Moto Guzzi V85TT
Nathan is about to find out if he made the right choice buying the Guzzi
Nathan gets the Guzzi ready to meet some new friends.
On the eve of submitting this month’s update on the Moto Guzzi V85TT I got a knock on the door and Ian from Suzuki stood there with a brand new, bright yellow V-Strom
1050 XT to try. All things considered, it wasn’t a bad delivery to receive.
I’d booked the Suzuki as part of a three-bike test that should feature in the next few months, featuring the Guzzi, the V-Strom and the new Triumph Tiger 900 GT. Due to a mix-up of dates on my part the Tiger is going to be following a few weeks behind.
The idea behind the test is the thinking that this mid-weight sector is really starting to hot up, with some new and exciting bikes coming to market and what could be a shift from the big 1200cc-plus machines to something more manageable, both in terms of price and weight.
You don’t need a big bike for big miles. The Guzzi has a shaft drive, cruise control and large 23-litre tank, and 79bhp is plenty enough power for solo or two-up touring, especially if you plot an interesting route away from the Autobahns.
Historically, the Tiger and V-Strom have both also been capable of big miles. The V-Strom in particular is probably one of the most underrated adventure bikes of the last decade.
Now that it also has luxuries of cruise control and a full complement of electronic aids, not to mention a striking re-design, it should hopefully win over a few more fans.
Equally, the Tiger has been a big seller for 10 years or more and the new 900 looks more appealing than ever. Price-wise, the GT sits more closely alongside the other two bikes and its more road-focused set up seemed more relevant to this group test than the headlinegrabbing Rally Pro model with its 21-inch front wheel and off-road credentials.
HORSES FOR COURSES
Ultimately, the question the three-bike test will try and answer is which bike will suit who, and why.
I just hope I don’t get buyer’s remorse with the Guzzi, although as the miles increase I’m growing to like it more and more. I don’t love it yet. I need to do a big trip on it to feel such
ripe emotions, but it just seems a nicely capable machine, and it does have a certain sense of occasion about it; the noise, the looks and the rumble of that transverse V-twin that still rocks at idle. It’s got charm and charisma, which I’m keen to see if the other two have.
The Guzzi also goes alright on the gentle green lanes that I’ve taken it down so far. It’s obviously still a heavy bike and the fear of chucking your newly financed machine down the track does have a tendency of holding you back somewhat, but stood up riding position is nice and neutral, the bike’s wellbalanced and the suspension copes admirably. A slightly vague throttle response is the only thing I’m still to adjust to.
Some ride-by-wire set ups seem as precise as a cable. The V85TT, for the time being at least, is just a bit doughy and could do with a bit more snap, for me at least.
Keeping an eye out on the owners’ forums, a few niggles have crept through; faulty sensors and occasionally weepy gaskets, but nothing major or catastrophic.
One chap in mainland Europe was given a new bike to replace his original, which had developed a few nagging problems, so it seems as though Piaggio are keen to support and keep its riders happy, which is always good to see.
I still can’t get on with the looks of this blue one though. I should have waited for red. Ah well, hardly a crisis.