We got a quick teaser of the new Moto Guzzi V85 TT just a day ahead of this year’s INTERMOT show, but now the uniquely styled adventure-tourer is officially ready for its debut.
Surprisingly, Moto Guzzi is still being tight-lipped when it comes to specs on the V85 TT, choosing instead to wax poetically about the bike’s retro styling, and the brand’s longing to return to the Paris-Dakar rally of many decades ago.
Moto Guzzi’s launch at INTERMOT was equally as confusing, with the Italian brand making little of a presentation, and then referring the world’s gathered media to a press kit that had no discernible information.
As such, the details we can share on the 2019 Moto Guzzi V85 TT are reduced to mostly what we can observe, which we have already shared with you before.
What we do know is that the 850cc longitudinal v-twin engine will make 80hp, which is a modest sum for this middleweight adventure-tourer. The final drive is a shaftdrive on a double-sided swingarm, keeping with Moto Guzzi tradition and alleviating the minds of long-distance riders.
Fitted with cruise control, ABS brakes, and a color TFT dash, the Moto Guzzi has more than a few modern touches, despite its retro styling, though again its not clear what else is hidden under the hood, so to speak.
The tube steel chassis is perhaps the more prominent feature on the V85 TT, and its red paint really stands out against the yellow and white bodywork. The LED dual-headlight at the front also makes a statement, especially with its daylight running light (DRL) across the middle.
Overall the bike appears fairly compact in person, though we have to wonder about its weight, given that Moto Guzzi doesn’t have a record of making lightweight motorcycles.
Shod with Metzeler Karro 3 tires, the look is of a bike that is ready for both road and trail, but one has to wonder how off-road capable the machine actually is. Like the BMW R nineT Urban G/S, the Moto Guzzi V85TT seems to be more style than substance…though the style is certainly fetching.
The Italians say that the V85 platform is just getting started, with future models expected from this 850cc engine. We could perhaps see the next concept of that at EICMA, where hopefully actual details of the V85 TT will be available from Moto Guzzi as well.
Photos: Moto Guzzi
Comments