V9 Review Thread. Merged Threadfest

[bad Chad]

So, are you going to pull the trigger?

[blackcat]

I test road the Roamer today and really enjoyed the engine and the transmission. Shifting was very smooth and the power delivery was better than I expected, and it also handled quite well in the few turns that I got to take and it on, plus it was nice to see a shift indicator on the clock. Pushed it up to about 85 on the freeway and I didn't really need to get into 6th gear until about 80, and it felt planted at that speed. Of course it needs some kind of wind screen for those sustained freeway miles.

Both the Roamer and the Bobber are not my kind of bike, but I do think that the platform has potential for a more interesting bike. Quite frankly I like the older V7 tanks compared to the new Praying Mantis tank and I prefer a stand alone tach as the single instrument seems a bit busy, but I guess one can get use to that after awhile. 

PS. I rode up to the dealer on my 1000S, so it was interesting comparing the contrast between bikes. I'd never sell my bike for a Roamer but the engine/tranny is definitely better, but I would expect that out of a bike that was 23 years newer. 

[bad Chad]

I enjoyed my test ride as well.  Everything worked very well, and sounded good too!

My only real concern, aside from being too big for the bike, was that the peg location being ever so slightly forward of neutral, caused my legs to splay out at speed.  I could feel that I was using my upper leg muscles to keep my knees from being pulled out by the wind.  This would be no concern for lower speed riding, or rides less than 45min, yet, for me, knowing how I like to ride, Ie high speeds, it might cause some issues.

Aside from that, I really found it good, though like others, I was only on good quality roads.  It does feel lie it's packing more punch than the spec sheet gives it credit for.  I hope they sell well, its a good starting point for other derivatives.

[blackcat]

"My only real concern, aside from being too big for the bike, was that the peg location being ever so slightly forward of neutral, caused my legs to splay out at speed."

Yes, I didn't like the peg location either.  Supposedly one of the guys who test road the bike liked it too, as he ordered a Roamer.

[Cam3512]

I demo'd a Roamer at the WNY rally.  Noticeably more grunt than I expected.  Shifting was smoth, and the thin flat seat was pretty comfortable.  The shift/brake levers are much nicer than the V7, and more forward.  They are further out, and my legs felt splayed as well.  The handle bars were awkward in combination with the pegs.  Dealer brought a Bobber too, but it wasn't a demo.  I like the looks better, and the drag bars might provide better ergos.  All said and done, it's not enough for me to trade my V7.  NICE engine though, and I'm curious to see where it ends up in the future.  Smallblock Stelvio?  Retro 850 LeMans?   We'll see.

[sliphorn]

sliphorn,

Grazie!  Thanks for a meaningful review.  I am willing to bet the V9 engine breaks in and gains some high end and smoothness with miles.  Comments I have read on the 6-speed transmission seem to indicate less clunky than the V7s?  Who knows maybe Guzzi will make a gel seat for these bikes? 

Can't wait to test one.  Agree that the yellow Roamer is the looker, although white might be ok.  I can imagine these bikes in the famed Tenni Green...


veloce!

====

Yes, I felt the trans was very smooth for a new bike, though I couldn't tell much difference between it and the V7 Stone's trans. It's my understanding that Guzzi offers a "comfort" saddle for the V9's.

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[sliphorn]

So, are you going to pull the trigger?

=====

I'm still thinking about it. Here are my concerns. 1) It is a first year model. 2) Will the upright riding position be a problem for my lower back. A short demo ride will not generally reveal that. 3) Because of the V9's cost, if I were to buy it, I'd have to sell my Sprint, and after riding my Sprint to the dealer, 20 miles or so, I thought to myself, "are you crazy"!? My Sprint is a fantastic bike.

And finally........Oh man, this is gonna raise some eyebrows. My next door neighbor has a like new 2014 Piaggio BV350 scooter with well under a thousand miles on it. In fact he hasn't even had it in for its 1st 620 mile service.  I can pick it up for a song AND keep my Sprint. The BV350 is a very fun, plenty quick scooter, and I would ride it most of the time and keep the Sprint for those days when I need to release the beast from within...........Or so I think.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.......... ..

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[lucydad]

Slip,

Buying any new bike is a significant decision.  Glad I am not the only one that makes informed choices.  Given that, I say go for it.

