Sir_Osis_of_Liver

I have one. I’m 178cms and I can’t get my heels down, but I get the balls of both feel down with no issue. It’s not top heavy like the Tenere or Africa Twin, so it’s not too intimidating.

Congratulations. I bought a leftover V85 Adventure in the spring. First Guzzi after a KTM and a long string of Japanese bikes.

I just love the thing. So far absolutely faultless to boot.

Something Ryan didn’t mention was pumping losses, which increase at an increasing rate with engine rpm, so efficiency suffers.

Different engine designs have different sweet spots. My V85 is perfectly happy at 3000rpm around town, but it only revs to 8000 or so. My FZ6 wouldn’t really be happy at anything under about 5000rpm, but redlined at 14.5k.

You just have to get used to the engine you have and have some mechanical sympathy: don’t lug it, but you don’t need to rev the tits off it either.

I start my V85, zip up my jacket, slap on my helmet and gloves and by that time, it’s ready to go. Same routine I’ve been using for 30 some years.

Mold release agent hasn’t been a thing in decades. It’s a myth, however not the whole story.

The problem with this myth is that tires don’t stick to the molds in the first place. Mike Manning, Director of Marketing for Dunlop says, “We don’t spray the molds with anything. The tires come out of the mold just fine on their own.” Kevin Hunley, who is the Senior Manager of Motorcycle and Kart products of Bridgestone Americas, echoed that, saying, “There is no need for any type of mold release.”

But something must be causing all those new-tire crashes, right? In fact, there is a reason so many riders biff it on fresh rubber, but it has little to do with the rubber itself.

A new tire needs to be broken in gently, but not because you need to scuff off any slippery stuff on the tread surface. “The reason they need to be broken in is due to a chemical product,” said Manning. “All the different chemicals in it cure in the mold, but once they go on the bike the first few heat cycles finish that curing process.”

https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/3-motorcycle-myths-that-wont-die/

I had something similar happen decades ago with my kick-start DR650. It had DOT knobbies on, but the mud was similar to that in the picture.

I was riding solo, eventually gave up on getting it out and walked 10km back to the nearest house. Called a buddy, and we eventually got it out in the wee hours of the morning. Lesson learned.

I’ve got a V85 Adventure now, but it doesn’t see anything more challenging than a grid road.