VOL. 56 ISSUE 17 APRIL 30, 2019 P85
M
oto Guzzi produced one of
the big hits of last Novem-
ber's EICMA Milan Show in
the shape of its retro-themed V85TT
adventure tourer, as in Tutto Terreno,
or all-terrain, rather than Tourist
Trophy! The production version of
the Concept 85 show bike displayed
at the same show one year earlier,
this is the opening shot in a series of
forthcoming new Guzzi middleweight
models using the same Euro 4
compliant engine platform.
The chance to spend a
120-mile day in sunny Sar-
dinia riding the result on
the hilly, switchback
roads of Italy's second largest island
demonstrated very well what a sig-
nificant model this is for Italy's oldest
motorcycle manufacturer.
Guzzi management represents
the V85TT as a replacement for the
Stelvio, its previous dual-purpose
(aka Crossover) model dating back
to 2007, which was scrapped two
years ago because it would have
been too costly to upgrade its
elderly 1151cc eight-valve OHV mo-
tor to Euro 4 compliance. But the
V85TT is powered by an all-new air/
oil-cooled 853cc engine with just
two valves per cylinder, so it's posi-
tioned in another category in terms
of both capacity and engineering.
It's really a different type of motor-
cycle than anything Moto Guzzi has
done lately. Part adventure tourer,
part streetfighter, part street scram-
bler, there's nothing else quite like
the V85TT in the marketplace right
now, and youthful designer Mirko
Zocco deserves compliments for
producing a bike with unique styling
that's as fresh to look at as it is fun
to ride. It's available in a choice
Moto Guzzi's
latest entry into
the flourishing
midsize street
scrambler
market, the
V85TT, features
an all-new
transverse 90ยบ
V-twin engine set
to power a range
of future models.
