New V7 Sport

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

I don't like the single clock, are we that cheap we can't afford a tack?
Roy

This is carried over from the V7 Stone 850. I too would have preferred the Special's dual gauges instead of the single digital display. I think the gauge and the headlight detract from the retro/classic appeal of the latest V7 and V9.

[Kev m]

I wanted to get rid of the weight of my 2016 Eldorado. I wanted to stay with MG and get a V7. But after seeing this "new" V7 I'm glad I bought a BMW R12. I just don't understand motorcycle manufacturers. I wouldn't have hesitated to buy a V7 if it had the V85 engine. This new Sport is just the same V7 with some bells and whistles.

Have you ridden a V85? Cause I prefer the V7 mills personally. It's a torque and rpm thing.

[kingoffleece]

Keep in mind who's buying these things.  I'm somewhat surprised by the number of newish riders I've seen on V7's over the past 6 months.  They LOVE the bike.
Non of them are on boards like this-I know 'cause I asked.  They simply enjoy the machine.  They know almost nothing of the Guzzi past-and don't really care.  They just like cool stuff.  They also buy 900 Bonnevilles.  Plenty fast for them and was less than the 1200-which matters a lot.

At a Aprillia/Guzzi demo event I went to two weeks ago the owners told me the sub 10K price was a critical factor for sales.

[AJ Huff]

It's not a California so... Meh.

-AJ

[ff73148]

I'm sure the R12 is got gobs of power, being that its motor is huge when compared to the Guzzi.  But to get a R12 with spec'd up to the standard level for the V7 sport your looking at a MSRP of at least $15,484, that's getting very close to $5000 more than the v7sport.

Yes it did cost more than the V7. Spec wise it has the same spec's and then some as the V7 Sport plus the power. The dealer I got it from put the bike on the BMW demo program which reduced the price to $13,550 and gave me an additional 6 month warranty on top of the three years. Plus 2.9% financing. It was a good deal.

[Kev m]

I'm sure the R12 is got gobs of power, being that its motor is huge when compared to the Guzzi.  But to get a R12 with spec'd up to the standard level for the V7 sport your looking at a MSRP of at least $15,484, that's getting very close to $5000 more than the v7sport.

Yes it did cost more than the V7. Spec wise it has the same spec's and then some as the V7 Sport plus the power. The dealer I got it from put the bike on the BMW demo program which reduced the price to $13,550 and gave me an additional 6 month warranty on top of the three years. Plus 2.9% financing. It was a good deal.

Ok so for the ancient or uninitiated, when you quote someone in a post, please type your shit AFTER the [ / quote] tag.

That is all. 

[Walton]

I like it. A lot. But to call it "Sport" may give people, especially those potential buyers new to Moto Guzzi, a wrong impression.  But it may well be a hit among seasoned Guzzi fan boys. That colour is just absolutely spectacular.

I agree.  The original Sport was the fastest production Guzzi, and motorcycle period,  when it came out.   This one isn't even close to being the fastest in the current Guzzi lineup.  It's just a color.

[twowheeladdict]

I wanted to get rid of the weight of my 2016 Eldorado. I wanted to stay with MG and get a V7. But after seeing this "new" V7 I'm glad I bought a BMW R12. I just don't understand motorcycle manufacturers. I wouldn't have hesitated to buy a V7 if it had the V85 engine. This new Sport is just the same V7 with some bells and whistles.

What makes the V85TT engine different than the engine in this upcoming bike? 

[Kev m]

I agree.  The original Sport was the fastest production Guzzi, and motorcycle period,  when it came out.   This one isn't even close to being the fastest in the current Guzzi lineup.  It's just a color.

But shit was really slow then.

I mean the Huyabusa was still decades away then and even by now the Huyabusa is decades ago.

And uh 180 mph is well closing in on double what a 50 rwhp V7 Sport could do, downhill, on a good day.

Point of reference:

https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=118117.0

So let's see the original V7 Sport was around 50 rwhp and the dry weight was around 454#.

