In a class of one
LAID-BACK BIKING
Overlooked and underappreciated, or overpriced and underpowered? RiDE spends a day getting reacquainted with the Moto Guzzi V85 TT
Words Martin Fitz-Gibbons Pictures Adam Shorrock
V85 TT and Cross Keys Bridge. No need for the genius of modernity with these two
CROSS KEYS BRIDGE marks the spiritual gateway between Lincolnshire and Norfolk. This stunning Grade II-listed, 128-year-old structure isn’t just an eye-catching local landmark – it has a hidden dynamic side. It’s a swing bridge, the whole plot pivoting 90° out of the way when tall boats or ships need to pass through. Spectacular to watch in action, infuriating if you find yourself stuck in the resulting tailback along the A17…
Point is, this isn’t just a bridge between two sides of the River Nene. More significantly it links the past and the present. It’s a 19th-century design, tackling 21st-century traffic. An endearing slice of old-school engineering, but also something of an anachronism. Not the most modern or efficient solution, and definitely not what you’d build from scratch today – but without it the world would be a duller place.
Moto Guzzi’s V85 TT chunters softly between the bridge’s towering grey girders as we cross county lines, heading eastwards. With its traditional touches, distinctive design and pleasing practicality, the comparison is obvious. Like Cross Keys, the V85 is a monument to authentic heritage. But quirky retro appeal alone isn’t good enough – the Guzzi needs to function in the modern world, too.
The V85 TT first arrived in 2019. Its recipe seemed pretty bonkers: the air-cooled, two-valve, pushrod engine from Moto Guzzi’s V9 Roamer and Bobber, imported into an all-new adventure platform. A placid, slow-revving, softly spoken cruiser engine didn’t seem a suitable starting point for an agile, dynamic adventure bike. And despite being Europe’s longest running continuous motorcycle manufacturer, Guzzi had little standing when it came to dual-purpose bikes – the original wide-eyed Stelvio hardly set the world alight a decade earlier. Launched into an adventure landscape dominated by Triumph’s Tiger 800, BMW’s F850GS, KTM’s 790 Adventure and Ducati’s Multistrada 950, a cruiser-powered Guzzi’s chances of success looked about as promising as a faithful old mutt being dropped into a tank of piranhas.
Typical Guzzi character but VVT means it’s bang up to date
However, the V85 TT instantly became Moto Guzzi’s bestseller, with owners drawn to its unique, offbeat style. A light update in 2021 kept it ticking along, before a more significant overhaul last year cemented its place in Guzzi’s range for the foreseeable – despite the arrival of a new, water-cooled Stelvio. The bike beneath me now boasts variable valve timing, cross-spoke tubeless wheels, plus a six-axis IMU. Yet on the surface it’s the same retro-adventurer, with identical size, style and speed as it had back in 2019. So, has the V85 TT moved on too much… or not enough?
Cruising along early morning trunk roads, the V85 TT exudes a chilled, comforting calm. The riding position is spacious and relaxed, the seat plush and wide, the wind protection plentiful with the adjustable screen on its highest setting. The motor thrums along lazily, needing just 4000rpm in top gear to hold a sedate 60-70mph cruise. It’s unexpectedly smooth, too. At tick over the 853cc V-twin coughs and woofs and chugs like a Harley-Davidson, while blipping the throttle causes the bike to rock to the right with torque reaction. It doesn’t promise a lot in the way of sophistication or refinement.
But all that agricultural bravado melts away as soon as you get going. Keep to legal speeds and there’s no nasty vibration through bars, pegs or seat. The mirrors are small, but don’t blur. You can definitely detect there’s some history in the motor from its heavy-cranked feel: it takes a while to gather revs even on full throttle, and on the flip side there isn’t much engine braking on a closed throttle either. But it’s beautifully balanced, fuels fantastically and doesn’t feel basic, clunky or outdated at all.
