On the move: Moto Guzzi V7

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On the move: Moto Guzzi V7
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On the move: Moto Guzzi V7

Steam announcement

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No teeth in the mouth, but La Paloma whistles: This is what it looked like when Moto Guzzi presented a grandiose motorcycle 50 years ago despite the greatest financial hardship. The mighty V7.

W.hen the phone went off at Guzzi importer Fritz Roth in the late summer of 1966, he could mostly guess who it was: an euphoric MOTORRAD editor, begging for the first contact with one of the rare pre-series V7s. For a year and a half the troublesome pack had been held up with prototype murmurs and test stories. But now the long-awaited two-cylinder should be almost in series condition at the Cologne IFMA, and then the good Fritze finally fell over. Ernst “Klacks” Leverkus happily hurried to the Rhine after the fair and kidnapped the “Buffel” for the first test. It ended with the breathlessly written sentences: “Boy, is that a grunt. So that on vacation only drive in the mountains and 500 kilometers every day. Let’s see if you can get enough of it. “

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On the move: Moto Guzzi V7

On the move: Moto Guzzi V7
Steam announcement

And already everything is typical Guzzi

First series, definitely recognizable by the four long screws on the cylinder cover, very well restored, a V7 had blown it to Dorsten-Wulfen in his shop, which was entirely dedicated to Italian motorcycles. “Now go, but watch out, the brakes are not so great.” The awe-inspiring load is raised on the ultra-wide handlebars, then some foot exercises and a kickstand are added. The ignition key is already in place. “Keep turning, just like with a car!” The powerful starter pushes its pinion onto the ring gear of the flywheel, vigorously cranks the 703 cm³ engine, it’s already sparking, there is a stoic 90-degree rhythm, everything is typical Guzzi: full Serenity and Confidence. Right rocker switch, first gear: in the back with the heel on it. But neat.

The steamer rolls. Hit the gas, put the choke back in, and set it up comfortably. The meter-long bench offers enough space to neatly separate the driver’s sensitive shins and the beautiful 29er SSI Dellortos, at 60 the fourth and last is in there. Lovely! Magnificently stately! That’s what the old people had dreamed of when they asked for a buffalo, a motorcycle that continued the tradition of the great German boxers without succumbing to the gigantism of American V-Twins. But that they got it is like a miracle: When the first Italian motorcycle crisis raged at the beginning of the 1960s, Carlo Guzzi was on the sidelines and company patriarch Giorgio Parodi was already dead. Under the unprudent leadership of his brother Enrico, the great factory had its 1500 Lost employees, no longer produced 5000 units a year. Guzzi got into the rising 50s much too late, the lying 500s single-cylinder were much too sluggish. Risky speculative deals failed and brought the entire group to the brink of bankruptcy.

In this situation, the outcry from the Italian authorities acted like a saving straw. Above all, the police no longer wanted to chase the evil on 19 hp Guzzi Falcone. A significantly stronger successor model should last at least 100,000 kilometers with the least possible repair and service effort. Several Italian manufacturers worked on this requirement profile from mid-1963 onwards, but Guzzi had an advantage: by the end of the 50s, chief engineer Giulio Carcano and his team had a 90 – as a kind of finger exercise and because they had time to spare after leaving the racing department -Grad-V2 developed, which should make the Fiat 500 legs. In Turin they were impressed by the fixed engine, but still stuck to their own cheaper parallel twin. In a modified form, Guzzi was able to accommodate the engine in a good 400 off-road three-wheelers sold to the mountain hunters, now it should – heavily modified, of course – finally spread further in motorcycles.

The stable dimensions of the crank drive correspond to the official specifications. Right from the start, there was no comparison with that of the equally powerful but exhausted R 69 S from BMW. Like the Bavarians, Guzzi also relied on a tunnel casing that was difficult to manufacture but nicely stiff. It accommodates a camshaft driven by gearwheels in the V-neck of the cylinder. The 300-watt alternator is located one floor higher and is set in motion by the crankshaft using a V-belt. At the rear end of the camshaft, in turn, a worm gear drives the ignition distributor, which is half covered by the right carburetor. But if you now believe that all these straight lines – the four-speed gearbox and the shaft drive are also added – determine the background noise, you are wrong. No, it is clearly dominated by the beefy sound of the two silencers and the slightly squeezed sip from the small airbox. Never pounding energetically, never tackling quickly, but always sensible away.

