V9 Review Thread. Merged Threadfest

[lucydad]

Interesting opinions on the V9, please keep them coming!

Ah, semantics and word-salads and such.  Lovely thingy-things.  Wrestled with decision to, or not to ride this morning:  still recovering from summer cold and nasty Alzheimer's episode yesterday, and late night block party to meet new neighbors.

Chose the one made in Mandello del Lario.  Will try out the GoPro mount on front flasher. 

I continue to look forward to my own V9 evaluation.

[Adan]

I'm not sure I accept that characterization, but it's likely a disagreement in semantics.

It's semantics.  I probably shouldn't be spouting off until I ride it, but my impression is that, wind blast aside, the V9 will feel just fine cruising at 80+ mph or riding a twisty rode at above the posted speed limit.  Folks worried about the lack of ground clearance or the light or "wobbly" steering are unfairly comparing it to a sporty standard.

King, I have your helmet, will return it after my ride next Tuesday or Wednesday.  Thanks for the Lagniappe!

[Adan]

Test rode the Roamer today.  The bottom line is I liked it a lot and am considering getting a Bobber, but might just go back to a V7 instead because it's not all that clear that, for my purposes, the V9 would be any better

Unfortunately the test ride was the super-lame kind, where you're just going around the block with no curves, but I did 7 miles of that plus some slow speed circling in a parking lot.

The engine is definitely the highlight, with tons of character and lots of pull from low rpms (I couldn't go fast enough to achieve high rpms).  The engine character is what accounts for so much of the satisfaction in riding a Guzzi, and the V9 provides that in spades.  I've owned a V7 classic, a newer V7 racer, and an 8V Griso, and have ridden the new California 1400.  I'd say the 850 engine is closest to the 8V in this respect of just just giving you an enjoyable thrill at every twist of the throttle.  And it's peppy.  Not super fast, but for folks who feel the V7 doesn't provide enough acceleration, the V9 ought to address their needs to some extent.

The ride is very comfortable.  The rider's triangle felt great, I had no concerns about the peg position, though again I wasn't going very fast.  I would need more time on the seat to really judge it, but being able to move around so easily on the wide flat back part of it probably is conducive to long range comfort.  I've been on nicely padded seats that lock you in and would much have this.

Suspension felt great.  Even though I was on smooth roads it was immediately obvious that the V9 is far better than the V7 in this regard.  It's a firm ride and yet I didn't get the feeling that it would be punishing on a rougher road.  Very appropriate for this sort of bike.

Lots of reviewers have commented on feeling a lack of confidence in the front end, and even on this mini-test ride I could feel that.  The light front end helps make it fairly adroit for the cruiser-ish chassis, but at the same time tends to disqualify it as a canyon carver.  This is no surprise, and I actually think it's a good design choice given how most people will ride the V9. 

I did get the feeling it would be stable and higher speeds, and so I think with the comfortable ergos the Roamer could be an excellent tourer provided you're willing to take it easy on the twisties.  Not sure how that riding position would be on my lower back after a few hours.  It's upright, but with a slight slouch and not easy to take that pressure off the spin for any length of time.

So will I be getting one?  Quite possibly, yes.  I've got my MV for serious riding.  I want a lightweight Guzzi for knocking around town or go through Napa wine country with my wife on the back (she will never mount the towering Turismo Veloce).  The V9 fits the bill, and it's definitely the kind of bike that is fun and cool to trundle around on a moderate speeds.

I'm just not sure it will do that stuff any better for me than a V7.  The V9 is faster for sure, but with this kind of bike it's not obvious that it matters.  The more powerful 850 gives more of a thrill, and that should count for a lot, but in terms of getting from point A to point B more quickly, both the V7 and V9 are limited by their chassis more than their power. 

My personal calculation also takes into account that the V7 is cheaper, but then I would have to upgrade the suspension, which tends to minimize the cost differential.  A properly set-up V7 will be much more fun that a V9 on the sort of twisty roads we're blessed with in NorCal, but then that's what my MV is for.  My Guzzi will be for riding to piano gigs in the city or slow rides with my wife, and the better handling V7 won't have much advantage there.

