Moto Guzzi is a name that doesn’t often come up in adventure riding here in America, but the Italian company is celebrating their centennial with an updated version of their V85TT adventure bike. Guzzi’s best-selling motorcycle comes packed with plenty of off road upgrades, making it suitable for much more than just a trip to the coffee shop for a macchiato.
Photo: Moto Guzzi
Started by a trio of pilots and mechanics in the Corpo Aeronautico Militare just after World War I, Moto Guzzi’s role in motorcycling has some serious street cred. From their prominence in early 20th century motorcycle racing to a handful of notable industry innovations (including the first motorcycle center stand, brilliant!), Guzzi has been holding their own on two wheels for a full century.
For 2021, Moto Guzzi is rolling out an updated version of their best seller, the V85TT, based on their fundamental concepts of minimalism, ease, and practicality. The Guzzi signature is a 90-degree transversal, air-cooled V-twin engine, and the 2021 model gets a double shot of torque at low and medium RPMs, thanks to optimized timing cams and engine control electronics.
Photo: Moto Guzzi
The V85TT now has five Riding Modes to manage traction control, plus ABS and a Ride-by-Wire throttle. Cruise control and a color TFT instrument panel come standard and you can connect your smartphone to the Moto Guzzi multimedia platform, extending the instrument panel’s functions.
And, like all Italian motorbikes, the V85TT Guzzi just looks so good that you’ll want to put down your cappuccino and go for a ride. The new spoked rims now accommodate tubeless tires and the V85TT comes in three colorways that sound particularly classy in Italian: Nero Etna, Giallo Mojave, and Rosso Uluru.
Header image Credit: Moto Guzzi
Motorcycle Industry News by Eva Rupert. Follow Eva @augusteva.