Nevertheless, the old driver Leverkus never tired of emphasizing the dynamism of the just 42 hp V7, and mostly for this purpose he tried the considerable averages of his Guzzi trips. Clearly, with her 20-liter tank and moderate consumption, combined with a truly comfortable seating position, this Italian asked for little breaks, her 700 cc short-stroke engine easily withstood continuous speeds of between 140 and 150 km / h. That was a damn strong announcement back then. Here and now, too, the 50-year-old unit exudes great wanderlust, and if it weren’t for the friendly owner, you could easily whisk you away to your home. Nevertheless: Real dynamism, that was already different in the mid-1960s, for example with British twins. Just not on the track for hours at 140, Klacks would object. Then with the much more modern Honda CB 450, which was introduced in 1965 (see CLASSIC 11/2015). That wasn’t a buffalo, you can hear the old man complain. Well, with the / 5 BMW. They came years later. With … Oh, he’s right, Sturkopp: It was awesome, the Guzzi V7, and today we mustn’t make the mistake of looking at it outside of its time.

So let’s try the other way around. In 1965, the manufacturer presented a somewhat crude prototype at the Milan Salon. It hit many touring riders right in the heart, especially in Germany, who wanted something fresher, something more powerful than the old BMW R 69 and R 60. Quite a few British people also expressed interest, and especially Americans, who were annoyed by their heavy-duty and heavy ships. So US importer Joe Berliner put pressure on to deliver the planned civilian version quickly. Too bad that Moto Guzzi was first placed under state supervision at the beginning of 1966. No more money, no more production. Engineer Carcano also had to go with many colleagues, from then on he devoted himself to the construction of fast boats. Despite – or because of? – Moto Guzzi was commissioned by the authorities for these unpopular measures, and at the end of the year the new management had ears again for Joe Berliner’s reports from the sales front. And was surprised that they weren’t a lie. Worldwide there was actually huge demand, the Americans were waiting especially passionately for Guzzi’s buffalo. So much so that Italian private customers first had to look inside the tube. The civilian V7s went almost exclusively to the USA in 1967, Fritz Roth’s first batch totaled 13 units, he advertised them with the confident quatrain: “Screw, swear, annoy, push, that’s over with the V7! Finally there’s something to shoot without looking inside all the time. “

But alas, in historical retrospect, the poet’s words are of little value; only cold analysis helps. Which is that the attraction of the V7 was its clear orientation. Gran Turismo. Not weekend tour. Built for long distances and with enough space for two people. From a traditional European forge. This is what many hoped for, who wanted to stay connected to the motorcycle for the sheer joy of driving. Of course, such a concept matters. 245 kilos with a full tank. Requires length. Wheelbase 1445 millimeters. Judging by this, the V7 comes around the corner really well. It turns in smoothly and without much effort, does not know any nasty tilting when transitioning into deeper inclines, stays – and that under all circumstances – true to the track. It demands a little concentration from the inexperienced in the curve slalom, because due to the protruding cylinders, Guzzi has placed the driver and consequently also the wide handlebars far back, which is detrimental to the feeling for the front wheel. The brakes are typical children of their time, only a hard grip lures the front duplex drum from its reserve, grateful support comes from behind.

The rather cold-blooded temperament of the engine goes perfectly with these stoppers, and its smooth running, at least from medium speeds, harmonizes perfectly with the soft spring elements. Without flax: The V7 is made of one piece. And could have stayed that way for a long time if she hadn’t been born into extremely dynamic motorcycle times. Suddenly there was a hail of new products at the end of the 1960s, many of them in the large displacement class. For the sake of its own survival, which was only dependent on it, Moto Guzzi sent an even more competitive, because stronger, 750 cc in 1969, the overwhelming US success was to consolidate the special model California. With running boards and windshield and stuff. Lino Tonti, the successor to Giulio Carcanos, already had a hand in both of them. Later Tonti increased it to 850 cm³, but at the same time he introduced the end of the V7 series. Namely, by unpacking his considerable chassis know-how for a classy 750 and devising a much flatter frame. This concept premiered in 1971 in one of the most beautiful motorcycles of all time, the V7 Sport, and was followed by the new, elegant Guzzi tourers from 1974. But the company saved, that was the brave V7.