The V9 exudes a higher sense of quality than the V7, so in that sense you're getting more for your buck, and it's reasonable to guess that it might end up being more reliable.  But V7's are generally pretty reliable anyway.

So at this point I'm leaning towards a Bobber, but I'm not in any hurry.  Might purchase one in the fall.  But if nice used V7 comes along, I might get that instead and probably wouldn't have many regrets.

I know there's lot of folks who poo-poo getting a motorcycle just because it's cool (Mr. Roper, are you reading this?).  I'm not one of those folks, and the V9 is one of the coolest bikes I've ever come across.  Maybe it's a toy, but what an awesome toy!

[Adan]

The average mpg reading when I got on read 46, and 7 miles later read 48.  Based on that I'd guess at a constant 55 mph it could easily be in the low to mid 50's for mpgs.  A windscreen would help with that as well.

[Adan]

A couple other things I forgot to mention. 

The throttle is a bit snatchy off the line.  Not a big problem, but might detract a bit from experience for town work or stop and go traffic.  At least the clutch lever is very light.  Once moving, fueling is fine, no problems I could notice above 1 mph.

Others have commented on how the Roamer's bars are fairly close.  It's true, but I didn't find it to be too awkward for casual riding.  Also, it allows you to scootch well back on the seat while still having a comfortable grip.  I didn't get to try this unfortunately, but I suspect on long stretches one might find a fairly comfortable position this way, one that stretches the legs out and gets the lower back out of its slouch.  Obviously won't work with a pillion.

[Kev m]

Not to be too critical, and maybe I'm just thicker headed, but I'm at a loss at how you can in 7 miles and no curves decide it wouldn't be eligible as a canyon carver. Unless I'm looking at another subjective measurement and the bar isn't how much a V7 would do the canyon carving BETTER?

So am I just misunderstanding?

[Adan]

Not to be too critical, and maybe I'm just thicker headed, but I'm at a loss at how you can in 7 miles and no curves decide it wouldn't be eligible as a canyon carver. Unless I'm looking at another subjective measurement and the bar isn't how much a V7 would do the canyon carving BETTER?

So am I just misunderstanding?

I did the best I could under the circumstances to get a sense of handling, including circling around an empty parking lot for several minutes.  It wasn't a good test but it revealed to me a certain lack of confidence in feedback from the front end.  The rest is extrapolation based on 35 years of riding, for what that's worth.

I'll admit that "canyon carver" is one of those phrases we throw around that ends up being sort of useless.  If taking a twisty road at an easy speed that doesn't push the boundaries of the V9 feels like "canyon carving" to you, then who am I to deny it.

I don't understand your second sentence, so can't respond to it.

[JeffOlson]

The throttle is a bit snatchy off the line...

Isn't that a problem with almost all modern fuel-injected motorcycles? Well, perhaps Harley-Davidson has figured out how to do it right... My two Norges were snatchy as hell until I used GuzziDiag to upload a decent map (thanks, Beetle!).

[lucydad]

Adan,

Again thanks very much for sharing your V9 riding impressions.  One of my interests when I do get to take a test ride:  emergency braking response.  I am hoping for improvement over my V7R (2012, no ABS).  However, that is tough to do on a limited test ride, on a dealer's bike, with new tires.

Canyon carving especially in perspective of your other bike is really subjective.  I get into the same issues going back and forth between the V7R and my Triumph STRX 675.  The beasts are just incredibly different when cornered fairly aggressively.   I have found it takes a lot of miles on varied roads to really determine how a bike handles in corners and hills.  Let's hope Luigi remembered his Alpine roots?  With time there will be more and more reviews of these bikes.  I also expect Mandello to refine the design and perhaps broaden the range a bit. 

[Kev m]

I did the best I could under the circumstances to get a sense of handling, including circling around an empty parking lot for several minutes.  It wasn't a good test but it revealed to me a certain lack of confidence in feedback from the front end.  The rest is extrapolation based on 35 years of riding, for what that's worth.

I'll admit that "canyon carver" is one of those phrases we throw around that ends up being sort of useless.  If taking a twisty road at an easy speed that doesn't push the boundaries of the V9 feels like "canyon carving" to you, then who am I to deny it.

I don't understand your second sentence, so can't respond to it.

Sorry. I guess I was trying to gauge your metric for "Canyon Carver". To give us some common language, how would you guess the V9 would compare to the V7 in such terms.

[Adan]

Sorry. I guess I was trying to gauge your metric for "Canyon Carver". To give us some common language, how would you guess the V9 would compare to the V7 in such terms.

I really should defer to folks who've had more substantial test rides on the V9.  I was just trying to convey, confirming what others have said, that the V9 inspires a lack of confidence in the steering to a certain degree.  It's not going to be problem for commuting or urban riding, but my guess is it's going to make itself felt very early as you start pushing into curves. 

The V7 doesn't have this same feeling of being wobbly in the front.  I always felt rather confident on it going through twisties.  It doesn't fall in as easily as some bikes, but it was fairly good at holding a line. 

I prefer the handling of the V7 to the V9, but the V9 has a lot of nice attributes, and the way I see myself using it, the handling wouldn't be a limitation.  In case it wasn't clear, I liked it a lot.

[steven c]

 V9 in Urban crusier shoot out. They like it but it is out power by the other bikes.
http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/urban-sport-cruiser-shootout

[kingoffleece]

I rode that bike a fair bit farther than Adan did.  The loop from the dealer is, shall we say, not challenging at all.

My V7 is set up proper with a RaceTec front end.  I railed that V9 thru some nice sweepers and did not find it anything other that entirely acceptable.  It's not like my Street 3 but fine nonetheless.

[Kev m]

I rode that bike a fair bit farther than Adan did.  The loop from the dealer is, shall we say, not challenging at all.

My V7 is set up proper with a RaceTec front end.  I railed that V9 thru some nice sweepers and did not find it anything other that entirely acceptable.  It's not like my Street 3 but fine nonetheless.

I suspected it was a problem of scale. 

[Adan]

Are we talking sweepers or twisties, 'cause that's an important difference.  Granted, I didn't take the V9 through either, but I think I'm still going to associate myself with the majority of reviewers, professional and Wildguzzi-ists, who think the V9 isn't thoroughly confidence inspiring at the front end. 

But I would emphasize again, it doesn't matter, because it's not that type of bike.  You'll probably drag hard parts before you push it too hard.

I really didn't encounter anything in my test ride that made me not want to have this in my garage.  But it's going to take several months to get finances together, and it's possible in that time I'll get tempted by a used Griso or V7 for several grand less.

[sib]

I finally had a look at the V9 Roamer and Bobber yesterday at my dealer in RI.  A few impressions:

The fat tires on the Bobber could be a practical advantage on some of the poorer roads in New England, less chance of getting caught in railroad tracks and pavement gaps.  But they look silly, in my opinion.

The saddles are surprisingly soft, and have real straps, unlike the phony straps on the V7's.

I couldn't see anything resembling a vent on the bevel drive.  I'll have to consult a parts manual to see how venting is arranged.  Also, there is some kind of rubber tab extending out of where the cush rubbers live.  Is there a one-piece cush?

The protective shields over the injectors look a lot more functional, and less decorative, than the ones on the V7's

The gas caps are non-locking.  I advised the dealer to have his parts department stock a few, they'll probably be needed.

The installed turn indicator lights, front and rear, are the Euro type, yellow bulb and clear lens, and are probably not DOT approved.  Mistake at the factory?

[bad Chad]

The horsepower ratting is interesting to me.  The v7 series is rated at 48hp, and typically puts 40/41hp to the ground.

The v9s are rated at 55hp, but every dyno i have seen has had them at 50-52 at the ground.

Either the v9 is actually putting out more hp than the factory claims, or for some reason there is significantly less power loss in the drive train???

[Kev m]

The horsepower ratting is interesting to me.  The v7 series is rated at 48hp, and typically puts 40/41hp to the ground.

The v9s are rated at 55hp, but every dyno i have seen has had them at 50-52 at the ground.

Either the v9 is actually putting out more hp than the factory claims, or for some reason there is significantly less power loss in the drive train???

I hadn't noticed that yet, but that IS interesting.

