Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer, don't call it an advanced V7 [ROAD TEST]

Photoshoot: ENGINEER

Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer – When we saw her at Eicma 2015, together with Sister Bobber (with a slightly more sporting vocation), the opinions were conflicting. It was certainly a rather announced move, the success of the V7 in all its forms was in fact accompanied by the growing market demand for something that raised the bar, from many points of view and not just for power or displacement. The space between the "small" House of Mandello and the California 1400 left the faculty to decide where one wanted to go, because the differences between the two are really important. Once the veils were removed on the new arrival, it seemed to almost everyone that they wanted to keep their distance from the maxi, offering an equally easy bike, the V7 excels in this, with a pleasant look and a touch of extra character. Almost at will accompany the many enthusiasts of the Moto Guzzi attack model on a growth path, without daring too much and avoiding scaring them. The V9 is also the best way to celebrate Guzzi's 95th anniversary, with a product that designs the path towards an increasingly less uncertain future. After trying it, we can tell you that those doubts (we admit, we had them too) that more courageous choices could be made by creating a more powerful motorbike and less similar to the V7, once mounted on the new entry, almost all disappear, because the V9 deserves much praise and little criticism.

Aesthetics and finishes:

rating:  

Built around the historic "V2", with attention to quality and a touch of modernity

The V9 Roamer he is avowedly the heir to Nevada, though represents a huge step forward from a stylistic point of view. The frame is new, we will see its features later, the design is new and you can see it straight away. The similarities with her younger sister are more marked than with her "mother", to be honest. But be careful not to be fooled. If anyone thought that the V9 is a revised V7 with increased displacement and appearance, they are very wrong.. The two bikes have very little in common, little more than the family feeling. Even the engine, which to the casual eye has grown in displacement but similar in look, has only 10% of the components in common with the 750 of the V7 II. The Nevada 750, on the other hand, had remained in the range for over two decades and, although updated to keep up with the times, it needed a break with the past. The style and look of the V9 was born in the USA, because the Piaggio Group has a style center in California, in Pasadena, precisely where the style and fashions of this type of motorcycle were born and then spread to the rest of the globe. The desire was to exploit a unique trademark in the world, that engine that anyone would recognize among a thousand, inserting it in a context that could respect tradition, without losing sight of the quality, perceived and real, as well as modernity, both under form of respect for the regulatory framework, but also aesthetic and "substantial".

As far as quality is concerned, the first important clue is the lots of metal (steel and aluminium) and the little plastic, just as tradition dictates. The line, however, is more pleasant in person than in the photo. The drip tank and 15 litres, it has a shape very personal and it is the element that most distinguishes the look of the V9, obviously the first is the engine. It has a nice aluminum cap, with the Moto Guzzi writing on the top, wide and almost flat, while on the sides its important presence is underlined by the graphics and pronounced ribs, with the eagle enriching a very well-groomed appearance. The two steel mudguards are the only other elements in the same color. The rest of the bike is played on contrast of the black parts with the chrome ones. A contrast that we find marked on the rims, black with the external part of the channels brushed, as on the cylinder fins, matt black on the body. Also present are the two long chrome exhausts. Sitting in the saddle, you can't see much of the same as on the V7. The V9 is in fact very different and with a decidedly more current layout, with buttons on the handlebars with beautiful metal masks, but with a style that is perhaps too modern compared to the classic layout of the bike, in particular we did not appreciate the arrow button, for nothing intuitive in understanding the response and therefore in understanding whether they are inserted or not.

Engine and performance:

rating:  

Everything new to gain a lot of back and great driving pleasure

The transverse 90° V-twin is all new, not only in size and displacement, which rises to 850. It respects tradition with an appearance faithful to the known one, with great attention to detail, with a beautiful matte paint finish and with the Moto Guzzi brands milled on the aluminum head covers. Before telling you some details of how it was created and with what objectives, we want to make an introductory parenthesis. The numbers had not convinced everyone, we admit it. In the transition from V7 to V9 a more marked injection of power was expected (some even hoped for around twenty horsepower), while from 35 kW (obviously not a random value, but linked to the license limitations) there was an increase of 7 horsepower, up to 55. If they might seem few to some, take a look at the price lists and the numbers of the competitors and you will have an initial denial, but above all mere power was not the objective they wanted to pursue. The V9 wants instead be a motorbike with great riding pleasure, which is most influenced by torque and elasticity. We can confirm that in the saddle the 55 horsepower is perfect for the V9 (we would have given him even more, without having known the real power figure), while the 62 Nm of torque arrives at just 3.000 rpm, even allowing, by starting cheerfully and with the traction control off, to wheelie without great difficulty. Obviously, the V9 isn't made for this, but it's nice to have it pleasant sensation of an important push, the kind that you know will leave you drawing a comma on the asphalt when you open the bend, unless you rely on the reins of electronics. The MGCT control (Moto Guzzi Traction Control) here it starts to be very useful, especially when the asphalt is not perfect, and it works on two levels, as well as being completely excludable.

