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Moto Guzzi V7 Racer

9K views 45 replies 27 participants last post by  oalvarez 
#1 ·
I was at the Toronto Motorcycle show on the weekend and just have to say I love the look of the Moto Guzzi V7 Racer. It is priced right at $10,200 and I am shore it will be going up with the Thruxton in 2013 Have any of you seen it, your thought..

Carl.

 
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#3 ·
They do seem to compete. The V7 makes less power than the Thruxton although I read somewhere that the 2013 model has increased power by 12% to 51hp. Like the Thruxton, there are a host of modifications that can be done to improve handling and performance of the V7. In that respect they are similar ie lots of style on the showroon floor at a modest price whilst being suitable for upgrades for riders that want more.
 
#4 ·
I work with a guy who bought one this summer. I was so excited for him, and excited to see it in person. I think it's a stunning bike. We switched bikes one day though, and I knew fairly quickly I couldn't live with it, at least as an only bike. It felt more like a novelty than a serious rider. He must be puzzled why I have such little interest in it now. If it doesnt appeal yo my riding nature, it doesn't even matter if it's pretty.
 

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#7 ·
I think the bike looks amazing, that's why I'm doing a V7 Racer themed paint job on the frame, wheels, and body work on my Legend :)



Got the rear frame off and ready for paint!
 
#8 ·
Here's the deal and i feel slightly hypocritical saying this, if one of you built that in you garage i would be super impressed. Because it comes from the factory like that it looks like it is trying way to hard. Not only that but it robs the soul right out of the cafe racer. The cafe was supposed to be something somebody built in the garage to make their bike lighter and faster, not purchased from a showroom. Cafe racers are great because they are weekend built buy the guy riding it.
 
#16 ·
Hi Calliway.. After giving it some thought I agree with you..It is a little over the top.. If one was to take the standard V7 and do something along this line it would look amazing
Carl

I totally agree with that. I would rather take a V7 and modify then ride it out of the crate with plastic molded number plates. The tank is gorgeous, the strap is cool and if I look at all the pieces as one offs (excpet the seat) they are really nice. Put it all together and its to much. Its very "Hollywood".

When I build my bikes I try to make them look as factory as possible. I want things to be perfect. I want people to look at at it and think it came from the factory like that but surprise them when I say that I built it and show them the before and after pic. Can't do that with this bike. The before pic has a price tag hanging from the handlebars and the after pic is on the street.

The seat kills me though...its a fisher price molded seat.
 
#12 ·
My girlfriend just took delivery of one of the last 2012's last week. Yes, it is different from our Bonnies and Thruxtons. The gear box is nowhere near as user friendly as a tight little modern Triumph's, but the bike a lot of fun to ride and it draws attention everywhere it goes.
 
#13 ·
I agree with what Michael said about outa the box cafe style. I recently saw on the street a black V7 with gold lettering and it looked classy and timeless. The guy was riding it like a wuss, but nevermind. To get a better look, I had to slow down to a crawl and wait for him in my car, which is inexcusable, IMjudgementalO.:D

Those V7's as pictured in original post are eye catching, but maybe a little too much so, with all that glitz and faux number plates on a bike that would get whupped by a well ridden 250 Ninja.

I still find them nice to look at in real life, over the top or not. One thing for sure, you'll get a lot of attention, and if you are a woman riding one, you may get more attention than you want.
 
#19 ·
Wow! You guys are really bashing this bike and maybe a bit unfairly. I just spent another hour or two riding my girlfriend's and it really is a fun little bike. It may look like a V7 in a clown suit, but in reality no one outside of this forum has had a negative thing to say about it to us.

The mass appeal of a bike is not always a pure abstract matter of horsepower. If that was the case we would all be riding Ninjas and Hyabusas. In fact, one of the mags I read just ran an article where they found on some particular tracks the smaller lower horsepower bikes were outperforming far more powerful bikes. They were just better suited to the track and being able to run full bore through the curves gave them the edge. Sometimes it's the better rider and not the better bike that matters.

Yes, we all like the authenticity and character of a nicely done garage built cafe bike but in reality most of our wives and girlfriends are not going out to the garage this winter to build their own bike or fabricate their own seat cowl. It's a wonderful ideal but not a realistic expectation.

At the end of the day, this little V7 is still a fun bike to ride. It's the smallest bike we own, and while the specs may scream S-L-O-W it doesn't feel that way when you're riding it. Maybe it should only compete in a class with the Royal Enfields. Among our bikes we also have 2 Hinckley Bonnies and a Thruxton and it makes riding the Brit bikes seem incredibly sophisticated and smooth. No doubt about it. What I can't explain away is that more people come up and snap a picture and ask about the Guzzi than the Thrux when they are parked together.

Most of us ride for pleasure and not out of necessity. If I could only have one bike I don't think it would be a good choice, but in a stable of bikes it's a wonderful quirky little toy.
 
#23 ·
Wow! You guys are really bashing this bike and maybe a bit unfairly...
That was well argued and you are in fact right - it may be a bit over-styled for me, but there is no reason it can't be a fun bike. And in truth, it's well finished and many of the stock components are certainly a step up over the Thruxton. So to back track a little, if you dig it, more power to you.
 
#29 · (Edited)
good luck finding one for $10,200.
Its my understanding they are usually spoken for well before they arrive in showrooms and will often go for much more than MSRP because they didn't make that many of them.
The other downside is that Guzzi dealers are notorious for being a-holes. They don't service bikes purchased at other dealerships. I looked at buying a V7 Cafe at another dealer on ebay. I checked with my local Guzzi dealer in Brookfield, Wisconsin and they told me they wouldn't service or warranty my bike if I didn't purchase it from them. Talk about arrogant because Guzzi specifically states that any dealer must service but it is well known that most will not unless you buy from them.
 
#35 ·
I'm with you on that...the number plates look silly IMHO. Those would have to go and I'd need to do something to make it my own...like fit F3 forks & wheels (front forks are 41 mm) or something.

Oh yeah, I'd also need to find another 15 or 20 RWHP in the motor...

Regards,

--Rich
 
#32 · (Edited)
I loved the V7 when i rode it and thought it had more character than any bike i have ever ridden, the little thing was rumbling and cackling and shaking and sounded great, i loved it. It's a shame there is not a bit more hp or i would have bought it on the day. there is a Guzzi V12 racer comming out next year, should be interesting ? I wonder if it will have the same appeal and character of the smaller V7 ?
 
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