Some of you may have noticed by now that Moto Guzzi is bringing the V7 Classic to the US after all. This was another case of a very nice standard bike being introduced in other markets but not in the States. When we wrote about it last year, there were a lot of comments to the effect of, bring it here and you’ll buy it. Well, here’s your chance. Suggested retail is $8490.
It’s interesting that Harley Davidson decided to sell the XR1200 at home after aiming across the pond and Moto Guzzi is going to sell the V7 here, too. Maybe all the commotion and fuss from potential customers had an effect. Now we’ll see what happens in the showrooms. The XR is already selling, I wonder how the V7 will do.
Specifications:
• Tanks and side panels with 70s style Moto Guzzi graphics.
• Twin saddle with 70s style Moto Guzzi name
• Chromed passenger grab handles.
• Chromed rocker boxes
• Spoked wheels
• Chromed heat shields
• Chromed instrumentation
• 70s style instrument graphics
• Colour coded rear mudguard.
• Chromed rear light cluster
• Chromed locking tank filler
Engine
• 744 cc 90° V two valve twin
• Weber Marelli electronic fuel injection.
• Single plate clutch
• New high performance exhaust system
• 5-speed gearbox.
Frame
• ALS steel tubular twin cradle with removable lower components
• 40 mm front forks
• Pre-load and rebound adjustable twin rear shock absorbers
• Front brakes – 320 mm disc and 4 (opposed) piston calipers.
• Rear brakes – 260 mm disc with floating caliper fitted with 2 parallel pistons
• Spoked wheels
• Metzeler Lasertec 100/90- 18 56H TL front tire.
• Metzeler Lasertec 130/80 -17 65H TL rear tire.
Link: Moto Guzzi
taxman says
this is a very cool looking bike. i went to the site but i can’t seem to find any info about power output. any clues about what kind of horsepower this bike has?
Marcus says
50 German Horsepower. Not the US-SAE-Ponys. 😉
Marcus says
Sorry, mistaken that. Its only 46 PS/35,5kw
hoyt says
Good beginner and a re-introduction bike. The big block put into the same type of bike would be great too. Bring back the bench seat bikes.
Tin Man 2 says
As for power, how much do you really need? Im sure 50HP is more than enough for the average rider. One of my bikes has a lot more HP than this Guzzi but I would bet the power is at a much higher RPM, TORQUE is what moves the machine in every day riding, HP is for the bragging rights and a occasional track day. IMO it is more fun to ride a “slow” bike fast than a “fast”bike slow.
mototom says
Looks nice but, the lack of horsepower available from a 744 cc 2 valve twin will not help sales.
mototom says
One more comment re the power question; agree about torque vs hp for everyday riding but given the probable weight of around 450 lbs plus, it had better make a lot of torque. Still it is without a doubt a better re-intro bike than anything else around, including the anemic 883 sportys
todd says
Great, bring it in now that I don’t have any money. They’ll discontinue it when I’m doing better. Correct, power is fine – more than the Sportster and the same as my BMW 750. I don’t recall many cars being able to keep up with my bike. Other bikes I own have even less power than that and I never feel left behind in any sort of traffic.
-todd
dave says
Question:
Why is it that everyone is always hung up on the high hp thing?
40-50 hp? How much does one guy on a friggen motorcycle really need? I mean, honestly… Most passenger cars are running 100-150hp for a vehicle 4 times the mass.. Hell, a 18-20 hp motocycle will out-run most cars in normal road-conditions… Behave like a civilized human being, not some adolescent boy who’s got something to prove… Big Twin harleys are running around with only around 56 hp…. IN REALITY. Don’t believe that? Go put it on a dyno…
People in the US need to get over the ‘big horsepower’ hang-up… I’ve had just as big a grin on a sub 250cc bike as anything with 150+hp… And wasn’t thinking of having $150k life insurance if it ‘got away’ from me…
Sheesh!
Greybeard says
I’ve owned bikes with from 5 to 150 HP and let me tell ya’…it’s so much easier to have 150 and not use it than to have 5 and keep looking for the other 145!
Give me the tools, I’ll provide the restraint.
MotoWebbi says
Wanna a faster bike…Go do a training course!
Jeff says
I like Retro Chic . Clip ons anyone ?
Jeff says
One more thing . I has been said . It’s more fun riding a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow . 🙂
hoyt says
hp? no, torque, please.
B*A*M*F says
Now, the question becomes does one buy this or a Bonneville? I’d love to have either one. Sadly, I have no funds for another bike right now.
Matt says
I was hoping more for the Bellagio to be released stateside. A bit more power, and an interesting look that blurs standard / cruiser styling.
http://es.motoguzzi.it/Nuovi_modelli/bellagio/specifiche.asp?modello=bellagio&%20pagina=spec
OMMAG says
Too late … already committed to a new Ducati.
