What's In a Name?

[swordds]

So why is the V7II standard model called a "Stone"?  Seems a strange image to convey for a motorcycle. Perhaps the namers were "stoned" when they thought of it?  Or perhaps "Stone" means something else in Italian?  Mine is grey, about the color of a generic stone so I guess it kind of looks like a stone (or a pet rock) sitting still, but the other colors wouldn't look like a stone. What knowledge of Guzzi heritage am I missing here?

[Chuck in Indiana]

Well, you're not the first Stoner on a Guzzi..

[rocker59]

V7II Stone follows the 2002/2003 California Stone. 

Nobody really knows why "Stone" was chosen for the base model.  On the California, the paint colors were "Flint", "Porphyry", etc.  Names of stones.  Probably some intern at Marabese's design firm thought it sounded cool.

It probably wasn't named for Sharon, but maybe it was...

[Guzzistajohn]

I thought it was named after Stone county Arkansas

[Toecutter]

Why "Shadow", or "Dyna", or "Silverwing".

I dunno, I like the name "Stone". Simple, solid.

[swordds]

At least California Stone makes some sense, it sounds like a type of high as in "Yeah man, I'm talking a California Stone, real dynomite stuff". Must be it?

[Don G]

Bare, basic element is what it refers to.  DonG

[rocker59]

Why "Shadow", or "Dyna", or "Silverwing".

I dunno, I like the name "Stone". Simple, solid.

Easy...

"Shadow" because it's a shadow of HD.  A clone.  Sort of a joke by Honda back in the early '80s when they were trying to run HD into the ground with their inventory dumping.

"Dyna Glide".  Powerful new successor to Hydra Glide, Duo Glide, Electra Glide, etc.  Google "Dyna".

"Silverwing" was chosen as a subordinate name to "Goldwing".  Silver usually being considered second to Gold.   

[blackcat]

"Like a Rolling Stone"

[sib]

How does it feel, how does it feel?
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone

[blackcat]

After all, it was on the album, Highway 61 Revisited. 

[swordds]

"Shadow" - dark, mysterious, can't catch it or hold it but it stays with you, "The Shadow Knows". "Dyna" - dynamic, flowing or dynamite. "Silverwing" - a bird in flight, sunlight reflecting silver off its wings. "Stone" - heavy, solid, immovable, even boring, "Watch out!  Don't stub your toe on that stone". I  like it, just seems like a strange advertising image, but I get the elemental and basic idea and I guess it makes sense that Italians might have a different appreciation of stones than I would. Strange also for me to think that a 2003 anything, even a Guzzi California Stone could already be a heritage name.

[swordds]

I  think Dylan wore a Triumph tee shirt?  Much better explanation of Shadow, Dyna answer Silverwing, thanks.

[Guzzistajohn]

Quite the coincidence, This was just posted on the Guzzi FB page. Just in case you were wondering how they came up with the name for the Mille GT


(always liked that model)

[twowings]

A little riding music:




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNK5-tZ_OgA

[oldbike54]

I  think Dylan wore a Triumph tee shirt?  Much better explanation of Shadow, Dyna answer Silverwing, thanks.

 Dylan actually rode a Triumph , had a bad crash on one .

 Fact is , there are only so many names to go around , witness Chevy using French and Spanish terms that made absolutely no sense when associated with a car . Or the Ford Granada , or Pontiac using GTO , which almost no one could comprehend back in 1964 , guess that made as much sense as Le Mans 

 Dusty

[Guzzistajohn]

How about a guy that's ran a little flat track named Dusty??

[rocker59]

Quite the coincidence, This was just posted on the Guzzi FB page. Just in case you were wondering how they came up with the name for the Mille GT


(always liked that model)

"Mille" = 1,000.

So it's "1000 GT"

[swordds]

What/where is "the Guzzi FB page"?

[Guzzistajohn]

What/where is "the Guzzi FB page"?

See "Moto Guzzi National Owner's club"

[oldbike54]

How about a guy that's ran a little flat track named Dusty??

 " a little flat track" being the operative term , the big ones scared me into the pits , knees shaking and heart racing . How in hell does one learn to back a rorty bucking motorcycle going 110 MPH into a corner with a wooden wall looming ? 


 Dusty

[rocker59]

What/where is "the Guzzi FB page"?

See "Moto Guzzi National Owner's club"

And "Moto Guzzi World Club".

Both are pretty active Facebook groups.

[Guzzistajohn]

Gm execs. asked their designers "whats a Camaro?" they said "Mustang killer"

[Kev m]

I always thought they were going for: Solid/Simply/Reliable - a reliable as a Stone Axe.

Or something along those lines.

Though it should not be missed that both the Cali Stone and V7 Stone had models available with flat paint, which may be part of the overall "tough" image for which they were aiming.

[Sheepdog]

Why can't we have cool names like Rune, Gladius, or Fat Boy?

[Sheepdog]

Actually, Guzzi was going through a mineral period when the Stone first came out...along with the Aluminum and the Titanium.

[rocker59]

Why can't we have cool names like Rune, Gladius, or Fat Boy?

Gladius is an interesting one.  Suzuki already had a sword bike in the "Katana", the Japanese Samurai sword. 

When Suzuki decided to build a competitor to the Ducati Monster, it continued with the sword theme and used "Gladius", the name of the Roman infantry short sword. 

Makes perfect sense, but for some reason Americans don't seem to get the connection, thinking Gladius is some feminine name...

[Kev m]

Actually, Guzzi was going through a mineral period when the Stone first came out...along with the Aluminum and the Titanium.

I unfortunately don't have a copy of the part of the Cali Stone brochure with the fluff descriptions.

But I DO have a copy of the brochure for the Jackal, AND the new model guide that came out in 2013 with the V7 Stone/Special/Racer.

Interestingly enough both the marketing fluff on the Jackal and the V7 Stone mention: Appeal to Youth.

The Jackal piece goes on to compare it to A BOBBER - talking about "to bob" meant to "cut" and how it was a bare-bones bike. bla bla bla.

Reading these together, and then thinking about the V7 Bobber... makes me think the designers really do see them all as one related concept, meant to appeal to younger riders.

Guess I'm a kid at heart.

[Kev m]

Gladius is an interesting one.  Suzuki already had a sword bike in the "Katana", the Japanese Samurai sword. 

When Suzuki decided to build a competitor to the Ducati Monster, it continued with the sword name and used "Gladius", the name of the Roman infantry short sword. 

Makes perfect sense, but for some reason Americans don't seem to get the connection, thinking Gladius is some feminine name...

I think that's because most Americans have no clue about the connection of the name... or at best think "gladiator" but the "ius" sounds like a feminization of "gladiator" and that's where they stop thinking or caring about it.

[rocker59]

I think that's because most Americans have no clue about the connection of the name... or at best think "gladiator" but the "ius" sounds like a feminization of "gladiator" and that's where they stop thinking or caring about it.

Confusion with Gladys or gladiolus flowers, I'm sure...

But even the flower "gladiolus" is a sword name, a small gladius.  LOL!