a heaved piece of road, a pile of gravel or a pile of manure in your path. 
The 80 or however many ponies and the 500 lbs. weight of the V85 allows me at 200 lbs to take this road in 5th gear between 50 and 60 mph for the most part and on the worst turns 40mph.  Note:  KY road dept. does not believe in shoulders on their roads, so it is blacktop or ditch.  Keeping the engine at 3,000 or above is all that is needed.  I could go faster in 4th gear all the way, but it would start to feel like work.  At my regular pace, it is a practically effortless dance.  I did this yesterday when it was about 42 degrees and sunny and it was magnificent.  It is hard to describe to people who have not ridden one of these V85s, how effortless it is on roads like that at a pace like that, it just swishes from one turn to the next.  For me, this is the maximum fun on a bike. Maybe not everyone else though.  The HP is so easy to access and the fueling is so well implemented. 
I used to be able to hustle my K1200RS (130 hp), my Victory (100 hp) and my 1400 Cali (95 hp) through these turns pretty fast as well, but it felt like work and was tiring by the end.  Could you go faster on the 250 Ninja, I bet a good rider could, but you would have to ring its neck and it would not be relaxing I am sure.  Also, that road would be a great challenge to its suspension. 
For anyone who visits this area - don't miss this road.



Thanks for posting this! I will have a look next time I'm SE.  That said, your words are well placed as it's not always easy to describe how something feels but you succeeded in my case. I was thinking about pre-ordering the TT last year but decided to wait a year and listen to opinions of the bike before jumping in...I know it's not the MG purist attitude that helps promote the brand but it made sense to me. Michigan has thousands of miles of gravel roads that work their way across valleys and streams and around lakes, it's amazing riding here and virtually in endless supply.

I'm looking forward to getting on them with a TT in the not too distant future.

Thanks for your review.
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Offline AH Fan

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Re: Interesting review of the V85TT...
« Reply #47 on: March 01, 2020, 10:30:48 AM »
I remember the day it hit me...  I liked them since a test ride in the early 90's..  But just got my first last winter. A few weeks into riding it, im on a mountain road with it, and it came to me... you know... this is a lifetime bike...  Not a stepping stone to the next..  There will be others, and I will adapt the one I have to suit me..  But really I would have no reason for wanting to get rid of it. It can be adapted, it can be fixed.. it can be whatever I want it to me..

Yup that kinda covers it.
Its a bit of a bummer though as you will most likely never be wowed by the other brands offerings on those much anticipated test rides..... at least that's the way its been working out for me over the years.
I'm thinking I'm older and wiser or maybe.... its older and weirder  :laugh:

Ciao

 

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