One more sleep...

[YellowDuck]

...until I pick up what I suspect will be my "forever bike" - a black 2025 V85 Strada, brand new.

We will see how long the V7 Stone 850 stays in the garage after the arrival of her big sister.  I doubt I can justify keeping both, given how similar they are, and the insurance costs. 

Whatever happens with the V7, I really expect that I will be a Guzzi person for the rest of my riding career, however long that turns out to be. Love these bikes so much!

[SIR REAL ED]

Cool.  I hope the new bike is everything you hope for!

[YellowDuck]

First 150 km yesterday.  It's got noticeably more snot than the V7, not so much up top where i expected it, but rather in that 3000 to 5000 rpm sweetspot where it has way more shove. I can't imagine wanting more motor in a bike like this, at least for the type of riding that I do.

I can't understand why it shifts so much lighter.  And N is easily selected from either direction, moving or standing still.  Isn't it supposed to be the same gearbox?

Suspension seems well suited for the often crappy roads i ride.  Better than the V7, even after i spent 2k on shocks and fork cartridges.

Brakes are also way more than adequate.  I even did one very hard stop after making a late decision regarding a yellow light.  It activated the emergency stop brake light flashing feature, which was cool.

Cruise control is the best feature I never knew I wanted.

Ride modes make a very noticeable difference.  Currently I prefer Road over Sport.  Less finesse needed to ride smoothly at low throttle angles.

The exhaust is kinda poppy on decel.  Also, I miss the loud intake sound of the V7.  It's  quite muffled on the V85. 

Jury's still out on the seat.  On a 2 h ride, I wouldn't say it was more comfortable than the V7.  But I always find it takes a while for me to get used to the seat on a new bike.

[Clifton]

Glad you're liking it. 

After running it in and just getting acquainted with the "feel" my typical rpm is 3,500-5,500.

My 2021 gearbox has always been delightfully light shifting, more so than my previous V7 II.

Engine and suspension will work even better after a 2-3 thousand miles.

I'm not sure how the 25's are but mine didn't have much air intake sound either however on mine there were two slotted openings in the airbox but one was taped over from the factory, supposedly to squeak by EPA noise requirement. When I changed the air filter I removed the tape and whether it runs better I can't say but it sounds better.

I feel it's among the best seats I've ever had on a stock bike and it's one of the few I've not thought about an aftermarket seat. I did remove the bumper at the rear of the bucket and that made it even better.

[YellowDuck]

I'm not sure how the 25's are but mine didn't have much air intake sound either however on mine there were two slotted openings in the airbox but one was taped over from the factory, supposedly to squeak by EPA noise requirement. When I changed the air filter I removed the tape and whether it runs better I can't say but it sounds better.

I dug into the bike today to check the airbox (not an entirely trivial undertaking).  It has two rubber snorkels, one on each side of the airbox lid.  Neither intake opening was taped over.

Im up to nearly 500 km on it now and find I can ride it a lot more smoothly.  The ride by wire throttle is very light and has taken some getting used to.  Starting to gel with the bike to the point that I can push it a bit in the corners.   

I dont understand why it is so much better than the V7 on gravel, but it really is. 

[YellowDuck]

It really is amazing how different a riding experience the V7 and the V85 provide.  The V7 is almost comically tiny, and practically disappears beneath you.  The V85 is a yacht by comparison, but has that planted feeling that you want for touring.  The V7 is extremely bare bones and old school, while the V85 feels like a much more modern piece of kit.  I understand now how some people can justify owning both of these simultaneously, even though they supposedly have (nearly) the same engine. 

The height difference also really exaggerates the weight difference between them - the V7 is so low slung it really feels much lighter than it is, while the V85 forces you to pay a bit of attention while pushing it around the garage.

Completely different machines.  I'm really looking forward to doing some serious touring on the V85.  My hard luggage arrives this week.  I can see the windscreen being a future project though - what a ridiculous contraption!  Wind management is better on the V7, with just a tiny Dart screen on it - I get the full air pressure on my body, but at least it is calm air.  This wasn't a surprise about the V85 though - every review I read said the windscreen was worse than useless and best left in the lowest position.   

