A bike that looks as
good as it goes
SECOND OPINION
A
s Jock said above, Tuto Terreno is Italian
for All Terrain. This poses an interesting
question. Is the latest adventure steed
from Moto Guzzi truly worthy of such a title?
I was lucky enough to join Jock on the
Moto Guzzi V85TT launch in Thailand, and
after a full day in the saddle around some
wonderfully varying conditions, I think I’ve
come to a reasonable assessment of the
V85TT’s abilities.
For starters, Moto Guzzi engineer and head
of R&D for Asia-Pacific, Livi Michele, stated
during the press briefing that the V85TT has
been designed as a bike to be all things to all
riders. That means just as comfortable within
the city limits as it is touring, or hitting the
road less travelled.
Now I for one usually believe that, in
practice, that is a terrible idea. Sort of like
designing a horse via committee and ending
up with a camel at the end. Yet Guzzi hasn’t
created an orphan with the V85TT. In fact, it
is one of the most enjoyable bikes I’ve ridden
recently.
46 KIWI RIDER
With the target to beat in the mid-sized
adventure class being the new BMW F850GS,
Guzzi put plenty of thought not only into the
ability of the V85 but also into what the mid-
sized class was yet to see. And frankly, that’s
a bike that looks as good as it goes.
Now as one of KR’s younger contributors, I
don’t quite get the same degree of nostalgia
from Guzzi’s Classic Enduro as others with
more laps around the sun might, but in terms
of design, it’s hard to not appreciate that the
V85 is a great looking bike.
Add to that the fact the V85TT boasts the
largest fuel capacity with 23-litres of fuel
which Moto Guzzi’s engineers went as far to
say guarantees over 400km of range, as well
as the only shaft final drive in the sub-1000cc
class, and you’ve got a rather tantalising bike
no matter where you sit on the age spectrum.
With its classic lines, rugged steel frame
and a low seat height of just 830mm (which
can further be tailored via the three optional
comfort seats), the V85TT is a versatile bike in
a class that is all about versatility.