V85 TT Demo - Test Ride - Road Test - Review merged threadfest

[Kent in Upstate NY]

I like my Stelvio.

[tommy2cyl]

These types discussions are usually pretty interesting and most of the time bring out a lot of pro and con dialogue.  I have my deposit down after my test ride.
For me, the bike was everything I was looking for.  Plenty of useful power in a world of 70 mph speed limits.  I like the 2 valve.  Simple.   Had the look I wanted but of course that is totally subjective. Felt the suspension was spot on for my intended purpose.  I find many times that negative comments come from those who in reality are really looking for another type of bike.  If you are of an age where having a rocket ship response from your right hand is a priority, this clearly is not your weapon of choice.  I was at one time very interested in a Honda Ridgeline.  It fit my needs.  5000 pounds of towing was all I needed.  The forums would be filled with guys ripping that vehicle up and down for not being a "real" pick up.  Yup, it's not.  But it is what 80% of people who
drive full size trucks really need.  If you want a big truck, you have plenty of options.  If you want a fire breathing, high tech transformer motorcycle, you have plenty to choose from.  For me, and apparently several other folks, this is the bike we have been waiting for.  I also think there will be many first time Moto Guzzi buyers with the V 85TT.  And that can be nothing but good for all of us.

[Trialsman]

They might actually be watching and listening.

Here is a list of the dealers on the tour;
https://www.motoguzzi.com/us_EN/

[Kev m]

These types discussions are usually pretty interesting and most of the time bring out a lot of pro and con dialogue.  I have my deposit down after my test ride.
For me, the bike was everything I was looking for.  Plenty of useful power in a world of 70 mph speed limits.  I like the 2 valve.  Simple.   Had the look I wanted but of course that is totally subjective. Felt the suspension was spot on for my intended purpose.  I find many times that negative comments come from those who in reality are really looking for another type of bike.  If you are of an age where having a rocket ship response from your right hand is a priority, this clearly is not your weapon of choice.  I was at one time very interested in a Honda Ridgeline.  It fit my needs.  5000 pounds of towing was all I needed.  The forums would be filled with guys ripping that vehicle up and down for not being a "real" pick up.  Yup, it's not.  But it is what 80% of people who
drive full size trucks really need.  If you want a big truck, you have plenty of options.  If you want a fire breathing, high tech transformer motorcycle, you have plenty to choose from.  For me, and apparently several other folks, this is the bike we have been waiting for.  I also think there will be many first time Moto Guzzi buyers with the V 85TT.  And that can be nothing but good for all of us.

 

[Huzo]

6 years+ the difference 

I’m just coming up out of Paris en route to Tilburg, Franz.
Are you available anywhere for a catch up..?
Do I have your phone number with international code ?

[Huzo]

Ok Franz.
I’m at Lille in France and guess you are away as you indicated in your posts.
I’ll go to Holland to see my mates in Tilburg and maybe catch you later.
Huzo.

[oilhed]

I haven’t read to many bad things about this bike from those who have actually taken it for a test ride. I said I will never buy a new bike again, but if they put the V85 motor in this bike with the high pipes I might have to sell a few guns out of my collection and get one.

If the rough came with a 2 into 1 high pipe and a tach it would be very tempting!

[Calisteve]

Hi guys - took my 1995 California in for a service this morning. Absolutely love her but compared to my V-Strom 650 she's not the easiest to ride.  Walking back I was thinking about a V850TT and was drawn in particular to Usedtobefast's comment - "Feels like a V-Strom 650 with more power, more character, and shaft drive (all great things)"  As others have said the V-Strom is an incredible bike and the thought of combining that with the Guzzi's looks, shaft drive and character sounds ideal.  Will need to sort a test ride on the V850TT but am slightly worried by Zoom Zoom's comment -"Although the seating area is comfortable, you aren't able to move around much. Those with bad knees or hips will want to devise another place to move your feet to if you plan on long days in the saddle."  I'm one of those with dodgy knees, but the V-Strom is super comfortable and never causes any discomfort.  Any thoughts particularly from those with experience of both the V850TT and V-Strom 650?