   

[PeteS]

I put the V85 Travel windshield on my V85tt. No pressure on my chest and clean air on my helmet. If you want to be in still air you would need something larger.

Pete

[Moparnut72]

Your comments about the Dart hit home with me. I had a Dart Marlin on my T120. It was awful, the buffeting which was not terrible but bad enough to be annoying. On one ride I took it off and threw it in the saddlebag. When I got my V7 850 I thought I would try it again. I didn't have the correct mounts for it but I still had the Triumph mounts so with a little modification I was able to use them. The only issue was that they pushed the screen up above the headlight a bit creating a good sized space under the screen. The screen works perfectly taking wind pressure off my chest but I get nice clean air at helmet level. I think the space underneath is the reason. I have messed with screens and windshields for years with little success, this has been the exception. I am very happy with it and it looks good to boot if the space below it is ignored.
kk

[YellowDuck]

I put the V85 Travel windshield on my V85tt. No pressure on my chest and clean air on my helmet. If you want to be in still air you would need something larger.

Pete

Thanks for the info.  I may give that a go but it is kind of an expensive experiment at CDN$300.  Looks better than those little clip-on extensions though!

[DoubleGuzzi]

The V7 is almost comically tiny, and practically disappears beneath you.

Not true if less than 5' 8", or thereabouts - the V50 gets closer to that description.

From wayyyy in the past, a 6' plus riding on the back of a TY50 IS comical: even the boys in blue reckoned so, when they pulled us over.

[PeteS]

Thanks for the info.  I may give that a go but it is kind of an expensive experiment at CDN$300.  Looks better than those little clip-on extensions though!

I am three hours from Toronto across that little pond if you want to give a try. You may be closer or further.

Pete

[Clifton]

I dug into the bike today to check the airbox (not an entirely trivial undertaking).  It has two rubber snorkels, one on each side of the airbox lid.  Neither intake opening was taped over.

So neither of the rectangular openings on the bottom of the airbox were taped over?

[YellowDuck]

So neither of the rectangular openings on the bottom of the airbox were taped over?

There were no openings in the bottom of the airbox.  Only the two on either side, with the snorkels.

You got me curious so I did a bit of a deep dive in the parts books. 

The airbox lid (called "filter holder") was part number 2B004461 from 2019 to 2020.  I can't tell from the drawing if it has the two rectangular holes on the back.

For 2021 to 2023, it becomes 2B007979.  It looks the same in the drawing but I found a picture of one online and it definitely has the two holes.

For 2024 to 2026 (including my bike), it is 2B011834.  It looks different from the other two in the drawing, and it does not have the holes.

I was 100% confident in the above until I found this https://www.guzzitech.com/forums/threads/new-2024-v85tt-air-box.26217/  which shows 2B011834 having one extra rectangular hole at the back near the top.  I can't believe I would have missed that, but now I have to take it apart again to check for sure    If the hole is not there I might create it myself.

[Clifton]

There were no openings in the bottom of the airbox.  Only the two on either side, with the snorkels.....

I was 100% confident in the above until I found this https://www.guzzitech.com/forums/threads/new-2024-v85tt-air-box.26217/  which shows 2B011834 having one extra rectangular hole at the back near the top.  I can't believe I would have missed that, but now I have to take it apart again to check for sure    If the hole is not there I might create it myself.

Interested what you discover. When I checked the air box on my 2021 early on I noticed the one opening underneath but looking closer there was a second one that was neatly covered with black tape. Looking in to at the time it seemed only US versions were taped to squeak by the max db testing. I wondered if the new E5+ air boxes were redesigned for US to eliminate one hole rather than just taping over one?

[YellowDuck]

Confirming that my airbox lid looks exactly like the one on the right in that link I shared - the two holes on the side behind the snorkels, and one more, horizontally oriented, near the top on the back.  Nothing taped over.