3 Things I Hated About the Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel, 13,000 Miles Later

I bought the Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel because I loved it on the test ride. Then I took it around Spain for three weeks and, if I am honest, I came back wondering whether I had made a mistake.

There were things I really liked from day one. The torque is fantastic, the tank range is brilliant, and it is a lovely bike on flowing sweepers. But it also had a handful of niggles and three proper issues that had me seriously considering selling it.

Now, with just under 13,000 miles on the clock and seven weeks of riding in Spain under its wheels, I have a much clearer verdict. Some quirks remain, one problem is still not fully sorted, but the big handling issue has been transformed.

Quick Summary

• Proper suspension setup and Metzeler Tourance tyres transformed the V85 TT Travel in tight corners.

• Replacing the original panniers with Shad TR40 luggage made the bike far better for touring.

• The comfort seat helps, but long distance comfort remains the one unresolved issue.

• After nearly 13,000 miles, the V85 TT Travel has become my favourite all purpose touring bike.

The Short Version: It Is a Keeper

I am not selling it. Not a chance.

Once the suspension was set up properly for the way I use the bike, and once I fitted luggage that actually suits motorcycle camping and touring, the V85 TT Travel became the bike I thought I had bought in the first place.

It has loads of torque, overtakes beautifully, gets on with corners properly now, and is capable off road when I need it to be. It has taken me to the Bardenas Desert, the Tabernas Desert, campsites, viewpoints and plenty of Spanish back roads without any fuss.

It is not perfect. It is a Guzzi, so it has a few quirks and a bit of character. But for the touring I do, it now does everything I need it to do.

What I Still Like About the V85 TT Travel

Before getting into the grumbles, it is worth saying why I stuck with it long enough to solve them.

• Torque: It pulls strongly and makes overtakes easy.

• Fuel range: I comfortably expect more than 300 miles from a full tank, and I reckon 330 to 340 miles is possible.

• Sweeping roads: On open, flowing bends it has always handled well.

• Touring ability: It copes with long distances, luggage, rough access roads and the odd bit of off road riding.

• Versatility: It is happy on Spanish mountain roads, desert tracks, campsites and ordinary day to day riding.

That fuel range deserves a special mention. The displayed range does not count down as I ride, which is a bit odd, but I have stopped caring. With that sort of real world range, fuel stops are not something I spend much time worrying about.

The Small Niggles I Have Learned to Live With

Some things irritated me early on but have become background noise now. They are not deal breakers, just little bits of familiarisation.

The high beam switch

I still occasionally knock the high beam on by accident. I spot it, turn it off and carry on. It is not a big deal anymore.

The side stand

With my adventure boots on, I can still catch the side stand with my boot. It happens much less now because I expect it and have got used to where it is.

The hazard light switch

The hazard switch sits below the starter button, and I still flick it on more often than I would like. Again, it is simply a case of switching it back off and getting on with life.

The mirrors

I originally found the mirrors frustrating because I could see too much shoulder and jacket. Turning them further out made a big difference. I can now see just the smallest bit of my jacket as a reference point, with much more of the road behind me visible.

Blind spot checks are still essential, obviously, but the mirrors no longer wind me up.

The Moto Guzzi app

The phone connection to the Guzzi app was a waste of space for me. I do not use it.

I fitted a CarPlay Ride system instead, which connects seamlessly to my phone and works far better for my needs. That is my solution, and it has made the factory app completely irrelevant to me.

The First Big Problem: The Standard Panniers

The original side opening panniers were one of the main reasons I fell out with the bike after that first Spain trip. They simply did not work the way I wanted them to for loaded touring.

I sold the original rails and cases from the Travel edition for nearly £400. I then fitted a Shad TR40 luggage system and rails, which cost me £501. Once I took the sale of the original kit into account, the change effectively cost me around £100.

For that money, I am absolutely chuffed to bits.

The Shad TR40 system is not perfect, but it is very good and far better suited to the way I pack for a proper trip. When I am carrying panniers, a tent, a bag on the seat, tools, an air compressor, puncture kit, tank bag and water, luggage usability matters.

If you are comparing luggage options, it is worth looking at the Shad luggage range rather than assuming the standard Travel panniers will suit everybody.

The Second Big Problem: The Seat Is Still Not Good Enough

The other thing I really hated was the seat.

I bought the comfort seat hoping it would solve the problem. It is better, but I cannot pretend it is properly comfortable. I can ride a little farther before it starts bothering me, but it has not fully fixed the issue.

So I now have two seats, the original standard seat and the comfort seat. My plan is to send the standard seat away over winter and have it reupholstered properly. If that works, I will sell the comfort seat on.

This is the one major complaint that remains unresolved. For anyone considering a V85 TT Travel for serious long distance riding, I would factor a seat modification into the plan rather than expecting the comfort seat to be a miracle cure.

The Third Big Problem: Handling in Tight Twisties

This was the big one. The original handling in tight, twisty bends was bad enough that I was genuinely thinking about moving the bike on.

