Guzzi shows Italian ingenuity
relatively effortless. The rider is connected to the single throttle body fuel-injection system by good ol’ cable and pulleys, and the mostly superfluous three-setting traction control system doesn’t rely on a ride-by-wire throttle for its operations.
Such simplicity might seem crude to some, but I personally find it refreshing. The simple mechanics of the Roamer might represent retrofication-bynecessity given the limited budget that could be allocated to its development, but they result in a machine that is much more than the sum of its low-tech parts.
For I defy anyone not to smile when they first ride this bike. And the more you ride it, the more you like it. By the end of the week with the V9, I was loathe to give it back. We’d bonded completely during a weekend spent riding in the company of Suzuki GSX-Rs and Ducati Monster S4s, and while those bikes could always file the V9 into their mirrors at will, the Guzzi and I didn’t slow them up too much.
A big part of the attraction is the sweet steering of the Roamer, with its narrower front tyre mounted on a 19-inch hoop. You get to leverage this through wide upright bars on the more classical-looking V9 model, making the changes in direction feel symbiotic and highly intuitive. The Bobber with its higher-profiled, fatter front rubber, 16in front wheel, and flatter handlebars might win the visual appeal comparison with the Roamer, but I doubt it steers with such chuck-able ease.
The suspension of the Guzzis might appear crude and low rent when reading the specs, but it works pretty well on New Zealand back roads, the springs hitting the sweet spot between stiff and soft, with damping that feels perfectly matched. With the equally lowspec single front disc and a midrange Brembo four-piston caliper actually producing decent performance in terms of powers of arrest and lever feel, only a reduction in cornering clearance holds the chassis of the V9 back.
Guzzi has had to mount the higher V9 engine lower in the frame than the V7 motor, and the rider’s footrests can now touch down at times as a result.
Your height will determine whether a V9 is right for you. The 853cc V-twin lacks the same compactness as the Heron-headed 744cc V7 unit, which has the
combustion chambers cast into the tops of the pistons for more efficient packaging.
Taller folk will therefore find that the slightly forward mounted footpegs therefore bring their knees into contact with the V9’s cylinder heads. It’s like Guzzi has deliberately targeted the bike at people no more than 175cm tall, and shorties will find the light mass, overall balance, and low 755mm-high seat of the bike easy to manage.
The $16,990 V9 Roamer is a bike that achieves more (Euro 4, exceptional fuel frugality, increased rider enjoyment, etc.) with less technology than most bikes.
It’s a simple yet effective machine, and beautifully made with its all-metal construction and attention to detail.