Best Moto Guzzi for Long-Distance Touring?

[Wfm333]

The V7 is still very enjoyable to do serious kilometres on.
With a windshield and aftermarket shocks / forks and maybe a gel seat she would be quite capable. Depends how comfortable you wish to be . Eg laying back with your legs straight on a Harley road train with a big gulp and Netflix screen or engaged on a Guzzi with relative discomfort which is alleviated by a stretch and coffee break every 150 kilometres.
Ride in peace.

[jrt]

I can't believe no one has suggested a G5 or an SP yet.  Yeah, they are getting old, but i put over 100K miles on my G5 and it was couch-like comfort and reliable as gravity. 
Well, ok, it was back in the day when I was late teens, early twenties... but it was a good long-distance cruiser!
My V11 sport was also great.  That was a mile eating machine and fun in the twisties.
My old Eldorado is a bit slower...but also fun.
I've driven a V7 Breva  (the little one) cross country and survived to tell the tale.

I don't think there is a definitive answer to this question.

[Huzo]

There are some that may tour on a harley.

Yeah those Harleys are something else…
90% of Harleys built are still on the road…( the other 10% made it home…) 

[SIR REAL ED]

For me priorities are ergos, luggage handling, cruising speed. Rare that a bike is a perfect for you but if its close and changes can be made like bar risers or footpeg adjusters. Than it might work. 8-12 hour days for a month will take a toll if you are constantly moving around. You have to sit on the bike to find out. What may seem obvious is not always the case. My KLR is most comfortable bike I own. Way better than my old Goldwing as it allowed little movement.
Most Guzzis can be fitted with bags of some sort so not an issue.
For todays traffic I would want at least a 80 mph cruising speed without effort. At some point you will want to take an interstate to get around cities unless you actually prefer to ride through Chicago or Atlanta.

Pete

Well said!!!

Get the bike that works the best for the majority of the riding you do, then add a few accessories for the specialized rides.

Adding and removing accessories as the specific rides neccessitate is all part of the fun of owning a motorcycle.

Accessories are often conversation starters at gas stops, restaurants, etc.

Some of the best people I have ever met, I met because they or I asked a question about my or their bike.

 

[SIR REAL ED]

whoever that op was, he sure wound the group up.  Must not be riding weather in a lot of places, the old men are grumpy.

Wound up?

Hell, this thread is barely one leg out of bed and the foot hasn't even touched the floor...... yet!

Once the bike decision is made, we need to determine which tires, oil etc should be used!!

[Stretch]

Whichever one you have!

That's it!

I've spent long days in the saddle on a variety of bikes over the years,
from a naked GS550 to a fully faired Triumph Trophy, to the big Cali 1400,
etc.. Some folks here have A LOT more touring experience than I have in my nearly
50 years of riding. Wind protection is sometimes nice at high speed and in bad weather,
but not necessary. Soft luggage, hard luggage - it all works. Personal preference and
budgets are large factors.

Run what ya brung. To paraphrase Peter Egan; If you don't have a Moto Guzzi, buy one.
Sooner is better. 

                                                                 -Stretch

[SIR REAL ED]

Actually it was around the coast Dan…(But don’t tell anyone, it was only 15,000 km) 

Epic!

That picture/tale always reminds me of the Hodaka advertisement from back in the day.

IIRC, a 210 pound dude rode a Hodaka 100 around Australia in 21 days.

[Stretch]

Once the bike decision is made, we need to determine which tires, oil etc should be used!!

Oh, yeah - how COULD I forget the endless oil research needed just to get around the block
without the engine grenading?!   

Geez, thanks for the reminder...... 

                                                   -Stretch

[SIR REAL ED]

Yeah those Harleys are something else…
90% of Harleys built are still on the road…( the other 10% made it home…) 

Take a bow!!

[inditx]

What happened to the OP in this “discussion”?
inditx

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Stock Le Mans III. 

[Walter]

It looks like the OP gave up on us.  If not, I second the opinion that the Norge is great for touring - and ridiculously affordable.

