Think I might have a test ride on a V85 or a Stelvio
What brought you to Moto Guzzi?
- Thread starter Wrinkly
- Start date
Usually change my BMW every 3 to 4 years, last year looked at the 1300 gs and gsa and didn't like either the styling, the test ride or the fact that to part ex my 4 year old r1250gsa triple black with 10,000 miles on the clock for a new 1300gsa with luggage would have cost me my bike and nearly £17,500.
Loved the look of the Stelvio and a test ride confirmed how nice they are, put in my KTM and could have bought new but instead bought a one year old bike.
This year other than taking the r1150gs for mot and the r1250gsa for service the Guzzi is the only bike I have been riding
Loved the look of the Stelvio and a test ride confirmed how nice they are, put in my KTM and could have bought new but instead bought a one year old bike.
This year other than taking the r1150gs for mot and the r1250gsa for service the Guzzi is the only bike I have been riding
A Moto Guzzi will keep introducing you to nice people.
Take them both out.
When my Stelvio is in for service at Teasdales in August I think I will have to borrow their V85 demo for a quick spin
I think my interest in Moto Guzzi started from a Le Mans Mk 1 poster I had in my bedroom when I was a teenager.
Never actually owned a Le Mans. Think my first Guzzi was the 1000cc Centaro. It wasn’t a popular model. But I liked it as it was quirky and had the 4 valve head Daytona engine. Also owned a sport version with the red paint job. That bike had a thumb operated rear brake lever as the previous owner had some sort of disability.
Next up was a V11 in the green. That particular bike was on the cover of Gambalunga magazine sometime around the year 2000. I did own a few V11’s. The last one was purchased from Wheels in Hockliffe on the A5 near Dunstable. But that one never actually left the showroom as someone wanted it more than me. So I let the salesman resell it to them.
I did also own a white cali. But that must have been the most boring and slow bike I had ever owned to date. So that lasted about 3 weeks.
Also owned a sport version. Can’t remember much about that.
My last ever Guzzi was a Griso. Didn’t have that long. Only a few month.
Not sure if I will ever own another Guzzi. There is a draw. But I have managed to resist.
Never actually owned a Le Mans. Think my first Guzzi was the 1000cc Centaro. It wasn’t a popular model. But I liked it as it was quirky and had the 4 valve head Daytona engine. Also owned a sport version with the red paint job. That bike had a thumb operated rear brake lever as the previous owner had some sort of disability.
Next up was a V11 in the green. That particular bike was on the cover of Gambalunga magazine sometime around the year 2000. I did own a few V11’s. The last one was purchased from Wheels in Hockliffe on the A5 near Dunstable. But that one never actually left the showroom as someone wanted it more than me. So I let the salesman resell it to them.
I did also own a white cali. But that must have been the most boring and slow bike I had ever owned to date. So that lasted about 3 weeks.
Also owned a sport version. Can’t remember much about that.
My last ever Guzzi was a Griso. Didn’t have that long. Only a few month.
Not sure if I will ever own another Guzzi. There is a draw. But I have managed to resist.
Oddly enough the first Guzzi I rode was a friends mk1 Le Mans (tuned big bore motor, uprated suspension, Astralite wheels , everything). I absolutely hated it.
Next one was I test rode a new 2011 Stelvio 1200 the big tank one, loved the looks and finish , test started well until I started riding it on the twisties and the ftont end was really soft then as the bike got hot it started to rattle really noisily on the top end, the gearbox got worse and the clutch was playing up.
Bought a new R1200GSA tc instead.
Next one was I test rode a new 2011 Stelvio 1200 the big tank one, loved the looks and finish , test started well until I started riding it on the twisties and the ftont end was really soft then as the bike got hot it started to rattle really noisily on the top end, the gearbox got worse and the clutch was playing up.
Bought a new R1200GSA tc instead.
Slight tangent about batteries if I may:
I recently wheeled out my V85tt for a trip to the Cotswolds to visit the Watsonian people but it decided not to start and show a red battery warning, despite it being recently ridden. Stuck a charger on it and it showed just under 13v. A couple of minutes plugged in and the charger’s work was done, bike started and has run fine since. I did throw the charger in the back of the sidecar just in case.
Mentioned it to Ben at Watsonian, who is a knowledgeable chap, and he wondered whether the bike might have an automatic cut out that stops it turning the starter over if the voltage drops below a certain level? Anyone know whether that is the case and if so cn it be disabled or amended?
I recently wheeled out my V85tt for a trip to the Cotswolds to visit the Watsonian people but it decided not to start and show a red battery warning, despite it being recently ridden. Stuck a charger on it and it showed just under 13v. A couple of minutes plugged in and the charger’s work was done, bike started and has run fine since. I did throw the charger in the back of the sidecar just in case.
