V7 observations

[kenvil1]

I was at the Montreal Motorcycle Show today, and I had a chance to see the new V7III in person. The most obvious difference is how the cylinders and the exhaust system look a lot bulkier than those of its predecessor.



New shrouding was added to complete the hefty look.



The headlight area has been cleaned up nicely thanks to a new light mounting system, but aftermarket windscreens will need to be revised.



upload photo album online

The new foot controls are an obvious improvement.



You've all seen the new instruments, but here they are again. Are those rubber covers on the fork caps just temporary?

[Pisano]

Thanks for that detail comparison.  I like the improvement in the foot controls.  Does anyone wish they had more side to side stiffness for the clutch/brake lever in the V7II? 

V7III seems better if it was ever a problem.

I was at the Toronto show last weekend and truely had a great time but as expected no CARC bikes. 

To get my Griso "Fix" I had to sit on a R nine T. 

what a cry'in shame

[DaSwami]

Know what?  I think I like the V7II better.  It's the ultimate V7.  Imported only one year in the USA (too bad).  I think it boils down to aesthetics.   It's such a pretty bike with great lines.  The V7III just doesn't seem to have the same grace to the eye.  Does that make sense?


Edit:  Maybe it's just the Stone model I'm having an issue with. 

[sib]

I also prefer the V7II.  I don't like the "hefty" look of the III.  Why add shrouding over the starter motor?  It's one more place for crud to accumulate.  The shrouding over the intake ducting just adds things that need to be removed for servicing.  I'm not convinced that the 1-piece rear brake master cylinder/reservoir is an improvement.

The new headlight mounting places the mounting holes far back behind the center of mass, inviting the headlight to become pointed downward unless the bolts are very tight.  This means it will be more difficult to adjust the vertical aim on the run.


The rubber fork cap covers are sometimes present on V7II Stones.  Another example of useless decoration.

[O]

Thanks for the great pics!  I'll have to wait until I can see the new 'III Special in person before I can make a decision.  It will boil down to:

1. Keep my 2014 V7 Special
2. Get what will likely be a heavily discounted V7II
3. Get the V7III, and see how much it is to add the Racer Ohlins to it.

Looking forward to pondering this one.

[jpv7]

Lol...i'd choose the new bike over mine just for the foot controls.  The V7ii controls look like they were made with a hacksaw.  I just spent $400 replacing mine.... 

[kenvil1]

Know what?  I think I like the V7II better.  It's the ultimate V7.  I think it boils down to aesthetics.  It's such a pretty bike with great lines.

The V7II is my favourite as well; I find that it has more of an old-world charm to it compared to the V7III, especially the Stone model which comes off as a bit of a bruiser with its heavily-built blacked-out look.

[jpv7]

if you are not a newbie rider, get the V7ii and save your $ for the upgrades to make it nice for you.  You will most certainly want to do suspension upgrades for control and comfort.  Of course, exhaust and fuelling is nice, but some don't bother with that.  Mine came from the dealer with aftermarket mufflers...lol

[SportsterDoc]

I am extremely happy with my V7 II Stone.
However, the brake pedal could be a bit wider, so that I do not have to turn my toe in for contact.

Bit brisk today, but heading out on a 160 mile ride to Overton, via North Shore Road along Lake Mead.

[waxi]

Maybe my opinion is not objective because I own V7 II, but I really like black rims instead of chromed ones (on Special and Anniversario). There is something missing on the tank ("Moto Guzzi" text and/or white stripes) and front fender is obviously painted with wrong color.

[Kev m]

Great comparison, thanks.

I love my Stone and have no real complaints.

That said the V7III looks great and I could easily own one. Not things I see seem like improvements to me.


Doc, nice!

[malik]

Longer toe pieces for the pedals are available - even through Guzzi.

[SportsterDoc]

Doc, nice!

It was a nice ride, but would have preferred some sunshine instead of completely overcast.
Got 54 MPG going up and 56 MPG coming back.
Plan on the same run, but different friend, next Friday.
Accompanied by 2008 VRod today.   He got 48 MPG under same circumstances/speed as my 54 MPG.
Accompanied by H-D Classic on Friday.

[SportsterDoc]

Longer toe pieces for the pedals are available - even through Guzzi.

Thanks for the comment.
I can also make a longer one, but I am (slowly) getting used to it.

[stevet]

The last photo showing the instruments.  I appears the III gets stretched a bit at the front end with a new triple clamp.  Assuming the same treatment with the lower clamp, this would lengthen the wheelbase.  If only a new upper and same-ish II lower, that should really change the steering character, making the steering angle more steep.

Yeah, not big on the various component covers to make this look bigger.  Why bother?  Make believe on motorcycles is just silly.

Steve.

[bad Chad]

You really have to see in person a v7II vs v7III to get the real feel for each.  I really like the look of the v7III classic, at least in pics, I have not seen one yet in the flesh.