[bad Chad]

What happened to the OP in this “discussion”?
inditx

He may have read some of the more absurd responses, and got out of Dodge.

[Huzo]

What happened to the OP in this “discussion”?
inditx

We should have been gentle with him.
It’s his “first time…” 

[Huzo]

He may have read some of the more absurd responses, and got out of Dodge.

If he needed to ask a question like that, he wouldn’t have thought your responses were absurd Chad.
I thought there was some merit in them…

[DougG]

California 1400 Touring, 2017 or newer.  It checks all the boxes.....'nuf said.

DougG

[Huzo]

California 1400 Touring, 2017 or newer.  It checks all the boxes.....'nuf said.

DougG

But that raises another spectre..
If it so much as tips over in the grass, can you pick it up alone ?

[Ncdan]

But that raises another spectre..
If it so much as tips over in the grass, can you pick it up alone ?

With the right technique, a 100lb female can upright a 900lb HD dresser. 👍

[PeteS]

With the right technique, a 100lb female can upright a 900lb HD dresser. 👍

How many of us carry a 100 lb female to pick up our bikes?

Pete

[Tkelly]

I used to.

[DougG]

Good point Huzo.  That's why I added a stand support plate, and plastic rub guards to the chrome side bars outside the panniers.

Be well,

DougG

[Ncdan]

How many of us carry a 100 lb female to pick up our bikes?

Pete

Well, maybe you should consider getting one😉

[pressureangle]

Mmmm... Maybe I'm not the guy to ask, having done 10k in 8 weeks with 2 ironbutts in 3 days on a '97 1100 Sport...
But
I've ridden a lot of different big touring bikes, H-D, Honda, etc. I have to say that this $1k '05 BMW RT is the outstanding star for me, starting with the weight- or rather, lack of it.
I haven't had the opportunity to ride a Norge, but if it is near the weight of the Beemer I think that's the direction I'd go. Never heard a bad thing about them save the flat tappet cam follower issues.

[LowRyter]

The new V100 for Touring.  It's set up from the factory.  Bags, grips, cruise, aero.  More power, comfort, handling and warranty.

[Moparnut72]

My Mandello fits the bill but I really liked my 1400 Audace for long rides. Effortless cruising at whatever speeds I wanted to ride at except below 10 mph.
kk

[Bill W]

California 1400 TOURING!
Hell,That bike is so comfortable I could take a nap on it going down the highway.

[Ryan]

When I was 17 and my bike was a 2-stroke tripple Kawasaki, that was the best bike for touring. Then I got a Honda 750 Interceptor, and toured on that. A Kawasaki 750 LTD cruiser came next... it sucked for touring but it was what I had and I covered a lot of miles on it. Then came a series of various sport bikes, and they were all fantastic for touring. My LeMans was a great bike for touring. Somewhere between the lemans and the Stelvio, I lost a lot of range of motion in my knees (doc calls it trauma-induced osteoarthritis) so when I started shopping for my "last bike, leg room was key. The massive fuel tank is a huge plus. The heated grips and hand guards mean my old arthritic hands stay warm and comfy in thin, summer gloves. It weighs a ton, but the frame is super-strong and I will never crack it. Tons of suspension travel make for smooth riding, but is is a Guzzi so it still rails as hard as I want to in the twisties. Is it perfect for you? How the hell would I know? But it checks all the boxes for me, and will be my ride until I can't anymore. The point is, any bike can be made to work, but figure out what your physical shortcomings are and get the bike that best mitigates them. Then, you are a couple of accessories away from perfection.

[Bulldog9]

The one that suits you.......

Seriously, the bike you are comfortable on for endless hours, and the one you are comfortable with is the best. That varies person to person.

For me, that's a Norge.

[PJPR01]

Another vote for the Norge…and a properly modified ergonomically Griso…both great for all day multi day touring!

[Moparnut72]

The more comments I read about the Norge the more I wish I had tried one. I will stick with what I have. I will ride the Mandello as long as I can then it will be the V7. I am not getting older, I am old. I've lasted a lot longer than I ever thought I would.
kk