Walt says
The bike is well proportioned. Avoids the “high rump” look of the Ducati GT 1000, with all that excessive clearance between rear fender and tire. Maybe they’ll drop in the 1100 motor or the four valve, which would deliver plenty of HP and torque. I agree with those who say enough’s enough. My Triumph Sprint 955 has something like 108 hp and ample midrange, and I’ve never run it to redline through the gears. I don’t even do that with my 1972 Bonneville. I like having a driver’s license, and a head to read it with.
Andrew says
Far nicer than than the XR1200. A great competitor to the Bonneville and I know I’d prefer the V-twin any day. In that style of bike I could live with 50hp – torque is where it’s at. I bet she’s an easy bike to ride.
Matt in NC says
Another advantage to a bike like this is simplicity. The under-stressed power to displacement ratio makes for a long-life engine. The air/oil cooled configuration, coupled with a simple proven 2 valve arrangement makes for a dependable, economical, and low maintenance motorcycle. The service intervals, and costs, should be low, and if you’re halfway skilled with a decent set of tools you’ll be able to do your own work on a bike like this. This is the perfect machine for those who are returning to motorcycling, and would like to get on a machine that offers the stability and comfort that a heavier bike has, along with a standard, confidence inspiring, upright seating position that might not look the part of a football humping squid, but gives one the best position for field of view and rider input for quick reactions in traffic. I don’t see specifics here, but if it’s got fuel injection and a good basic electronic ignition system it stands to reason that these could be just the thing to fill the huge gap between repli-racers and cruisers in the offering to the US public.
The potential, like with the Bonnies, to customize this bike to one’s liking is great too. A nice set of clubmans and a rear fender bob would be a great start towards a cafe style bike. Some other fender options, a set of enduro tires, high mount pipes and some accordion shock sleeves up front and you’ve got a scrambler.
Sure, you’re probably not going to be using this bike for track day, or an Ironbutt, but what percentage of the biking public does more than dream of doing these activities anyways? A decent set of soft luggage would be more than sufficient for a weekend getaway a couple times a year with the riding buddies.
Heck, I’m acutally contemplating getting a set of HeliBars for my ’01 Duc 750SS ie and getting a bit more upright and comfortable at this point…
Jim says
Like the Bonnie, 50 HP is fine for this bike, great for running around town and for playing on back roads, particularly in the east. It will likely cruise comfortably at 70-75, but lack some omph when merging, so you’ll stay off the freeway. Besides if it ran 85-90 the rider would begin to b____h about wind protection and the seating position was too upright, bla. bla, bla.
Dave, in answer to your question, “Why is it that everyone is always hung up on the high hp thing?” It’s the Big Johnson effect, the same reason Trojan’s best seller is extra large.
Matt in NC says
OMMAG, Which Duc are you getting?
JohninVT says
The V7 is just a re-skinned Nevada. That isn’t a bad thing as the Nevada is a fantastic little bike. The bike weighs 405lbs dry. That is 50lbs less than a Bonneville and at least 150lbs less than a Sportster. 50hp isn’t going to strain anyone’s neck muscles but it is definitely enough to entertain enthusiasts. The only thing I think MG didn’t do right on the V7 is that they chose to use a plastic tank.
Jeff in Ohio says
$8,500….WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY too much. I paid that much for my 2002 Moto Guzzi 1064cc Cali model brand new. That much cash for that little bike is absurd. I test rode an 750 Breva, and it was fun, but I could not live with it, especially for that kind of money. The V7 is the same powertrain with the same absurd high price…..
Larry says
I saw this at the San Matao Int motorcycle show. One of the few bikes in the whole show that stopped me in my tracks. It works for me.
todd says
Jeff, don’t worry about the price. Guzzi can’t demand the premiums that major brands can, they’ll probably let them go for less. People were buying the V11 Sport for 9-ish when the MSRP was around 12. Walk into a Guzzi dealer with $7500 cash and they’ll kiss you on the way out the door with your new bike.
Oh and Jim; with 50HP, my bike has plenty of passing and freeway power – even some left over. Just think of it having as much power as a GSXR750 with a rev limiter.
-todd
Greybeard says
Geez…
And I thought it was me was slowing down!
😉
I’ll still wait for an 1100.
Sorta promised meself I’d never buy less than 1000cc’s again.
It’s a religious thing.
Marcus says
The torque is 55Nm @ 3600rpm. Don´t know, how to turn Newtonmeter in that strange kind of US-lb.;)
That´s not very much torque, but at a really low level.
Chris says
Yeah, googling “Nm to Tq converter” was tough: 40.56 lb/ft @ 3600RPM
Randy in N. Wisconsin says
I see a wonderful trend forming that involves motorcycles that can competently carry two people and even better, motorcycles that are beautiful to look at.
