Just back from delivering the 2018 Roamer I have owned since June 1, 2023. I left it at a shop that sold a new BSA 650 to the same buyer, so the pair will now be shipped together.
It was strange to ride the Roamer after riding the Bulldog for the past couple of months. Suddenly, the Guzzi felt quite, well, old. It felt like a bike from the late 70s, which is no surprise, because tecnically it is. Suspension and wheels/tires are pretty close to that era. The Bulldog has modern radials and a far more engaging riding position. The Guzzi turn with far less effort thanks to narrower tires and a wide set of handlebars, but I think most of the heaviness experienced on the Yamaha is down to its worn tires. We will see once I fit the new ones.
As to the powerplants, the Bulldog's gearbox is slicker and the engine noticeably stronger. I did not notice this as much when I went from the Guzzi to the Yamaha, but swapping back really brought out a noticeable, but not dramatic, difference. More importantly, the Bulldog pulls smoothly from just above tickover in every gear, whereas the Roamer demand revs in every gear before it runs smoothly. On/off throttle is also far more abrupt on the Roamer, most likely down to the fuel injection.
The overall biggest difference is, however, that for me the Bulldog is fun to ride, period, while the Roamer is just two-wheeled transport in order to see things. Why did I keep it for 3 years? Because it does not lend itself to fast riding, be that the engine, the handling, the riding position or the significant lack of cornering clearance. And with by crash history, lower speed is a good thing. Fortunately, the Bulldog is just as fun to ride slowly, but it has a much greater margin for error, and as a bonus is miles more comfortable.
This is to not to slag the Roamer, it is just not the best bike for me. But it is also far removed from being the worst. I have good memories.
