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purchase advice? should I buy a v85?

tobinh

tobinh

High Miler
GT Famiglia
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Location
Coquitlam, BC
hi guys,

so I damaged my front wheel on my beloved B11, probably one of many high speed pothole strikes up north this summer.

also my buddy @SageD recently bought a V85 and I've ridden it a few times and I'm starting to think... you know this bike really does suit the kind of riding I want to do now, better than my B11. BC has lots of forest service roads, and I'd like to ride them all.

what do you think? are the spoked wheels on the V85 actually stronger? will I miss the big block? although to be honest, the B11s are worth almost nothing on the second hand market, so I'll probably just keep it anyway. I see lots of people happy with their V85s on this forum, and @GTM® 's last dyno chart has me wondering if I'll even be down on power at all!

should I buy last year's or the new VVT bike? what about tuning? I would of course be giving it the whole GTM treatment, will the new VVT motor complicate that too much? I do like the screen on the new bike, and the switchgear.

also my local dealer has a really good deal on a 2023 'captain america special' - the blue and red TT model, with the bags and everything.

there are other things I like about the V85, like the single throttle body simplifying maintenance, the throttle by wire seems also quite good - no throttle cables and linkages, etc. the old Stelvio seems awfully heavy, but I've considered going that way too. of course there's a new Stelvio out now... but I'm just not sure about the new platform. yet, anyway.

thoughts??? I've been rolling this over in my head for way too long now, I need some fresh insight!

or... do I just buy the new stelvio?
 
I would buy a used Stelvio. Many folks say it's one of the best Guzzis ever. There's usually a few for sale in Canada for not too much money. There's a couple near Edmonton around $8K.
A Norden 901 seems to be a good machine also (105hp).
 
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tobinh said:
what do you think? are the spoked wheels on the V85 actually stronger? will I miss the big block? I see lots of people happy with their V85s on this forum, and @GTM® 's last dyno chart has me wondering if I'll even be down on power at all!
Should I buy last year's or the new VVT bike? what about tuning? I would of course be giving it the whole GTM treatment, will the new VVT motor complicate that too much?
Click to expand...
I'd say the wheels are as susceptible to damage as any other. If you run at and/or above 120 kph, you'll miss the big block. The 85TT motor takes some wringing out in comparison, and that's once my full kit is fitted. You won't go wrong on the '21-24 non-VVT model. I haven't yet seen a VVT, but as long as the fuel system is the same, my kit will work. AFR is AFR, and with the dynamic capability of the kit, no sweat.
The NTX 8V Stelvio is one of their best ever, but it is heavy with it's 8.6g tank full. Go test ride one.
Sorry to those that own one, but Piaggio would have to pay me to own a V100 model. They get double middle fingers from me now. ;)
 
yea... I'd say my normal highway cruising speed is closer to 140kph+ on the B11.

hmmm such a tough call. thanks for the input :)
 
I have a V85 ('22 Oreo Guard). It has 14+K miles on it in past 17 months. Have about 700+ miles on a '25. Rode that one on a Guzzi tour in Corsica and Sardinia a couple of months ago. Started with the new one. Switched about halfway through. No, I can't detail why I prefer my version beyond mere familiarity. The new model's throttle -- and it may only be an EU issue -- was snatchier than a subway pickpocket!

I have owned seven new Guzzis (still have three in my moto-harem, a bunch of Yamahas and a Honda (way) back in the day, and ridden countless others. My V85 is by far my favorite for all-around riding. Mine is a pavement princess because it is a stupendous LD machine. Still, I often (and mostly unintentionally) find myself off pavement on gravel and dual-track roads. I have even done -- again, without intending same -- been on rock-strewn single-track stream beds and up & over similar paths on mountain gaps. Most of the off-raod riding was also before I found that there was an "off road" setting in mode! Doh.

IMO, the V85 does nothing better than some motorcycles, but does everything better than almost all motorcycles.

In fact, my only negative issue with my V85 is it is more top heavy than I wish it were. I have to be very careful on cambered parking lots, etc., when it has a full fuel tank. I am at an age where I use the EV for any two-up riding -- and thus not the V85 as I had hoped -- because, while Kathi is a slip of a thing, well, I'm not! That said, it is no worse than my Norge was or any other tall motorbike.

Enough. Kathi has a new ipad and is driving me nuts asking questions. She thinks I am an IT whiz which is funny as I need a grandkid with me when I do self-checkout at the grocery!

Bill
 
Bill Hagan said:
I have a V85 ('22 Oreo Guard). It has 14+K miles on it in past 17 months. Have about 700+ miles on a '25. Rode that one on a Guzzi tour in Corsica and Sardinia a couple of months ago. Started with the new one. Switched about halfway through. No, I can't detail why I prefer my version beyond mere familiarity. The new model's throttle -- and it may only be an EU issue -- was snatchier than a subway pickpocket!

I have owned seven new Guzzis (still have three in my moto-harem, a bunch of Yamahas and a Honda (way) back in the day, and ridden countless others. My V85 is by far my favorite for all-around riding. Mine is a pavement princess because it is a stupendous LD machine. Still, I often (and mostly unintentionally) find myself off pavement on gravel and dual-track roads. I have even done -- again, without intending same -- been on rock-strewn single-track stream beds and up & over similar paths on mountain gaps. Most of the off-raod riding was also before I found that there was an "off road" setting in mode! Doh.

IMO, the V85 does nothing better than some motorcycles, but does everything better than almost all motorcycles.

In fact, my only negative issue with my V85 is it is more top heavy than I wish it were. I have to be very careful on cambered parking lots, etc., when it has a full fuel tank. I am at an age where I use the EV for any two-up riding -- and thus not the V85 as I had hoped -- because, while Kathi is a slip of a thing, well, I'm not! That said, it is no worse than my Norge was or any other tall motorbike.

Enough. Kathi has a new ipad and is driving me nuts asking questions. She thinks I am an IT whiz which is funny as I need a grandkid with me when I do self-checkout at the grocery!

Bill
Click to expand...
lovely input, thank you so much
 
Notwithstanding what I said above about enjoying my V85,it might be a bit less expensive to buy this instead:

https://tinyurl.com/B11-Front-Wheel-on-Ebay :giggle:

Seriously, there were other choices at various prices.

While nowhere near the fun of a new machine, a replacement wheel does save cash for beer, a not insignificant consideration. :clap:

Bill
 
Bill Hagan said:
Notwithstanding what I said above about enjoying my V85,it might be a bit less expensive to buy this instead:

https://tinyurl.com/B11-Front-Wheel-on-Ebay :giggle:

Seriously, there were other choices at various prices.

While nowhere near the fun of a new machine, a replacement wheel does save cash for beer, a not insignificant consideration. :clap:

Bill
Click to expand...
oh yea, I can fix or replace the wheel... it's more that the incident makes me realize that I'm using the wrong bike. the spoked wheels on every 'ADV' bike that passed me on the dempster hwy must be stronger, I figure?
 
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