2015 Moto Guzzi V7 II merged threadfest

[sib]

I was at my dealer on the 18th and they said they had just gotten an email the day before giving them the option to start pre-ordering and the sales person hinted that there was even a delivery date in the email, but he wasn't comfortable sharing that date.  No idea if he was feeding me a line, but it does sound like the dealerships are starting to get some concrete information from Guzzi.

I ordered my '16 V7II Stone yesterday, from a well-known RI dealer.  He just got the word earlier yesterday that MG-USA is taking orders.  Delivery of mine is expected in a couple of weeks, which should be before mid-May.

[pocphil]

So, after spending a week with the new V7 MkII Here are my findings:

6 speed gear box - terminal gearing hasn't changed at all. 65mph = 4000 rpm, same as on the earlier V7. Some people will argue that b/c you have to shift through another gear you will get worse fuel economy. I don't care about that, some people are ridiculous. What I did notice is there are definitely 6 closer spaced gears (duh). I actually like it. I think it's geared better for running around town in 3rd gear, where before 2nd felt a little too buzzy and 3 was a little lurch-y.

Riding position - My feet ARE lower, only a little, but they're definitely lower, it looks like they've stretched this frame downward. The rest of the ergo's are identical, they claim the seat is lower, but I don't feel it, and my tape measure doesn't confirm it. Emmy sat on the new MkII and said it was taller! So, it's definitely up to the rider.

Overall Aesthetic - I  LOVE LOVE LOVE the new Grigio Intenso (Flat silver) paint on the new MkII - I HATE HATE HATE the gap that is now happening down at the bottom frame rail / exhaust / shift linkage area. The frame ends that are now easily
visible look haphazardly cut off and were instantly noticed by everyone comparing the new bikes to the older ones.

$ - Ok, I understand charging more money for ABS and TC - but I really don't want either of those on a bike this size. I'm taking the 0.9% financing and $1000 off MSRP and going for a brand new 2014 model.

[sib]

So, after spending a week with the new V7 MkII Here are my findings:

6 speed gear box - terminal gearing hasn't changed at all. 65mph = 4000 rpm, same as on the earlier V7. Some people will argue that b/c you have to shift through another gear you will get worse fuel economy. I don't care about that, some people are ridiculous. What I did notice is there are definitely 6 closer spaced gears (duh). I actually like it. I think it's geared better for running around town in 3rd gear, where before 2nd felt a little too buzzy and 3 was a little lurch-y.

Riding position - My feet ARE lower, only a little, but they're definitely lower, it looks like they've stretched this frame downward. The rest of the ergo's are identical, they claim the seat is lower, but I don't feel it, and my tape measure doesn't confirm it. Emmy sat on the new MkII and said it was taller! So, it's definitely up to the rider.

Overall Aesthetic - I  LOVE LOVE LOVE the new Grigio Intenso (Flat silver) paint on the new MkII - I HATE HATE HATE the gap that is now happening down at the bottom frame rail / exhaust / shift linkage area. The frame ends that are now easily
visible look haphazardly cut off and were instantly noticed by everyone comparing the new bikes to the older ones.

$ - Ok, I understand charging more money for ABS and TC - but I really don't want either of those on a bike this size. I'm taking the 0.9% financing and $1000 off MSRP and going for a brand new 2014 model.

I've put nearly 500 mi on my '16 Stone since I got it on May 8, and I generally agree with pocphil's comments.  The new gearbox just feels more solid, the shifts are crisper and take less lever travel.  Occasionally, it hasn't gone into 1st from neutral at a stop (even though the neutral light has gone out), but I'll attribute that to being new and my having to get used to it, since it hasn't happened after the first 250 mi.  Also, having another gear means I have to try harder to keep track of which gear I'm in, but I think I'll eventually adapt to that, too.  Clutch action does seem to be somewhat smoother, as advertised.

By running a tape measure from one peg, over the lowest, narrowest point on the saddle, and down to the other peg, I got a 1 in. greater total length for the '16 Stone than the '13 Stone, so I can verify that there is a slightly larger seat-to-peg distance (~1/2 in.) for the new bike, but it IS slight.

I too noticed the abrupt frame tube ends under the bike.  It doesn't look as elegant as the earlier frame did.  The open frame tube ends are begging for something to cap them, but that would be a bad idea if water could get trapped in there.

Since I traded "up" from the '13 Stone partly to get ABS, I can't complain about having it.  I did test to see if I could lock up the rear wheel on a straight sandy section of road.  The ABS seems to work as advertised.

Out of the box, the ECU flash seems to be fine, no cold start issues, no uneven acceleration, no hesitation, no popping, no grumbling.  So, MG seems to have finally gotten the map right on this engine.