Meaning the current V7 850 makes a hair more HP and weighs about the same. And the new V7 Sport will be at least as good but have better brakes and suspension.

< sarcasm> Yup, what a disgrace < \ sarcasm>

Of course what none of this pedantic crap recognizes is the most important part. The purely subjective fun the rider has. My 40 rwhp Heron Head MkI is a total blast. I've tracked it and loved it. I can't see why this V7 Sport with more power, better brakes, and better suspension wouldn't be anything but even more fun.

[Kev m]

What makes the V85TT engine different than the engine in this upcoming bike?

Presumably:

* Valve train
* Exhaust
* Possibly lubrication system

[mechanicsavant]

A lot of folks say we want the 850tt motor . My Centanario has an 850 motor . It’s not the TT motor , but @ 20k Mi. I find it more than adequate, even loaded w/85 Lbs. of camping gear & my 200 Lb. Weight . Passing is never an issue . Cruising @ 75 + speeds & getting 55 MPG too .
It looks like a step in the right direction to me . Dual discs yup (though my single disc works well w/upgraded pads). Front preload adjustment, yup . Wish I had that . If the “single clock” is like my 850 . Once I got used to it I wouldn’t want to go back to the dual gauges as on my V7 II .Just MHO !

[ff73148]

Ok so for the ancient or uninitiated, when you quote someone in a post, please type your shit AFTER the [ / quote] tag.

That is all. 

Thanks Kev

[Moparnut72]

An all out sport bike isn't going to happen, cannibalizing Aprilla isn't in the cards. Comparing the V7 to the Bonneville isn't an even comparison.  The Bonneville is a much larger bike and is able to handle more horsepower but yet the T120 (1200) only makes 79. I owned both at the same time, they were very different bikes. The V7 was more fun to ride, I used the T120 more for touring and long distance rides. However it wasn't real good for that either. I traded it for a Mandello, much better. My 2 cents.
kk

[Dirk_S]

I don’t think anyone expects or is asking for a sportbike from the small block range. But the word ‘sport’ meant something. Just like the word scrambler. Cafe. SUV. Adventure. Le Mans. Trials. This is beating a dead horse, I know, but also—Guzzi sure does like to recycle the same words, seemingly a lot more than other brands, but perhaps not. Most of them do it, but just as much?

I do think it’s funny that we’re still pushing the “V7” monicker, when we’re now in the—2nd? 3rd?—iteration of the E5 850cc motor. But hey, I guess it could be worse—we could be Funduro owners.

[Kev m]

I don’t think anyone expects or is asking for a sportbike from the small block range.

Uhhhh look again at some of the objections - "game changer" - "fastest production <snip> motorcycle period" - bla bla bla

That's EXACTLY what some are expecting/asking

But the word ‘sport’ meant something. Just like the word scrambler. Cafe. SUV. Adventure. Le Mans. Trials.

No it really doesn't.

Or maybe it really does-  I mean most of the cafe's, scramblers, and Adventures are pure nonsense too.

About 99% of them are mild styling exercises that have the aura of the namesake and perhaps as whiff of the functionality too.

None of them are fully committed and the mental masturbation over the "authenticity" is just that - wanking.

So wank away if that's your thing, or take it all for what it is worth.

As usual, I'm NOT saying anyone needs to want or like these bikes. Personally though I've found them to be the goldilocks of "modern" offerings. They give a level of performance, efficiency, range, comfort, etc. in a near perfect balance for me.

I don't begrudge others who want more - but this isn't the place to find it and grumbling about it isn't going to change it.

But the authenticity police (and you find them everywhere you find enthusiasts - Harleys, Jeeps, Triumphs, BMWs...oh GOD with BMWs jebuz yeah with BMWs too) get old.

I do think it’s funny that we’re still pushing the “V7” monicker, when we’re now in the—2nd? 3rd?—iteration of the E5 850cc motor. But hey, I guess it could be worse—we could be Funduro owners.

