MCN250: These Guzzi and Kawasaki retros look spot-on but which REALLY delivers?

The V7 harks back to the late 1960s when its ancestor shot Guzzi to global fame. Debuting the firm’s now trademark air-cooled 90-degree V-twin, the V7 formed the cornerstone of future success.

Kawasaki’s Z650 B1 arrived a decade later and delivered inline four (with twin overhead cams) performance to the masses.

Hot on the heels of the Z1, the B1 as light, agile, fast and cheap. It was a defining moment for the firm and one that helped cement their reputation as a manufacturer of performance bikes.

But what of their modern-day homages? In terms of styling, both Guzzi and Kawasaki have nailed it. If you know your V7 or Zed models, there are loads of neat details that will please the geeks – but dig a bit deeper and not all is quite as faithful to the original as it may first seem.

With its air-cooled engine the V7 is the most authentic, but Guzzi have sneaked in a disc brake, traction control and even connectivity – all modern touches to lure in the 21st century buyer.

Kawasaki have been even more radical. When the Zed was launched, its air- cooled inline four set the middleweight standard. The new generation of Zed not only has a water-jacket, it’s also lost two cylinders.

That said, with a wet weight of just 187kg it remains true to the ethos of light handling and bags of power. But how do the retro duo stack up in a modern context?