The tank shape on the V9s is definitely unusual.  Not sure it is very ergonometric. It is pretty though.  Couldn't be much worse than current V7s with flat tank sides with no knee grip possible.  Love my Triumph STRX for that knee support so important for hooliganism.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences and opinions.

[leafman60]

I too rode the same V9 Roamer today as did Blackcat and I ditto what he said.

The pearl white bike is very handsome. Fit and finish is superb.

The new engine looks good too.  I like the cylinder and head appearance much better than the latest V7.

Once it comes to life and in the lower rpm range, the new 850 seems to power pulse (eg vibrate) a wee bit more than the V7 but it is not offensive to me. Power delivery is what I would term very adequate but not overly inspiring.  I have a single-cylinder 650 that will walk away from the 850 Guzzi.

The 850 has nice low end torque and, as the engine revs, it smooths out noticeably. If it only had a little bit more....

The foot pegs are a little too far forward for my tastes but I could live with it. I'd kinda like bars maybe a little lower and the thin pad seat started to become tiresome after about 20 minutes. But, that's the kind of bike this is, a semi-cruiser, a standard run-about of sorts.  The few curves I negotiated went ok but this machine is not designed or intended to be a curve-carving motorcycle.

Anyway, I like it, kinda.  I like the engine and think it has potential. Surely it will eventually serve duty in place of the 750 sibling.

Along with our mostly 50-60ish crowd, we had a slew of millennials at the same dealership staging a poker run for charity on their crotch rockets.  (Who would have guessed that 20-somethings on jap bikes would be doing a poker run?)

The V9 Roamer demo along with a Cali Custom demo were parked at the front door outside so all the kids had to walk by all of us gray-hairs and near-gray-hairs.  They were very polite but none took advantage of a demo ride.  Based on the performance level of the bikes I saw them ride in on, I'm not sure how satisfying a test ride of the V9 would have been for any of them.

[lucydad]

Thanks for additional comments and thoughts.  The V9, to me, I hope:  yes a wee bit more power/torque than my current 2TB small block, modern ABS, the two traction setting is a plus.  Upright stance is the big plus.  Comfort for longer rides is my goal:  turn a Roamer into a nice easy going mid-range touring bike. Maybe more trips to TX hill country.  Maybe northern Arkansas.  Maybe even Okle-homeie.

Why a Guzzi?  Good question.  Younger sport bike crowd mainly see motorcycles as power/speed/handling thrill.  Different culture.  I was on my Triumph 675 STRX yesterday southbound towards the Gulf coast yesterday morning.  Up behind I hear the rip of a Ducati Panigale, the big one.  Guy cruising along at 75 in a 55 zone.  Looked me over and vice versa, then he goosed it and disappeared.  Not interested says I.  Ego is a lot of the game.  Yeah, he is fast.  Racing bike for street.  Very, very loud.

Why a Guzzi?  For me:  the unusual engine, the shaft drive, the sheer beauty of a machine built in Italy.  Something quite rare and unusual.
Geared up and riding the V7R to church this morning.  Its all about the engine.

[keener]

well i finally got a chance to ride the 2016 V7 Stone and a V9 Roamer at a demo days at our local dealer , i was pretty excited as many on this site love the small block and promote it so well , Guzzi sales on the V7 are the main stay of the brand.
All i can say that after the ride i had to compose myself as i found nothing of interest in either bike , they were both anemic in power especially the V7 ,the V9 with better torque spread, the suspension was some what better on the V9 but the V7 was akin to a hobby horse and the brakes were adequate,the riding position for me was ok but for others it could be worse or better...
The best part of each bike was fit and finish , they looked as of quality ..
Big disappointment for me in general and i cant for any reason other than esthetics  see any attraction for these motorcycles.
Do i stand alone in my opinions , i bet not but i do fear that others will be shy to vent on what i see as being realistic .

 

[Adan]

The review of any motorcycle will be heavily colored by the reviewer's frame of reference.   The V9 will undoubtedly be a good bike for novices, but what about experienced riders? 

I'm one of those folks who have owned a V7 and loved it.  As for the anemic power, I didn't care.  I've had much more powerful bikes that brought me less pleasure.   Now and then when I wanted to pass a slow car on a curvy mountain road, I'd wish the V7 had a little bit more.  Sounds like the V9 would be able to handle most of those situations adequately.

