Adventure biker and movie star Ewan McGregor has reaffirmed his relationship with Moto Guzzi after being announced as an ambassador for the Italian manufacturer’s new adventure bike the V85 TT.
The Hollywood star appears in a new promotional film ripping it on up on the trails and carving through the sweeping bends of the Italian island of Sardinia.
Star of Long Way Round
Ewan became the poster boy for adventure motorcycling, along with his mate Charley Boorman, after the pair starred in the iconic television programmes Long Way Round and Long Way Down.
The shows helped take adventure biking into the mainstream and fuelled sales of BMW GS Adventure motorcycles, the bikes Ewan and Charley both rode on their travels around the world and from Scotland to Cape Town.
Rumours abound that the biking duo are set to reunite on-screen for a third instalment of the Long Way series, this time travelling the length of the Americas. So, now Ewan is an ambassador for the V85 TT (TT meaning ‘tutto terreno’ or ‘all terrain’), could we see him riding one from Argentina to Alaska on the Long Way Up?
While a Moto Guzzi may not seem the obvious choice for a demanding cross-continental adventure, I had the pleasure of riding the V85 TT on and off road at the international press launch in Sardinia earlier this year and it was an impressive machine. A large 23-litre fuel tank, shaft drive and all-day comfort bolster its touring credentials.
Capable off road
While a 19-inch front wheel and 210mm of ground clearance suggest a nod to the dirt rather than an embrace of it, the bike proved more than capable of soaking up the lumps and bumps of the sandy and rocky trails I rode.
I couldn’t say whether it’s durable enough to withstand months of riding in remote parts of the Americas because I only rode it for a day, but that is a question faced by any new bike coming to the market. You can read my full review of the V85 TT in the July/August issue of Adventure Bike Rider magazine.
What the Moto Guzzi has in its favour is Ewan’s genuine affection and love for the brand which has seen him amass a private collection of the Italian bikes. This led to the actor being named an ambassador for the manufacturer to promote the launch of the California 1400 back in 2013, and now the V85 TT.
Whether that’s enough to tempt him away from riding the Long Way Up on the new BMW R 1250 GS Adventure only time will tell. The situation may be further muddied by the fact his adventure biking partner Charley Boorman has been an ambassador for Triumph for a number of years. Will this mean Charley rides one of the British manufacturer’s bikes?
Charley’s Tiger?
I’ve had a Triumph Tiger 800 XCx as a long-term review bike for the past few months and there is no doubting the bike’s long-distance adventure-riding credentials. I reckon Charley would be well-served by the adventure bike which has been tried and tested by countless riders in remote corners of the world.
Commercial tie-ups aside however, it would be strange to see Ewan and Charley setting off on their next adventure on any bike other than a BMW, and I can’t imagine the German firm wouldn’t want to revisit a relationship that has help sell so many GSs over the past 15 years.
Anyway, enough blabbing, here’s the video of Ewan and the Moto Guzzi V85 TT.
