Back in October, 2021, the world first caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a new Moto Guzzi on the way. Not long after, an unpublished webpage lent credence to the idea that this was likely the first-ever sighting of the upcoming V850X. Like the V7 Special, it was equipped with spoked wheels—but the Michelin Anakee tires made it clear this was a bike with at least moderate off-road aspirations.
Now that it’s July, 2022, and the 2023 models are starting to trickle out from various OEMs, we know a bit more about the V850X. Type approval documents show the model as essentially being a V7 variant, with the biggest differences being appearance-based.
Of course, plenty of people like a retro-modern approach—and that’s at least partly why the V7 and V7 Special have as many fans as they do. Moto enthusiasts aren’t just in it for the numbers—we're in it for the passion, and if that’s what moves you, the heart wants what it wants, right?
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So, what do we know about the V850X? Perhaps unsurprisingly, the newest Moto Guzzi not yet landed on the block will come in both standard and A2-license variations. Its weight is also 213 kilograms at the curb—or just a hair over 469.5 pounds. Peak horsepower is expected to be 66 hp at 6,700 rpm. While the wheelbase remains the same 1,407mm found on the V7, overall length of the V850X is slightly shorter, as is its height.
While we have a better idea now of what the V850X will bring, we still don’t have a complete picture just yet. Any potential suspension differences, for example, would be good information to have. Will the V850X have a suspension setup that's more amenable to light off-road use? Obviously, Guzzi doesn’t need another V85TT, since the one it already has is doing quite well.
However, something in between the V7 and the V85TT might be nice for a certain subset of riders. The inclusion of those Anakee tires makes it seem as though that could be a very real possibility. At this point, anything beyond the basic facts leaked in the type approval documents is speculation—but as new bike season rolls on, we hope to have official details sometime soon.
Source: Bennetts