If I still had a V7, I probably wouldn't trade up.  Being Guzzi-less, the V9 looks very good.  Ergonomics are the big question for me, and I haven't been able to sit on one yet.

[JeffOlson]

Both the V7 and the V9 are faster and more powerful than my Vespa GTS 300, but I am more than happy with the speed and power of my Vespa. Anemic? Perhaps it is to some, but not to me... I imagine many people will be thrilled with the speed and power of the V9.

[Triple Jim]

Both the V7 and the V9 are faster and more powerful than my Vespa GTS 300, but I am more than happy with the speed and power of my Vespa. Anemic? Perhaps it is to some, but not to me... I imagine many people will be thrilled with the speed and power of the V9.

Interesting and true.  I recently put a few hundred miles on my Ninja 250 and enjoyed its excellent handling, very light weight, and modest but adequate power.  We get used to motorcycles being ultra fast and powerful, but my little 250 will do a quarter mile in about 15 seconds, and is plenty quick enough to safely merge into freeway traffic, or pass a slower vehicle on a country road.  The V7 and V9 are both faster than my 250, and should do everything well, except for acceleration or speed contests with faster vehicles.  If that stuff is important to a rider, he should certainly get a more powerful/faster motorcycle.

[lucydad]

Jim of Triple fame,

The little Ninja is a fantastic machine.  Agree on all points. 

[Triple Jim]

I think they can look decent too, once you get rid of all the heavy plastic stuff.   

My daughter on mine, playing on the Dragon:

[Kev m]

is pretty though.  Couldn't be much worse than current V7s with flat tank sides with no knee grip possible. 

<Scratches head>

[fossil]

Couldn't be much worse than current V7s with flat tank sides with no knee grip possible. 

Huh? This is one feature in which I regard the little Goose much better than a lot of other bikes. The V9 included, but also a lot of "sportier" bikes. I admit, mine has the additional rubber tknee pads.

[Kev m]

Anemic?

That's a really silly perspective looking at the big picture.

~14 second 1/4 mile still puts a V7 in WRX territory.

That's not anemic except viewed by the very narrow perspective that every car should have 500 hp and every bike should turn 10-11 second 1/4's, which even though both are becoming easy to find (when not long ago they were exotic), they are still far from the majority.

And I'm not saying such things shouldn't be desired or enjoyed, just that if you come from that perspective you simply won't get the smallblocks, and that's fine.

It's like the kid salesman who was talking trash about the new T120/Thruxton (only an idiot talks trash about a bike in his own showroom).

But he had absolutely NO IDEA why ANYONE would buy a bike for a little more money that made less power than a liter bike from JAPanInc.

[keener]

Yeah Anemic  may have been a bit harsh in my description of the small blocks .....
I for one am not a huge proponent of outright HP its not the be all and end all of a good motorcycle for sure, but with a strong engine especially in the midrange a motorcycle can if coupled with good brakes and suspension be sublime or near perfect .

In my youth i was one of those guys , not only did i own very powerful motorcycles i added to them,  the  faster the better and as far as suspension went .. meh.. it wasn't all that important .
Things changed as i grew into bikes , suspension /brake components were upgraded first and a good tune was all that a already strong engine would get, strong roll ons in the middle  were important as  passing was easy and safe in traffic and bursts of speed were fun and exhilarating and smiles would come knowing that the reserve was there when you needed it anytime.
I have continued in that frame of mind  , upgrading suspension and brakes and making sure that my bikes have the midrange to pull hard out of a corner , a mountain pass in top gear if desired and power to spare for a pillion when needed.
Its not fair for me to rate a small block as that type of motorcycle is for some one that prefers what they are as a motorcycle .
So Apologies to all that love them , i was just giving my reaction to them and i am sure that for many they are fine motorcycles.
cheers
Keener 
 

[Kev m]

To be clear Keener, it's all good. My response was one about perspective.

I've spent not inconsiderable amounts of time on bikes with MUCH BETTER brakes, suspension, and power, but there's something about the more rudimentary and visceral smallblock that does it for me, fully recognizing it's limitations.

So no offense taken, just pointing out the vast difference in perspectives.

