MOTO-GUZZI V7 CLASSIC (2008 - on) Review

Version: Anniversario

Year: 2017

Annual servicing cost: £280

Thoroughly enjoyable to ride in a relaxed manner only downside is its physical size which can limit two up enjoyment. Yes would recommend to anyone.

Buying experience: Dealer part exchanged a 2014 Triumph Bonneville

Year: 2008

Annual servicing cost: £250

Love the bike. Has a nice retro look and is a bit rare. Have only seen one other. I put a single seat and clip on bars on it so it looks more like a café racer. the gears are a litte clunky but enough power for me. I live in Belgium so i use the bike a lot in populated areas and love to agility of the bike. Also nice to go for a ride in the Ardennes (a lot of corners), just fun to drive

Buying experience: second hand from a motorcycle dealer

Version: Special

Year: 2015

Annual servicing cost: £145

A modern classic with a lovely engine

Buying experience: Robinsons Foundry, Canterbury, Kent. Straightforward process and would recommend them. They did not know that punctures were not included in the free breakdown cover though.

Version: Special

Year: 2013

Annual servicing cost: £250

5500 miles so far. I commute 40 miles a day on it. Reliable and feels smoother as time goes on. Power delivery is fine in the real world. I look forward to riding it and I've had quite a few bikes (many have been more powerful) over 35 years. Rear suspension too hard, front a little too soft. Fuel light comes on far too early, apart from that a bike i'm proud of and a pleasure to own.

Buying experience: Dealer. P&H Gatwick. Great buying experience, Ray is a top bloke. Would buy from there again.

Nicely finished and put together, smooth power through the shaft drive,tried and tested engine with traditional styling.Good pillion seat provision and comfy enough for a six foot rider.Powerful enough for new rider as a first big bike.Good on the open road and filtering in traffic with nimble handling. Heading towards 60MPG after 1400 miles.Makes a nice change to see one on the road as it's a head turner and people will chat when you park up.The brochure pitched it well to both sexes although the guy looks like a miniature man.Lots of accessories available.Go and ride one.

I am really pleased with the bike - it is light, easy handling and economical and it looks great. On reading the owner's manual I find that the tank capacity is 15 litres not 17 litres as described in the Moto Guzzi Brochure and in all the write-ups. This may seem trivial but in the case of an economical bike like this it actually makes quite a difference. It really annoys me the way MNC have said the capacity is 17 litres and that the bike does 55 mpg and then say the range is 140 mailes. Why don't they attach more inportance to such a significant feature of a motorcycle and at lest get their maths right. I ride as near aspossible to speed limits and I have benn getting about 60 mpg - the reserve light comes on around 160 - if it was actually 17 litres I could quite comforatbly get 200 mpg and this was an important factor in my buying the bike. The quality of the machine has to some extent made up for this.

Have owned a V7 for 2 months now and really rapped. I have a 89 Cali 3 and 84 V65SP also. I live on the outskirts of Sydney so it gets plenty of city and rural running. Where the Cali is great for touring it is a handful around town. The V65 is fun to ride but is showing its age. The V7 is like the V65 with all the bad bits taken out. No false neutrals. Electrics that work. No points ignition or carbs to keep balanced. There is far better power delivery with the fuel injection. Idling and take off is smoother and regular. The Brembos work beautifully, although it would look better with twin discs. I do miss the linked brakes after using them for 20 yrs. I have to change my braking technique. Having been a motorcycle courier the V7 would be a great courier bike. Not overpowered, the engine is great because if you slam the throttle open you aren't going to be thrown off the back and also very confidence inspiring in the wet. Once on the open road it pulls all the way to the rev limiter and progress is rapid all the way to 180 km/hr. Maintenance is easy and inexpensive, I use the same tools as the V65. Also you don’t need to do a crash course in auto electrics as with older Guzzis. If you want to hit warp speed this is not the bike for you. If you want a bike that is fun to ride, gets around corners, leaves you feeling good and relaxed at the end of a ride, this is it.