If you have an E5 V85TT, I highly recommend you read this. I'm not being paid to say any of this, Todd didn't see this writeup before I posted it, and there's no incentive for me to do this other than a passion for motorcycles, and Moto Guzzi in particular.
The short story is that if you're riding a stock E5 V85TT, I hate to say this, but you're riding a neutered motorcycle. Blame the government or whatever, but it's a fact. If you're content with the performance you're getting, I don't want to "yuck your yum": I know we're not all here because Guzzis are known for their blistering performance. However, the V85 is an ADV touring machine, and as it's setup from the factory, it really doesn't do that well. Let me explain:
If you have all the bags off, and you're 160lbs, you'll have a nice, relaxed ride. However, once you load it up with 70+ lbs of gear, a passenger, and a full tank, you're going to feel it. You'll have to twist the throttle way beyond where you want to get up hills. You'll rev the ever loving shit out of it if you want to pass a car. You'll feather the clutch more than you want to at takeoffs. In general, at least for me, the bike did not feel "correct."
After getting some performance back on my V7 with GT fueling, I decided to really go for it with the GTM Werks system with the PC6/AT300/UpMap fueling solution for my new V85 Guardia d'Onore. I had recently sold my FJR1300, on which I toured across the country several times, and dearly loved. However, my love for Guzzi won out, and losing about 125lbs wet wasn't bad either. That's another thing: I weighed my bike. The FJR with full luggage was 690lbs wet. Even after removing the stock exhaust system, EVAP, SAS, etc... the V85 was 525lbs wet, 565lbs with the bags on. That's way more than the claimed 508lbs by Guzzi. Whatever you think your power/weight ratio is, it's worse. Anyway, I was accustomed to the 1300cc inline-4 rocketship, and knew that I'd be compromising a bit there w/ the V85, and wanted to give it the best shot at being my new touring machine.
After Todd worked out all the kinks (dealing with UpMap seems to have been a real pain), I finally got my GTM kit. You can read about the installation in this thread. It cost me just under $4K all told, about +30% to the cost of the bike. Let's say the bike cost me $17,000. Is it worth it? Yes. I'm not going to get into a dollars-for-donuts discussion here, but say you went with a Tiger 900GT or Tiger 900GT Pro - you're in for approximately the same cost... with no luggage. You're getting a bit more of modern bike, for sure, but again, that's not why we're here.
I installed the kit, and then was absolutely blown away by how much Todd's engaged with me. He's looking at trims, adjusting the base map, and overall just making sure that my bike is perfectly set up. Good luck getting this anywhere else. Over the next couple weeks and many emails, sending maps back and forth, we got the bike tuned to a point where I think it's running the way it was supposed to. Correctly. Finally free. Also, since the E5 version of this is new, I'm betting that the next customer is going to get some of the benefits of this work.
This past weekend, I went on a 600-mile "appetizer" ride. Next week, I leave for a 2,000-mile tour down to Barber to see MotoAmerica, and wanted to make sure it was running it perfect shape. I was loaded down with luggage and a passenger, weighing in at about 940lbs total. Not only did the V85 perform exceptionally well, it felt like it outperformed the stock setup without any luggage or a passenger. Let that sink in. The throttle response was smooth and linear, and I had no issues feeling like I had enough power left to maneuver, pass, etc.
On back roads: on speeds less than 65mph, the bike feels incredible. On segments of the trip where we weren't on any highway, I was averaging about 50mpg, and not even thinking about it. I had a few sections where I "tested" the bike a bit, although in general with a passenger, I wanted a fun but smooth ride. It was an amazing experience, one that would not be possible with the stock setup.
On the highway: this is where things get really interesting. Before the upgrade, on speeds > 65mph, I was really disappointed. I knew it wasn't the FJR, but also I was almost preparing myself to just be disappointed with the bike on the highway or faster roads. It would cruise ok, but it just had nothing left. The new setup really shines here. You want to go faster? Just roll the throttle. Not that I recommend this, but in 6th gear the road between 65 and 95 is shorter than you'd think. Definitely don't hang out there, but in a passing situation, no problem.
Regarding pure acceleration, I don't have 0-60 numbers for you, but I will say: "quick." 4-5 seconds, maybe? It feels much faster on takeoff than stock. It feels right for the bike.
At the end of the day, this is more than just "more power." It's about the type of power and throttle response. An optimally-running (and therefore longer-lasting) engine. A lighter motorcycle. And ultimately, way, way more fun. None of us truly need a motorcycle (debatable), but it's really a passion purchase. I'm telling you that if you want to unlock 100% more fun for 30% more money, do yourself a favor and fix your V85.
