My V9 Roamer Thread (trip pics pg4)

[bpreynolds]

Got in about 165 miles or so on the bike today.  Went up into Indiana to Patoka Lake and Winery.  Not "there" yet but adjustment to the shocks a definite improvement as per my back and new location for pegs did a bit better too.  We'll see.  Didn't have time to put on my Madstad before leaving and because I was doing about 80 miles highway work I put on the barndoor.  Crappy looking maybe but it gets the job done on the interstate.  It was actually a large bar mounted screen I had in the garage that I removed the hardware and drilled holes to mount directly to the MG screen arms.  It's not as good as my adjustable Madstad as stated, it works on the big roads.
IMG_5876 by Brian, on Flickr
IMG_5879 by Brian, on Flickr
IMG_5885 by Brian, on Flickr
IMG_5887 by Brian, on Flickr
IMG_5888 by Brian, on Flickr

[Rhodan]

Looks like it was a beautiful day for a ride.  Glad the mods seem to be doing the trick; it's obvious you're loving this bike in spite of some adjustment pains.

[bpreynolds]

Looks like it was a beautiful day for a ride.  Glad the mods seem to be doing the trick; it's obvious you're loving this bike in spite of some adjustment pains.

 :1:

[wittangamo]

It was a great holiday weekend in the Old Dominion, too! After the break-in miles and first service, my Roamer is finally coming into its own. Savored a couple of back-to-back hundred-mile days on my favorite bike loops. (Sorry, no photos. Couldn't bring myself to stop long enough to take any.)

Remembering the comment about the V9 being your favorite Guzzi engine ever, I stumbled across this year-old article on the evolution of the V-twin. Most of it went over my head, but it seems to corroborate that opinion -- which I share.

http://www.cycleworld.com/moto-guzzi-v9-motorcycle-engine-history-and-evolution

[Lcarlson]

I've been enjoying this thread as well. Yesterday I had a Roamer for the day while my Cali was in for its 12,000 mile service. I had tried it once before, and continue to be impressed. The motor is a delight and well served by the gearing, and I found the ergonomics quite comfortable. It doesn't have performance pretensions, but is a friendly, solid feeling daily runabout. The only complaint I have is that the deployment and retraction of the sidestand is quite awkward.

[bmp72]

When I had my LM3 I also had trouble with my back. Since I was going for the chopper look  I put this seat on it:




It was extremely comfy. It was not a seat that looks like the old-timy floaty seat just for looks, but one that actually worked. You can set pre-load to adjust for your weight. When test-riding a V9 earlier this week (yey !) I had them lift the stock seat to see if this was mountable. With some simple fabricating using bar end etc mounting should be no issue. I think also the mechanism can be copied to use a mountainbike spring and a metal frame work supporting the stock seat...

I'll see if I can find my old photo album (the book version) for a picture of this on my LM3

[bad Chad]

Maybe the Back-A-Line would be a good choice?  https://www.backaline.com/collections/frontpage/products/back-support-with-lumbar-pad-deluxe?variant=43243483790

It didn't work for me, due to the passenger seat rise interference, but if you have a flat seat it should be the bees knees!   I have one in XL that I only used 3 times, its essentially unused.  I'll ship it to anyone who wants it for $24.00, just PM me.

[bpreynolds]

Backing the preload out to almost 2 or 3 notches from the bottom, using my "homemade" rearsets which place the pegs about 2-3 inches further back than even the OEM rearsets, and removing the Rox pivoting risers (going back to stock setup) have all helped considerably.  My ride of about 165 miles - noted in earlier pics - was much more kind to my bad discs.  It is the most success I've had thus far with my alterations and I would daresay it's beginning to get very close to my former V7 in terms of ergonomic setup that doesn't aggravate my discs.  The ergos adjustments mainly put my feet more directly under my butt and also forces my upper body slightly more forward, putting me into a place where it is not so easy to just slump onto my lower back.  These adjustments also take the weight off the very rear part of my rear while letting my legs do a small bit of the support too.  I am already thinking of a 3 or 4 day trip to take with the bike. 

[dcardo021]

Just get on your bike and ride!

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

[greer]

Coming right along Brian, good for you!

Sarah

[bpreynolds]

Post Irma rains here in KY this past week kept me off the bike mostly.  Today brought the Sun out and I managed to install these semi-rigid Saddlemen bags.  I didn't have a rack so it was back to the hardware store to buy about a 10"/1" metal strip and drill some holes in it to go inside the bags as mount points.  I then attached the bags to the bike via the shock hole, running a bolt through the interior metal strip inside the bags through to the shock mount.  Had to use about a 1" plastic spacer between these to get it off the shock.  Seems to work pretty well thus far.  I used some zip ties on the left and right bottom of the bags where the shoe strings would typically go.  I like the look of the bags and I'm not even typically a saddlebag kinda guy so to speak, but I think they compliment the Roamer which is more than I can say for that functional and fugly Madstad screen 
IMG_5909 by Brian, on Flickr
IMG_5907 by Brian, on Flickr
IMG_5910 by Brian, on Flickr

[dcardo021]

Very nice looking!

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

[greer]

I love hardware store solutions, excellent job!