[lucydad]

Kev,

On my V7R, with tank pads, at least with the low gel seat and my body:  almost zero ability for knees to brace on tank.  Really noticed it after getting the Triumph with classic wedge shaped tank.  Hold with knees:  really helps on hard braking and acceleration, and also cornering.

[Kev m]

Kev,

On my V7R, with tank pads, at least with the low gel seat and my body:  almost zero ability for knees to brace on tank.  Really noticed it after getting the Triumph with classic wedge shaped tank.  Hold with knees:  really helps on hard braking and acceleration, and also cornering.

Maybe it's a size thing.

At 5'10" / 32"ish inseam I can grip the tank whenever desired, though I don't mind splaying a bit too in hot weather.

But heck, I can grip the tank on a sportster with a peanut if I want.

[Triple Jim]

Hold with knees:  really helps on hard braking and acceleration, and also cornering.

For cornering you need to be hanging both cheeks off the seat to the inside, with your knee puck on the pavement, not holding on in the middle.   

[lucydad]

Jim of Triple-ness

Been down low enough on the STRX to scrape pegs.  Bike sticks like glue, great settledness of suspension too.   Hang on with outside knee on center of tank pad....Yvon Du Hamel I am not...but I met him once.

[kingoffleece]

Knee down on the road?  Not for me, but that's one mans opinion.

I also rode the V9 at the WNY event.  The overriding impression I had was that it was the first retro bike I've ridden that actually had a usable suspension right out of the box.  Unbelievable.  Every other bike I've ever been on under 10K, and most over that, have had good at best shocks, springs, and specifications.  As for power, Kev M said it very well.  I don't miss my Street 3 at all compared to my V7-but again, not the only view offered.  Then there's the whole experience of watching a world class rider on a stock Bonneville leave Daytona 675's in the DUST on a very technical road.  But that's for another time.

I agree with the peg discussion.  A tad forward.  Maybe I'd get used to it.  For sure a flyscreen to take pressure off the chest may render it a mute point.  All in all a great offering IMHO.  Not going to change my V7 for one but for sure it's a fine machine.

[DonT]

Imagine my surprise when a brandy new, shiny, yellow- gold Roamer crossed in front of me on my Sunday morning ride.  Sharon Connecticut.  So at least one has been sold in Connecticut.  I caught up with the proud owner, a "hipster dude" - at least 70, & he said he saw a picture of it in a magazine, thought "that's a fine looking motorcycle," bought it and says he loves it.  Other than breakfasts and Guzzi events, I see about 1 Guzzi a year in my area of north west CT.

[jGuz]

I went up to Arlington to check out the V9 Roamer at La Moto Washington - great guys! - today.  My bias: I rode there on my R9T.  I was hoping to see if the V9 was a bit comfier while still retaining enough power and character. 
The test ride was around town, which was busy and didn't really have many places to really test the handling.  My first impression, in a word - awkward.  For me, at least.  The seating position was a little too upright (didn't think that was possible - I like upright seating positions), and I didn't immediately find the clutch engagement point.  My knee kept banging into the left cylinder head.  The Roamer had more than enough power around town and the seat was pretty comfortable, but for whatever reason I felt like the handling was a bit...wobbly? Unpredictable?  The first time I rode the R9T (and my Norge) I felt that the handling was rock-solid and predictable.     
I'm sure I'd get over some of the awkwardness, but the bike didn't scream "you must buy me!" 

I also tried an Eldorado, but I was reminded why I don't really like cruisers...too heavy, and I was constantly in fear of dropping it.  Didn't inspire confidence.  But that's just me. 
   

[fossil]

Well, it is interesting to see that most of you who have ridden the Roamer agree in that the seating position is a bit awkward. I experienced exactly the same things: pegs a bit too forward, leaning angle a bit too backward, one feels a bit unconnected to the front wheel. But a really nice engine, and the workmanship stands each comparison to the new Triumph - series.

[Cam3512]

I just put nearly 1100 miles on my V7 this weekend.  All kinds of roads from slab to twisty, and everything inbetween.  NOT ONCE did I have a problem accelerating when I needed to pass a car or truck.  The majority of people here are not, nor have ever been, motorcycle "racers".  Gripping the tank, dragging a knee?  Gimme a break.  How fast do you NEED to go on public roads?