The short story is that if you're riding a stock E5 V85TT, I hate to say this, but you're riding a neutered motorcycle. Blame the government or whatever, but it's a fact. If you're content with the performance you're getting, I don't want to "yuck your yum": I know we're not all here because Guzzis are known for their blistering performance. However, the V85 is an ADV touring machine, and as it's setup from the factory, it really doesn't do that well. Let me explain:
If you have all the bags off, and you're 160lbs, you'll have a nice, relaxed ride. However, once you load it up with 70+ lbs of gear, a passenger, and a full tank, you're going to feel it. You'll have to twist the throttle way beyond where you want to get up hills. You'll rev the ever loving shit out of it if you want to pass a car. You'll feather the clutch more than you want to at takeoffs. In general, at least for me, the bike did not feel "correct."
After getting some performance back on my V7 with GT fueling, I decided to really go for it with the GTM Werks system with the PC6/AT300/UpMap fueling solution for my new V85 Guardia d'Onore. I had recently sold my FJR1300, on which I toured across the country several times, and dearly loved. However, my love for Guzzi won out, and losing about 125lbs wet wasn't bad either. That's another thing: I weighed my bike. The FJR with full luggage was 690lbs wet. Even after removing the stock exhaust system, EVAP, SAS, etc... the V85 was 525lbs wet, 565lbs with the bags on. That's way more than the claimed 508lbs by Guzzi. Whatever you think your power/weight ratio is, it's worse. Anyway, I was accustomed to the 1300cc inline-4 rocketship, and knew that I'd be compromising a bit there w/ the V85, and wanted to give it the best shot at being my new touring machine.
After Todd worked out all the kinks (dealing with UpMap seems to have been a real pain), I finally got my GTM kit. You can read about the installation in this thread. It cost me just under $4K all told, about +30% to the cost of the bike. Let's say the bike cost me $17,000. Is it worth it? Yes. I'm not going to get into a dollars-for-donuts discussion here, but say you went with a Tiger 900GT or Tiger 900GT Pro - you're in for approximately the same cost... with no luggage. You're getting a bit more of modern bike, for sure, but again, that's not why we're here.
I installed the kit, and then was absolutely blown away by how much Todd's engaged with me. He's looking at trims, adjusting the base map, and overall just making sure that my bike is perfectly set up. Good luck getting this anywhere else. Over the next couple weeks and many emails, sending maps back and forth, we got the bike tuned to a point where I think it's running the way it was supposed to. Correctly. Finally free. Also, since the E5 version of this is new, I'm betting that the next customer is going to get some of the benefits of this work.
This past weekend, I went on a 600-mile "appetizer" ride. Next week, I leave for a 2,000-mile tour down to Barber to see MotoAmerica, and wanted to make sure it was running it perfect shape. I was loaded down with luggage and a passenger, weighing in at about 940lbs total. Not only did the V85 perform exceptionally well, it felt like it outperformed the stock setup without any luggage or a passenger. Let that sink in. The throttle response was smooth and linear, and I had no issues feeling like I had enough power left to maneuver, pass, etc.
On back roads: on speeds less than 65mph, the bike feels incredible. On segments of the trip where we weren't on any highway, I was averaging about 50mpg, and not even thinking about it. I had a few sections where I "tested" the bike a bit, although in general with a passenger, I wanted a fun but smooth ride. It was an amazing experience, one that would not be possible with the stock setup.
On the highway: this is where things get really interesting. Before the upgrade, on speeds > 65mph, I was really disappointed. I knew it wasn't the FJR, but also I was almost preparing myself to just be disappointed with the bike on the highway or faster roads. It would cruise ok, but it just had nothing left. The new setup really shines here. You want to go faster? Just roll the throttle. Not that I recommend this, but in 6th gear the road between 65 and 95 is shorter than you'd think. Definitely don't hang out there, but in a passing situation, no problem.
Regarding pure acceleration, I don't have 0-60 numbers for you, but I will say: "quick." 4-5 seconds, maybe? It feels much faster on takeoff than stock. It feels right for the bike.
At the end of the day, this is more than just "more power." It's about the type of power and throttle response. An optimally-running (and therefore longer-lasting) engine. A lighter motorcycle. And ultimately, way, way more fun. None of us truly need a motorcycle (debatable), but it's really a passion purchase. I'm telling you that if you want to unlock 100% more fun for 30% more money, do yourself a favor and fix your V85.