Sarah

[Lannis]

I really like the purposeful look of this bike, mainly because it's all focused on riding it.

Along those lines, how are you getting along with the stock seat?    Visually, the seat flows with the bike, but on the road with you sitting on it for hours .... ??

Lannis

[bpreynolds]

I really like the purposeful look of this bike, mainly because it's all focused on riding it.

Along those lines, how are you getting along with the stock seat?    Visually, the seat flows with the bike, but on the road with you sitting on it for hours .... ??

Lannis

Better than you'd imagine, actually.  As I've mentioned before, when I first got the bike I looked at that seat and thought maybe 50 miles tops.  And believe you me I know bad seats.  The stocker on my KTM deserves its reputation and I can only make it about 60-65 miles before the Airhawk comes out.  Worst stock seat I've ever personally experienced on a motorcycle was probably the Jackal's I used to own (wonderful bike, though) where 50 miles even was a near impossibility - at least from my rear's perspective.  I can, however, surprisingly and easily get to my first tank up on the Roamer which is usually about 120-130 miles.  If I go more than that I do prefer bring out that trusted butt Hawk. 

[bpreynolds]

Got the highway pegs put on for the Roamer today.  Or as Givi likes to call them, engine guards.  They are sufficient for a drop if it happens but not much else and that is okay.  There are better engine guards out there to buy for sure, but these here I really did get them to serve dual duty as drop guards but also a place to very shortly stretch my legs on longer rides.  Hoping to leave for north GA with Roamer on Wednesday.
77153012-8899-4585-880A-EBEE303D4FC4 by Brian, on Flickr
3D44BA35-DFA9-4E5F-8034-74F253842757 by Brian, on Flickr
F1E95A40-5C94-4E71-A371-0BAC87B990DD by Brian, on Flickr
D65A56DD-6A43-4A34-8924-77128D263DD3 by Brian, on Flickr

Sent from my iPad

[greer]

Good enough, thanks for the pictures.  Looking forward to that ride report.

Sarah

[Caffeineo]

  Looking really good. I like the shield and bags. Fit the bike perfect! Enjoy your ride.

[bpreynolds]

Looking really good. I like the shield and bags. Fit the bike perfect! Enjoy your ride.

Thanks for the compliments on the bags.  I tried to get ones that I think are functional and serve the lines of the bike.  I always thought slanted bags would look sharp on the Roamer.  In earlier photos on this very page I had some smaller, Saddlemen brand bags that visually I thought were too small and they were also flimsy being only rigid on the bottom.  These here are Built brand, a typically cheaper brand in quality and price; yet, they were more expensive than the Saddlemen and they show it, having clip and also velcro option for opening/closing the tops and, more importantly, are rigid on all sides.  I fabricated my own mounts for them that go through the shock bolt.  I'll have to post that setup sometime.  Nothing professional but it only cost me about $15 for parts and has worked well thus far (fingers crossed). 

[dcardo021]

Thanks for the compliments on the bags.  I tried to get ones that I think are functional and serve the lines of the bike.  I always thought slanted bags would look sharp on the Roamer.  In earlier photos on this very page I had some smaller, Saddlemen brand bags that visually I thought were too small and they were also flimsy being only rigid on the bottom.  These here are Built brand, a typically cheaper brand in quality and price; yet, they were more expensive than the Saddlemen and they show it, having clip and also velcro option for opening/closing the tops and, more importantly, are rigid on all sides.  I fabricated my own mounts for them that go through the shock bolt.  I'll have to post that setup sometime.  Nothing professional but it only cost me about $15 for parts and has worked well thus far (fingers crossed).

Fantastic job on your bike! Love the look!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[bpreynolds]

No time to post more pics for now.  Still riding but here’s one of amazing Amicalola Falls.  Will post more in the coming days.  Roamer doing a fantastic job.
5C4E8041-1252-4DA2-8C6A-4F6C308EBE66 by Brian, on Flickr

[Kev m]

ENJOY and Ride Safe....

[dcardo021]

ENJOY and Ride Safe....

Enjoy!!!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[tazio]

Beautiful photo, I rode up there a few weeks ago. Gotta love north Georgia!!

[bpreynolds]

Hey guys, just got back yesterday from my trip to the Chattahoochee National Forest.  Trip encompassed a little over 1k miles and in addition to riding the Forest took in GA towns of Blairsville, Blue Ridge, Dillard, Ellijay, Helen, and Clayton but also covered NC towns like Franklin and the Highlands, latter of which is simply adorable and should not be missed if anyone is riding to the area. 

The ride.  Having ridden extensively in the Nantahala Forest area that, of course, includes the Dragon, Cherohala Skyway, and many other wonderful roads, I was anxious to take in the north GA roads and Chattahoochee Forest which is just a few short miles south of there and across the NC/GA border.  These are roads I�ve heard a lot of dedicated riders praise over the years and I�d never driven them before.  They surely delivered and are, in some ways, perfect compliments to their Nantahala neighbors.  Not as technical (read switch backs, fast elevation changes, etc.) as some of the Nantahala roads and lack the lakes upon lakes upon vista upon vista upon vista that Nantahala offers, the Chattahoochee roads more than make up for it in having what seems like more sheer miles and miles of wonderful, curvy, scenic, country roads the kind of which most of the folks I know would more greatly enjoy riding.  But not a contest, like I said, these two compliment each other equally and the perfect trip would be something like an entire week there split in both areas.

