Driving report Moto Guzzi V7 Classic

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Driving report Moto Guzzi V7 Classic
Moto Guzzi

Driving report Moto Guzzi V7 Classic

Driving report Moto Guzzi V7 Classic

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Driving report Moto Guzzi V7 Classic
Moto Guzzi

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Driving report Moto Guzzi V7 Classic
Moto Guzzi

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Driving report Moto Guzzi V7 Classic
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Driving report Moto Guzzi V7 Classic

The magnificent seven

It was the most famous Guzzi of all time: the beefy V7, the first Italian maxi motorcycle 40 years ago. Now she’s back? with a slim silhouette, classic look and modern technology.

It is well known that the Italians love glamorous performances. This applies to stars like Luca Toni and Valentino Rossi as well as to Pinco Pallino, the southern form of Lieschen Muller. Italian motorcyclists in particular measure the success of an appearance using, among other things, the “bar index”: The more attention a motorcycle attracts in front of the espresso bar on the corner, the higher it is, and of course plays an important role in the purchase decision.

Seen in this way, the new Moto Guzzi V7 Classic is likely to be a huge success in their homeland, because its bar index is high, as the press presentation in Milan emphatically demonstrated: Even the Lombards, who are considered arrogant, craned their necks after the classic beauty.

The name and design of the new ones are a nod to the V7, the most glorious Moto Guzzi of all time, which was built in different versions from 1967. From the Special, produced from 1969, comes the white paint with the red decorative stripes and the neat side covers, from the famous Sport, built from 1974, comes the narrow tank. The spoked wheels, the relatively narrow tires, the black lacquered double loop frame, the numerous chrome parts and the flat, elongated seat are reminiscent of the models from the 1970s, the round instruments look almost exactly like the originals from Veglia-Borletti. But the similarities are exhausted with the exterior design, because while the beefy and heavy V7 was the first maxi motorcycle from Italian production at the time and was only recommended to experienced pilots, the current version is extremely popular, which means: drivable for everyone, whether Newcomer, returner or just connoisseur.

The low bench and the compact dimensions should inspire confidence even with beginners. At the same time, veteran V7 fans do not miss out either, because the V2 engine comes to life with the usual Guzzitypi-like shaking and pleasantly rumbling at low frequencies from the two beautiful, cigar-shaped end pots. Another peculiarity also seems familiar: In the usual manner, first gear engages with a loud click. Soft-shifting gearboxes have never been a strength of Moto Guzzi engines.

City, country, motorcycle

Right from the start, the wide handlebars and the upright sitting position with the footrests moved slightly forward ensure that you glide smoothly. Thanks to the low center of gravity, the motorcycle can be steered easily and loosely through the dense Milan traffic, circles motorcades almost playfully and finds its way nimbly through the rows of traffic jams. The conventional telescopic fork does its guiding tasks well, the two spring struts with their 118 millimeters of spring travel can cope with the numerous bumps in the surface; From tram rails to protruding manhole covers to deep potholes and cobblestones, the Milan obstacle course has everything to offer.

How the chassis behaves at higher speeds, however, cannot be said, because Moto Guzzi organized the first presentation for the Italian press ?? MOTORRAD was the only foreign paper there ?? exclusively in the big city. For good reason, since the V7 Classic, according to the will of its makers, should establish itself as an elegant alternative to the popular, but rather clumsy maxi scooters, as a kind of city cruiser with that certain something and the promise of Sunday country road adventures.

That the Guzzi feels at home even on winding roads, it was ultimately able to show, at least to some extent. Necessity is known to make inventive, and in the absence of winding country roads do the numerous roundabouts in Milan, where you can drive yourself dizzy. The V7 finds its line there almost by itself, stays precisely on course and even takes hairy evasive maneuvers when insubordinate drivers dare to approach them too briskly to take a close look at them. There is really no shortage of attention.

Traditional construction


Moto Guzzi

Chrome, chrome, chrome: from the fuel filler cap to the cockpit to the cylinder head cover, it flashes and flashes on the V7 Classic.

There should be a little more pressure for that. Since the appearance of the prototype, some things have changed in the Guzzi drives, but not the design: The V7 was the first model to have the 90-degree V2 engine, which is now the manufacturer’s trademark. The legendary Guzzi engineer Giulio Cesare Carcano had already designed it at the end of the 1950s, but actually as an alternative lighting for the 20 hp slack Fiat 500.

But because the carmaker from Turin brusquely refused to cooperate with Moto Guzzi, the V-engine with the longitudinal crankshaft finally came to motorcycle honors in 1967 ?? initially with 704 cm³, from which the name V7 was derived, later with 757 cm³ and a full 60 hp for the time.

In the current V7 Classic, the well-known Breva engine with 744 cm³ works, nowadays of course equipped with injection and G-Kat. Because of the strict European homologation, some of the air-cooled V2 horses fell by the wayside over the years. Moto Guzzi specifies 48 hp as an output, but it feels even less. You shouldn’t mess with fast sports cars at the start of the traffic light, as the V7 Classic definitely gets the short straw. It takes a while to get up to speed, to which the long gearshifts also play their part.

Therefore there is ?? at least under the test conditions in city traffic ?? Nothing to complain about with the brakes: One disc at the front and one at the rear is enough to decelerate the good machine. Easy to drive, nice to look at and quite affordable at 8,200 euros: Moto Guzzi has put a worthy successor to the legendary V7 on the wheels. Of course, you shouldn’t ride them with shorts, because because of the upright sitting position your legs are in dangerous proximity to the cylinders ?? and burn blisters on the legs would certainly plunge the high bar index of the V7 Classic into the abyss.

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