[Markcarovilli]

Zoom Zoom wasn’t talking about the TT I don’t believe.  You may want to revisit his post....

Mark

[usedtobefast]

Hi guys - took my 1995 California in for a service this morning. Absolutely love her but compared to my V-Strom 650 she's not the easiest to ride.  Walking back I was thinking about a V850TT and was drawn in particular to Usedtobefast's comment - "Feels like a V-Strom 650 with more power, more character, and shaft drive (all great things)"  As others have said the V-Strom is an incredible bike and the thought of combining that with the Guzzi's looks, shaft drive and character sounds ideal.  Will need to sort a test ride on the V850TT but am slightly worried by Zoom Zoom's comment -"Although the seating area is comfortable, you aren't able to move around much. Those with bad knees or hips will want to devise another place to move your feet to if you plan on long days in the saddle."  I'm one of those with dodgy knees, but the V-Strom is super comfortable and never causes any discomfort.  Any thoughts particularly from those with experience of both the V850TT and V-Strom 650?

I own a 2017 V-Strom 650, and I spent 15-20 minutes on the v85tt ...  the more I thought of the comparison, the more I liked it.    It really is like they made small improvements to everything on the V-strom. 
The V85tt:  clutch pull is a bit lighter, front brakes are way better, suspension is much better, handling is close, maybe the v85 is a wee bit better, wind protection is similar, seating position seemed really similar to me, shaft drive is awesome (no chain to oil/adjust), both very easy oil/filter change, V85 way easier to adjust valves but need to do it more often, larger tank (more range).

The V-Strom 650: Much cheaper, probably more reliable, probably can handle more neglect, tubless wheels/tires.

The V-strom 650 has what I would call a "happy motor".  It is happy at 2000 rpms, happy at 3000, happy at 8000, sounds great everywhere ... want to rev it up, yes it is happy to do it.  It does feel like less power than the v85.  The V85 is really nice, but the motor sounds like it has been Euro 4'ed a bit too much.  It runs great, fueling is spot on, is a zippy Moto Guzzi ... but not as happy as the V-Strom.   

So a bit lower powered happy motor (V-strom 650) vs. a more powerful Euro 4'ed motor.

For seating ... it seems to me the V85 is a bit easier to move around on ... seat is a bit flatter ... the V-strom is a bit more scooped out.  But a 15-20 minutes test ride it is hard to tell. 

[Calisteve]

Thanks guys much appreciated. 

Mark - I've re-read Zoom's post and it seems pretty clear he is talking about the V850 (although maybe a pre-production version).  Different people have different experiences, but useful input in any case.

Usedtobe fast - a short test ride, but a glowing testimonial in my eyes since the v-strom is sooooooo impressive in the real world.  Only thing - it's not a Guzzi.  The head says keep the v-strom, the heart says get the Guzzi. Then again, the Cali may feel a bit different after the service & MoT.

Decisions, decisions...

[fossil]

That was interesting. I just got a spare part for my V7 Stone (nothing serious!) from my dealer. He told me he has a real problem with the V85: he cannot get enough of these bikes! They sell by themselves, and he says the bike is pure fun to ride. A problem absolutely unheard of before for Moto Guzzi.

And he has the comparison: He sells (and services) Aprilia, Vespa, Moto Guzzi, Suzuki, Ducati, Kymco, Mondial and for a few months now Royal Enfield. Of which the 650 and the Himalayan also are real success stories for him.