In detail: Moto Guzzi V7 (1966 – 1976)


mps photo studio

The engine of the V7 was very well designed, many components came from the car industry.

technology

Seldom has a motorcycle engine been born as healthy as the Guzzi-V2. An enormous crankshaft rotates in wide plain bearings, and the connecting rods and piston pins are also generously dimensioned. In addition, there is a conservative, but very solid valve train. The components were also well chosen, so from today’s perspective one can only reproach the designers for lacking a real oil filter. The V7 Special came by boring the cylinder (83 instead of 80 mm) to 750 cm³ and developed 51 hp, the stroke of the 850 GT (55 hp) also increased, by eight to 78 mm. Initially, helical gears drove the camshaft, and from the second series of the 850 series, a duplex chain. While the frame basically remained the same for all V7 models, the duplex front brake on the 850 was replaced by a double duplex, most recently even by a disc brake.

Used check

The rear-wheel drive is one of the few neuralgic points, because if the tapered roller bearings have settled on the bevel gear axle and have not been correctly spaced again, the good contact pattern of the toothing is first and then the bevel gears themselves. Loud howling from the drive housing can be a warning sign. The pair of gears in fourth gear heralds tooth wear – the only weak point of the first gearbox. Experienced fitters make sure that the cavities in the crank webs are cleaned when an engine is overhauled. These act as an oil centrifuge, where impurities can settle over the years. In this case, increased wear of the connecting rod and crankshaft bearings is programmed. A problem especially with engines that have not enjoyed a regular oil change every 3000 kilometers, and that is unlikely to have been the case with very few V7 twins. With the V7 and V7 Special, in particular, it is very important that the bodywork and characteristic add-on parts are in order, because the parts market is almost nothing here. It is also unfortunate that no new cylinders can be found for the 700 series. A chrome tread also wears out at some point. What is worse is that it can corrode irreparably and then flake off after a long period of time. Italomotos has such cylinders recoated and uses its own replica pistons.

market

V7 and V7 Special are rare and sought-after. As a result, the prices for a decent V7 in the first series are around 11,000 euros, the second series and the Special between 6500 and 9000 euros. The 850 GT is in usable condition around 6000 euros.

Data (V7 700, manufactured in 1967)

engine:

  • Air-cooled 90 degree V two cylinder four stroke engine
  • underlying camshaft
  • two valves per cylinder
  • operated via bumpers and rocker arms
  • Displacement 703 cm³
  • Output 31 kW (42 hp) at 6000 rpm

Power transmission:

  • Two-disc dry clutch
  • Four-speed transmission
  • Cardan drive

landing gear:

  • Double loop frame with box profile backbone made of tubular steel
  • Front fork
  • Two-arm swing arm made of tubular steel
  • two struts
  • Wire spoke wheels
  • 4.00 x 18 tires front and rear
  • Double-cam drum brake at the front, Ø 220 mm,
  • Rear drum brake, Ø 220 mm

mass and weight:

  • Wheelbase 1445 mm
  • Weight with a full tank 245 kg

Performance:

  • Top speed 164 km / h

price:

  • 1966: 4,000 marks

history


archive

In 1969 the V7 Special appeared.

1969: The V7 Special appears with a 750 engine and a slightly reinforced frame. From 1971 there was a top-equipped California – especially for the USA. Price: 5600 marks.


archive

The 850 GT California from 1972.

1972: The 850 GT comes with a five-speed gearbox and an even stronger engine, making California particularly popular with police authorities around the world. Price: 7,165 marks.

1971: The world-shattering V7 Sport appears with a flatter frame. The V7 was built with the old frame for authorities until 1976, the 850 GT until 1974. Price: approx. 8,000 marks

opinion

MOTORRAD Classic employee Fred Siemer on the V7.

MOTORRAD Classic employee Fred Siemer:

It is a greeting from the past, the Moto Guzzi V7. A dream come true of old frequent drivers and team friends, realized with the classic means of European mechanical engineering. It cannot be compared with other new releases in the mid-1960s, such as Honda’s CB 450, and even its own successor models prove how much everything thirsted for performance and dynamism in those boom years. Anyone who drives a V7 gets out there. He lets it run, makes friends with the little quirks of the waitress and enjoys. Every kilometer.

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