Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber and Roamer - new at EICMA 2015

After the leaked shots a few weeks ago, we've just got hold of the new official Moto Guzzi press shots of the new V9 Bobber (in black) and Roamer (in white). These bikes we assume are currently on the stand at the EICMA show in Milan. These bikes feature a 'new' 850 motor, with a 84 x 77mm bore and stroke, a 10.5:1 compression ratio, and aluminium heads, pistons and barrels. Single plate clutch, 6 speed gearbox, ABS, a USB port (first time on a Guzzi?), traction control etc. and claimed performance being 55hp @ 6,250rpm and torque figures are 62 Nm of torque at just 3,000 revs/min.

Styling wise, there seems to be a real mish-mash of elements of the long running Guzzi Nevada, bits of Triumph Bonneveille, and flashes of inspiration from the old Kawasaki Z series of bikes. It's all firmly aimed at younger buyers who of course Moto Guzzi need to attract, hence the (dare I say it) 'hipster' or 'lifestyle' style of the photography. If I see another shot of young bearded geezers pushing bikes though, I'll go insane...
 
The bikes look nice enough, and with Guzzi now (finally) in possession of a thick catalogue of accessories to attract buyers who want to go down the personalisation route, they should sell okay, if the sales success of the V7 and V7 2 bikes is anything to go by.
 
But I still wonder whether that these bikes may be still, for many potential Guzzi buyers, too little, too late. After speaking with Miguel Galluzzi earlier on in the year, I was under the impression (because he gives little away) that Guzzi had something with more capacity and more power up its sleeve to be presented at EICMA this November. 850cc and a very little more power is not a big difference to the V7 models already in the Guzzi range - are these Euro 4 compliant V9 machines destined to replace the V7 bikes in the near future? And though the styling is fresh, it tags on to the hipster/custom/build a bike/lifestyle scene that has been round for a few years now, and seemed like it was on the wane somewhat - so have Guzzi come into the market with these bikes just a bit too late? The fact is still that there are many current Guzzi owners, and potential owners, that are STILL wanting to see a 1000cc engined Moto Guzzi roadster and/or sports bike, and can't understand why isn't being made. Answer being, Moto Guzzi need to sell bikes like the V7/V9 to survive, for now.

Hopefully we'll get to try the V9 at some point soon, and no doubt it looks like it will be a good-handling roadster built and constructed to a high level of finish.