Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille?

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Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille?
Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille?
Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille?
Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille?
Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille?
Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille?
 
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That will teach you! A Guzzi Sport followed me home 6 months age. Different is all I'll tell you! Join Guzzitech and you'll appreciate this forum much more! Paint code for '97 engine. PPG GM wa 8867 (D2) It might be the same. Have fun. Take Mille out to a fancy dinner!
 
Is it a buy one or the other question.

The 850T is probably a little more classic with the round fin engine.
You can fit decent inserts into the 35 mm forks.
If the chrome bore cylinders are not replaced already, factor in the best part of $1000 for the likes of Gilardoni piston/cylinder kits (Nikasil)
Depending on the year, it will have no oil filter (only a gauze) so if the chrome has lifted in might have gone through the engine.
It would be easy to overspend to get a good bike.

The Mille is a bit of plain jane parts special but has the square fin 948cc (small valve) engine so no cylinder problems, the extra 100 cc might add a small amount of torque. (but the seat of the pants will depend on the flywheel weight)
It would be a good tourer.

If I didn't have a Loop I would have gone G5 as a second choice.

Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille?
 
Is it a buy one or the other question.

The 850T is probably a little more classic with the round fin engine.
You can fit decent inserts into the 35 mm forks.
If the chrome bore cylinders are not replaced already, factor in the best part of $1000 for the likes of Gilardoni piston/cylinder kits (Nikasil)
Depending on the year, it will have no oil filter (only a gauze) so if the chrome has lifted in might have gone through the engine.
It would be easy to overspend to get a good bike.

The Mille is a bit of plain jane parts special but has the square fin 948cc (small valve) engine so no cylinder problems, the extra 100 cc might add a small amount of torque. (but the seat of the pants will depend on the flywheel weight)
It would be a good tourer.

If I didn't have a Loop I would have gone G5 as a second choice.

View attachment 111046
Yes, I want to only have one.

I'm leaning toward the 850T, for the more classic round fin look.

Regarding the chrome bores, do they ALL fail? Or just when left sitting? Or only improper (rust) storage?
 
There are some who post never replacing them but most seem to say they are a ticking time bomb.

I replaced the ones on my Eldorado but the damage was already done (worst case) so ended up replacing everything from the rockers to bearings including a crank grind.

Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille?
 
My ‘07 Griso 1100 was completely reliable , easy to service and a real hoot to ride , I do miss the solid feel and great lowdown power …. You won’t be disappointed with either bike , good luck !
 
To be fair to Guzzi: I bought a Sport for something different. It's a great bike handles well a little heavy feeling. The street bikes have helix cut gears , the Sport and Daytona have straight cut gears in Torrington and ball bearings. Noisey! For that reason I did not ride it much this summer. I can only compare it to a early Sportster 5 speed. A dealer warned me they were noisy and because friends, yes I have a few friends, Guzzis were soo much quieter. I took it apart to find nothing wrong. I did take the opportunity to change the plastic cage bearings to steel caged. It was easy to work on and the "special " tools were easily made.
 
Be mindful I have seen quite a few really nice 850T's that have had good money spent on them but barely fetched US$4000 at sale which took a while.
Based on that, $1500 would be a lot of money especially based on the pics posted and the lack of rarity so it would be easy to have considerably more invested than any return would get. Unless it was a mission for the sake of it.

Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille? Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille? Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille?

Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille? Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille? Moto-Guzzi 850T or Mille?

In saying that, it is easy to give advice but not heed it oneself.
 
Understood. When I rescued my (second) TX750 in 2008, I saw they only could fetch $1000. Always in the back of my mind. Kept the cost down.

Thank you for those images. I appreciate the in depth mechanical tuterage. The three shims on the cam bearing answered a question I had. 😎
 
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