The pendelum swings in many different directions. To me, this is a good one.
Motorcycles should serve their owner, not the other way around. Keep your 700+ pound cruisers please, give me something I don’t loathe working on or shoving around the garage. Give my passenger something less to gripe about on a perfect ride through the local hills and valleys, like decent ergonomics, a comfortable seat, and a nice exhaust note. Torque is always welcome and is always useful.
Remember when BMW’s were light and fast? Even the lowly R65 could blow off a car when it was needed.
Bring back the good old days with better suspension, electronics that aid the owner, great tires and smooth powerbands. Give us bikes that invite the eye to linger during a rest stop.
Standards can be good bikes if done right.
Randy
Mark says
Great looking bike and 10 more HP than my VW, I can’t wait to see it in person.
Den says
After I saw the bike last year at the Milan show I emailed ‘Guzzi Australia to make sure it was coming. It was just such a good looking bike.
I waited just over a year and test rode the bike the other day, it arrived here in Australia about a month ago. Rode a bonnie, an Aprilia 750 shiver, a street triple and a Honda cb 1000 the same day too. The Guzzi had the least power but the most low down flat torque of any of them and also felt very easy and light to ride, it reminded me of my old R 80 BMW. I also had no trouble getting up to freeway speeds and getting away from cars at the lights. The ‘Guzzi IMO was the best looking of the bunch too (and this is good looking company). I will buy one as soon as finances permit.
Tin Man 2 says
Im impressed with the maturity of the responses on this bike, It appears alot of people realy “GET IT” kind of makes me proud to be a multiple bike owner. I heard that the old style adjustable sliding clip on bars will soon be available for this bike, a great idea that deserves to come back.
Jeff says
Clip ons…… now we’re talking .
Jim says
“Walk into a Guzzi dealer with $7500 cash and they’ll kiss you on the way out the door with your new bike.”
Todd, no offense, but what’re you smokin’? $7,500? I’ve got way more than that
in cash, but I don’t think my dealer’s going to budge much on a new bike that a
lot of people seem to be interested in, and not a lot of product in the States yet.
Supply and demand, pure and simple, so most dealers will get what they ask.
fabrizio says
I live in Italy and my job is motorcycle mechanic.
I own seven Moto Guzzi, but this ugly “clone” of the mithycal V7 of the seventies lloks as the last , desperate and unsuccesful trial to use a glorious brand to sell a cheap product at high price.
The small block Guzzi engine is of the worst “piece of mechanic” ever done by Guzzi in a dark period, and the only true revival model could be a big block powered Guzzi, with the Tonti frame (or the Wittner’s later design..) without plastic lights, fenders, sidepanels, tank and lot of Chnese and Thailandese items as on this expensive bike.
Avoid to put the old Eagle label on that fake.
Fabrizio
wd515 says
harsh?
todd says
If it’s a bad as fabrizio claims, I doubt Piaggio would allow MG to produce this bike. I’m more likely to question the abilities of the mechanic that serviced his bike that started giving him problems.
-todd
johnnymoto says
sweet classic. Should appeal to 70’s era riders like myself. I grew up around high school friends with El Dorado Guzzi’s and this one probably “clunks” when you shift gears like they did. It’s not a super bike or a big touring bike, it’s just a Guzzi that will still be running when we are all gone. It’s not for everyone but the few who do buy one will have a big grin from now on. I’ll take one. Thanx!
Al Peat says
Got mine 12/09, owned several new bikes over the years, this one is my 1st Guzzi. I shouldn’t have waited so long! 1400mi on her now, couldn’t have made a better choice. Take a ride and see, regards, Al
Al Peat says
Oops, meant to say got my 09 on 12/08, 2750mi now, added the Mistral mufflers , sweet all around bike, sounds better now!
OleCoot says
Interesting thread. Just found out about the bike a half-hour ago looking for other Moto Guzzi stuff. Immediate reaction: “Neat!” Then was disappointed it’s a 750 rather than an 1100. Oh, well. 46 ft-lb of torque at 3600 ought to come on like a The Little Engine That Could, especially in the 50-hp class bikes. Fine for solo riding or two-up off the intrastates (or away from Atlanta, where people speed up 20 mph coming into town and slow back down in open country again).
Re the Italian mechanic’s comments: don’t vilify the guy. Obviously he’s a purist, and he has a right to be if he wishes. Can’t say I blame an Italian Moto Guzzi mechanic for criticizing plastic tank and fenders and oriental bits and pieces–unless he’s a Chinese bike owner impostor.
Finally, we mustn’t be critical of the model because it is not what we would have wanted. If it is true to its niche, does well what its designers intended for it to do, it’s a success. If we would rather have had something else, we should criticize the designers (marketing department, executives, whatever), not their product.