2021 · Retro Classic · Buyer's Guide
Pure Italian Street Soul
The V9 Roamer is built around an 853 cc air-cooled V-twin mounted crosswise in the frame, the layout that has carried Moto Guzzi's signature for decades and that also powers the V85 TT. It makes 66 hp at 6,800 rpm and 54 lb-ft at 5,000 rpm, with the meat of it arriving early, and drive reaches the rear wheel through a shaft. A 19-inch front and a fat 16-inch rear set the stance. ABS and traction control are standard, the LED headlight and USB port keep it current, and none of that technology shouts at you from the outside.
This is a retro bike for someone who wants the look to be honest rather than staged. It rewards a steady pace on two-lane roads, stays composed when the speed limit climbs, and asks very little of you in return: shaft final drive, an air-cooled twin, running costs that stay low over years of ownership. The caveat is scope. At 441 lb wet with a 4.0 gal tank and 66 hp, it is not built to haul luggage and a passenger across a state at pace. Ask it for a day of good roads and it delivers exactly that.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 66 hp (48 kW) @ 6,800 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 54 lb-ft (73 Nm) @ 5,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 853 cc |
| Engine | 90° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Shaft |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front tire | 100/90-19 |
| Rear tire | 150/80-16 |
| Seat height | 30.9 in (785 mm) |
| Wet weight | 441 lb (200 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.0 gal (15 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Connectivity
Safety
Over the years I've gathered a lot of owner talk about the V9 Roamer: conversations in the paddock, chats at club nights, and the messages riders send me after a season on theirs. A clear pattern comes out of it. Riders praise how it pulls and how it looks, and their complaints mostly come up once the pace rises.
The two things owners mention most are the pull low and in the middle of the rev range, which they say makes relaxed cruising and overtaking easy, and the reactions the bike gets from strangers. The teardrop tank, the chrome and the classic paint schemes get compliments from riders and non-riders alike, and people often take it for a restored vintage machine. Several owners also say it stays stable in crosswinds.
The most common gripe is the top end. Riders say the engine runs out of breath at higher revs, so highway passing feels less spirited than on many rival bikes. Just as many owners complain about the suspension. They say it leaves little room to tune for load or riding style, and it can feel harsh over sharp bumps. Some also report the footpegs touching down earlier than they expected in tighter corners.
Where this Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the V9 Roamer is actually built for.
This is your bike. Classic lines that earn a second look outside a diner, a relaxed rhythm on roads like the Kancamagus, and low running costs across a long riding season.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
It will carry you through Hill Country sweepers with real composure and plenty of character. If your weekends are about chasing pace through tight corners, you will want more than this.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
The soul is here: a distinctive twin, honest retro shapes, a bike people ask about. If your identity is tied to a specific American sound and scene, this Italian speaks a different dialect.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2016–2020
Soul Over Spec Sheet
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
