Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1111003
2019 MOTO GUZZI V85TT FIRST REVIEW P92 and tucked-in silencer, make this a comfortable ride off-road. The radial brakes also per- formed well, just as you expect anything to do with Brembo on the label, with a strong but not too fierce initial bite. They're bet- ter set up than the similar brakes on the Triumph 1200 Scrambler which are too aggressive for off- road use. Not here. Whether via pad choice or master cylinder se- lected, Moto Guzzi has got it just right, and the same goes for the way the V85TT steers. Looking at the ultra-conservative chassis geometry data the night before my ride, I was expecting this to be frankly a bit of a truck, which would need lots of leverage from the reasonably wide handlebar to hustle it through turns. I was quite wrong. The V85TT changes direction easily and holds a line very well. This one of the nicest- handling street scramblers I've ridden for quite some time. It's al- most delicate in the way it steers. You can even finger the front brake lever to throw off a little excess speed once committed to a turn, and this Guzzi won't sit up on you and head for the hills like some other motorcycles with this amount of trail dialed into the steering geometry will do. However, the real plaudits have to be reserved for the V85TT's outstanding new engine, which feels more modern and sophisti- cated than any Moto Guzzi OHV/ pushrod engine I've yet sampled. Thumb the starter, and it fires in- stantly, then settles to a 1300 rpm idle with the inevitable sway from side to side at low revs thanks to the lengthways crank. But work the light-action clutch lever to insert bottom gear, and not only does this go in with no sign of the clunk that was previously ubiqui- tous on Moto Guzzi engines, but as you drive forward practically off idle with minimal use of the clutch, the V85TT motor gives a pretty good imitation of a turbine. It's unbelievably smooth not only by the standards of the past but also compared to rival middleweight twins. There's also no undue heat reaching the rider, despite the lack of an oil cooler and the cylinders being close to your legs. They're never intrusive, and you're really not aware of them either "Looking at the ultra- conservative chassis geometry data…I was expecting this to be frankly a bit of a truck, which would need lots of leverage from the reasonably wide handlebar to hustle it through turns. I was quite wrong."