VOL. 53 ISSUE 15 APRIL 19, 2016 P89
the shaft is angled outwards,
instead of leading straight back
off the engine, to make room for
a wider rear tire, yet while still
keeping the rear of the engine
compact. Build quality seems
high on both models, with an
emphasis on "real" materials
denoting plastic parts reduced
to a minimum. The front and
rear fenders are both metal,
with the side panels, filler cap,
non-adjustable brake and clutch
levers, and forged footrests all
made of aluminum. The stainless
steel exhaust headers are also
double skinned, helping to lower
the heat emitted and prevent
discoloring.
A R C H I T E C T U R E
The two versions of the V9 share
identical engine specifications
and the same tubular steel
duplex cradle frame, with a cast
aluminum double-sided swing-
arm incorporating the shaft final
drive housing on the right. This
delivers a fairly rangy 57.7-inch
wheelbase, with the non-adjust-
able 40mm KYB/Kayaba fork
set at a 26.4° rake and offering
5.1 inches of wheel travel. The
twin rear shocks are adjustable
only for preload and give just 3.8
inches of travel. The Brembo
brake package on both models
features a single 320mm floating
front disc gripped by a four-pis-
ton caliper, with a fixed 260mm
rear disc and twin-piston caliper.
Two-channel Continental ABS is
fitted as standard. Both models
also feature switchable traction
control with a choice of two dif-
ferent settings, one for wet and
one for dry riding conditions,
giving newbies plenty of confi-
dence for a safe ride, though
with those relatively humble
power and torque numbers, dry
weather traction shouldn't be a
problem.
However, where the two
bikes differ architecturally is in
the front wheel/tire size, with
the Roamer carrying a front
100/90 x 19 Pirelli Sport Demon
mounted on a good-looking but
skinny 2.50-inch 24-spoke cast
aluminum wheel (with a 150/80-
16 rear). But in a stylistic effort to
recall the early cut-down bob-
job custom bikes that return-
ing GIs created out of excess
military motorcycles post-WW2,
the new Guzzi V9 Bobber has
what amounts to a rear tire on
the front wheel—a 130/90 x 16
Continental ContiMilestone,
again with a 150/80 x 16 rear,
this time from the same German
tire manufacturer. Did Guzzi's
The new
853cc
engine is still
unmistakably
Moto Guzzi.
The Roamer
also has
slightly more
trail than the
Bobber but
both have
the same 38°
rake.