Roamer.  I�m very happy to report the bike did a wonderful job and better than I expected even on some of the more twisty stuff.  My riding was within what I�d consider is expected of the bike and maybe even a little harder here and there.  While I only scraped the pegs 3 or 4 times tops, I was still having some spirited and very enjoyable rides.  Mainly, what I was doing is riding the bike in a way that I feel it excels at, just trolling some amazing curvy countryside with that fantastic engine purring beneath you.  I used by big screen on the highway then switched to my smaller one once there.  Though not thrilling for any bike, the highway miles ridden there and back the Roamer proved more than adequate, cruising effortlessly and calmly at 80 and 85 (about 75 and 80 according to GPS) for hours on end.  Moving the pegs rearward (but not down) from the forward controls helped my back a lot but my back still griped due mainly to it being damaged.  An aftermarket seat that gives me an additional couple inches would go a long way in amending this, softening the bumps a little and giving me a bit more needed legroom. 

Pasting my Fuelly data here to show the bike�s efficiency and range on the trip.  It has a super early low light which will always come on for me in the 118-130 miles range; however, if you note the stats here, you�ll see that even after it comes on you usually have at least another gallon or more even of fuel left in the tank and I would estimate another 40 plus miles or so of riding on top of where I filled each tank up.  Some rides I didn�t fill up until the 140ish range and even then a lot of gas apparently left in the tank according to the read at the pump. 

Anyhow, a wondeful trip.  Here are a few pictures and a link to the entire album if you choose to check it out.  Below that is the Fuelly stats - ignore the percentage aspect in the table.

Album Link - https://www.flickr.com/gp/flickr_bri/48g8jE

94EA54F3-AD1B-4714-B0CE-C6FC1D669994 by Brian, on Flickr

0B2946B3-AE2E-4B0F-9982-7640E1E4C773 by Brian, on Flickr

E107CA3C-A349-4194-8373-FFA8E9072989 by Brian, on Flickr

782678B0-5A93-41B8-8E5B-252F9A6C6033 by Brian, on Flickr

0A7633CC-3CD0-4480-A5AE-16A181882FD6 by Brian, on Flickr

#   Date      Miles    Gallons   MPG            price
28   10/14/17   147.00   3.210   45.79   2.620   50%   
27   10/14/17   145.70   2.900   50.24   2.500   50%   
26   10/14/17   138.60   2.780    49.86    2.760   50%   
25   10/13/17   148.60   2.860    51.96    3.050   50%   
24   10/13/17   128.90   2.540   50.75    2.790   50%   
23   10/12/17   136.00   2.760   49.28    2.760   50%   
22   10/11/17   112.50   2.610   43.10    2.990   50%   
21   10/11/17   119.30   2.510   47.53    2.790    50%    
20   10/10/17   131.70   2.760   47.72   3.070    50%   

[greer]

Nice ride, and beautiful pictures bp, thanks!  Send that seat to Ned?

Sarah

[wittangamo]

Great ride, phots and descriptions. That�s why we do it!

And your take on the V9 is the same as mine. Useable power and predictable handling makes for a bike that�s fun to explore on at speeds just below reckless. I�d go into more detail, but it would just be repeating what you said. Besides, the sun is shining and there�s gas in my Roamer�s tank.

Thanks for a lively thread!

[dcardo021]

Great ride, phots and descriptions. That�s why we do it!

And your take on the V9 is the same as mine. Useable power and predictable handling makes for a bike that�s fun to explore on at speeds just below reckless. I�d go into more detail, but it would just be repeating what you said. Besides, the sun is shining and there�s gas in my Roamer�s tank.

Thanks for a lively thread!

Fantastic report, I loved my V9 on the 2 trips I took. Got hit by a hit an runner driver Friday night and totaled it. Will be watching your thread and enjoying your reports.

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[wittangamo]

Fantastic report, I loved my V9 on the 2 trips I took. Got hit by a hit an runner driver Friday night and totaled it. Will be watching your thread and enjoying your reports.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Ouch! Sincere condolences. Glad you’re OK to tell about it, and hope karma catches the runner soon!

[bpreynolds]

Well.  Anyone who is familiar with my garage knows most motorcycles don’t stay there long no matter how wonderful, even if they aren’t causing me any discomfort  .  After a decent bit of fiddling and invested dollars (2 different sets of foot controls and pegs) my damaged lower discs still find the Roamer to be a challenge over some miles.  It is a stunningly gorgeous bike and the V9 engine will go down as my absolute favorite Guzzi engine among all the ones I’ve owned (V7, 1100, 1200, and 1200 8V).  My back and other issues given, however, I have decided to let the bike go to someone who will ride it more than I’m riding it lately.  I’m posting it on fleabay tonight with a starting price of $6500 which is quite a significant bit less than what I have invested in it.  We’ll see where it goes from there.