Moto Guzzi no make a lot of noise these days, but they have some gems in their collection. One of them is the Moto Guzzi V85 TT. Sure, it’s not the most exciting adventure bike on the market – but it has a lot of features and a glamorous look that sets it apart.
Filippo Barbacane of the Italian workshop Official Rossopuro As a fan, cites the V85 TT’s no-frills design as its biggest cash card. “It’s a motorcycle dedicated to touring, but without the harsh technological pursuits and growing horsepower demands that enthusiasts seem to have,” he said. “I increasingly believe that the most important characteristics of an all-purpose bike are light, ease of riding, and simplicity.”
But Filippo loves the stock V85 TT so much, he’s been wanting to customize one for a long time. So by the time a customer assigns him a new sponsor to build a rival with, he had a head full of ideas. Fortunately, that’s the whole content of the brief, leaving Filippo free to implement his vision.
“The first thing I did was completely disassemble all of its parts,” he explains, “uncovering a really light, small, and almost custom-made frame for the kind of bicycle that I was thinking.”
Despite the V85 TT’s call for feedback, it To be Still a modern motorcycle. So Filippo’s first big challenge was navigating its complicated wiring, so he could do seemingly simple tasks – like swapping lights. After doing his homework, he found a way to ‘fool’ Moto Guzzi’s OEM controller.
Once that box is checked, Filippo can install a full complement of LED lights, including Koso headlights, slim turn signals and embedded taillights. The headlights are mounted on the aftermarket rack and encased in an aluminum spoke. Behind it is an OEM dash, which Filippo describes as “functional and light.”
Next, Filippo redecorated the Moto Guzzi in a custom bodywork. He started by building a design model out of polystyrene, then shaped each aluminum part by hand. Unlike most modern dual sports, there’s no plastic here.
A host of new parts include the slim, sculpted fuel tank and an abbreviated rear fender that hides the end of the frame. The tank looks small, but it’s built to fit snugly into the frame, maximizing capacity. Other changes include a highly mounted front fender and sharp new side panels.
As a lover of the appearance of the stock frame, Filippo chose not to hack it too much. He simply shortened and refined the subframe rails, and machined a pair of heel pads to cover the passenger latches. Mounted just in front of them are adjustable aluminum footpegs.
This V85 TT is designed with time in mind, so Filippo added a synthetic leather seat to one, with a little extra headroom for comfort.
Officerine Rossopuro customers plan to use the Moto Guzzi more for daily driving than for travel, so Filippo has also tweaked the ergonomics. The new bars and steps are lower than before, creating a more aggressive steering triangle. LSL mirrors keep things neat and practical at the same time.
Filippo has also crafted a burly bumper for off-road excursions. The rear is a swingarm-mounted license plate holder, keeping the bike path legal without cluttering the rear end.
Final upgrades include a new fork box and a new rear shock, all from Bitubo. Filippo kept the same 19F/17R wheels and Brembo brakes, but replaced them with a pair of Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires. The custom exhaust system comes from MASS, a frequent Rossopuro collaborator.
The new cover of the V85 TT is a radicale riff on Moto Guzzi’s 100th anniversary colorway from last year, with a hint of red included to appreciate it. It works so well that Filippo doesn’t need to repaint any of the hard parts of the car to make things harmonious.
The real trick here is how Filippo has re-imagined Guzzi and its intended use. “It represents a complete change from the original V85 TT,” he says, “from a touring bike to an agile bike designed for versatile everyday use. .”
And, as most good procedures usually do, a factory release of a similar machine is a certainty. Agree?
Official Rossopuro | Facebook | Instagram