No anarchy from Michelin Anakees. Sublime ride quality, too
It also now features a variable valve timing system – the first time I can think it’s been applied to a pushrod engine. Forget all thoughts of Honda’s VTEC or BMW’s ShiftCam, because this is nothing like those systems. Instead it’s closer to the mechanical system Suzuki used on their 2017 GSX-R1000. The V85’s single, central camshaft contains a phasing mechanism controlled by six ball bearings moving along tracks. At regular revs the balls sit close to the cam’s centreline; above 6500rpm centrifugal force pushes them outwards, which rotates the cam by up to 14° and improves top-end power by around 5bhp. It is imperceptible, with no switching or stuttering felt by the rider.
However, bear in mind this motor redlines at 8000rpm, makes its juiciest torque at 5000rpm, and conjures up 90 per cent of that at just 3500rpm. In practice, you spend virtually no time on a V85 TT up over 6500rpm, except for the briefest bursts of full throttle fury. Instead, what VVT has allowed Guzzi’s engineers to do is beef up the bottom end usefully, while still finding a way to deliver a peak power figure that keeps brochure-writers and spec-obsessives happy.
“Guzzi’s natural pace encourages you to take it all in rather than streaking through it”
Forget Sport mode – Guzzi doesn’t need it for playtime
Past King’s Lynn we fork off onto a smaller A-road past Sandringham, then again onto a quieter B-road, then once again onto an even skinnier nameless back road that carries us out into early springtime countryside. After a winter that never seemed to end, today feels like a wish has been granted. Blue skies break through thin cloud, green shoots fight through flat farmland, pale blossom bursts brightly from stark cherry trees, and clusters of vivid yellow daffs explode everywhere you look. The smell of promise in the air may be drowned out slightly by the inescapable waft of manure in the fields, but still. It’s a welcome overload for dulled senses.
The Moto Guzzi’s natural pace encourages you to take it all in, to spend time soaking it up rather than streaking straight through it. Its perfect playground is right here: a tight, twisty road slap-bang in the middle of nowhere. Fourth gear is all that’s needed, covering everything from less than 30mph to around 60-ish without treading beyond peak torque. It’s not like shifting gears is a hardship – the gearbox snicks between gears easily and sweetly, while the clutch’s slipper/gripper design makes for a deceptively light lever action. There’s no quickshifter, and no option for one either. I’m kinda torn – I know it fits in with the V85’s simple retro vibe, but a piece of me thinks having one would actually accentuate its lazy, laid-back nature. It’s not like the V85 is a Luddite either: it has cruise control, a colour TFT dash and lean-sensitive rider aids. There’s also a choice of Rain, Road and Sport riding modes, though I refuse to try Sport purely out of principle. Don’t be ridiculous.
Don’t be fooled by the blur – MFG’s savouring the surroundings
Physically, the V85 TT sits in that awkward no man’s land between ‘middleweight’ and ‘heavyweight’. It feels significantly more manageable than a full-on BMW R1300GS or Ducati Multistrada V4 (despite, at 230kg, not actually being a whole lot lighter). But it definitely doesn’t offer the instant agility of KTM’s 890 Adventure or Triumph’s new Tiger Sport 800 either. A push of its tapered aluminium handlebar teases the Moto Guzzi to roll steadily on its Michelin Anakee Adventure tyres, where it follows a line with mature confidence.
Sublime ride quality amplifies the V85 TT’s sense of sure-footedness. The suspension doesn’t seem to be anything special – there’s no electronic cleverness, no fancy brand names, no complete set of adjusters. But the spring rates are perfectly picked, and damping is a delight. It’s soft enough to smooth bumpy roads, but composed enough to never dive too far into its 170mm of travel.
