A very pleasant after dispite the weather.
Let me set the scene if I may...
Ash has various disabilities that makes, owning & riding a motorcycle rather a challenging one.
And every bike I have, has to work with my problems.
My present steed is a 2017 F700GS low chassis.
That has -
Ride by wire throttle.
Rox Antivibration Risers.
Grip puppies.
50mm low pegs + Fastway Evolution III footpegs
Givi vario screen, with adapted mounts to lift it.
Wunderlich screen extension.
Clicktronic electronic gear change.
Atlas cruise control.
Airhawk seat cushion.
Specially made main stand ( as low chassis doesn't have one, only side stand )
Plus all the normal farkles...
The only bike I've ridden straight out of the box since my RTA in 2005 was the new 750GS.
( That I could of lived with )
But the Chinese engine & some horror stories put me off one.
That was until yesterday afternoon.
Now I make no secret of my love for Guzzi's, but I certainly haven't ' Rose tinted spectacles ' where Guzzi's are concerned & have ridden, built enough to know them.
But I was honestly blown away by the V85TT Travel edition. ( in the main )
Now it wasn't perfect.
But I would score it a solid 9+ out of 10.
It was super smooth compared with any Guzzi I've ridden.
I have a Strada 1000 & Breva 1100V & I've ridden most of um...
Plenty of power from it's 854cc / 80 bhp motor
And it cruised at motorway speeds and above easily
Cruise control was great.
Brakes were more than upto the job.
Screen was good, no buffeting but more noise than mine.
Riding position was near perfect for me, handlebars & footpegs
Seat was nice & I never had my Airhawk on it..
It handled lovely especially giving the appalling weather found mesen in
Easily flickabke & changes direction nicely.
And I wasn't sparing the ponies when I could.
LCD dash was good in that I could see the speed clearly, but the rev counter part is difficult to see ( maybe not helped by the torrential rain ).
Didn't really try the settings ( again not helped by the weather ).
Didn't touch the mode switch, but I don't on mine if I'm honest..
Gearbox was smooth, percise & well geared.
I had it on all road types M40, A43, A41, A34 various B roads & town centres
And all surface types including flooded roads
.
MPG figures wouldn't of been fair as if I had one I wouldn't of travelled at such paces.
But to try it out properly I exceeded my normal speeds.. ( being honest )
Not so good points -
slightly too tall even on low settings, sortable given time.
Standard panniers sit to high for my busted body, but I wouldn't have the OEM ones.
Front forks too soft for me, again sortable.
Indicators cancel to quickly.
And not that bright according to my mate behind.
Needs a low front mudguard, again sortable.
And a rear hugger, but don't they all..?
Odd gear indicator -
When in first at standstill it shows a diagonal line across rather than 1st untill you pull away
Didn't find the heated grip switch or spotlight switch ( maybe just me )
Found some false neutrals at standstill eventhough screen said in neutral.
( typical Guzzi )
OEM handgaurds are too close to the clutch lever & too small..
But I'm nit picking but being honest..
My mate was following me on his F800GT .
( he has a test ride booked for next week on a low seat model)
We pulled onto the M40 North bound from A34 & gunned it
And the V85TT was well ahead, which suprised both of us.
( communicating via SENA SRL's )
I rode his bike 20 miles of the 40 odd miles upto Westcott for the first time yesterday, just so I could compare it against my 700GS 75 bhp, his 800GT 89 bhp & the V85TT's 80 bhp.
Would I have one, you bet your behind I would.
Sometime in the future, health & wealth permiting.
I think as time goes by many more parts / options will become available, which longterm would assist my personal needs.
My 700GS is a terrific bike & I've got it as near perfect as I can for me, but it's rather soulless / bland & lacks character ( parallel twin) unlike the V85TT's V Twin.
The Guzzi looks great, even the Red & I dislike Red but luv Yellow
The pictures show the weather I encountered, which wasn't idea.
But I did get about 30 minutes of dry roads A34, A41, A43 & M40..