At this point the moniker is a brand. That's fine. I mean look at the naming conventions of MOST vehicles - sure a FEW have historically tied their names an engine size but the vast majority have either nothing to do with it, are completely made up nonsense, or maybe named after a person/place/thing/concept.

BMW has had some amusing differences in model names vs engine sizes too - platforms that started being named by engine size but continued with the name after the size changed. Yeah it's mildly weird or amusing sometimes, but I think it makes perfect sense in this case from a branding standpoint. I certainly don't waste time worrying about it.

[red stripeguz]

Keep in mind who's buying these things.  I'm somewhat surprised by the number of newish riders I've seen on V7's over the past 6 months.  They LOVE the bike.
Non of them are on boards like this-I know 'cause I asked.  They simply enjoy the machine.  They know almost nothing of the Guzzi past-and don't really care.  They just like cool stuff.  They also buy 900 Bonnevilles.  Plenty fast for them and was less than the 1200-which matters a lot.

At a Aprillia/Guzzi demo event I went to two weeks ago the owners told me the sub 10K price was a critical factor for sales.

Raises hand.

60 years old (I like to think a young 60 lol)
1st bike bought in April, /23 V7 Special
I am on here though and I did know of Guzzi's past. I was a big fan of them back in the 70s as a kid. I honestly hadn't thought much of them for years and they weren't on my radar when I was forst looking for a bike (was leaning heavily Triumph) until I happened to see a Facebook ad advertising a sale on leftover '23s and I was immediately smitten again. For the price I got mine new, it was hard to say no

[ff73148]

Have you ridden a V85? Cause I prefer the V7 mills personally. It's a torque and rpm thing.

No I haven't ridden a V85. Mainly because of the seat height. The last thing I want to do is buy a bike and figure out how I'm going to lower it so I can get on and off comfortably.

[ff73148]

What makes the V85TT engine different than the engine in this upcoming bike?

To start a V85 is 80 HP versus the V7 65HP.

[Dirk_S]

To start a V85 is 80 HP versus the V7 65HP.

I’ll say it so Kev doesn’t have to. We were talking about this recently. You gotta remember that the claimed horsepower is often at the crank output, and the manufacture typically doesn’t mention what’s actually being produced at the rear wheel (RWHP). Shaft-driven bikes normally lose a good deal more power from crank to final delivery.

The most recent dyno charts that he and I found on the V85TT—back around 2019 or so—showed that the V85TT only put out ~64 hp at the rear. Is that more than what the V7 Sport and Co. will produce at the rear? Probably, but not as much as we tend to believe upon those ~80 hp specs on paper printed by the manufacturer.

[bad Chad]

What Moto Bob has to say and show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DNO3TY3gbs

[Kev m]

Well - just to get pedantic - the V85 claimed 80 and this claimed 67 are BOTH claims at the crank so they are apples-to-apples.

And that's fine, they are different motors on multiple levels (as I mentioned earlier, valve trains, exhaust, probably lubrication as these were differences between the V85 and V7 Hemi Heads when I last checked). This iteration seems to come closer as it appears they've moved away from the earlier and smaller integral 38 mm throttle body to a new much larger 52 mm throttle body. So this version of the V7 should breath much better and be capable of more power.

We can talk peak numbers all we want, but that doesn't tell us what the power and torque curves look like.

The peaks occur at lower rpm than on the V85, which means a different feel. I generally prefer said feel which is why I didn't like the V85 motor when I rode it. But I understand others might prefer the V85 motor.

Either way, I expect this new version will be fun, but time (especially some seat time) will tell.

[faffi]

I would rather have my 55 hp V9 than the 65 hp V9 / V9, and especially the 85TT engine. But not if I wanted the V7 Sport, because if I wanted a Sport, I would also want more top end power and a sportier character from the engine.

[Walton]

Never implied all-out Sportbike, just something that beats the rest of the Guzzi lineup.  That's not a very tall order.  We're not talking hayabusa, 180hp, Aprilia numbers here etc.

