V85 TT Merged Threadfest

[Rough Edge racing]

From MCN - 14.04 at 98 mph.
KTM 790 - 12.48
GliderJohn

The MCN road test of a 2019 I read did not include perfromance data......If 14.04 is true and the V85 has normal street gearing and weighs about 500 pounds...that would be typical of a bike with 50-55 RWHP... You can agrue about it but V7's run that or a bit slower with maybe 42 RWHP.. ..

[Kev m]

The MCN road test of a 2019 I read did not include perfromance data......If 14.04 is true and the V85 has normal street gearing and weighs about 500 pounds...that would be typical of a bike with 50-55 RWHP... You can agrue about it but V7's run that or a bit slower with maybe 42 RWHP.. ..

Cam mentioned 2nd is really tall and he feels like there's a huge gap between 1st and it. Taller gearing would also help explain the differences in feeling between the V85 and other smallblocks.

FYI the V7IIIs are up to 48 rwhp according to reports. I've not seen a 1/4 time on them (though I haven't gone looking).

[Rough Edge racing]

Cam mentioned 2nd is really tall and he feels like there's a huge gap between 1st and it. Taller gearing would also help explain the differences in feeling between the V85 and other smallblocks.

FYI the V7IIIs are up to 48 rwhp according to reports. I've not seen a 1/4 time on them (though I haven't gone looking).

Non rubber mount 883 Sportsters weigh about 500 pounds, have tall gearing and about 45 RWHP...Best 1/4 mile times reported are low to mid 14's.

[Gliderjohn]

My 1977 GS400 with a 450 big bore kit, bigger carbs, stage II cam and two in one headers was clocked twice in the 14.3 range and that was with me having minimal experience or skill in launching a bike.
GliderJohn

[Darren Williams]

1\4 mile times don't tell me much. I care about quickness off the line, to get a jump on cars from intersections, and roll on times, passing at multiple speeds. So 0 to 60 and 40 to 80, with an occasional 70 to 100, times tick my boxes.  When I'm having real fun on a bike, it's about carrying speed through the curves.

And I ride mid range torque mostly. Top end HP is fun to discuss, but really irrelevant.

My test ride of the V85tt was that the power was adequate, but not a feature. Other things impressed me much more.

[Kev m]

Non rubber mount 883 Sportsters weigh about 500 pounds, have tall gearing and about 45 RWHP...Best 1/4 mile times reported are low to mid 14's.

They can be uncorked to about 50 rwhp with pipes and air cleaners.

The rubbermount 883s weigh 50# more but make a little more hp stock and uncorked, c and turn similar times.

[Rough Edge racing]

  Triumph 650 Bonneville always seemed to run low 14's in the road tests of the era...a 400 pound bike with 4.80 overall gearing rated at 50 or so HP...On a Dynojet, a good running stock Bonneville makes about 40 RWHP.
 I think a V85TT would be capable of 13 flat if it has 62-66 RWHP no matter what the gearing..

[Darren Williams]

I think a V85TT would be capable of 13 flat if it has 62-66 RWHP no matter what the gearing..

Knowing when to shift would be the key. From the torque curves and my test ride, it doesn't seem like bouncing off the rev limiter would be getting good times out of it. Like most Guzzis, 5 to 7K RPM would be the fun zone, above that diminished returns.

[Rough Edge racing]

 Drag racing is all about the hole shot and keeping the engine close as possible to maxium power through the gears...the Dyno info posted says peak HP is at 7900 plus rpm...But the peak power curve is pretty flat from 7200 to 7900...So to limit rpm drop drop between gear you have to take the engine to to peak power or slightly beyond in each gear.In this case, at least 7500 rpm..Hole shots on short wheelbase wheelie prone machines are tricky. If slipping the clutch is too abusive out of the hole then you have break loose the rear tire..The guys that ride the bikes for the published road tests are usually experienced....I did a fair share of bike drag racing and I saw many guys very disappointed they couldn't get close to the times published in magazines by pro riders....Best times require a brutal flogging..

[Beowulf]

Please stop.

I second this. I don't get comparing an adventure bike to a v7. I think the power figures put out by guzzi are accurate. Power gets eaten by a driveshaft its the nature of the beast.

The other thing i don't get is everyone dotes on the royal enfield himilayan being great at the price point. However you have an 850 producing similar power to an 850 gs and everyone cries foul.
Gearing to be sure makes a huge difference in 0-60 performance.

If guzzi puts out a lemans id hope it be different but i feel for an adventure bike guzzi hit the sweet spot.

[Perazzimx14]

Do you need a calander or can you get away with a sun dial to time it?