And if accurate, that means we're talking about 25% MORE hp at the rear wheel. That's not insignificant.

[kirkemon]

I can not find a V9 in So. Cal for a test ride.
All the dealers I've talked to told me that their still waiting for the good old California Air Resources Board to approve the emissions.
From reading Adan's post it seems as though he rode one in Northern Calif. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Does any California dealer have one yet? 

[Cool Runnings]

Isn't that a problem with almost all modern fuel-injected motorcycles? Well, perhaps Harley-Davidson has figured out how to do it right... My two Norges were snatchy as hell until I used GuzziDiag to upload a decent map (thanks, Beetle!).

Gotta get that fancy exhaust can and then do the beetle map. Jeff how much is the map, also don't I need some special wiring connector too?

[Cam3512]

I hadn't noticed that yet, but that IS interesting.

And if accurate, that means we're talking about 25% MORE hp at the rear wheel. That's not insignificant.

Yea well my "seat of the pants dyno" noticed more grunt than my V7, but not significantly (25%) more.

[Kev m]

I can not find a V9 in So. Cal for a test ride.
All the dealers I've talked to told me that their still waiting for the good old California Air Resources Board to approve the emissions.
From reading Adan's post it seems as though he rode one in Northern Calif. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Does any California dealer have one yet?

I thought he was catching a test ride when visiting NY state last week or something like that.

Yea well my "seat of the pants dyno" noticed more grunt than my V7, but not significantly (25%) more.

Yeah well, I generally don't put a lot of faith in the calibration of those dynos. 

[Adan]

I rode it in Buffalo, of all places, and wearing King of Fleece's helmet.

The CA Air Resources Board delay is weird, but I'm assuming it's just "paperwork" and not a real problem with the bike.  I could try to use my connections to find out what's going on.  But that would be wrong!

[Adan]

V9's are finally available in California.  If they had arrived on time, I would have one in my garage right now.  Since I bought another bike in the mean time, it's going to be a little while, maybe next winter.  Unless Guzzi announces something more interesting before then . . .

[bpreynolds]

Wow.  Among some very nice and very stiff competition seems like the Guzzi almost gets the nod more than any of the others.
https://youtu.be/gy7o4m6RfQw

[jkristjan]

https://youtu.be/gy7o4m6RfQw

Ex-f***ing-actly. Those guys are literally speaking my words, as if I wrote the script. So that proves what I was suspecting - there is a niche market that thinks exactly like I think and someone at Moto-Guzzi was smart enough to realize this. I mean, it does not take a wise ass to know there is a market for bikes that are ever more bigger, stronger, faster than their competitors, right? But it takes some balls to say "hey there is this niche market like that and we are going to have a production run of 1750 of these and it's gonna float our boat". I mean, have you seen this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moto_Guzzi#Production_figures? It's basically a family business hand-building collector items. We are only talking about the V9 because it's a MG forum, no-one else will ever even know about it. So they will sell those couple of thousand of V9s they will ever produce to the vast minority of people who can appreciate them, mark my words 

[steven c]

V9 vs Triumph ,Harley, Ducati ,Yamaha. Different take , a non review no winners, just ride what you like.
http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/heritage-lifestyle-characters-compete-on-cool-factor

[bpreynolds]

V9 vs Triumph ,Harley, Ducati ,Yamaha. Different take , a non review no winners, just ride what you like.
http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/heritage-lifestyle-characters-compete-on-cool-factor

That's actually the written article to the video I posted above.  In the video they lay a bit more outright praise on the Roamer. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

Relatively easy to keep.. for a Ducati..

 
I thought the Sportster rider was impressed, even though

Sure it'll scrape, its a Harley..

The Guzzi rider "gets it."
Nice video. I'm familiar with those roads.. makes me ready to go back out and exercise the MZ.

[Kent in Upstate NY]

From the article. "Not everyone has one, and hardly any non-bikers know what it is,” Thai comments. “And that is part of the charm. Oh, and here’s a bonus, included with purchase are some of the most knowledgeable bikers/mechanics on the planet. The community of Guzzi lovers borders on fanatical, and if you own one, you must be ‘in the know.’”"