V9 Roamer likes and dislikes

[faffi]

After 4500 mi / 7000 km on my Roamer, there are some likes and dislikes that have surfaced.

LIKES
Engine
- Alive, but unobtrusive
- Power well above its numbers
- Frugal (59.4 mpg / 3.96 liter per km average to date)
- Air cooled
- Easy to maintain

Gearbox
- Smooth shifting with low effort
- Never missed a gear

Final drive
- Not noticed

Seat
- Good for two hours
- Easy to move around on

Seating position
- Close to perfect with a good tailwind

Mirrors
- Gives a mostly clear and large enough view of what's behind

Suspension
- Decent compromise for a budget bike

Brakes
- Front is perfect for me, just the correct amount of effort and feedback

Instrument
- Easy to read
- Plenty of information available

Assistents
- Traction control not noticed normally
- ABS does not kick in prematurely


DISLIKES
Engine
- Left footpeg start buzzing when revs approach 5k rpm and above
- Abrupt throttle response
- Next to impossible to ride slowly in the lower three gears, bike lurches and bucks

Gearbox
- No feedback to tell you first gear is engaged
- Quite loud clunks with every shift (could be the operator...)

Final drive
- A pain when replacing rear wheel

Seat
- Foam flattened after two hours and seat become pure torture

Seating position
- Very tiring riding into a gale, no way to find relief from the sail effect

Mirrors
- Bolted together from too many pieces, can come undone when attempting adjustments on the run

Suspension
- Fork is too harsh over sharp bumps
- Rear shocks lack reserve for bigger bumps

Brakes
- Rear brake is a bit numb

Instrument
- Have to toggle to get information that should have been omni-present
- Speedo needle not steady
- Rev counter would be nice

Assistents
- Traction intrusive when it kicks in (which is rarely)
- Traction control must be turned off after each start and is accompanied by an annoying warning lamp (which means it rarely gets shut off, and probably is what Guzzi planned)


THREE WORST
- Abrupt throttle
- Seat
- Riding position

Everything else is just nit-picking.

[twowheeladdict]

That riding position almost always requires a windscreen or muscular arms.  if you don't have either try sliding back on the seat and lean forward a little to let your core not have to work as hard.

[faffi]

What is strange, to me at least, is that even when scooting back onto the pillion and moving feet to the passenger pegs, I am still having to use a lot of effort to keep myself from blowing off the bike. I reckon I am reasonably strong for a 60-year old, still able to deadlift 450 lbs, but over time I find the static position fighting the wind to be very tiring. I have ridden feet forward cruisers that were less of a challenge to hang onto.

[Gliderjohn]

Don't know if anything available but years ago when I had my naked GS400 I had an adjustable passenger backrest which I could slide up and lock as a backrest. Helped a lot with hours if highway speeds.
GliderJohn

[faffi]

Don't know if anything available but years ago when I had my naked GS400 I had an adjustable passenger backrest which I could slide up and lock as a backrest. Helped a lot with hours if highway speeds.
GliderJohn

I remember those, but I think they went out of fashion cirka 1980.

[twowheeladdict]

What is strange, to me at least, is that even when scooting back onto the pillion and moving feet to the passenger pegs, I am still having to use a lot of effort to keep myself from blowing off the bike. I reckon I am reasonably strong for a 60-year old, still able to deadlift 450 lbs, but over time I find the static position fighting the wind to be very tiring. I have ridden feet forward cruisers that were less of a challenge to hang onto.

strap a hard roll bag with backrest on pillion when doing higher speeds.

[bad Chad]

I agree with much of your observations.   The suspension really benefits from upgrades.   Something is wrong with your fueling if your can't ride slow and easy in the first three gears without lurching.  My Roamer has no problem doing this.

[Dirk_S]

Not sure if this is just a list for lists sake, or if youre open to ideas and tips as much as I am to getting proper punctuation marks back into my life, but you might want to consider:

A beaded seat to better distribute the pressure points on the saddle; my V7 III is also uncomfortable in basic form,

A custom map for handling those little jerky blips,

Adding a sidecar to the bike; its fascinating how the tub counters and negates the wind on my body and helmet, despite being off to the side.

Though I suppose a windshield could be more financially manageable.

[bad Chad]

A customer made might make a significant difference, however, I'm using the stock map with no issues.   My thought is something isn't set right.

[faffi]

Thanks for the tips and hints, much appreciated. A sidecar is out of the question, though, as I have no interest in supporting wheels

Good to hear your V9 is smooth, and that there is hope. On another Guzzi forum, guzzitech, there have been a lot of discussion about poor fueling of the V9, apparently a result of a TPS that does not have a fine enough "scale" at low settings, so there is either idle or too much throttle signal given to the ECU.

[Kev m]

Thanks for the tips and hints, much appreciated. A sidecar is out of the question, though, as I have no interest in supporting wheels

Good to hear your V9 is smooth, and that there is hope. On another Guzzi forum, guzzitech, there have been a lot of discussion about poor fueling of the V9, apparently a result of a TPS that does not have a fine enough "scale" at low settings, so there is either idle or too much throttle signal given to the ECU.

Isn't it the same throttle body on all 1TB V7 and V9's?

[Dirk_S]

Isn't it the same throttle body on all 1TB V7 and V9's?

I believe its the same throttle body and ECU hardware, just a different software and map. I remember chatting with Beetle about the differences.

[Kev m]

I believe its the same throttle body and ECU hardware, just a different software and map. I remember chatting with Beetle about the differences.

That's where I'm going with this.

If that's the case the TPS itself is the same piece of hardware.

[faffi]

There is a lot of posts on the www complaining about jerky reactions to throttle input on the single body small blocks, a few listed below. Some have not been able to get rid of it by resetting the TPS, others have had success. So perhaps it is down to quality control combined with how delicate (or not) the rider can operate the throttle.

Anybody have experience with the GuzziDiag?


https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=88236.0

https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=115114.0

https://www.guzzitech.com/forums/threads/throttle-position-sensor-reset-w-gtm-flash-tool.21351/

https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=112165.0

https://griso.org/GuzziDiag%20for%20V7-V9.pdf

[Zenermaniac]

Anybody have experience with the GuzziDiag?

GuzziDiag and remapping can brick the MIU3G ECU.

[inditx]

Loved the engine in the older” V9’s!
I’ve said it before but it is the Goldilocks of MG mills.

I didn’t like the seams on the tank as far as function and my knees, form was cool looking though.
I didn’t like the vague front end feel on the Roamer, especially at speed and the Bobber was a little slow turning in on the twisties.
Lastly, I had to burp the gas tank on both after a ride, weird.

Now put that mill in a V7 frame and Voila!
My .02
inditx