Moto Guzzi V85 TT Centenario Buyer's Guide

The Machine's Character

The Centenario is Moto Guzzi's hundredth-birthday version of the V85 TT, and it wears the occasion openly: green and silver paintwork, gold detailing, tubeless spoked wheels. Underneath sits the 853 cc air-cooled 90° V-twin, mounted transverse as always, making 77 hp at 7,500 rpm and 60 lb-ft at 5,000. Shaft final drive, a 19-inch front wheel, suspension adjustable at both ends, and a rider-aid package of ABS, traction control and ride modes, plus cruise control, a TFT dash and LED lighting. In the middleweight travel class it sits firmly on the road-leaning side of the fence.

This is a motorcycle with a rhythm you settle into rather than fight. It rewards steady progress on open roads, holds its line at highway speed, and keeps its charm as the miles pile up; air cooling and a shaft mean fewer consumables to think about over the years. It suits the rider who travels for the road itself and treats gravel as part of the route rather than the point of it. The honest caveat: 6.7 in (170 mm) of travel and 507 lb (230 kg) wet put a firm ceiling on how rough the terrain can get, and the gearbox occasionally balks on the way into fourth.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

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Key specifications
Power	77 hp (57 kW) @ 7,500 rpm
Torque	60 lb-ft (82 Nm) @ 5,000 rpm
Displacement	853 cc
Engine	90° V-twin
Cooling	Air-cooled
Gearbox	6-speed
Final drive	Shaft
Fork	Upside-down (USD)
Front brake	320 mm
Front tire	110/80-19
Rear tire	150/70-17
Wheelbase	60.2 in (1530 mm)
Ground clearance	8.3 in (210 mm)
Front travel	6.7 in (170 mm)
Rear travel	6.7 in (170 mm)
Seat height	32.7 in (830 mm)
Wet weight	507 lb (230 kg)
Fuel capacity	6.1 gal (23 L)

Equipment check

Chassis

Manually Adjustable Front Suspension Standard
Manually Adjustable Rear Suspension Standard
Cruise Control Standard

Comfort

Heated Grips Optional

Connectivity

TFT Display Standard
Smartphone Connectivity Optional
Navigation Optional
Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS) Optional

Lighting

LED Headlight Standard

Safety

ABS Standard
Traction Control Standard
Ride Modes Standard

Known issues

Hesitant 3rd-to-4th Gear Shift Under Hard Acceleration

drivetrain occasional

Some testers and owners reported a reluctance to engage 4th gear when accelerating hard, requiring an extra deliberate shift to avoid a false neutral.
Intermittent Rough Idle / Stalling

electrics rare

An electrical gremlin causing a wandering or rough idle, sometimes leading to stalling at low speeds, has been noted in a few owner reports on forums.

The Numbers Compared

Compare the technical specifications of the Moto Guzzi V85 TT Centenario with other bikes in its class.

Head-to-head: Moto Guzzi V85 TT Centenario vs. its rivals

Power

77 hp This bike 95 hp BMW F 850 GS 80 hp Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally 73 hp Yamaha Tenere 700 Extreme 83 hp Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE

Torque

60 lb-ft This bike 68 lb-ft BMW F 850 GS 52 lb-ft Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally 50 lb-ft Yamaha Tenere 700 Extreme 58 lb-ft Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE

Displacement

853 cc This bike 853 cc BMW F 850 GS 659 cc Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally 689 cc Yamaha Tenere 700 Extreme 776 cc Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE

Wet weight

507 lb This bike 505 lb BMW F 850 GS 439 lb Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally 452 lb Yamaha Tenere 700 Extreme 507 lb Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE

Seat height

32.7 in This bike 33.9 in BMW F 850 GS 35.9 in Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally 35.8 in Yamaha Tenere 700 Extreme 33.7 in Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE

What's new versus the previous generation

If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.

Previous generation · 2019–2023

Moto Guzzi V85 TT (MY2019)

Italian Soul, Long-Haul Comfort

Compare to the previous model →

Alternatives to the Moto Guzzi V85 TT Centenario

If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.

Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Moto Guzzi V85 TT Centenario. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.