[tommy2cyl]

I owned a DL1000 for 16 years. I think the sitting position is virtually identical to the DL 650.  When I test rode the V 85 the best way I can describe it is that it was immediately natural.  So natural in fact that I needed to concentrate on my riding checklist to not squander my 20 minutes of evaluation time.   I am 6 foot/195 lbs/30 inch inseam.  Reach and position to handlebars is perfect.  Angle of grips is spot on.  Knee angle and foot position are spot on. Not cramped.   Seat was a nice wide platform that narrowed at front to allow one to stand and tuck in with your knees.  There is some room to move fore and aft to change position. It is not dished to hold you in a bucket depression.   Suspension was forgiving over rough surface but responsive when hustling through a curve.  Turn in is light and I felt precise for a 19 inch front tire.  Definitely more nimble/flickable  than my DL 1000. Bike feels very light and I was riding the full luggage unit.  Calisteve, I think you will find the V 85 very comfortable if your personal stats are similar to mine.  I cannot speak to long time butt comfort after a 20 minute test, but my impression of the seat at the time was, " Gee, I don't think I will have to go to the aftermarket to fix this."
Only an 8 hour day on the bike will ultimately answer that.

[bad Chad]

Some like to carry on the game of daming Guzzi with faint praise.

[Madtownguzzi]

Africa Twin vs. BMW F850GSA vs. Moto Guzzi V85 TT  review 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP4Aj8DcL8U

[leafman60]

I watched it and it's good.  There's no way to cover everything with a limited test but initial insights are valuable.

Ranking these bikes is difficult.  These testers came out with BMW #1, Honda #2 and Guzzi #3.  They gave positive comments about the Guzzi and acknowledged more than one area where it performed well.  However, they were always chuckling about the Guzzi and tended to view it as an "old school" novelty bike.  But, they liked that and generously allowed that there is a place for this sort of bike.

I really didn't take their review as negative to the Guzzi.  It just wasn't as positive an assessment for the Guzzi as bestowed upon the other two contenders.

A very important issue not captured by a test like this one, aside from performance characteristics, is the long-term reliability of the tested machines.  How much sorting will the bikes require?  Will there be loose bolts and other quality control issues that crop up with ownership?  These sort of things can override any positive performance characteristics that a bike may have.

.

[vstevens]

I've watched this guy in other videos, he tends to be as objective as one can (we all have our favorites).  just past midway through the video, the BMW and Guzzi guy were discussing the merits of all 3 bikes.  In that discussion, seating position and 'feel' was cited ... very subjective but well thought out.  The 'bmw' guy said that although the Africa Twin may have better wind protection, he preferred the BMW because the seating position simply placed his knees and feet where he preferred... it just felt better.  The Guzzi guy did talk up the V85 a bit but the conversation came back to 'feel' and position, and of course 'uniqueness' (oh, and price, too). 
      Personally ...  I prefer the look of the Africa Twin and the option of DCT.  The BMW is a fantastic bike with all the bells and whistles (more stuff to break).  The Guzzi definitely has charm, and having owned one (yeah, just one), it has a 'feel' like no other.  Don't know if I like any of them enough to buy them... but maybe I'm not an adventure guy.  I've only ridden one 'adventure' bike - about 25 years ago I test rode a BMW 'bumble bee'.  I recall enjoying the upright riding position and weather protection.  That's really all I remember.  Since then, I've had a few 'street' bikes that I've enjoyed. 

As a mainly street bike, the V85 seems like a winner... as an offroad competitor to the Africa Twin and GS's I don't know.

[janguzzi]

My V85TT Playlist with reviews ist still growing:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3U2TKTfHX8a36xFKB6ZS5nBE_Xbv42m7

There is a lot of interest in this bike.

[Siamese]

Africa Twin vs. BMW F850GSA vs. Moto Guzzi V85 TT  review 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP4Aj8DcL8U

At the risk of kicking someone's sacred cow, the whole adventure bike thing just baffles me.  Do people really hop on one of these expensive, large bikes and go across the country and go trail riding?  And actually enjoy it?  If so, how many people.  Really.  I've had a Kawasaki KLR (a poor man's adventure bike), and a Kawasaki Versys (a bit of a pretender adventure bike?), and taking a bike with that kind of weight into the boonies just wasn't fun.  Off the road, I like my Yamaha XT250.  Goes down the road okay, and gets through the trails okay.  Nothing spectacular, but at least on the trails, it doesn't feel like you're riding your house. 

