OberBobber
Just got it firing!
Hi all,
Been reading a few posts for a while but never actually contributed much here.
I’ve had my V9 Bobber Sport for almost a year now, and I absolutely love it. I had a few changes done before I took delivery.
1. Original flatboard saddle, because it complements the lines of the bike. Didn’t quite fancy the sport seat that came with it.
2. Crash bars, which were worth it, since I dropped the bike while parking (thought I had the kickstand out!). It all happened so quickly… the bike leaned more than it should’ve and I jumped off it, whilst still holding the left grip. The left crash bar hit the road and I don’t know if it stopped the bike from falling even further, but I yanked it up immediately. Have a small scratch on the crash bar now.
3. Cylinder guards. Might be overkill, but they look gorgeous.
4. 110 dB Hella twin horns, though I need even louder ones, because some drivers (the Belgians, and mobile phone users) deserve it.
No change to the rear suspension, though, as the Ohlin shocks work really well even on the brick-paved streets.
The best view of the V9 is when you approach the bike from the back, diagonally. So let’s say the bike is in line with your nose, and the best view is from the 7 or 8 o’clock side.
I haven’t ridden it as much as I want to, covering only 1000 miles / 1600 kms so far, mainly riding in the city. The main reason being that the seat is a nightmare after about 20 miles / 30 kms. Being my first bike, I put it down to lack of experience, but I’ve tried to get used to it, even losing about 30 pounds / 15 kilos in the process, but it just doesn’t help. I’ve tried to push myself by riding it around for about 60 miles / 100 kms, but by the end of it, my backside is sore, and the crotch has no sensation at all… except for the tingling when I get off the seat.
I can easily live with it for short rides, but if I have to travel to another city, I need a new saddle. So far I’ve not found anything that suits the style of the bike so well, compared to the original, but it’s either comfort or looks. Therefore, I’m looking at either getting the new thick solo seat Moto Guzzi has to offer, or having the current one updated. With a separate saddle, I could swap it with the original for longer rides; something I won’t have to do with a reworked one. I’m open to suggestions, though.
My country is flat and it can get verrrrry windy on the highways / motorways, so I mostly avoid them if I can. Had a 4-day weekend last week and we had almost gale-force winds for 3 of those days. Just sat at home and brooded.
My other niggle is with the throttle, which can get quite choppy at times. I compensate by using the clutch a bit more, so I’ve gotten used to it, but it can sneak up on me at times, especially around small roundabouts. I asked a guy working at the dealership about it and he said that it was normal. When asked if I could have the bike remapped, he said that I’d kill the low-range. Now I don’t know whether or not that’s true, but I’d still like, one day, to buy the ECU re-flash tool from Todd. I am avoiding it at the moment, because I don’t want to get screwed by the customs.
Next, well, sometimes I’d like to rest my right hand whilst riding, but without cruise control, it’s all or nothing. How do you all manage in such a situation?
The exhaust needs to be changed too, sometime in the future. The engine / clutch / gearbox has a whine, which is louder than the exhaust. I only get to hear the exhaust note properly when riding at high speeds… so not so much, I’m afraid. What I’m looking for is a deep, low-note rumble and so far I’ve only heard an Agostini (long), at the dealer, fall into that category.
Now, washing this thing is something I need help on. I live in an apartment, with a parking garage in the basement, so no way of washing it at the premises. I don’t want to park it on the street and do it, as I don’t want it to grab attention from unwanted people (my car was stolen from inside the garage last November). I could take it to a wash box, but that’d mean I’d have to ride there and wait for an hour for the engine to cool down before I wash it. My only option is to visit a colleague in another city and wash it there… which will have to be after the lockdown ends or eased even further. So far I’ve gotten by with cleaning it with wet wipes. What other methods / products would you recommend? I always have the dust cover on when the bike is parked in the garage.
I’ll add to the V9 Registry & Picture thread next time I ride the bike and get the VIN. For now, I'll try to add a couple of pictures here:
Been reading a few posts for a while but never actually contributed much here.
