V85 TT Merged Threadfest

[tommy2cyl]

Congratulations on your purchase.  Think you will enjoy this bike immensely.  I have only had mine for 2 weeks now and concur with Trialsman.  I feel like the bike was made to spec for me.  This was my final purchase when it comes to two wheels, so no room for error.  I agree with the tires comment.  The Anakees make an annoying whine above 45-50 mph and really sing when you initiate a turn. I like the tread pattern appearance and they  seem to stick pretty well, but if this continues and doesn't dissipate with more miles, this will be the one and only time they will be on my bike.

[blu guzz]

John Henry:

I am giving this some thought.  Since I have been posting here for a few years under this name, I really hate to change it.  I will change the avatar however. 

Tommy:

Thanks.  Not sure if it is my last 2 wheel purchase, but do hope to put a lot of miles on her.  Since I have not read criticism of the tires in most of the reports and since the review bikes had miles as well as the fleet demo I rode, I hope this correlates to smoother running from the tires pretty soon.  The noise on turn-in probably won't go away, but my last set of Metzler street tires on the 1400 did that as well, so i am used to that aspect.

Ride on   

[Lannis]

John Henry:

I am giving this some thought.  Since I have been posting here for a few years under this name, I really hate to change it.  I will change the avatar however. 

Maybe the "blu" part doesn't refer to the paint on the bike.

Maybe it refers to a bike that does away with "the blues" when you ride it, or it has to do with "blue skies" or the wide blue ocean or the wild blue yonder.

Just some ideas to support the status quo ...

Lannis

[alfaguzzi]

You're right on the mark.  First open road ride I took included a bit of road works, where crap flipped up made a beeline for the top of the guard.  A real front bum to clean, it's almost impossible to get access to.  Hose alone, was ineffective.

Coupled with road tar and other nasty things accumulating there, I'm considering repainting the top (inside) of the cover to make it less obvious.  I might try masking tape first to get an idea whether this will work.

Yes, it fit! Not as cool, but I will use this on my longer touring trip when I cant predict the weather.
Maybe paint the lover part in white and yellow like the original part.

[rocker59]

Yesterday, I traded the Blu Guzz in for a yellow V85TT.  So, first of all, any of you that hankered for a blue 2015 1400 Custom with a lot of accessories, see Enzo at Cadre.
 

I just checked their website and don't see it listed, yet.  I'll be curious to see the asking price. 

Those blue Cal14 Customs sure look nice.  I missed out on one in Springfield Missouri last month...

[Cam3512]

I just checked their website and don't see it listed, yet.  I'll be curious to see the asking price. 

Those blue Cal14 Customs sure look nice.  I missed out on one in Springfield Missouri last month...

The price YOU give THEM is just a phone call away!

[tommy2cyl]

Blu Guzz:  Here's a thought.  CAPITALIZE.  BLU Guzzi.   And then, maybe start a little contest here.  Maybe even a separate thread.  Found these online and added a few of my own.  If I really spend some time, the options are endless.
Bigger Longer Uncut/ Better Left Unsaid/Bomb Live Unit/Basic Logic Unit/Bold Like Us/Balls Like Ulysses
Maybe you have some personal experience that would dovetail nicely.  I know there are incredibly witty people on here, Huzo, Dusty, Lannis, are you listening?
Damn it, let's have some fun.  I will let you make a call on a separate thread.  Keep the BLU!  It is who you are.

[rocker59]

The price YOU give THEM is just a phone call away!

I'll have to wait for Dusty to get off the party line.  Damn, he's a talker...

[Zinfan]

Interesting to see the claim that 70% of trade-in's on the V85 come from non-Moto Guzzi riders.
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2019-08-01/moto-guzzi-was-once-a-legend-in-italian-motorcycles-can-it-make-a-comeback

[blackcat]

Interesting to see the claim that 70% of trade-in's on the V85 come from non-Moto Guzzi riders.
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2019-08-01/moto-guzzi-was-once-a-legend-in-italian-motorcycles-can-it-make-a-comeback

“Ed Cook, who operates the AF1 Racing motorcycle shop in Austin, Texas, has had the V85 TT in stock for only 45 days, but he has sold half of the 16 he ordered from Moto Guzzi. He’s ordered 12 more.

“We had more pre-sales on this than any bike we’ve ever sold,” said Cook, who’s been selling Italian motorcycles at AF1 since 2001. “It’s a fresh new design, and a fresh new motor, and it’s a really good bike. Customers are excited about them.”

[Knuckle Dragger]

Yes, it fit! Not as cool, but I will use this on my longer touring trip when I cant predict the weather.
Maybe paint the lover part in white and yellow like the original part.

Thanks for that info AG.  I gather that's the Caponord 'guard you're using?  Given that whilst both will turn with the wheel/fork assembly, I'm guessing that you still need to remove one when the other is fitted, to avoid them clashing when you hit a bump....correct or not? 

I notice that the front half of the upper 'guard performs double duty as an air intake scoop or funnel, but the rear half merely performs a protective function, made redundant with the Caponord mudguard fitted.  What will you do with this upper 'guard?  Remove it or fabricate/find some sort of 'duckbill' arrangement to direct cool air towards the air intake?

I suppose you could cut down the upper by removing the redundant slotted rear and foreshorten the front into some sort of de facto duckbill to provide a modicum of air-scoop functionality.

[steven c]

Nice review in the L A Times
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2019-08-01/moto-guzzi-was-once-a-legend-in-italian-motorcycles-can-it-make-a-comeback

[alfaguzzi]

Thanks for that info AG.  I gather that's the Caponord 'guard you're using?  Given that whilst both will turn with the wheel/fork assembly, I'm guessing that you still need to remove one when the other is fitted, to avoid them clashing when you hit a bump....correct or not? 

I notice that the front half of the upper 'guard performs double duty as an air intake scoop or funnel, but the rear half merely performs a protective function, made redundant with the Caponord mudguard fitted.  What will you do with this upper 'guard?  Remove it or fabricate/find some sort of 'duckbill' arrangement to direct cool air towards the air intake?

I suppose you could cut down the upper by removing the redundant slotted rear and foreshorten the front into some sort of de facto duckbill to provide a modicum of air-scoop functionality.

Yes, Aprilia Caponord Rally 1200 fender

[Huzo]

THAT...! is brilliant..
I will do the same, well done.

[Muzz]

THAT...! is brilliant..
I will do the same, well done.

Any idea when the red one you are desiring is going to be in your possession Peter?

[Huzo]

Any idea when the red one you are desiring is going to be in your possession Peter?

Yeah mate, end of September.
I’m tempted to go and get the red/white one..

[Kent in Upstate NY]

I saw the Yellow and White version at AJ Cycle in Gill, MA. Very nice and already sold. He has some more coming at the end of the month and they won't last long. The dealer actually likes dealing with Moto Guzzi.

[Zinfan]

The bar end bolt vibrated out and I lost the weight as well, be sure to check these guys.  Will remove the hand guard until I can figure out a replacement for the weight.

[Huzo]

Sorry to hear that Zinfan..
You’d think Guzzi would replace it under warranty ? Clearly defective thread locking..

[NWrider]

Defective assembly and prep by the dealer -- I believe the dealer installs the hand guards.   
Does anyone know if the forks on the V85 are damper rod or cartridge design?

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Defective assembly and prep by the dealer -- I believe the dealer installs the hand guards.   
Does anyone know if the forks on the V85 are damper rod or cartridge design?

Page 75: http://thisoldtractor.com/mg_manuals/spare_parts_catalog_v85_en.pdf

[Cam3512]

The bar end bolt vibrated out and I lost the weight as well, be sure to check these guys.  Will remove the hand guard until I can figure out a replacement for the weight.

Thanks for the tip.  I just went out and lock-tited mine.

[Zinfan]

I'm also a very lucky lad!


Decided to take a walk along my path to the freeway just in case, lo and behold there it was sitting in the gutter 1/4 mile from my home. 

[Zinfan]

Thanks for the tip.  I just went out and lock-tited mine.

Yeah it is important to report this stuff on new bike IMO.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Check the nuts on your seat too! This from Facebook:

Sam Rua
New Member · 11 hrs

I'm not sure how this happened but I managed to lose the lumbar support on the seat of my V85TT while out on my ride yesterday. I recommend checking the fasteners and even adding some thread locker. I was doing a fair amount of standing on the bike and that is all I can think of that would have caused this to pop off.😡

[Zinfan]

Check the nuts on your seat too! This from Facebook:

Sam Rua
New Member · 11 hrs

I'm not sure how this happened but I managed to lose the lumbar support on the seat of my V85TT while out on my ride yesterday. I recommend checking the fasteners and even adding some thread locker. I was doing a fair amount of standing on the bike and that is all I can think of that would have caused this to pop off.😡

Dang I thought I posted about the same issue I had with mine (didn't lose the bump though) but must have only posted on ADVRider.  check those bolts under the seat!

[Knuckle Dragger]

STANDING on the bike??  On the pegs or the seat?  WTF were you doing?  Some fancy Motard wheelies or summat?  0/10 for appropriate predelivery inspection & checks from the dealer.  You have every right, nay duty, to be righteously pissed!

Being charitable, this type of shite is maybe symptomatic of a company struggling to match production numbers to an unprecedented and unexpected demand.  I just hope this is an aberrant outlier rather than the norm, with Piaggio snatching defeat from the jaws of commercial victory and the V85 becoming just another anecdotal victim of its own success.

[Cam3512]

I'm also a very lucky lad!


Decided to take a walk along my path to the freeway just in case, lo and behold there it was sitting in the gutter 1/4 mile from my home.

https://www.af1racing.com/store/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=7009&sku=859949&description=OEM+Aprilia+Bar+End+Weight+%2D859949

Miracle you found it.  New ones aren't that expensive.

[Zinfan]

https://www.af1racing.com/store/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=7009&sku=859949&description=OEM+Aprilia+Bar+End+Weight+%2D859949

Miracle you found it.  New ones aren't that expensive.

Good find, I looked under the V85 parts list but didn't see it, may order one up so I have a pristine one.
edit: Oh I did find it in the V85 parts section, good to know things can be replaced already.

[wyno]

I just saw a post on the Australian Moto Guzzi Owners Register that said people who have one of the V85's should check the fastenings for the little hump in the seat. Apparently the rider was doing some cross country work and was standing up and sitting down a lot, and it came off and landed he knows not where.