Just a short ride from where I live in west Michigan, there are trails through the national forest that are sandy, and pose a good challenge to my 250 with it's knobbies.  You gotta keep moving, and keep the power on in some tight spots.  An adventure bike would be a large joke on these trails.  Just turning one of those monsters around on these trails would be a huge chore.  You'd be a sweaty, bug bitten mess by the time you did it. 

Oh...so why did I own my pseudo adventure bikes?  Great rider position, and they're good on dirt roads, and they can get dirty and still look good.  Basically, they're great road bikes that can get dusty, too. 

Okay, so shoot me.

With that out of the way, isn't it remarkable that the Guzzi was able to keep up with the Honda and the BMW, given the resources those companies have to compete in a highly competitive market?  Guzzi's doing it's best in that genre with it's V twin, while Honda could choose from any of their existing engines or develop an engine specifically for that bike (which they probably did...I'm just too lazy and uninterested to check). 

So, go Guzzi.  I'm keeping my V7III and my XT250, but I'd take a V85 in a heartbeat.   

[Chuck in Indiana]

Just a short ride from where I live in west Michigan, there are trails through the national forest that are sandy, and pose a good challenge to my 250 with it's knobbies.  You gotta keep moving, and keep the power on in some tight spots.  An adventure bike would be a large joke on these trails.  Just turning one of those monsters around on these trails would be a huge chore.  You'd be a sweaty, bug bitten mess by the time you did it.

Absolutely. I don't get it either. About the only "adventure" these behemoths will see is putting down to the nearest Starbux and posing.
I have thousands of miles of Michigan dirt bike riding, and a 250 Bultaco was about right. I eventually went down to a 100 Hodaka because it was easier to carry when the going got *really* bad. It was down on power on long hill climbs, though.
As Pete would say, I fart in the general direction of those giant "adventure" bikes.
There is a guy with a new GS1250 that is planning on riding around the world. Suuuurrre he will.  One canbus error after he falls down in a third world country will have him eating bugs for dinner.

[Huzo]

As Pete would say, I fart in the general direction of those giant "adventure" bikes.

That is a phrase Pete would use..
(Actually a Monty Python rip-off..)
But I doubt he’d use it in relation to a large adventure bike.
That is, after all what a Stelvio is....

[bad Chad]

I get the notion that the big adv bikes don’t make much sense, for all the reasons stated.  Yet for me 6”6 250lb I really appreciate the high seat and extra suspension.   I’m not a fan of the weight of some of the really big adv.  I’m looking forward to trying a v85, with the high seat, sub 500lb weight and ample power, I have pretty high expectations.

[tazio]

A couple years ago I showed up at the "March Moto Madness"
in Tellico Plains,TN. I was totally blown away to see what these behemoth Adventure Tour bikes were capable of in skilled hands.
$25k~$30k bikes piloted by guys in there 50's running through an Obstacle Course consisting of slick large diameter logs and mud bogs.
The Hill Climb was great fun to watch and their owners made it all look easy.
Some husband AND wife teams attacked this hill together on the bike!
No one appeared to hold back.
Afterwards, I'd imagine a few washed their bikes and road down to the nearest coffee house for a well earned cup of joe..
You never know.

[Huzo]

I get the notion that the big adv bikes don’t make much sense, for all the reasons stated.  Yet for me 6”6 250lb I really appreciate the high seat and extra suspension.   I’m not a fan of the weight of some of the really big adv.  I’m looking forward to trying a v85, with the high seat, sub 500lb weight and ample power, I have pretty high expectations.