TFT dash is good; range better than 255 miles shown
With clouds cleared and the sun high in the sky, I’m starting to get a bit of a sweat on. I pull over to eagerly strip the thermal lining from my jacket and undo all the zips – a universal delight for any biker exiting hibernation. As I’m undoing poppers, I notice a dirt road leading away from the lay-by, temptingly teasing off into the distance between hedgerow-lined fields and vanishing over a modest hill. I wonder where that goes… Only one way to find out. I select ‘Off-Road’ mode, stand on the pegs and rumble forwards in second gear. The V85 TT is no Dakar-demolishing hardcore enduro, but it does deliver the dash of multi-surface ability implied by the name (‘TT’ stands for ‘tutto terreno’ or ‘all-terrain’). Standing up feels natural and nicely balanced, the Michelins have a tiny bit of tread to bite into the dusty surface, and there’s enough ground clearance that I can happily clunk over a few stones without worry. At least there’s no risk of putting a hole in the radiator…
TT is part of the V85’s name for a reason…
I spend the rest of the afternoon joyously lolloping along random roads and nameless lanes, before spotting a sign for a beach on the Norfolk coast that I’ve never visited. It’s spectacularly desolated, meaning I can get right up on to the sand. Standing back confirms that the Guzzi isn’t just charming and characterful, and it isn’t just comfortable and practical (after 150 miles the tank’s still half-full). It feels genuinely special, too. From a distance it’s strikingly handsome – especially so in these ‘Rosso Fuji’ colours – but up close the detailing adds another layer of allure. The eccentrically adjustable tips on the gear and brake pedals. The gleaming machined cooling fins. The 3D badges, and eagle-shaped daytime running light built into the headlight. ‘Made In Italy’ moulded into the handguards.
The Moto Guzzi V85 TT isn’t the fastest, most capable or most modern adventure bike. And it’s definitely not the adventure bike a brand-new firm would think about building from scratch today. But without it, world would definitely be a duller place.
Mandello’s eagle loves to spread its wings and glide along roads like these
THE FACTS
Price £12,150
Engine 853cc OHV 90° V-twin, 2v per cyl, a/c
Transmission Six-speed shaft
Power 79bhp @ 7750rpm
Torque 61lb·ft @ 5100rpm
Fuel capacity 23 litres
Seat height 830mm
Wheelbase 1525mm
Weight 230kg (kerb, claimed)
Rider aids Cornering ABS and traction control, 4 riding modes, cruise control
THE PARTS THAT MAKE IT A JOY
A wonderful motorcycle for taking in sights and (most) smells
TANK RANGE
The fuel tank holds a whopping 23 litres. We averaged a measured 54mpg, which gives a theoretical range of more than 270 miles from brimmed to empty.
ENGINE
Air-cooled 853cc V-twin chugs and barks like a cruiser on tick over, but smooths out on the move. Plenty of effortless punch, provided you’re not in a rush.
SHAFT DRIVE
Normally the preserve of expensive BMW GSs and Triumph Tigers. If you want a sub-1000cc adventurer or all-rounder without a chain to maintain, this is your only choice.
SUSPENSION Sublime ride quality from suspension that’s neither electronic nor fully adjustable. Plush enough to smother bumps beautifully, composed enough to keep the chassis in check.
DETAILS So many pleasing parts as you poke round – from the adjustable tips on the gear and brake pedals, to the afterburner-style rear lights, to the Guzzi-branded cable ties.
FANCY A USED ONE?
Moto Guzzi’s V85 TT has been around for six years, with latest official figures suggesting more than 1000 are taxed and in use on Britain’s roads. Here’s what to look for and what to pay:
Final drive Check for any oil residue on the shaft drive. There was a recall in 2019 to replace the shaft drive oil seal, as some leaked.
Footrests Ensure both footrests have their pivot pin circlips. The first 250 UK bikes were recalled to check these as they ‘can detach’.
Valve adjustment V85 engines need valve clearance checks at the initial 900-mile service, then every 6200 miles. Ensure these have all been done.
Knock Pre-2024 bikes lacked knock sensors, with some owners noticing a ‘pinging’ sound from the engine on full load. Check the ECU has the latest map, double check valve clearances, and try premium petrol.
Airbox Some V85 TT owners say the airbox design on pre-2024 models can allow dust to bypass the air filter.
Aftermarket filters and/or using sealant on the airbox surfaces can help.
Stand back and admire it – there are so many neat touches
What to pay
£4500 The cheapest V85 TT we found on eBay. Private sale, 2021 Travel model, 50,000 miles.
£6500 Typical starting price for a used V85 TT advertised at an independent dealer.
£8500 Buys a 2022 or 2023 model, less than 5000 miles, in tip-top condition, with panniers.
Still fancy one? Learn more in our Buying Guide in next month’s issue.