2 year 35k miles V9 Roamer Report

[bad Chad]

Just goes to show, it's all very personal.  i have a 17 Roamer.  I love the power delivery, it's close to perfect, if it made 20 more Ft pounds of Torque it would be perfect!   I found the suspension lacking.  I put on better shocks and up graded the forks and now I find it much better, and quite good now for the type of bike it is.  Others are happy with stock, and thats good for them, they didn't have to spends hundreds of dollars to get things where they wanted!  It really is a fun bike, you hear this kind of blather all the time, but this bike really is more than the some of it's parts. 

[faffi]

Just goes to show, it's all very personal.  i have a 17 Roamer.  I love the power delivery, it's close to perfect, if it made 20 more Ft pounds of Torque it would be perfect!   I found the suspension lacking.  I put on better shocks and up graded the forks and now I find it much better, and quite good now for the type of bike it is.  Others are happy with stock, and thats good for them, they didn't have to spends hundreds of dollars to get things where they wanted!  It really is a fun bike, you hear this kind of blather all the time, but this bike really is more than the some of it's parts.

I agree that the stock suspension is not very good. However, damping and spring rates appear to be correct, because - at least on mine - tires wear with zero cupping. It is just that the items are too crude to give a comfortable ride over sharp bumps, because compression damping is then too firm. Cartridge inserts in the fork, or emulators, plus more sophisticated shock absorbers will improve things, but I find that I can live with mine stock for now.

BTW, I am curious to learn what shocks you went with and also what modifications you made to the fork.

[bad Chad]

I got a set of Ikon Dial a Ride shocks from MG cycle.   They are far from the most sophisticated or costly shocks, but they are a great improvement over stock.  Much more adjustability, and far more compliant over bad road.   The forks, I sent off to RaceTec in California after I talked with them on the phone and discused what I was looking for.   I told them I was looking for better overall performance for street riding, and for around $300 they sent the back much better than what I sent them.

[Zenermaniac]

I used lighter fork oil and increased the air gap on my forks and it’s much better. I found a preload sitting on the rear shocks where it’s tolerable for now until I   feel like shelling out the bucks to upgrade. I found my handlebars felt better (less shake on bumps) after removing the chrome end weights. To cover up the holes I found some plastic 6mm license plate bolt reflectors that were just the right size and very light weight. Overall, I’m happy with my Roamer. I wish that MG would make a smaller 400 v-twin, too. My Roamer needs a little brother.

[faffi]

I got a set of Ikon Dial a Ride shocks from MG cycle.   They are far from the most sophisticated or costly shocks, but they are a great improvement over stock.  Much more adjustability, and far more compliant over bad road.   The forks, I sent off to RaceTec in California after I talked with them on the phone and discused what I was looking for.   I told them I was looking for better overall performance for street riding, and for around $300 they sent the back much better than what I sent them.

Thank you. I have used Koni / Ikon shocks on several bikes. For my KZ650, I had a set specially made from them that was 21 mm longer than stock with the same amount of extra shock travel, plus a spring made for my bodyweight since I ride solo always. I wanted the extra length to gain some vital cornering clearance, but I have grown older and now I want to keep the stock, limited clearance of the Roamer in order not to be tempted to that old foolishness of fast cornering again - I've had more than enough heavy injuries.

[swix76]

I've been thinking about switch from my v7 III to the v9 roamer (instead of the new v7 850).   IMO, the Roamer is just a cooler nicer machine than the new v7 850 (like metal fenders, nicer paint, nicer hand controls switches) The roamers handle bars look like they'd provide excellent comfort and control; not too low, not too high with a nice sweep back. The peak torque is low in the rpm range but the torque from what i've seen/heard is pretty much flat though out the rev range.  A little more HP than the v7 III.  The weight is either lighter or just the same as the v7 III.  This is all appealing to me.  I am 5'5" and the v7 III has a comfortable riding position for me and I can't see why the v9 wouldn't fit me as well.  (The new v7 850 which I have test ridden, seems a little taller and heavier.)

I really like the orangey yellow color but i'd be fine with the white if it was the only one I could find.   

I got my v7 III in 2020,  26k miles on the OD and trouble free.

Congrats on the 70k!

[bad Chad]

Sounds like it would be a great bike for you, now your only issue will be finding one!

[Dave Swanson]

I've been thinking about switch from my v7 III to the v9 roamer (instead of the new v7 850).   IMO, the Roamer is just a cooler nicer machine than the new v7 850 (like metal fenders, nicer paint, nicer hand controls switches) The roamers handle bars look like they'd provide excellent comfort and control; not too low, not too high with a nice sweep back. The peak torque is low in the rpm range but the torque from what i've seen/heard is pretty much flat though out the rev range.  A little more HP than the v7 III.  The weight is either lighter or just the same as the v7 III.  This is all appealing to me.  I am 5'5" and the v7 III has a comfortable riding position for me and I can't see why the v9 wouldn't fit me as well.  (The new v7 850 which I have test ridden, seems a little taller and heavier.)

I really like the orangey yellow color but i'd be fine with the white if it was the only one I could find.   

I got my v7 III in 2020,  26k miles on the OD and trouble free.

Congrats on the 70k!

I count 4 Roamers on FB Marketplace.  All under 10k miles

[swix76]

Yup, all white.  Not one orange :(

[Zenermaniac]

Mine is white. Gas fumes and droplets tend to stain it yellowish around the gas cap. Go for the orange.

[faffi]

I prefer the red, but ended up with a white because it was for sale.

[bad Chad]

Guzzi calls it Giallo solare,  thus in english it's, Solar Yellow.

[faffi]

Did you just get white and orange in America, or did you also get the red one?

[chuck peterson]

….”My Roamer needs a little brother…”

….2007 Nevada, seriously ridiculous for me to ride when i was weighing in at 230lbs, but perfect when I’m 185, 5’9”, gimpy 65 yr old knees







Previously generation to that was V65c…the ‘c’ is an important branch of the V65SP…V65 line. A bit of a California chopper attitude introduced w fatter rear tire, narrower taller front wheel and buckhorn pullback bars. Unusually comfortable upright chair like seating these sorta things, minus the buckhorn’s are still there on the Roamer

Previously generation being the original small block, a V35, V50 in the mid 70’s somewhere?

[chuck peterson]

Great write up by the way! Neat to see it revived after another 35k

I was, past tense, lusting for the white w red stripes version. I figured a medium size screen, decent saddlebags aaaaaaaaaannnnndddd dd…….


Your gone! Last seen crossing the Rockies…