[Kev m]

I would rather have my 55 hp V9 than the 65 hp V9 / V9, and especially the 85TT engine. But not if I wanted the V7 Sport, because if I wanted a Sport, I would also want more top end power and a sportier character from the engine.

Not me. Actually I spent the day on our M696 and though it's fun when things get randy it's tiresome the rest of the time. In contrast our V7's are great all the time and still fine when things get randy.

Never implied all-out Sportbike, just something that beats the rest of the Guzzi lineup.  That's not a very tall order.  We're not talking hayabusa, 180hp, Aprilia numbers here etc.

Actually that's a very tall order for an air cooled 850cc 2V pushrod motor.

[Huzo]

Great discussion guys.  Here's my unaskedfor input.  The "sport" in the name is an homage to the old sport, not a serious attempt at a sport bike.  Would the V85 engine be cool in this bike, absolutely, but it may take some modifications of the frame and other parts for the extra torque and hp.  The V7 series is also seriously limited in tire selection, would the current wheels/tires handle the v85 lump?  Most people would still say it didn't have enough power.  Then there is price.  One of the attractive features of the V7s is their generally under $10,000 price.  Would you pay $12,000 for a V7 even with 80 hp.  The fellow who bought the BMW got a lot more HP for his bucks, the Triumph 1200 twins are much more powerful  Horsepower is no longer my main metric but it is for many.

I’m really on board with this reasoning. The saving grace is that Guzzi has not seriously jumped into the horsepower game, so it doesn’t have to play.
There has been no challenge issued, so it doesn’t have to compete. The new liquid V100/Stelvios have dipped their toe in the water, but not totally seriously.
Here in Australia if you speed consistently, you WILL lose your licence in a matter of a couple of weeks tops, seriously these days ?
Less and less really care.
I don’t care if either of my bikes are moderately powered, as long as it’s not because they are sick.

[Walton]

quote author=faffi link=topic=122091.msg1891734#msg1891734 date=1730999049]
I would rather have my 55 hp V9 than the 65 hp V9 / V9, and especially the 85TT engine. But not if I wanted the V7 Sport, because if I wanted a Sport, I would also want more top end power and a sportier character from the engine.


Not me. Actually I spent the day on our M696 and though it's fun when things get randy it's tiresome the rest of the time. In contrast our V7's are great all the time and still fine when things get randy.



Actually that's a very tall order for an air cooled 850cc 2V pushrod motor.

Who said it had to be air cooled?  The Moto Guzzi v100 will run circles around the rebadged regurgitated v7 "Sport".  It's a joke

[Kev m]

Who said it had to be air cooled?

* Gasp *

The precious royal V7 Sport name should never go on a water cooled piece of heresy! < \ sarcasm >

  The Moto Guzzi v100 will run circles around the rebadged regurgitated v7 "Sport".  It's a joke

Who gives a shit. If you want a V100 buy one.

I don't want one.

I just want a smallblock with USD forks and dual discs.

Oh wait, they're making one.

That's AWESOME!

[Bigtime]

  Have a question for you guys that own a V7-850. I test ride a new V85 last week and was very impressed with how smooth it ran. I mean I had to look at the tack to tell how fast I was spinning the engine. Are all small blocks this smooth? I've only owned big blocks.

[Huzo]

  Have a question for you guys that own a V7-850. I test ride a new V85 last week and was very impressed with how smooth it ran. I mean I had to look at the tack to tell how fast I was spinning the engine. Are all small blocks this smooth? I've only owned big blocks.

My V85 is like liquid.

[Kev m]

  Have a question for you guys that own a V7-850. I test ride a new V85 last week and was very impressed with how smooth it ran. I mean I had to look at the tack to tell how fast I was spinning the engine. Are all small blocks this smooth? I've only owned big blocks.

Subjective - but no I think the other smallblocks have a bit more vibration at the grips.

Not as much as that Monster I was on for a few hours today but a bit more.