Triumphrat

Craigore · 12-11-2012, 09:30 AM

I don't really dig it.

boudiepitbull · 12-11-2012, 09:55 AM

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.

steve betts · 12-11-2012, 01:18 PM

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.

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.

Thruxtonbill · 12-11-2012, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve betts

and if you are a woman riding one, you may get more attention than you want.

shwaaang!

MostChillin · 12-11-2012, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calliway

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.

Well, well said!

Calliway · 12-12-2012, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carlcampion

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.

sprouty115 · 12-12-2012, 01:01 PM

For $10K it should be a little faster than a 40yo RD250, otherwise take off the number plates and half the bling.*

* Though I did look at one for a second before I bought my Thruxton...

Srxy · 12-13-2012, 12:58 AM

I dig it, pity the plastic tanks all started to crack and apparently folks have been having a lot of issues getting replacements. Seems Guzzi are replacing them with metal tanks in 2013.

http://forum.guzzitech.com/forum/202/7802.html?start=10

There's a recall to replace the tank breather, apparently heat was causing it to expand and crack the finish....

boudiepitbull · 12-13-2012, 12:58 AM

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.

jonkster · 12-13-2012, 04:45 AM

I don't know as I haven't ridden the V7 but despite being lower HP, it seems roughly comparable on power to weight to the Thruxton. (Based on a quick hunt of the specs on the net). I wouldn't sneeze at having a go on one.