V9 Review Thread. Merged Threadfest

[keener]

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?

well... as fast as you can get away with ......apparently 

[Triple Jim]

On some of the curves on the Dragon, I get a knee down while not exceeding the speed limit.

[PJPR01]

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.

So you're going to ride the V9 now on long trips, not the Triumph?  Both bikes set up for touring long distances now?

 

[Dave Swanson]

Stopped by Windy City Triumph and took a couple of pictures.  I was offered a test ride but didn't have the time.  I like them.  But the stable is full.

[blackcat]

"...I felt like the handling was a bit...wobbly?"

Can't disagree with the wobbly part.  And what's with that gas cap, could it possibly look any cheaper?

[Adan]

"...I felt like the handling was a bit...wobbly?"

Can't disagree with the wobbly part.  And what's with that gas cap, could it possibly look any cheaper?

But it sounds like everyone who has commented so far has only been on the Roamer.

[fossil]

That´s right. I will try to get a ride on the Bopper. My dealer has both.

[neverquit]

I just finished looking over a couple Roamers, one white, the other gold and the Bobber.  I liked the seating position and so did another old guy who was looking at bikes.  If you are getting old and starting to fossilize then the forward pegs and upright position seem perfect.  The bike felt fairly light and looked small.  There was a V7 and V7II Classic sitting near to it and they appeared bulkier with their fuel tanks.  They are so similar that I have to believe Guzzi will drop the V7II line as soon as they use up their inventory of engines and parts.

I don't like the fuel tank design but it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would and maybe a person might grow to like it over time.  Someone mentioned the horrible looking gas tank cap and I agree, what were they thinking!  The seat seemed hard at first but the more I sat on it the better it felt.  In an earlier post I was worried about the weight and was told ( in so many words) that I was being silly.  Well, they were correct, I couldn't feel the weight difference between it and a V7 when sitting on it, maybe the center of gravity is a little lower.

[Stephen]

Have not ridden the V9 but sat on both, back and forth, I prefer the Roamed.

I have ridden the V7 and enjoyed it, I think I like the Roamed peg position better, I definitely like the V7 tank and seat better, but the yellow Roamed is great.

Seems like the V7 and V9 have the same frame, hmmm.

Now as far as pulling the trigger, how long will either last? I keep bikes over ten years, so will the models last?

My Aluminum runs and is paid for, more important that model in some variation has been around a long time so parts and knowledge are plentiful.

I would like a new bike, but I keep leaning towards other Tonti California models because of their longevity and parts availability.

Any thoughts?

Update:
Rode the Roamed today, really liked it.
Meds a better seat or have to add something between the two of us.
I liked the foot peg location, not sure why most don't like it, guess just I've had in the past.
I was disappointed when they only offered $1500 for my Aluminum.
Still not ready to pull the trigger.

[bpreynolds]

New write-up. 
https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2016/06/17/2016-moto-guzzi-v9-bobber-and-roamer-test-on-the-shores-of-lake-como/

[Dave Swanson]

That was a decent article and it has some great pictures of the V9. 

This one is my favorite.

[Triple Jim]

New write-up. 
https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2016/06/17/2016-moto-guzzi-v9-bobber-and-roamer-test-on-the-shores-of-lake-como/

A couple oddities from the article:

1. "To match the sporty ride, a single Brembo four-pot caliper is mounted up front, with a two-piston clamp in the rear. They do a good job overall, but a hard or stabbing pull of the front lever will make the bike steer slightly to the right, though this reaction was absent in normal use."  This is the first time I've heard someone claim that a single front disk makes the bike's steering pull to one side.  Does this really happen with this bike?

2. "Adequate torque translates to a strong feeling of the engine ring impulses, even with the heavier flywheel, and this is a pleasant vibration."  I've never heard the term "engine ring impulses" before, although I can guess what the writer means.  Was this supposed to be firing impulses?

[JJ]

Just a few more Roamer and Bobber photos from the Cycle World road test.  

I am looking forward to seeing these models in person in the near future.

[blackcat]

A couple oddities from the article:

1. "To match the sporty ride, a single Brembo four-pot caliper is mounted up front, with a two-piston clamp in the rear. They do a good job overall, but a hard or stabbing pull of the front lever will make the bike steer slightly to the right, though this reaction was absent in normal use."  This is the first time I've heard someone claim that a single front disk makes the bike's steering pull to one side.  Does this really happen with this bike?

Maybe the writer was scratching his a**s with his left hand when he needed to brake hard?  Personally, I didn't notice anything like that on my test ride.

[crock]

Test ride on the new V7ii Stone last week left me seriously considering "ugrading" from my Breva 1100. The new V9's look even better. I think the only thing that will hold me back is the availability of suitable windscreens. No way I can ride these bikes without better wind protection on the freeway.

[Adan]

Guzzi has a screen for each.  Roamer screen looks probably adequate for freeway speeds.  Bobber is a flyscreen, probably doesn't turn it into a touring machine.  A larger screen on the Bobber just wouldn't look right.

