Moto Guzzi V85TT
Nathan discovers that at times like this every little helps...
Nathan has been using his Guzzi to do the shopping, and not much else during the lockdown.
As I write this it's now week four of the lockdown and by the looks of things, were going to get another three weeks at least. As I work from home, I've had little excuse to go out, except to walk the dog. It's meant that the Moto Guzzi VSSTT has sat motionless in the garage, not even fully run in. She's been started a few times and I've polished her up a bit, but the trip up to Scotland in a few weeks is looking less and less likely. The ride across America in August is also on the brink of cancellation.
Never mind, as yesterday I managed to get out on it to go and do the weekly shop at Tesco, about a mile round trip if I do a couple oflaps of the roundabout en route. My wife works for the NHS, so shed kill me if I took any liberties, so a mile is all I managed, but it was probably one of the most enjoyable miles I've had. Also, the most nervewracking, not wanting to take a tumble or do anything daft.
I'm happy to report that the Bumot Defender Evo panniers, even though I have the smallest sizes they do, swallowed a full week's shopping for two of us, a baby and a dog. Load space was bolstered by an old milk crate tie-wrapped to the back. Aesthetics aside, it's not a bad solution to carrying stuff and kept my discount Easter egg, two bottles of beer and pack of nappies completely secure for the half-mile journey home.
EVERY MILE MATTERS
How did the Guzzi perform? Well, even in the space of a mile you can still make some observations, especially when you're not wearing your ear plugs. It's a clunky engine and transmission and takes a bit of softness with the clutch and throttle for it to operate smoothly when doing the slow speed stuff. It's definitely a bike that needs to be ridden with finesse if you're to get the best out of it. This might be offputting to those who've just stepped off a silky-smooth Japanese four pot, but I do like a bike that makes you work for the reward.
The looks of the VSSTT still take some getting used to. As I stood outside in the queue, keeping the obligatory two metres apart, waiting to get into the Tesco store, I couldn't help but think how ugly it looked sat there in the car park. The long droopy front mudguard would make an Rl 100 GS look pretty, and those big googly headlights certainly
aren't the sexiest. I think a set of knobbly tyres should help toughen it up a bit, maybe some Anlas Capra X if they do them in the right size. I still think the solid red colour is the one to go for and from what I gather they're discontinuing this Blu Atlante from this year on.
The only modification this month is the addition of a Cool Cover seat cover. I've had these on all my bikes for the last few years and done some big trips on them. They're a UK company based in Hereford and tailor their covers to suit the bike, so the fit is nice and snug. Aesthetically they don't always do a lot for the look of the bike, but from a practical point of view they add comfort by creating pockets of air between your bum and the saddle so that
you don't get a sweat build up that then leads to discomfort, especially in hot weather. For riding across Texas (fingers crossed) in August it'll be ideal. Highly recommended.
SOME LIKE IT HOT
On the subject of heat, there are quite a few VSSTT owners replacing the cat with a straight-through pipe for around £300, which is said to reduce the heat build-up around your feet. Maybe it's something I'll consider further down the line, but generally I tend to leave such things as they are, simply because you can spend a fortune faffing about and still not see any real gains.
It's definitely a strange time though, especially to be self-employed and running a motorcycle touring business. At the minute there is no business. In hindsight I should have bought a 10-year-old V-Strom 1000 for £3000 cash, rather than finance a brand new Guzzi, but that's the cycle of debt many of us have got into over the years and maybe it's no longer sustainable.
I'd imagine the motorcycle industry is going to be feeling the effects of the virus for quite some time, especially as manufacturers have been slowly pumping up the price of new machinery and masking it with tempting PCP deals and other finance offers. I'm not sure there's going to be the same appetite for them after this. But who knows? Maybe it'll bounce back and be business as usual in no time, but I'm not convinced.
A good budget range could be crucial for manufacturers to survive. Ignore that market at your peril.
Above all else, I wish everyone many safe and happy miles once the madness has lifted. There'll be a lot of campsites, cafes and other businesses that all need your custom once they open again, so get out there and put some money in their tills. In the meantime, Tesco custard tarts for another few weeks at least.