[SmithSwede]

Thanks for the detailed photos.   

Frankly, I loathe the needlessly "beefy" styling.  In my humble opinion, the beauty of the earlier V7s arose from the svelte lines, and the "honest" mechanical look.  That's now been botched. 

It's like the current craze for people to add some aftermarket muffler to their pick-up truck exhaust, so that the exhaust pipe looks like an 8" sewer pipe.   Cuz moar (faux) power.   

But for thems what like it, I'm not knocking you.

De gustibus non est disputandum

[Air-Cooled]

That was my impression too, needlessly beefy. I would add faux beefy with bits of facia and covers such as the plastic piece over the starter. I got the same impression when Japanese bikes started making their first cruisers and used chromed plastic parts to make them look like Harleys.

[ponti_33609]

Thanks for the detailed photos.   

Frankly, I loathe the needlessly "beefy" styling.  In my humble opinion, the beauty of the earlier V7s arose from the svelte lines, and the "honest" mechanical look.  That's now been botched. 

It's like the current craze for people to add some aftermarket muffler to their pick-up truck exhaust, so that the exhaust pipe looks like an 8" sewer pipe.   Cuz moar (faux) power.   

But for thems what like it, I'm not knocking you.

De gustibus non est disputandum

Agreed:  they are a small bike, they should have clean lines to match.

[93spada]

Overall...it's a Guzzi.
You can't go wrong.....unless... . you don't read the "WARNING, WARNING, WARNING" on the handlebars.

[Kev m]

I'm the opposite, I like things to look beefy/substantial (well, I prefer that they ARE beefy and substantial).

So I like the jugs and the double-walled pipes (I really like the pipes).

<shrugs>

[kenvil1]

The beefy look could have been reserved for the V9, and the V7 could have carried on the way it was. That way the drivetrain for the two models would have looked somewhat distinct from one another.

[Kev m]

The beefy look could have been reserved for the V9, and the V7 could have carried on the way it was. That way the drivetrain for the two models would have looked somewhat distinct from one another.

But isn't part of the look the change from the heron to the hemi head on the V7 as well?

[kenvil1]

But isn't part of the look the change from the heron to the hemi head on the V7 as well?

Part of the look is for practical reasons, no doubt. The extra girth of the cylinder might be necessary to provide better cooling efficiency to keep up with emissions regulations, but the dual-walled headers and the shrouds might simply be there to provide a balanced aesthetic look.

[Kev m]

Part of the look is for practical reasons, no doubt. The extra girth of the cylinder might be necessary to provide better cooling efficiency to keep up with emissions regulations, but the duel-walled headers and the shrouds might simply be there to provide a balanced aesthetic look.

OK, but follow me, if the heads/jugs are larger, and people are stating that the bike needs to be visually balanced etc. then not adding the dual-walled headers or shrouds may have produced a negative aesthetic too.

And yes dual-walled headers are largely aesthetic, but aren't they also functional in reducing potential heat for the rider as well?

Personally I like dual-walled headers just to avoid the bluing.

[DucDucGuzz]

My '13 V7 Stone is perfect... after I added the Mistral exhaust and removed the DB killers and added a BMC filter and had the ECU reflashed and installed the Andreani fork cartridge kit and Bitubo shocks and has the suspension tuned by Dave Moss and performed tail surgery to add a BAAK tail kit and bash guard and Oberon front/rear LED blinkers and lowered the headlight/gauges and installed factory Racer rearsets and Vortex hybrid clip-ons and...

Yeah, I love it. :)

[malik]

All the prior V7s (since 2008) come with dual walled headers. And that doesn't seem to slow down the bluing. BTW the Agostini stainless headers recently mounted in the V7C started growing/yellowing within the first few hundred meters.

[Kev m]

All the prior V7s (since 2008) come with dual walled headers. And that doesn't seem to slow down the bluing. BTW the Agostini stainless headers recently mounted in the V7C started growing/yellowing within the first few hundred meters.

Really, mine's dual-walled?

Then is there a inner diameter change on the new ones?

[kenvil1]

And yes dual-walled headers are largely aesthetic, but aren't they also functional in reducing potential heat for the rider as well?

I don't know how that works. I always thought that the header acted like a fin to radiate heat away from the engine, but if it's contained inside another pipe, I would think that it would then retain heat. At least the V7 doesn't have those fake chrome half-pipes over the headers that are so prevalent on motorcycles today. 

[Kev m]

I don't know how that works. I always thought that the header acted like a fin to radiate heat away from the engine, but if it's contained inside another pipe, I would think that it would then retain heat. At least the V7 doesn't have those fake chrome half-pipes over the headers that are so prevalent on motorcycles today.

Those fake chrome half-pipes (heat shields actually) look great on my Harley and help to keep heat away from the rider.

But I'd prefer both my V7 and Harley exhausts in black personally.