Taking a step back, to give this new character to the V2 interventions facts have been radicals, from new base, in aluminum reinforced in the most critical points, at thecrankshaft with a new balance, precisely to shift the compromise between engine braking and engine response speed. New lubrication and cooling system, which we remember affect efficiency and therefore also consumption in a positive, new way the entire upper part of the engine. The displacement of 853 cc is obtained with bore and stroke of 84 and 77 mm respectively, while the distribution, again with rods and rocker arms and 2 valves per cylinder, provides that the valves are now tilt. The entire redesign also took into account the needs related to legislation Euro 4. Thus the presence, for example, of an auxiliary air system, of the trivalent catalytic converter with double Lambda probe and other measures have allowed us to move on to the most recent anti-pollution legislation. The 6-speed gearbox is also new, which have also changed to better accommodate the engine's delivery curve, while they are a little the shifts are softer than the V7, even if there remain marked "stocks" in the transition from one gear to another, especially in less fluid city driving. News also on the front clutch, That is dry single disc type, 170 mm in diameter and which guarantees excellent detachment, free of tears and very fluid in its action. The cardan shaft is also new, bigger and more robust to cope with the greater torque. The vibrations of the V2 are always there, although never annoying, with that characteristic right-left movement of the bike when you apply the gas with the bike stopped. Same thing for its inimitable sound, polite with the standard exhausts, but it can be made tastier with the approved slip-on exhaust included in the generous list of accessories.

Ride and handling:

rating:  

As easy as a V7, dedicated to touring in this version with the 19" front

Of the two versions available, Bobber and Roamer, the latter is more focused on comfort. This is demonstrated by a slightly higher riding position (785 mm from the ground, + 5 from the Bobber), with a long and well-padded saddle. The dimensions are deliberately designed to obtain a comfortable and relaxed posture, with wide chrome handlebars and footrests that don't require you to have your knees bent too much. There remains good ground clearance, a feature that allows you to bend without major fears of scratching the footrests. However, what remains is what could be more of a feature than a defect for anyone who chooses a Guzzi: at the beginning, if you don't pay attention, you'll hit your shins on the bulky and protruding heads, even if they are protected on the rear side by the less painful collector covers. . The last, but perhaps most big difference between Bobber and Roamer, is relative to the front wheel. The rear for both is 16", while in front the second one mounts a 19", with narrower tires (100 versus 130 on the Bobber).

This makes it less quick around curves, but certainly more comfortable and perfect for touring. The new frame, designed for the V9, combines with a well-studied chassis, thanks to the collaboration with Brembo for the brakes, with Continental for ABS e Kayaba for suspension. Braking is excellent, very reactive and not at all affected by the presence of a single disc at the front. Thanks above all to caliper with 4 opposed pistons, which works on a 320 mm steel disc, but also of low weight, which with only 199 kg in running order (with all fluids, but without fuel) is a record for the category to which the new V9 belongs. The support when cornering is always excellent, it conveys safety and also allows you to dare and have fun without problems. The new dimensions guarantee ease of handling and also excellent stability. It is surprising for how well it hides its size and weight (there are about twenty kilos more than the V7), while it is a little stiff in the reactions of the rear suspension, especially when riding on bumpy city roads. For the rest, the bike is comfortable and capable of to absorb the imperfections of the asphalt well.

Price and consumption:

rating:  

Just under 10 thousand for the V9 Roamer

The price list starts at 9.890 euros ex-dealership for the V9 Roamer, while passing the double digit threshold la bobber, stopping at altitude 10.190. Both are also available in 35 kW version. Just for completeness of information, we are around 1.300 euros more than the V7II in Stone trim, which is also currently on promotion compared to this price, with a full thousand euro discount. The Nevada 750, currently still available in the Aquila Nera version, has a price list of 8.840 euros. The purchase price of the V9 for some may just be the beginning, because they are almost 15 pages of the accessories catalog dedicated to the Roamer, as well as its sister Bobber, demonstrating the V9's vocation for customization, as per tradition for the Mandello company. If you exhaust, aesthetic and travel accessories are rather obvious for this bike, the possibility of equipping it with the Moto Guzzi Media Platform is surprising, the innovative multimedia system capable of connecting the motorbike to the smartphone and consequently to the Internet. With a free application available for both Apple and Android, the telephone communicates with the motorbike wirelessly, becoming an extension of the instrumentation, to which it adds for example the rev counter, instantaneous power and torque, average speed and battery voltage, but also more exciting data, such as longitudinal acceleration.

With the MGMP it is then possible to record trip data and review them on the computer or directly on the smartphone, analyzing the route taken together with the vehicle's operating parameters. The function "Grip Warning” instead it uses the data coming from the motorbike to provide real-time information on the use of grip and riding behavior with respect to the road surface conditions at that moment. Finally, there is also the function "Eco Ride” to optimize driving based on fuel consumption. Not that the V9 needs it too much, because in our test, in which we covered several hundred kilometers without saving it much, we recorded an average figure of 5.5 liters per 100 km, while the threshold of 20 per liter is easily exceeded by driving it with a less sporty behaviour.

PROS AND CONS
We like it:
Beautiful (more in person than in the photo), very well made, easy to drive, it can also be fun. Excellent base for customizations

We do not like it:
Buttons on the handlebar perhaps too modern and not very functional

Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer: the Motorionline Report Card

Motor:
Handling:
Gearbox and transmission:
Braking:
Suspensions:
Guide:
Pilot comfort:
Passenger comfort:
Equipment:
Quality price:
Line:
Consumption:

Test clothing:
Jacket: Secure Patch
Gloves: Secure Sidney
Trousers: Spidi Ronin Pants
Shoe: Alpinestars Vulk Shoes
Helmet: Scorpion Exo-3000 Air