The oil change interval on the V85 engine is 10,000km or 6000 miles, and calls for approximately 2L of 10w-60 oil, which is quite difficult to source. Halfords stocks it online, as does Amazon, or Gutsibits. You also need a new oil filter, O-ring, and copper crush washer. Gutsibits lists a different washer in their oil change kit, but it's not copper and shouldn't be required on every service. They're frequently out of the full kit, but just buying the filter, O-ring, and getting a bulk pack of copper crush washers is about the same price and fulfils the same goal.
\n![\"\"](\"https://blog.roadrunner.motorcycles/media/posts/3/oilfilt.jpg\")
", "author": { "name": "Roadrunner" }, "tags": [ ], "date_published": "2026-06-04T22:01:05+01:00", "date_modified": "2026-06-04T22:30:22+01:00" }, { "id": "https://blog.roadrunner.motorcycles/moto-guzzi-v85tt.html", "url": "https://blog.roadrunner.motorcycles/moto-guzzi-v85tt.html", "title": "Moto Guzzi V85TT", "summary": "Introduction The v85tt is an adventure motorcycle manufactured by Moto Guzzi since 2019. It's based on their small block engine, currently an 850cc transverse V-twin, with 2 valve pushrod heads, air cooling only, and paired to a 6 speed gearbox and then through a shaft…", "content_html": "
The v85tt is an adventure motorcycle manufactured by Moto Guzzi since 2019. It's based on their small block engine, currently an 850cc transverse V-twin, with 2 valve pushrod heads, air cooling only, and paired to a 6 speed gearbox and then through a shaft drive to the wheel. This is pretty much the classic/typical guzzi drivetrain, and will be familiar to anyone who's ridden a classic guzzi.
\nIt sits as a middleweight in the adventure bike category, despite being a larger engine, its lower power output (around 80HP) puts it more inline with the 500/600cc competition, although it is sized closer to the bigger ADV bikes such as BMWs R-series bikes (R1200GS for example).
\nStylistically, it's clearly inspired by BMWs classic R80/GS, the original adventure bike by most metrics. it could be considered as Guzzi's take on the 'retro bike' fad that consumed the industry during the late 2010s. ![\"A](\"https://blog.roadrunner.motorcycles/media/posts/2/25311432-1-1-2.jpg\")
Despite being marketed as an adventure bike, the V85TT is much more at home on the road. It weighs in around 260kg wet, and has limited suspension travel, and the tyres are more stylistic than functional. It can carry itself over grass, dirt trails, and light mud ok, but any serious attempt to ride it like an off-road bike will end in a fall. That said, if you fit crash bars, a fall is not the end of the world, usually the fuel tank won't even hit the floor and it'll rest on the bars.
\nOn-road, the V85TT feels more at-home. It's incredibly comfortable, nestling your lower body inbetween the tank, the seat, and the cylinder heads in a way that works far better than you'd think. The cylinders provide a little warmth on winters days, but not enough that they become too uncomfortable on a hot day, and I never experienced issues with my knees hitting the cylinders, which is apparently a common worry for aspiring Guzzisti.
The gearing is relatively short, requiring you to shift out of first gear around 30mph. Second gear will swiftly end around 40mph, 3rd around 50-55mph, and 4th will see you up to 65mph. after that, both 5th and 6th will carry you past motorway speed limits, but you'll find yourself wishing for a 7th or even 8th gear on long motorway stints. Its evident after riding any distance at high speed that Moto Guzzi wanted this bike to pull hard in all gears, and indeed it will duly hit redline in 6th gear with not a lot of effort, it's just that with the relatively low redline (around 6900rpm, but the dash will light up like a christmas tree before then), you can't get it above 110mph. Relatively slow for such a large bike, and it means that at a 70mph motorway trot, you're at 4500rpm, and if you're a spirited motorway rider (which I am not, thankfully), you need 5000rpm to sit at 80mph. This feels like something of a failure to me, especially considering that you can't change the ratio of a shaft drive.
\nRegardless, if you're considering this bike, you should understand that it's not fast. It's slightly faster than my single cylinder BMW G310R was around town, but hit the motorway and you're wondering what the extra cylinder and 550ccs of displacement is up to. It's similiar in performance to a mid-range 'hot hatch' car, reaching 60mph in around 5 seconds, but losing steam after that. If you approach the bike with that in mind, it's actually a very pleasant experience, with oodles of torque to back up your ride, you find yourself wafting along A and B roads having the time of your life, and even motorways are as enjoyable as they get on a bike, provided you sit in the left lane and let the faster traffic pass you by.
\nIn order to answer this question best, I'll explain why this bike *was* for me.
\nI'd recently switched from a job that was best accessed via car (central bristol public parking, flexible hours allowing me to start well after rush hour), to a job that wanted me in on-time, and has a private underground car-park in a relatively safe spot. I was rocking a 34 year old Honda VFR750 which was slowly in the process of falling to pieces and breaking down. I had access to a good amount of low-interest credit, and i wanted a modern motorbike. my key requirements:
\nWith that in mind, I began searching on Autotrader. I quickly realised I don't care for speed, after all, the VFR was the bike that sent me flying down the road at 40mph when i misjudged my braking. Partly lack of ABS, partly rider error, partly abundant access to acceleration and speed. I was and am fine plodding along at 50mph whereever I go.
\nThe three bikes that ended up on my shortlist were the V85TT, the V7 (newer one with 850cc engine), and a newer Royal Enfield 650cc unit (either the interceptor or the continental).![\"The](\"https://overlandmag.com/om/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/RE-Interceptor-650-review-Overland-Magazine.jpg\")
I test rode the V85TT and the Interceptor 650, and found that the 650, whilst overall not a bad bike, felt a lot less reassuring and stable, more like a big bicycle compared to the V85TT. this combined with RE's patchy (but improving, as far as I can tell) quality control, led me to buy the V85TT. I discarded the V7 based on my year-round commuting, and decided I would need to buy and maintain a set of winter tyres, which closed the cost gap. It's also considered to be somewhat underpowered and slower than the V85TT.
\n![\"\"](\"https://blog.roadrunner.motorcycles/media/posts/2/moto_guzzi_v7_static.jpg\")
The V85TT has been produced from 2019, and there are as far as I can tell, 3 generations (as of 2026). 2019 and 2020 models got a Euro 4 compliant ECU, tubed tyres, and 3 rider modes by default. 2021-2024 models got a Euro 5 ECU, 5 rider modes (somehow related to an optional extra bluetooth module), and 2025- models are somewhat of a new bike entirely, getting a 4 valve DOHC engine as far as I can tell.
\nWithin each generation, there have been 3 main model variants, the Strada, regular (just called TT), and TT Travel variants.
The Strada is cheapest, and gets a relatively boring paint job, road-going tyres, and cast aluminium wheels.
The TT gets the more well-known 'Mcdonalds' paint scheme, with red frame rails, and patchwork body panels in yellow, blue, and red, depending on year. it gets laced wheels, and better tyres.
\nThe Travel is the highest spec V85, and comes with everything from the TT, plus a different colour scheme (bronze on black frame, for 2019-2023), heated grips, cruise control, factory luggage, and potentially more dash options (not 100% sure).
I opted for the Travel edition, as I knew I would make use of the luggage, cruise control is a luxury I can scarce live without, and the heated grips are mandatory in UK winters. Getting those options fitted aftermarket would add significantly to the cost of a cheaper model, making it more expensive than just getting the right one up-front.