I don't care who you are that right there is funny

[jmee54]

Fitted R&G heated grips today. Changed the plugs on the grips to match the ones under the front of the tank. To remove tank is a total ball ache. 2 minutes on my Convert, bloody ages on the V85! I didn't bother in the end, when I found out where the wires were, but had to loosen the side cover enough to, in turn, release the front triangular cove enough  to get at the wires. This process alone involved removing countless screws and one bitch of a screw right above the rocker cover. (there is another that looks impossible to remove to fully release the side panel). To remove this screw I had to remove said rocker cover and  modify an Allen key to fit in the tiny gap. The rocker cover screws were barely tight - I could release them with the allen key long side into the screw - and only 3 screws. The spark plug cover has a plastic, clipped channel that the plug wire fits into. This has to be removed before the cover can be eased out. There must be a better way than I found to refit the plastic channel. I struggled to feed the wire back in, with the cover in place - so much so that I will go back tomorrow and re do it.
The throttle grip was way too tight to fit on the throttle tube, so I had to  sand it till I could ease the grip on. Before fitting the grips I plugged them in and turned the ignition on - held my breath in case the dash blew up - and then sighed in relief when a heated grip logo lit up. Press the button and the logo shows 3 levels of heat and the grips warm up! Result.
To fully remove the tank is a major operation, which is not difficult (apart for the location of some screws) but so, so many screws!

If anyone has an easy solution to refitting the spark plug wire into its plastic channel, I would like to hear it before I revisit it tomorrow.
And, if I have made a pig's ear of this operation, I would love to know an easier way of tackling it.
It took me so long I didn't have time to go for a ride with warm hands.

[Kiwi Dave]

To fully remove the tank is a major operation, which is not difficult (apart for the location of some screws) but so, so many screws!

I too made the mistake of removing most of the screws to get the tank off the bike.

But it ain't that difficult.  Remove the screw on each side of the ignition switch, and remove the cover surrounding it.  Remove the rubber collet around the ignition switch.

You will then see two screws at the front of the tank, and one at the rear.  Remove those and undo the breather hose at the front.

Pull the tank back slightly, and then lift the rear to reveal the tank hose connection and the cables for the in-tank fuel pump.  Start the bike, and then undo the fuel pump cable, coaxing the motor to run as long as possible to remove the pressure in the hose.  This is common with all the fuel pump in tank models.

The hardest part is to disconnect the tank hose itself, by pressing the red square buttons on each side.  Mine was a right royal @&%$*#, but persevere and it will let go.  I smeared dielectric grease on the connection to make it easier to part next time.

Remove the tank fully from the bike, taking note of the routing of the breather hose.  Turning the tank vertical on the rear makes this easier, and a nearly empty tank will also help.

Hope I haven't forgotten anything, others will probably chime in with any corrections.

[Tom]

https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/2020-moto-guzzi-v85-tt-adventure-mc-commute-review/?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email

[Jayell]

Fitted R&G heated grips today. Changed the plugs on the grips to match the ones under the front of the tank. To remove tank is a total ball ache. 2 minutes on my Convert, bloody ages on the V85! I didn't bother in the end, when I found out where the wires were, but had to loosen the side cover enough to, in turn, release the front triangular cove enough  to get at the wires. This process alone involved removing countless screws and one bitch of a screw right above the rocker cover. (there is another that looks impossible to remove to fully release the side panel). To remove this screw I had to remove said rocker cover and  modify an Allen key to fit in the tiny gap. The rocker cover screws were barely tight - I could release them with the allen key long side into the screw - and only 3 screws. The spark plug cover has a plastic, clipped channel that the plug wire fits into. This has to be removed before the cover can be eased out. There must be a better way than I found to refit the plastic channel. I struggled to feed the wire back in, with the cover in place - so much so that I will go back tomorrow and re do it.
The throttle grip was way too tight to fit on the throttle tube, so I had to  sand it till I could ease the grip on. Before fitting the grips I plugged them in and turned the ignition on - held my breath in case the dash blew up - and then sighed in relief when a heated grip logo lit up. Press the button and the logo shows 3 levels of heat and the grips warm up! Result.
To fully remove the tank is a major operation, which is not difficult (apart for the location of some screws) but so, so many screws!

If anyone has an easy solution to refitting the spark plug wire into its plastic channel, I would like to hear it before I revisit it tomorrow.
And, if I have made a pig's ear of this operation, I would love to know an easier way of tackling it.
It took me so long I didn't have time to go for a ride with warm hands.

Wow! You go about things the hard way, mate.

Removing the tank is easy on the V85, it's a five minute job, ten tops. Have a rag handy when you disconnect the fuel supply.

While you're in there, it's a good opportunity to cure the fuel tank vacuum issue, which some have experienced.

