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Comparison test: retro bikes 2011

Triumph Thruxton versus Moto Guzzi V7 Racer

Forever Young? Retro bikes bring history back to life. Two manufacturers present this most authentically: Triumph and Moto Guzzi.

A light breeze wafts the scent of the freshly mown lawn of a weekend property, bees buzz around the almost exploding blossoms on the orchards. And as if the Moto Guzzi and the Triumph did not dare to disturb this quiet, almost kitschy idyll, their slowly cooling exhausts crackle shyly to themselves. The world of "faster Higher Further", here it appears even more distant than the next winter. An anachronism at first glance – with these names. The Moto Guzzi model planners call the edition of their 2008 neo-classic V7, which was released for this season, racers. Thruxton – based on the victory of a Triumph Bonneville in the 500-mile endurance race in Thruxton, UK in 1962 – is the name of the British woman who has been revived since 2004.

GGreat names, great deeds, great tradition – that is the source of the current trend towards retro bikes. Even if the sales figures are still at a low three-digit level, the positive development over the past three years still catches the eye. The British brought almost a quarter more Thruxton models to the people in this period, and Moto Guzzi recorded a 40 percent increase in the two V7 models previously offered (Classic, Cafe Classic).

Comparison test: retro bikes 2011

Triumph Thruxton versus Moto Guzzi V7 Racer

Gargolov

Noble history: Only 55 of the original Thruxton were built in 1969.

Even closer to the original – the Moto Guzzi celebrated the premiere of the longitudinally installed V2 engine concept in 1967 in the V7 – the Italian remains. Just the typical kink to the right when applying the gas demonstrates this unmistakable Guzzi feeling, the spirit of which then runs like a red thread through the entire vehicle. Whether the striking look of the V2 engine, the round instruments reminiscent of the blissful Veglia-Borletti watches, the emphatically narrow tank-seat combination or the gracefully designed cardan drive – the history of the Lake Como brand is in every detail. The developers from Mandello del Lario have obviously fallen even deeper in love with the Racer. Only things like the beautifully milled footrest system, the playful recess for the expansion tank of the rear brake pump in the right side cover, the seat covered with alpaca leather, the small lamp cover with mini spoiler, the folding bellows or the leather strap stretched over the tank testify to the unerring sense of classic style.

This background legitimizes even the red coloratura of the frame, hub and swingarm, which takes getting used to. After all, this color scheme goes back to the V7 Sport from 1971, which was also delivered with a red chassis. For fans of classic music, the irritatingly reflective but ultimately made of disdainful chrome-plated plastic tank of the basic V7 should be more difficult to digest. AT concession, of course, in order to keep the surcharge within tolerable limits, after the Racer – which, incidentally, also received Bitubo struts with adjustable rebound and compression damping – were 800 and 1100 euros more expensive than their two sisters at a good 9700 euros.

Gargolov

Brilliant parade: The red frame is reminiscent of the V7 Sport from 1971.

The orchards in the rear-view mirrors have long since disappeared, but the feeling of this tranquil exhilaration remains. You feel light, airy, carefree on these machines. As if the airstream had simply blown away all thoughts of performance, acceleration or maximum lean angle. The low seat heights and slim waists alone create affection straight away. Which the engine of the Triumph underpins in its very own way. The twin hums through the speed range like a sewing machine, hardly vibrates, can be shifted and clutched extremely well and its 68 HP is so unspectacularly as if it were embarrassed for this perfection not expected from a retro bike. The fact that the chassis also knows how to hide the weighty 231 kilograms perfectly fits into the picture. Not least thanks to the narrow tires (110 front, 160 rear), the Englishwoman swings effortlessly from curve to curve. There is no question that the Triumph’s appearance was objectively successful. Whether it fulfills the subjective expectation of an authentic revival of a great past – everyone has to find the answer individually.

The Moto Guzzi could help with this decision. Perhaps precisely because it has a little less than Triumph in many ways. Less weight (201 instead of 231 kilograms), lower seat height (Guzzi: 810 instead of 830 millimeters), shorter wheelbase (1449 instead of 1510 millimeters) – but with significantly less power. The latter remains the only real accusation that can be made against the lady from Lombardy. Because with 46 HP from 744 cm³ displacement, the technicians generate just four HP more power than the original V7 had 44 years ago. No break in the legs if it meant a strong start from the lower speed limit. But despite the early reached maximum torque, the presentation of the V2 remains gentle and cultivated, but emotionally a bit too good.

A notch that rubs out the chassis with all its might. As relaxed as the M handlebar borrowed from Cafe Classic places the Guzzi driver, as open as the knee angle is chosen, as slim as the tank slides between the thighs and the knees gently bump against the cylinder heads, it can be so liberating and playful flipping petite motorcycles from curve to curve. And suddenly you seem to feel the spirit of the creator of the V7, the Moto Guzzi engineer Giulio Cesare Carcano who died in 2005. The questions about suspension comfort, braking performance or lean angle are simply answered with one word: sufficient. Because the thoughts have long been focused on completely different things. The memory of great names, great deeds and great traditions, for example.

MOTORCYCLE – verdict / technical data

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The performance graph of retro motorcycles.

MOTORRAD verdict

If you were to apply the conventional yardstick to these machines, the TRIUMPH THRUXTON would win this comparison with a lively engine and well-tuned chassis. But classic esprit and the continuation of a tradition cannot be measured. If they were, the MOTO GUZZI V7 RACER with its wonderful attention to detail would definitely remain a title – that of the winner of the heart.

Technical specifications:

Triumph thruxton

Engine:
Air-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, bore x stroke 90 x 68 mm, displacement 865 cm³, five-speed gearbox, X-ring chain.
Landing gear:
Double loop frame made of steel.
Measurements and weight:
Wheelbase 1510 mm, spring travel f / h 120/106 mm, seat height * 830 mm, weight with a full tank * 231 kg, tank capacity / Reserve 16/3 liters.
Price:
8990 euros, additional costs 350 euros.

Moto Guzzi V7 Racer

Engine:
Air-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 90 degree V-engine, bore x stroke 80 x 74 mm, displacement 744 cm³, five-speed gearbox, cardan.
Landing gear:
Double loop frame made of steel.
Measurements and weight:
Wheelbase 1449 mm, spring travel f / h 130/118 mm, seat height * 810 mm, weight with a full tank * 201 kg, tank capacity / reserve 17 / 2.5 liters.
Price:
9335 euros, utilities 255 euros.

* MOTORCYCLE measurements

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