First thing I noticed with the V85, is how the bend in your knees is reduced.
The pegs feel low and close together.
Also, “adventure” bikes are still damn good things to smash out decent distances, even if you never take them off road.
It’s not mandatory and should not be seen as a disadvantage if you never do..

[not-fishing]

I'm looking at the V85 / Stelvio as a possible replacement to my V11 Lemans.

Just look for a campsite in the middle of the night after 8 miles of rough dirt road or try to get to the gravel parking lot along 4 miles of deep, loose gravel road and you'll understand why.

Now if all I did was Motel tours the V11 Lemans would work out fine Butt----most of the places I go don't have Motels.

[jpv7]

At the risk of kicking someone's sacred cow, the whole adventure bike thing just baffles me.  Do people really hop on one of these expensive, large bikes and go across the country and go trail riding?  And actually enjoy it?  If so, how many people.  Really.  I've had a Kawasaki KLR (a poor man's adventure bike), and a Kawasaki Versys (a bit of a pretender adventure bike?), and taking a bike with that kind of weight into the boonies just wasn't fun.  Off the road, I like my Yamaha XT250.  Goes down the road okay, and gets through the trails okay.  Nothing spectacular, but at least on the trails, it doesn't feel like you're riding your house. 

Just a short ride from where I live in west Michigan, there are trails through the national forest that are sandy, and pose a good challenge to my 250 with it's knobbies.  You gotta keep moving, and keep the power on in some tight spots.  An adventure bike would be a large joke on these trails.  Just turning one of those monsters around on these trails would be a huge chore.  You'd be a sweaty, bug bitten mess by the time you did it. 

Oh...so why did I own my pseudo adventure bikes?  Great rider position, and they're good on dirt roads, and they can get dirty and still look good.  Basically, they're great road bikes that can get dusty, too. 

Okay, so shoot me.

With that out of the way, isn't it remarkable that the Guzzi was able to keep up with the Honda and the BMW, given the resources those companies have to compete in a highly competitive market?  Guzzi's doing it's best in that genre with it's V twin, while Honda could choose from any of their existing engines or develop an engine specifically for that bike (which they probably did...I'm just too lazy and uninterested to check). 

So, go Guzzi.  I'm keeping my V7III and my XT250, but I'd take a V85 in a heartbeat.   

+1.  I don't get it.  Plus they are ugly.  I know, I know, beauty is a subjective thing... I saw a KTM Adventure 990 in the parking lot this am, and my mom's vintage sewing machine is more attractive.. But I am sure they do cover the miles with ease.  Worst thing is, I tend to think that they killed off the Sport Tourer.  Bikes like the VFR800, highly capable and stylish.  Is it making a comeback sometime soon? 

[Huzo]

I do concede they lack that indefinable something..
My new V85 is isn’t in the same ballpark as my Norge looks wise in my opinion, but the statement about getting down four miles of shit and broken glass to get to a rally site, is a point worth making.
And your (admittedly) lovely VFR 800 Honda does not look as good down a 4 metre embankment with it’s sump plug staring up at Uranus...
The GS and similar do a “job” very well, but you have to take that leap first..
Bikes should do more than perform a “job”....
But it’s lovely when they do.

[Cam3512]

First thing I noticed with the V85, is how the bend in your knees is reduced.
The pegs feel low and close together.
Also, “adventure” bikes are still damn good things to smash out decent distances, even if you never take them off road.
It’s not mandatory and should not be seen as a disadvantage if you never do..

THIS. They also make for a good long distance ROAD bike.  Comfortable with lots of storage.   Ask anyone with a Stelvio.

[Huzo]

THIS. They also make for a good long distance ROAD bike.  Comfortable with lots of storage.   Ask anyone with a Stelvio.

Agreed.
An adventure bike can do both, a road bike can’t really.
But as for the ugly thing, you have to remember the old adage..
“Whatever you do....
DON’T LOOK DOWN...!”

[bad Chad]

Not me, the tall people of the world really appreciate 33 inch plus seat heights!