V7 fork interchangeability: v7III for VI?

[lewisham_phil]

I have a 2012 V7 Special with the Kaifa (rather than Marzzocchi) front forks; I have some damage on the RH stanchion and fork tube (after an oily boot/centre stand incident...). I'm struggling to find any spares or replacements that aren't valued at more than the bike's worth.. but I have come across a single NOS RH Kaifa fork leg for a good price, but for the V7III. It certainly has a different part number, but I don't suppose anyone has any experience whether these are essentially the same, or if they are completely incompatible?... maybe I can swap out the old internals to the new fork. A long shot I know, but I thought worth asking!

[Kev m]

Would comparative measurements help?

I've got a MKI and a MKIII in the garage.

I can take some diameters and lengths, maybe look for things that I think might be different or not.

Would that help?

[Dirk_S]

I really like https://www.parts-motoguzzi.com for comparing parts quickly:

Forks for the 2012 V7 Special:
https://www.parts-motoguzzi.com/moto-guzzi-motorcycles/750-MOTO-GUZZI-MOTORCYCLES/V7/2012/V7-Special--Stone/FRAME/Fron-fork-II/468/13/1064002142/1124

Forks for the 2018 V7 III Stone (assuming these are universal across all V7 III models, but can’t be sure unless you check):
https://www.parts-motoguzzi.com/moto-guzzi-motorcycles/750-MOTO-GUZZI-MOTORCYCLES/V7/2018/V7-III-Stone-750-E4-ABS/Suspensions/Front-fork-Kaifa/1356/21/5122/2835

I only did a cursory search—when looking at the 2012 parts, you’ll see quite a few superseded bits; on the V7 III fiche, it appears that many of those parts work as far back to the Breva/Nevada/V7 Classic bikes.

Do a good look over yourself, but you just might be in the clear.

[lewisham_phil]

Thanks guys, very kind of you.
Half the issue with comparing is knowing if your V7I is running the earlier Marzzochi, or later Kaifa forks; I believe they were changed around 2012, and have been Kaifa ever since: There is a tell-tale brand in the cast fork; trouble is it's tucked away on the upper inner face of the cast stanchions. (I used plasticine to get an impression). There'll either be an 'M' or a 'K' logo. Certainly the left hand casting changed with the later ABS brakes, but as far as I can see visually there is little change on the RH fork.
I think I might just snap it up.. I can always sell it on at cost if it's incompatible.

[lewisham_phil]

Just to confirm that the V7 III 2016 Kaifa forks are effectively identical to the 2012 Kaifa forks: The internals particularly are identical, same spring, spacer and damper rod. The cast fork leg on the 2012 has a strange protrusion near the wheel spindle hole which is missing from the 2016 version, which seems to have no function whatsoever. So, all back together and back on the road!

[Dirk_S]

Awesome to read. Always a solid to see parts interchangeability results on these small blocks.

Now—did you really get the V7 III in 2016 while the U.S. was still stuck with the V7 II??