Dilemma resolved. Tick Tock... Moto Guzzi V85TT
- Thread starter austin
- Start date
austin
Well-Known Member
I am going to try hipster look with this bike. Beard, skinny jeans, biker boots and my old leather jacket.
Philwhiskeydrinker
Well-Known Member
Not at all, or it wasn't intended so sound it.
EM is generally a coolish guy (IMHO), in this vid he's trying hard to be cool, which in itself is very uncool, couple that with moderate riding skills and buying into the whole brand/lifestyle thing is very uncool.
You are either a cool type of person or not (I most certainly am not!)
If you are cool, cool. If you are cool don't try to be cool, if you aren't cool don't try to be cool.
A bike won't make you cool - unless it's a beat up old Dullville, then it's off the scale [emoji1787]
Are we cool [emoji2]
Anyway Austin, hows the bike?
Sent from my SM-A320FL using Tapatalk
Philwhiskeydrinker
Well-Known Member
austin
Well-Known Member
The bike is great. Everything about it seems light and easy. Clutch, throttle, gears, steering everything is easy. Coming off the GSA** I suppose that’s not surprising but it’s a revelation. I rode the GSA1250 and it’s just humunguous - physically and in power. 137bhp and 260+kg does not appeal to me. Whereas, strangely, 80bhp (and 80 torques) and 210kg does appeal. It’s also ooozes build quality. The paint job looks at least fabulous as is the fit and overall finish . Unlike the BMW where psint looks and is by all accounts wafer thin and everything looks thrown together.
The bike will no doubt have its quirks, like losing a bar end weight on the way home, and not all the accessories turning up on time but tbh I am quite looking forward to some character developing. This is the sort of bike the Africa Twin or the Transalp should have developed into.
If you like the looks, and it’s better in the flesh, take a test ride. You WILL like it.
I have to be fair, not something I would have looked at but beauty is definitely in abounds. Love the way the engine is so much of the aesthetics of the machine. It looks like "We're in no rush, we're going to enjoy the journey not the destination". Health to enjoy both.
Philwhiskeydrinker
Well-Known Member
So what has changed from the initial test ride Austin?
Sent from my SM-A320FL using Tapatalk
austin
Well-Known Member
What changed. Head vs Heart. Heart was saying get Guzzi, head saying big, practical, takes two etc. I nearly pulled the trigger on a GSA 1250 because it has 3 years world wide warranty. Then a dose of reality hit - all that power, weight and technology I didn’t want plus buying a bike that I believed to be unreliable but it’s ok it’s got three years warranty so it will be fine is crazy. Also we couldn’t really afford a new 1250. No other big adv bikes appeal particularly.
Then Anne persuaded me that I should be buying the bike I liked not the one that was most practical and we would use it within its limitations. So Guzzi it was, I reckon I will still be polishing it in 10 years time whereas anything else would be moved on.
I hope it’s the right decision. It feels like it
Then Anne persuaded me that I should be buying the bike I liked not the one that was most practical and we would use it within its limitations. So Guzzi it was, I reckon I will still be polishing it in 10 years time whereas anything else would be moved on.
I hope it’s the right decision. It feels like it
austin
Well-Known Member
A few more pics
Also added a bit of preload and extra damping to the rear shock before going out two up today. Much better than when we Road tested the bike at Teasdales. Space wise the top box doesn’t impinge on pillion space at all and doesn’t feel like she is about to fall off the back now. So that’s another tick. Plus for pootling about the back lanes around us it was perfect and the odd quick overtake of a real dawdler was not really that much slower than on the 1200 beemer. It’s looking good is this.
Bad thing is the screen is fecking noisy when I tried it without ear plugs.
Also added a bit of preload and extra damping to the rear shock before going out two up today. Much better than when we Road tested the bike at Teasdales. Space wise the top box doesn’t impinge on pillion space at all and doesn’t feel like she is about to fall off the back now. So that’s another tick. Plus for pootling about the back lanes around us it was perfect and the odd quick overtake of a real dawdler was not really that much slower than on the 1200 beemer. It’s looking good is this.
Bad thing is the screen is fecking noisy when I tried it without ear plugs.
Dee Dub
Active Member
Yeah, I sold off what little coolness I may have had when I downgraded to a BMW last year.
That is one nice bike, Austin. Definitely one to consider when I (eventually) upgrade from the BMW.
austin
Well-Known Member
Smile!!!! It was about two minutes after I paid for it.Happy new bike day.
Oh, and you could have smiled for the camera.....
Happy new bike day.
Oh, and you could have smiled for the camera.....
Smile!!!! It was about two minutes after I paid for it.
Fair enough, point taken.
From the photos above the seat looks quite narrow, but maybe it's just the camera angle.
Anyway, not jealous in the slightest. Nope, not one bit.......
austin
Well-Known Member
It is narrow, but I have only been out twice so far** - home from Thirsk ((90miles and 2hours) and an hour and half bimbling about yesterday. Both times the seat was v comfy and I never thought about the narrowness. Ergonomics are very good generally, except for the noisy screen.
** Today being Father’s Day I had to be available for son #1 to visit - ended up having a drink, as you do. He took it out for a quick shot on it despite his broken ankle. Half an hour and about 30 miles later he came back and the bike is pinging and popping as it cools down (isn’t air cooling great) .... it’s redlined a bit low dad, the red lights keeps coming on. Duuuuh, it’s set low for running in. I am sure it will be fine
** Today being Father’s Day I had to be available for son #1 to visit - ended up having a drink, as you do. He took it out for a quick shot on it despite his broken ankle. Half an hour and about 30 miles later he came back and the bike is pinging and popping as it cools down (isn’t air cooling great) .... it’s redlined a bit low dad, the red lights keeps coming on. Duuuuh, it’s set low for running in. I am sure it will be fine
soho
Well-Known Member
I'm kind of thinking my next bike will be my last in this life. I've spent this whole weekend refurbing my AT to the highest level I could manage, as it and my Dommie are sadly gonna' have to go if I'm to have one of these. It's the main bike I've been really drooling over during this last couple of years. I hope all your reports remain positive Austin. I don't give a toss
( Even if MgGreggor has spoilt it's image slightly) about it's performance or it's off road ability. I've f*cked too many decent big bikes by pretending I could off road them anyway. All I want is to ride down to the Med' next year, get off it buy a coffee at the beach, put my feet up and listen to the cylinders cool down. I hope it's not another dream that comes to nothing. I'll be hanging on your every word about how your getting on with it mate !!
Is it me or is there just something damn fine about the symmetrical parts that give it such style ??
( Even if MgGreggor has spoilt it's image slightly) about it's performance or it's off road ability. I've f*cked too many decent big bikes by pretending I could off road them anyway. All I want is to ride down to the Med' next year, get off it buy a coffee at the beach, put my feet up and listen to the cylinders cool down. I hope it's not another dream that comes to nothing. I'll be hanging on your every word about how your getting on with it mate !!
Is it me or is there just something damn fine about the symmetrical parts that give it such style ??
nick949
Well-Known Member
.....and in no time, you'll be having fun like this:
although to be fair, only after 47 years and 100,000 miles. This may make you feel a bit more confident in Italian machinery.
Here's the teardown report on my Eldorado engine:
- Crank journals - excellent no scratches or visible wear and they measure perfect.
- Big end connecting rods inserts - excellent no scratches or visible wear and they measure perfect.
- Crankshaft / crankcase end supports front and rear - excellent condition no scratches or visible wear and they measure perfect.
- Timing gears, excellent condition no scratches or visible wear and they measure perfect.
- Camshaft, good some shallow scratches that could be polished off.
- Cam followers, all have cam surface scores/pitted and should be replaced or refaced.
- Oil pump - is not perfect with wear on the outer part of the gears and pump inner body. It is probably still pumping a steady flow but not optimum for a plain bearing crankshaft and should be replaced with a new unit if available.
- Connecting-rods - look good but will be checked for straightness and cracks and also weighed.
- Fly-wheel - very good.
although to be fair, only after 47 years and 100,000 miles. This may make you feel a bit more confident in Italian machinery.
Here's the teardown report on my Eldorado engine:
- Crank journals - excellent no scratches or visible wear and they measure perfect.
- Big end connecting rods inserts - excellent no scratches or visible wear and they measure perfect.
- Crankshaft / crankcase end supports front and rear - excellent condition no scratches or visible wear and they measure perfect.
- Timing gears, excellent condition no scratches or visible wear and they measure perfect.
- Camshaft, good some shallow scratches that could be polished off.
- Cam followers, all have cam surface scores/pitted and should be replaced or refaced.
- Oil pump - is not perfect with wear on the outer part of the gears and pump inner body. It is probably still pumping a steady flow but not optimum for a plain bearing crankshaft and should be replaced with a new unit if available.
- Connecting-rods - look good but will be checked for straightness and cracks and also weighed.
- Fly-wheel - very good.