When one first sees the V7 racer it instantly becomes very desirable. But does it have the ability to be a proper motorbike or is it just a fancy modernised styling exercise?
There’s some bad news hanging around the motorcycling world at the moment and it involves the sales of high-powered superbikes. Unfortunately worldwide sales are declining at an alarming rate. There has to be many reasons for this abrupt drop compared to the huge sales figure achieved during the 90s in particular, and for the first few years at the turn of the century. Firstly and hatefully, I will say it has to do with the police.
These incredibly fast machines will get you into trouble quicker than a young flirting girl full of vodka, wearing stocking and suspenders, while holding a bottle of lubricating jelly. Speed restrictions and more importantly, the way the bastards catch you, is consuming the earth like a judicial plague. Helicopters and speed cameras that are concealed in such a fashion that the SAS would be proud of them are now the way of the world. We, in South Africa are, relatively lucky regarding this issue but, believe me, it’s only a matter of time before we ‘catch up’. License losers, when ridden how they should be, is now an appropriate term.
Also massive traffic congestion is another problem. A bike that can do 100km/h in less than five seconds and easily blast to 300km/h is a recipe for disaster on today’s roads. Poor ol’ bewildered granny driving (sort of), at 30km/h with her mouth open consuming resident
mosquitoes can soon become a metallic pillow that you don’t want to rest on, if you know what I mean? Also today’s superbikes are becoming way too expensive for the daily commuter to own and maintain. So without gibbering on too much longer, what’s the answer?
Well it seems to me that bikes like this Moto Guzzi V7 Racer, where performance takes a back seat compared to how the bike looks, are becoming much more popular. There’s no doubt once you see this bike you’ll want one and justifiably so. It’s a beautiful looking little motorbike. Others motorbikes like the Triumph Thruxton and their best selling model the Bonneville confirm this belief, not to mention Harley-Davidson’s successful range of bikes. Even Honda has just released a retro styled CB1100, and they certainly know a thing or two about market demand.
A Moto Guzzi is defined by its engine configuration and layout. At the turn of the 70s they adopted this 90-degree V-twin mounted in a transverse method, and ever since then it’s been synonymous with the Guzzi range. In the case of the V7 Racer it’s an air-cooled, 744cc unit with two-valve heads and fuel injection to keep the stringent emission police happy. Combine this with a two-plate car type clutch and a five-speed gearbox and you have a piece of history, which feels like a piece of history. For once I didn’t bother with a dyno run because Moto Guzzi only claim an asthmatic 50hp@6, 200rpm, so at the wheel it will probably make around 40hp, which is far from being ‘racey’ to say the least. And the 60Nm of torque, claimed to maximise at 2,800rpm, was also hard to detect.
After a week of riding the lack of power became a bit tiring and the clutch and gearbox didn’t add much to improve my mood, The exhaust head/flange bolts came undone on the left while filming for 2Wheels TV and some kind person at Moto Guzzi SA had taken out the tool kit leaving me stranded at the roadside, until a friend came with a five- mill’ Allen key to get me mobile again. To some the lazy nature of the engine and its parts are part of the V7’s character, to me, well I prefer to pass on that one.
Look the V7 does have some mechanically redeeming attributes, like the fully adjustable ‘piggy-back’ Bitubo rear shocks and Brembo brakes, which were also a bit on the weak side and your riding style has to be adapted accordingly. So as a riding experience the V7 left me a bit disappointed, sorry. But the cute little shaft drive did lift the V7 when accelerating and the engine rocked from side-to-side when blipped, in true Guzzi style, which was nice.
The handling on the 179kg (dry), V7 was refreshingly pleasant though. Putting the V7 in top gear and wafting through our country lanes is a nice place to be and quite comfortable too. No matter what I’m moaning about here you do feel rather special on the V7, which is all that matters really, right?
Still the high level of finish found on the V7 is its saving grace. The gorgeous 22-litre chrome fuel tank with prominent Guzzi logos and that suede seat (with rain cover situated under the seat), offered mesmerising eye candy to everyone who came into contact with the V7. The attention to detail though is admirable, with things like the candy red frame and wheel hubs, chunky tyres, leather tank strap, cool retro instruments, chrome upswept exhausts and those prominent number 7 boards all generate a large dose of that all important desirability factor. If you like to wake up at the weekend and polish your bike then the V7 is for you, it deserves that sort of loving attention.
I think that the sort of person who buys a V7 for R107,500 will care about what I’ve said as much as they care about the recent and unfortunate closure of Fred’s Fish and Chip shop in mid London. It’s the sort of bike one would buy just to put into their bar in a glass case and perhaps never even ride the thing. Even to the point of being motorcycling art, perhaps? A short ride to the local pub to show off the V7 is possibly where this Guzzi is best suited, but what do I know about our ever-changing marketplace? Don’t get me wrong though I did have a soft spot for the V7 and was kind of proud to be riding it, but…