Mentioned it to Ben at Watsonian, who is a knowledgeable chap, and he wondered whether the bike might have an automatic cut out that stops it turning the starter over if the voltage drops below a certain level? Anyone know whether that is the case and if so cn it be disabled or amended?
I know nothing of that but I’d love to see a photo of your V85TT outfit…please.
A previous F800GS & Ural chair owner here
I got rid of my 1200GS a couple of years ago...
Fancied something similar but smaller capacity..
Last month I bought a V85tt in what I think is best colour.
Did 650 miles on it... had 1st service .. then last week left Yorkshire for Ullapool.... my fave place.
Bike beaten all expectations.... dead impressed....
Got old fashioned key
60mpg so 300 mile range
Cruise
Shaft Drive
Great brakes & Good handling
Nicely put together....
My only previous Guzzi experience was a 650NTX....
Fancied something similar but smaller capacity..
Last month I bought a V85tt in what I think is best colour.
Did 650 miles on it... had 1st service .. then last week left Yorkshire for Ullapool.... my fave place.
Bike beaten all expectations.... dead impressed....
Got old fashioned key
60mpg so 300 mile range
Cruise
Shaft Drive
Great brakes & Good handling
Nicely put together....
My only previous Guzzi experience was a 650NTX....
benellifred
Registered user
Deffo the best colour you got there
ELIMINATOR
Registered user
Looking at an S3 in Rafferty Newmans, Portsmouth.
Those clip ons, the orange stripes on the tank. Those cylinder heads...
I'm now an owner. Stelvio 1200 NTX from 2013.
I was previously 12GS, 12GSA and 12RT (all hexheads) and I have a GSPD tucked away. I was using the 12s as daily bikes and when the RT died recently, the Stelvio was really the only in budget shafty on the Isle of Man market.
Its very different to the Bavarian offerings but not in a bad way!!
I'll need a little more saddle time to see if I gel with it, however its looking good. Thanks for the thread.
I was previously 12GS, 12GSA and 12RT (all hexheads) and I have a GSPD tucked away. I was using the 12s as daily bikes and when the RT died recently, the Stelvio was really the only in budget shafty on the Isle of Man market.
Its very different to the Bavarian offerings but not in a bad way!!
I'll need a little more saddle time to see if I gel with it, however its looking good. Thanks for the thread.
you sure about that ?
There will always be one or two exceptions...
While I am here...
Last week I had the opportunity to ride a mate's new-to-him 1200 Norge.
I was interested because the Norge and my 1200 Sport share so many parts, including the engine (notwithstanding his has 4-valve heads while mine are 2-valve). Would they be just the same bikes, one with a bigger fairing?
It was fascinating, on the road they could barely have been more different. The Norge's riding position was very much more upright, I had to look down to find the footpegs which were a good few inches forward of those on the Sport. The whole experience was weirdly different - the Norge did indeed give the impression that you could just jump on and comfortably set off for Rome with no fuss whatsoever.
Getting back on the Sport, which I had always considered as a gentleman's bike, it felt noisy and naughty, like the Norge's younger adolescent brother, up for a scrap.
It was a really interesting experience - guess I need to ride a Stelvio next.
Last week I had the opportunity to ride a mate's new-to-him 1200 Norge.
I was interested because the Norge and my 1200 Sport share so many parts, including the engine (notwithstanding his has 4-valve heads while mine are 2-valve). Would they be just the same bikes, one with a bigger fairing?
It was fascinating, on the road they could barely have been more different. The Norge's riding position was very much more upright, I had to look down to find the footpegs which were a good few inches forward of those on the Sport. The whole experience was weirdly different - the Norge did indeed give the impression that you could just jump on and comfortably set off for Rome with no fuss whatsoever.
Getting back on the Sport, which I had always considered as a gentleman's bike, it felt noisy and naughty, like the Norge's younger adolescent brother, up for a scrap.
It was a really interesting experience - guess I need to ride a Stelvio next.
pegs are in the same place , seat should be very similar , they will swop . there were high and low seats
Sport has more bottom end grunt , Norge has more top end go .
Norge 8Vgt is a very civilised way to travel. a wider screen that comes out to the edge of the fairing , to fully cover your hands would be nice.
Delivery of my recently ordered V7 Sport has been delayed. There's some issue with the company that Piaggio use to deliver their motorcycles around Europe. I'm somewhat pissed off, A+D have been very sympathetic, and have promised to get it to me ASAP.
I've just come back from Venice, on reflection I may have been better going up to Mandello del Lario and collecting it myself.
I've just come back from Venice, on reflection I may have been better going up to Mandello del Lario and collecting it myself.
My Griso and Stelvio share so many parts you’d expect them to deliver in at least a recognisable way. They don’t. Two different bikes.
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