Another New Adventure Bike...

[Phil Tarman]

I'm sure it's too tall. I'm sure it'll cost money I don't have. BUT, I'll bet it's got a shaft-drive. It's the right sized engine. And, back when I started riding, I fell in love with a Moto Guzzi LeMans I saw near Estes Park...it was one of the old fully-faired bikes and after I bought my first bike, the '83 GL650i Silverwing, I used to pretend it was a Moto Guzzi. So, even before it arrives, I'm in love with this:

https://advrider.com/moto-guzzi-goes-for-the-adventure-market/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_content=10_31_2018

 

[Yoda]

Looks interesting, but the nearest dealers are in ElPaso, TX or Prescott, AZ. I would like to see one up close, though.

 

[DirtFlier]

As far as I know, there is only one Guzzi dealer in OH and it's up near Cleveland, about 3 hrs NE from where I live....if it still exists? The layout of the Guzzi V-twin makes it a natural for shaft drive and I've never seen a Guzzi V-twin fitted with chain drive because it'd take a lot of monkey motion to make that happen!

Phil - whenever they use the word "ADV" it means extra tall seat height. It's darn difficult to find an ADV bike with seat height below 32-inches. Whenever I read about a new bike, I quickly scan down to the physical specs and find the seat height, then I stop reading any further!

 

[mikesim]

We have a Guzzi dealer here in StL but they are scarce as hen's teeth in other parts of the US. I always liked 'em and thought that the Norge was a gorgeous sport touring bike but sketchy reliability and paucity of dealers have always kept me from pursuing a Goose purchase.

Mike

 

[Thumpn]

As far as I know, there is only one Guzzi dealer in OH and it's up near Cleveland, about 3 hrs NE from where I live....if it still exists? The layout of the Guzzi V-twin makes it a natural for shaft drive and I've never seen a Guzzi V-twin fitted with chain drive because it'd take a lot of monkey motion to make that happen!

Phil - whenever they use the word "ADV" it means extra tall seat height. It's darn difficult to find an ADV bike with seat height below 32-inches. Whenever I read about a new bike, I quickly scan down to the physical specs and find the seat height, then I stop reading any further!

The Guzzi Dealer up in Wooster, Ohio is All Season's Sports Center: https://www.motorcyclesohio.com/

The one in Cincinnati is Cadre' Cycle: https://cadrecycle.com/

I bought my used R1200RT from All Season's - they have been around a long time and made the purchase go very smoothly (Ask for Steve).

 

[RedLdr1]

I always liked 'em and thought that the Norge was a gorgeous sport touring bike but sketchy reliability and paucity of dealers have always kept me from pursuing a Goose purchase.

+1 On that... I really liked the Norge but by the time I made up my mind the dealer quit carrying their product line up...

 

[DirtFlier]

I would have to think that only having Guzzi would make it pretty tough to keep the bills paid and the lights turned ON!

 

[Thumpn]

Moto Guzzi is the kind of cool motorcycle that you want your friend to buy - so that you can ride it once in a while. Then you can enjoy the pleasure part without having to endure the pain part.

I have a friend in TN that bought a V7 and he is well pleased with it. He put on a windshield, bags, a top box and a better seat. He has been riding it almost daily for the last couple of years, nothing has broken yet.

I rode it and it definitely feels a bit "retro".....it feels like you are riding a bike that was made 40 years ago.

 

[Bear]

Phil,
They are a great bike, but a bit tall for us critters who are "inseam challenged" (New PC term I just thought of) Their dealers are also quite scarce. I guess that the only reason they have survived under these conditions is that they are a darned good bike.

 

[Sojourner]

Thought I'd bump this thread back up.

My dream bike would be a new BMW ~800cc GS with shaft drive. But they don't make such a critter. Their F700/800/750/850 is chain drive, with only the big R1200GS being shaft drive, and although it's actually a tad lighter than our NT700's, it's just too much bike (not to mention price.)

This Moto Guzzi ticks most of the boxes, the price point is comparable to the BMW F850, the Kawasaki Versys 1000, the Suzuki V-strom 1000.... But only for the person that is willing to do all his own maintenance. Even though I'm up for a lot of the maintenance, the idea of being out on a road trip and having problems would mean having to rent a van and stop at the nearest WalMart for some tiedown straps, and to return home from the vacation. And there wouldn't be much for aftermarket accessories for a Guzzi. So I would probably suck it up and get a Beemer and learn how to do chain maintenance.....

BTW, the seat height is 32.7", which is just slightly taller than the BMW F750gs, and an inch taller than our NT's. Not too bad.

 

[Lance]

I have owned about 7 guzzi’s
2 Norge and 5 California type bikes.
The only time any of them broke was 150 miles into a 6 day trip.
Outside of Twisp WA.
fixed it on the side of the road, turned out to be a electric peacock wire had broke. Layed the bike on its side pulled the petcock wife plugged it with her thumb, sniped the plunger off and installed. Did the rest of our trip with out a single issue.
They are dead reliable simple air cooled lumps
But I get it if you don’t wrench you probably feel lost buying one

 

[harryhendo]

I test rode that V85TT last week in Richmond, and did not like it at all. It is very highly sprung, and really dives at stops. It handles ponderously... you kind of point it into a curve and it has to make up its mind to go into it. It is heavy and unforgiving. Kinda wild. The engine has no low RPM power at all, it has to be wound up to 5K RPM to get anything out of it, and then it leaps out of your hands. The handlebars are really wide, so your hands are stretched out to the sides really far, which would be very uncomfortable after a 100 miles. The fit and finish is impeccable, however, and it does tick all the boxes... 750cc engine and shaft drive. Where else can one get that? Hmmm... a NT700V.... but they don't make em anymore. My overall impression was that this was a Moto Guzzi trying to be a GS1200, but not really up to the task.