[pete roper]

Nah I reckon $1000 AUD for a stepper motor for a Carc bike is taking the piss !

Glenn

That's Peter Stevens taking the piss but it's a good cautionary warning about over filling your sump.

[Huzo]

Just after fitting the top box to my V85.
I read somewhere here that some bloke wanted to move the top box forward, I concur. Should be easy to get 150 mm forward travel by making two brackets that fit the bolt holes on the rear rack that extend forwards by 150 mm or so, and bolt the top box mounting bracket to them.
The issue may be clearance for the seat as it’s being removed, but I don’t see it as an insurmountable problem.
Watch this space..(if you’re interested)

[PeteS]

From MCN - 14.04 at 98 mph.
KTM 790 - 12.48
GliderJohn

Needs a better rider. My '76 850 LM did a 13 flat at 103 mph. This with Raeco heads, stock cam and close ratio gearbox which has a very high 1st gear. Not ideal for hole shots.
This at Leicester for Rough's benefit, local dragstrip.

Pete

[Warren Rhen]

Anybody ever see any 1/4 mile times posted for the V85 tt?

So the answer to my question is no

[pete roper]

So the answer to my question is no

Or who gives a f***.

[kingoffleece]

+1.  1/4 mile time for an adventure bike?  To quote above, that right there is funny!

[Kev m]

[Rough Edge racing]

Needs a better rider. My '76 850 LM did a 13 flat at 103 mph. This with Raeco heads, stock cam and close ratio gearbox which has a very high 1st gear. Not ideal for hole shots.
This at Leicester for Rough's benefit, local dragstrip.

Pete

 That's a fun hillbilly track. I believe bikes only run 1/8 mile there for the last several years...13 @103 is a decent run for that type of bike...1/4 mile times may not be important to some but it's another measure of a bike's performance...For those who ride bikes for their performance...

[oldbike54]

 Seriously , the testers should start doing tractor pulls with motorbikes , more fun and informative than 1/4 mile testing 

 Dusty

[jmee54]

Ha Ha Ha! All sorted now. An Adventure Rider post put me right with instructions of how to remove the tank.  Done in minutes!

[Cam3512]

Ha Ha Ha! All sorted now. An Adventure Rider post put me right with instructions of how to remove the tank.  Done in minutes!

For future reference, can you post those simple instructions here?

[PeteS]

That's a fun hillbilly track. I believe bikes only run 1/8 mile there for the last several years...13 @103 is a decent run for that type of bike...1/4 mile times may not be important to some but it's another measure of a bike's performance...For those who ride bikes for their performance...

I did this I think almost 25 years ago. It was not long after I rebuilt the engine and used it to dial in the main jet. First run only got to around 90 and it would stop pulling around 7K rpms. Going up three main jet sizes it gave the 103 number and it pulled over 8K rpms easily. I backed off at 8,200 but there was more to be had.

To the red suspender crowd, like Rough says, its useful to compare the performance of you and bike against the pro testors as well as tuning if you start making modifications.

BTW I also took my EV there a few years later. I thought it ran strong vs other EVs but could not get under 14 seconds or over about 98 MPH.

Pete

[Rough Edge racing]

I did this I think almost 25 years ago. It was not long after I rebuilt the engine and used it to dial in the main jet. First run only got to around 90 and it would stop pulling around 7K rpms. Going up three main jet sizes it gave the 103 number and it pulled over 8K rpms easily. I backed off at 8,200 but there was more to be had.

To the red suspender crowd, like Rough says, its useful to compare the performance of you and bike against the pro testors as well as tuning if you start making modifications.

BTW I also took my EV there a few years later. I thought it ran strong vs other EVs but could not get under 14 seconds or over about 98 MPH.

Pete

  I never raced a bike there but did go  to the short strip at Spencer Speedway. Think it's 110 yards, a real sprint like stop light to stop light..My 74  Trident did real well against the big Japanese inline 4's on the short track, mostly due to beating them out of the hole..Drag racing is alot fun and you don't need to be too brutal on the bike if being the fastest isn't important...
 

[mobiker]

Saw on the previous page that somebody listed the 1/4 mile number from MCN's test. Here's a couple of more numbers for those who care.
66.5 hp, 48.6 ft lbs torque, fuel mileage 31 low, 43 avg, 55 high all in mpg, wet weight 537 lbs, 573 with factory bags, 0-60 5.2 sec.

The one that surprised me is the weight. Given how light most MG small blocks are, I was expecting something in the 475-500 lb range. 537 is getting kind of porky. That's about 50 pounds heavier than my old R100GS.

[jmee54]

According to the clock mine is averaging 57mpg.