I’ve had my V9 Bobber Sport for almost a year now, and I absolutely love it. I had a few changes done before I took delivery.
1. Original flatboard saddle, because it complements the lines of the bike. Didn’t quite fancy the sport seat that came with it.
2. Crash bars, which were worth it, since I dropped the bike while parking (thought I had the kickstand out!). It all happened so quickly… the bike leaned more than it should’ve and I jumped off it, whilst still holding the left grip. The left crash bar hit the road and I don’t know if it stopped the bike from falling even further, but I yanked it up immediately. Have a small scratch on the crash bar now.
3. Cylinder guards. Might be overkill, but they look gorgeous.
4. 110 dB Hella twin horns, though I need even louder ones, because some drivers (the Belgians, and mobile phone users) deserve it.
No change to the rear suspension, though, as the Ohlin shocks work really well even on the brick-paved streets.
The best view of the V9 is when you approach the bike from the back, diagonally. So let’s say the bike is in line with your nose, and the best view is from the 7 or 8 o’clock side.
I haven’t ridden it as much as I want to, covering only 1000 miles / 1600 kms so far, mainly riding in the city. The main reason being that the seat is a nightmare after about 20 miles / 30 kms. Being my first bike, I put it down to lack of experience, but I’ve tried to get used to it, even losing about 30 pounds / 15 kilos in the process, but it just doesn’t help. I’ve tried to push myself by riding it around for about 60 miles / 100 kms, but by the end of it, my backside is sore, and the crotch has no sensation at all… except for the tingling when I get off the seat.
I can easily live with it for short rides, but if I have to travel to another city, I need a new saddle. So far I’ve not found anything that suits the style of the bike so well, compared to the original, but it’s either comfort or looks. Therefore, I’m looking at either getting the new thick solo seat Moto Guzzi has to offer, or having the current one updated. With a separate saddle, I could swap it with the original for longer rides; something I won’t have to do with a reworked one. I’m open to suggestions, though.
My country is flat and it can get verrrrry windy on the highways / motorways, so I mostly avoid them if I can. Had a 4-day weekend last week and we had almost gale-force winds for 3 of those days. Just sat at home and brooded.
My other niggle is with the throttle, which can get quite choppy at times. I compensate by using the clutch a bit more, so I’ve gotten used to it, but it can sneak up on me at times, especially around small roundabouts. I asked a guy working at the dealership about it and he said that it was normal. When asked if I could have the bike remapped, he said that I’d kill the low-range. Now I don’t know whether or not that’s true, but I’d still like, one day, to buy the ECU re-flash tool from Todd. I am avoiding it at the moment, because I don’t want to get screwed by the customs.
Next, well, sometimes I’d like to rest my right hand whilst riding, but without cruise control, it’s all or nothing. How do you all manage in such a situation?
The exhaust needs to be changed too, sometime in the future. The engine / clutch / gearbox has a whine, which is louder than the exhaust. I only get to hear the exhaust note properly when riding at high speeds… so not so much, I’m afraid. What I’m looking for is a deep, low-note rumble and so far I’ve only heard an Agostini (long), at the dealer, fall into that category.
Now, washing this thing is something I need help on. I live in an apartment, with a parking garage in the basement, so no way of washing it at the premises. I don’t want to park it on the street and do it, as I don’t want it to grab attention from unwanted people (my car was stolen from inside the garage last November). I could take it to a wash box, but that’d mean I’d have to ride there and wait for an hour for the engine to cool down before I wash it. My only option is to visit a colleague in another city and wash it there… which will have to be after the lockdown ends or eased even further. So far I’ve gotten by with cleaning it with wet wipes. What other methods / products would you recommend? I always have the dust cover on when the bike is parked in the garage.
I’ll add to the V9 Registry & Picture thread next time I ride the bike and get the VIN. For now, I'll try to add a couple of pictures here:
