Having just spent the last 7 days and 1100 miles on the Stelvio, 5 days riding the Welsh roads, some motorway work and a couple of days in the Yorkshire dales, I've come to some conclusions about the two bikes.
In March of this year I swapped my Mandello S for the Stelvio, I didn't think I needed two adventure style bikes, so swapped the V85 for a V7 Stone corsa. Big mistake, I should have kept the V85. Whilst they are both Adventure style bikes they are very different.
Whilst the Stelvio is a fair bit more powerful than the V85, it's also bigger and a fair bit heavier. A distinct advantage on the Motorway and fast flowing A&B roads not so much on the gnarly back roads of the Welsh mountains and the Yorkshire dales.
On those narrow moors roads the V85 has plenty of power to traverse them with ease, it handles well over those roads and the suspension is nicely compliant. The Stelvio on the other hand is a bit more of a beast it takes a bit more manhandling and the suspension can have a tendency to chuck you around a bit. Overall I would say the V85 is a better bike for these roads.
Riding through towns and villages the fueling on the Stelvio is just about perfect and rarely does the clutch need to be feathered to make smooth progress, on the other hand I always found the V85 to be a little snatchy.
Good A&B roads are where the Stelvio really comes into it's own. The engine is an absolute peach and supremely tractable in every gear from around 2800 rpm. It doesn't shift direction quite as easily as the V85 but always feels rock solid. Overtaking large vehicles doesn't take any planning , if you've room to go, go. I always felt some similar overtakes on the V85 needed a little more care.
Comfort wise I think the V85 has the slight edge. Suspension is more compliant, you're sat slightly more upright and there's a little more leg room. The seat is also a little more comfortable.
Overall I think they're both fantastic bikes.
Would I swap back to a V85 from the Stelvio?.... Definitely not....Would I have another V85 to run alongside the Stelvio?.... Definitely.
In fact it's a good job I came home yesterday (Sunday) rather than today as I pass Teasdales on the way home.
To put it into a bit more context. At Dent, on the Saturday, Austin W took us on a cracking ride out mostly on unclassified roads. There where a number of times when I wished I was on the V85. Riding the 90 miles home on Sunday on good A&B roads I couldn't help but marvel at what a cracking bike the new Stelvio is.
In March of this year I swapped my Mandello S for the Stelvio, I didn't think I needed two adventure style bikes, so swapped the V85 for a V7 Stone corsa. Big mistake, I should have kept the V85. Whilst they are both Adventure style bikes they are very different.
Whilst the Stelvio is a fair bit more powerful than the V85, it's also bigger and a fair bit heavier. A distinct advantage on the Motorway and fast flowing A&B roads not so much on the gnarly back roads of the Welsh mountains and the Yorkshire dales.
On those narrow moors roads the V85 has plenty of power to traverse them with ease, it handles well over those roads and the suspension is nicely compliant. The Stelvio on the other hand is a bit more of a beast it takes a bit more manhandling and the suspension can have a tendency to chuck you around a bit. Overall I would say the V85 is a better bike for these roads.
Riding through towns and villages the fueling on the Stelvio is just about perfect and rarely does the clutch need to be feathered to make smooth progress, on the other hand I always found the V85 to be a little snatchy.
Good A&B roads are where the Stelvio really comes into it's own. The engine is an absolute peach and supremely tractable in every gear from around 2800 rpm. It doesn't shift direction quite as easily as the V85 but always feels rock solid. Overtaking large vehicles doesn't take any planning , if you've room to go, go. I always felt some similar overtakes on the V85 needed a little more care.
Comfort wise I think the V85 has the slight edge. Suspension is more compliant, you're sat slightly more upright and there's a little more leg room. The seat is also a little more comfortable.
Overall I think they're both fantastic bikes.
Would I swap back to a V85 from the Stelvio?.... Definitely not....Would I have another V85 to run alongside the Stelvio?.... Definitely.
In fact it's a good job I came home yesterday (Sunday) rather than today as I pass Teasdales on the way home.
To put it into a bit more context. At Dent, on the Saturday, Austin W took us on a cracking ride out mostly on unclassified roads. There where a number of times when I wished I was on the V85. Riding the 90 miles home on Sunday on good A&B roads I couldn't help but marvel at what a cracking bike the new Stelvio is.
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. Being lighter and lower geared it'll be mush nicer than lugging a big heavy GS around .