I bought this particular V85 TT when it was three months old, so I have no idea whether the previous owner had changed the suspension settings. I also do not know whether it was set up wrongly before it ever left the factory. What I do know is that it was not right for me, especially with a fully loaded touring bike.

At service time, I asked the dealer to fit a new set of Metzeler Tourance tyres and reset the front suspension to factory standard. From there, I asked them to adjust it for the sort of load I actually carry:

• Both panniers

• A tent

• A bag strapped on the seat

• Tools

• An air compressor

• Puncture repair kit

• Tank bags

• Water and the usual touring gear

The suspension is noticeably stiffer now. I feel potholes and bumps more than before. But in tight bends and twisties, it has completely transformed the bike.

It is brilliant.

Before the changes, the excellent front brakes could make the front end dive and the bike did not like it. That behaviour has gone. With the suspension sorted and decent tyres fitted, it feels like a completely different motorcycle.

This is the most important lesson from my ownership experience: if your V85 TT does not feel right in corners, do not assume that is just how all Guzzis handle. Get the suspension checked and set up for your weight, riding style and luggage load.

The Metzeler Tourance tyres were part of the improvement too. They suited my mix of touring and rougher riding, and you can find the manufacturer’s information on the Metzeler Tourance range.

How It Has Performed on Spanish Tours

Since my earlier review, I have spent seven weeks riding in Spain. That includes a three week tour around the Devil’s Breath, two weeks through Andalusia and Valencia, and another two weeks in northern Spain.

That is a proper range of conditions, roads and temperatures. It is enough time to find out whether a bike is merely nice on a sunny afternoon or genuinely useful when it is carrying a full load and covering miles day after day.

With the set-up sorted, I can ride it hard enough in corners, cruise through long sweeping roads, pass traffic confidently and take it down rough tracks to remote viewpoints or campsites. That is exactly what I want from an adventure touring bike in Spain.

Heatwave Riding: It Does Pink in Extreme Heat

One new quirk showed up during a heatwave. At temperatures above 37°C, the engine can pink.

I noticed it most when rolling off in third gear and then picking the throttle back up. The noise can sound like somebody has thrown a bag of spanners into the pistons. It still runs well, but it is not a pleasant sound.

I tried both E5 and E10 fuel and did not notice any difference.

To put it in context, this was not only happening to the Guzzi. On a steep climb to a campsite in the Alpujarras below Granada, another rider’s water cooled 1800cc Harley was pinking too. So I do not see it as a V85 TT only issue, but it is something I have experienced in seriously hot Spanish weather.

Cold Starts: Give It a Minute

At the other end of the temperature scale, the V85 TT needs a little patience when it is properly cold.

On a very cold start, I give it around a minute to settle before riding away. The change in engine note tells me when it is ready. While it warms up, I put my helmet and gloves on and let it get on with it.

What I would not do is start it from stone cold and immediately try to ride it up a slope out of an underground car park. When it is cold, it has very little power for that first minute or so. Once it settles down, it sweetens up nicely and is ready to go.

Pros and Cons After Nearly 13,000 Miles

What I love

• Excellent torque and easy overtaking.

• Outstanding fuel range for long distance touring.

• Transformed handling once the suspension was properly set up.

• Confident ability on twisty roads, sweepers and light off road routes.

• Huge versatility for motorcycle camping and touring in Spain.

• A bike with genuine character.

What still needs consideration

• The original side opening panniers did not suit my needs.

• The comfort seat improves things but does not fully solve the comfort problem.

• The switchgear layout can lead to accidental high beam or hazard light activation.

• The factory app was not useful for me.

• The engine can pink in extreme heat.

• Cold starts need a short warm-up period before riding away.

Who the Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel Is For

I think it is a cracking choice for a rider who wants one bike to do a bit of everything. If your riding includes long touring days, mountain roads, decent fuel stretches, campsites, back roads and the occasional rough track, it has a lot going for it.

It suits somebody who enjoys a bike with personality and does not expect every detail to be perfectly polished straight from the showroom. It also suits somebody prepared to make the bike their own with the right luggage, navigation system and suspension set-up.

I would be cautious if absolute seat comfort is your number one priority, or if you want a bike that needs no adjustment to carry heavy touring loads. I would also recommend a thorough test ride on tighter roads, not just an easy spin, and I would ask the dealer to discuss suspension settings before handing over the cash.

My Final Verdict

The Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel annoyed me enough after my first big trip that I nearly sold it. That is the honest truth.

But most of the important problems were not permanent faults with the bike. The luggage was easy enough to change. The smaller niggles faded into the background. And the handling, the thing that worried me most, was massively improved with fresh tyres and a proper suspension set-up for a fully loaded touring bike.

The seat still needs sorting, and the engine has its hot weather and cold start quirks. Yet this is now the best bike I have had for what I do.

It has torque, range, capability and character in spades. For riding the back roads of España, I love it.

Ride cool. Ride safe. Ride Spain.