[Moto]

A couple oddities from the article:

1. "To match the sporty ride, a single Brembo four-pot caliper is mounted up front, with a two-piston clamp in the rear. They do a good job overall, but a hard or stabbing pull of the front lever will make the bike steer slightly to the right, though this reaction was absent in normal use."  This is the first time I've heard someone claim that a single front disk makes the bike's steering pull to one side.  Does this really happen with this bike?

Since the brake is on the left, his account makes physical sense: the reaction should rotate the fork right. I'll bet it really happened. Just one more small knock against Guzzis, like the dreaded torque reaction to the flywheel.

[Triple Jim]

Since the brake is on the left, his account makes physical sense: the reaction should rotate the fork right. I'll bet it really happened. Just one more small knock against Guzzis, like the dreaded torque reaction to the flywheel.

It looks like it should, but it shouldn't.  The forces all cancel out, so there is no net torque on the front end that would tend to steer the bike, even if it has only one front disk.  My Ninja 250 has a single front disk, and I can tell you for sure that there is no tendency to steer, even when stopping hard enough to lift the rear wheel.

If something is flimsy and gets misaligned under braking forces, I could imagine some tendency to steer, but that would be pretty flimsy front end construction.  I certainly hope that's not happening to the V9.

[Kev m]

Since the brake is on the left, his account makes physical sense: the reaction should rotate the fork right. I'll bet it really happened. Just one more small knock against Guzzis, like the dreaded torque reaction to the flywheel.

I'm really sceptical about an author who claims such reaction.

I've now owned a number of bikes with à single disc and never remotely noticed such a reaction.

I mean hell, my Buell ST3 had a huge caliper and single rotor the size of a pizza. If anything was going to produce such a reaction I'd expect it to be that.

I could be wrong of course, but I think we'd have heard about this sort of thing a lot more on a lot of different bikes if that was true.

[pete roper]

It used to be noticeable if you did something really stupid on something like a Monza or Imola but they had super-weedy 30mm(?) forks. The V7 series have something like 38mm forks. Methinks 'Journalist' is an onanist.

[Dogwalker]

This is the first time I've heard someone claim that a single front disk makes the bike's steering pull to one side.  Does this really happen with this bike?

The bike does everything the tester is convinced it should.

[fossil]

"I liked the foot peg location, not sure why most don't like it, guess just I've had in the past."

Well, for me it is easy to explain. I simply feel more in control of the bike when I sit with a slight forward-lean. My V7 Stone has the higher of the two Gel - seats, and for me it make a huge difference. Another example: I had the Monster 1200 for two days when my Guzzi was in service and this seating position was perfect - for me!

Even on a bicycle I sit forward - bended. On a Holland - bicycle (you know them in the States, in AUS and NZ?) I do not feel good.

[rocker59]

It used to be noticeable if you did something really stupid on something like a Monza or Imola but they had super-weedy 30mm(?) forks. The V7 series have something like 38mm forks. Methinks 'Journalist' is an onanist.

40mm.  And, there's no way the brake package on the V7 is flexing the forks...   

[fossil]

As I described I was able to ride the Guzzi V9 Roamer hard (you have to when you chase a Ducati Scrambler on a track and each other bike that is with you is significantly stronger). There was nothing like that when I braked hard.

[lucydad]

Thanks for updates on V9--looking forward to my own evaluation.  Will look at schedule to get to Austin.  Upright seating helps my body.  Paul,  yes I would like both bikes with ability for longer rides.  Ordering side bag system for Triumph today, and a larger tank bag.  Why not?

[Toecutter]

I ride my V7 hard. I love leaning that thing into corners at high speed.

I have never once felt the front end "pull to (either side)", even under emergency braking.

[Moto]

I was happy to see this in the ultimatemotorcyclin g.com review: "The flywheel weight has been increased by 30-percent for greater engine inertia." It was an unusually articulate review, I thought.

Here's a question: Am I right in thinking that the wider front tire of the Bobber (Bopper?) would give it better traction in dirt and gravel? This seems to be my experience, but I don't know if it's generally true. I've had lots of fun with narrower tires on dirt too, but rarely the opportunity to use such different widths on the same bike.

[rocker59]

Here's a question: Am I right in thinking that the wider front tire of the Bobber (Bopper?) would give it better traction in dirt and gravel? This seems to be my experience, but I don't know if it's generally true. I've had lots of fun with narrower tires on dirt too, but rarely the opportunity to use such different widths on the same bike.

Looks at a dirt bike's front wheel/tire and then you'll know the answer.

[Moto]

Looks at a dirt bike's front wheel/tire and then you'll know the answer.

Yes, I guess that's right. Skinny and large diameter. Good for racing no doubt. What's the deal with those TW200's, then?

[Toecutter]

The "deal" with the TW200 is that I *really* want one.