The new Stone doesn't have the evaporative emissions control carbon canister dangling under the frame.  It's somehow been relocated to somewhere under the fuel tank.  I haven't dug into this or the crankcase blowby recovery system yet, but I'm curious about how it's all put together on the new bike.  The latest version of the parts manual (1/19/15) omits any mention of these systems.  There are two open hoses that terminate under the engine.  I presume that one is for the fuel tank opening overflow/rainwater gutter drain and the other is coming from the carbon canister (wherever that is).

[gsf12man]

If this is a duplicate post, my apologies. Frank Melling really likes the V7 II:

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/2015/08/article/2015-moto-guzzi-v7-ii-first-ride/

[SmithSwede]

Getting back to the orientation of the valve stems on the tires. 

You really need to have one pointing to the left, and the other pointing to the right.  That way the offset weights will cancel out, which will cause the bike to balance better dynamically.  Otherwise you'll get gyroscopic precession causing a torque abscess. 

I'd post the math, but it's pretty complicated. 

[oldbike54]

Getting back to the orientation of the valve stems on the tires. 

You really need to have one pointing to the left, and the other pointing to the right.  That way the offset weights will cancel out, which will cause the bike to balance better dynamically.  Otherwise you'll get gyroscopic precession causing a torque abscess. 

I'd post the math, but it's pretty complicated.

 Stick to law Prescott  "Torque abscess"   

 Of course , if we are discussing this from a philosophical perspective , then , well it makes perfect sense 

  Dusty

[Kev m]

Finally got to poke around some V7II's in the flesh today.

All in all they look good.

Cosmetically they cleaned up the area under the motor by relocating the EVAP canister under the tank, right behind the V, above the intake.

The ABS modulator is also under the tank, at the front, right behind the regulator. The only problem with this is the ugly double brake lines running from the rear master cylinder up to the modulator, then back again to the rear wheel. Clumsy but I guess necessary if you're going to put the modulator there.

The wet alternator front cover was obvious enough.

It didn't occur to me to sit on one and check the ergos, but it didn't look much different.

The Stone had some pleasing black touches where mine has/had chrome (bars, injector covers, mirrors, tail-light).

All in all, I like em... Well done.

[Demar]

2016 Factory V7II Scrambler.  I love this bike and hope to get a new one in 2017 when the 2016's are discounted. That will give me time to save my pennies. GuzziTech is working on a 4V head and claims 60 rwhp with an 820 big bore kit http://www.guzzitech.com/forums/threads/new-v7-with-4v-heads.14276/

Maybe the factory will have incorporated similar improvements by 2017. If Guzzi can get to 60 rwhp on the V7II it will put it right there with the Triumph Scrambler. It's great to see the investment by MG in the V7II.

[bpreynolds]

What is a "wet" alternator and the move to these?  My standard '15 has the wet right, though earlier versions of the V7 are not, right? 

[Kev m]

What is a "wet" alternator and the move to these?  My standard '15 has the wet right, though earlier versions of the V7 are not, right?

They moved the alternator into the oil bath under a sealed front cover, as opposed to the 2013 and 2014 models where it was still on the outside of the crankcase (just in front of an oil seal) behind a easily removable small plastic cover.

I believe there was a change in total power output the occurred at the same time, but the power went down which raises the question of why they made the change (what advantage did it offer)?

Maybe it's better protected against corrosion or the more stable temperature offers some advantage? I really don't know.

[bpreynolds]

They moved the alternator into the oil bath under a sealed front cover, as opposed to the 2013 and 2014 models where it was still on the outside of the crankcase (just in front of an oil seal) behind a easily removable small plastic cover.

I believe there was a change in total power output the occurred at the same time, but the power went down which raises the question of why they made the change (what advantage did it offer)?

Maybe it's better protected against corrosion or the more stable temperature offers some advantage? I really don't know.

I'll have to run the numbers; hope it doesn't interfere with my Winter riding where I run Gerbing's gloves and jacket liner with dual controller.  Rarely run them both full on but we'll see, I suppose. 

[sib]

Getting back to the orientation of the valve stems on the tires. 

You really need to have one pointing to the left, and the other pointing to the right.  That way the offset weights will cancel out, which will cause the bike to balance better dynamically.  Otherwise you'll get gyroscopic precession causing a torque abscess. 

I'd post the math, but it's pretty complicated.

So THAT'S why my '16 V7II drifts slightly to the right when I take my hands off the bars.  Both my valve stems point to the right.  On my previous '13 V7, both valve stems pointed to the left, but I never checked which way the bike drifted without my hands on the bars because I was too new to riding to have dared.  So, Mr. math whiz, does it matter which valve stem points which way?  [and will this be on the final?].  In the meantime, if I partially unzip my left jacket pocket, I can eliminate the rightward drift.

[SmithSwede]

>>>So, Mr. math whiz, does it matter which valve stem points which way?<<

Sib, do you ride north or south of the equator? 

I can't start working on the math until I factor in the Coriolis forces. 

[O]

Scientific discussion.  This is why I come to WG.   

SCIENCE!