Moto Guzzi V7 - Old vs New

Comments · 318

• HE

  @hermandegroot1946 · 3 years ago (edited)

  In 1971, I went on vacation with my V7 from the Netherlands to Italy . In Switserland my bike started leaking oil at the flywheel. We decided to drive to the factory in Mandello del Lario. At the factory we went to the reception and waited until somebody looked at the bike. We waited half an hour &nbsp;in the sunshine and suddenly &nbsp;my wife fainted. Wthin a minute five men &nbsp;showed up and my wife was brought to the first aid room. We didn&apos;t have breakfast and a gentleman said reproachfully to me &nbsp;&quot; niente &nbsp;mangiare.... KAPUTT &quot;<br>Later that week we met a test driver of Moto Guzzi at a bar where we had a coffee. He drove the prototype of the Sport. We were allowed to make pictures but he removed the license plate wich read PROVA . When I draw a power curve he wrote 70 in it. He later showed &nbsp;us a paper for the Police that he drives sometimes too fast because of his work. So ....... &nbsp; The name of the test drivers was Antonio Piazzalunga. We became friends. He was a friend of Giacomo Agostini. They both were members of Motoclub Bergamo. Now I am 77 yo.

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• TV

  @tvr419 · 4 years ago

  Ive bought my first Guzzi ( a 2015 V7 stone) back in 2017 with 4700 kilometers on the clock. Now 4 years later ive ridden it the italy, France, Norway, and Germany and it never let me down after 36000 + kilometers... One of the best bike brands ever. :)

  112

• TE

  @tedmarakas2626 · 4 years ago

  MOTO GUZZI knows the secret of success. Improve through the years BUT stay true to the HERITAGE. <br>Moto Guzzi motorcycles are among the most beautiful machines on the planet.

  24

• VI

  @VirtualGuth · 4 years ago

  While not as special as the V7 Sport, that V7 Special is still a pretty nice looking motorcycle. Kudos to Moto Guzzi for still offering true retro motorcycles, complete with air-cooled engines.

  23

• JO

  @Jodyrides · 4 years ago

  i have owned 4 guzzi machines starting in 1979–an Sp1000..had that 10 yrs-142,000 miles<br> &nbsp;1980-V50 ll—-35,000 miles—6 yrs<br> &nbsp;2004 V11 sport..5,500 miles-3 yrs—-the most uncompfortable motorcycle in the entire history of the universe<br> &nbsp;2007 Norge—115,000 miles - 13 yrs<br> &nbsp;on all 4 machines— never broke down—no mechanical issues…little common glitches- oil pressure sensor fails-3—start relays are undersized / overloaded—-the starter motors should have more power when the batteries get 3 yrs old, get a fresh battery..<br> &nbsp;the old guzzis from the 70s &amp; 80s &nbsp;feel nothing like the newer fuel injected &nbsp;6 speed modern transmission machines..the 6 speed trans shifts as buttery as my gold wing and my kawasaki Z400… my guzzi norge suspension w/ single sided swinging arm and fully adjustable suspension, heated grips— electric adjustable windshield—self diagnosing fuel injection system—6 gal tank—common size sport touring tire sizing—hard locking color matched bags that remove w- ignition key in 4 seconds— center stand— vib reducing rubber topped footpegs—seat removes in seconds w- key— multi function LCD dash display even informs you if air temp drops below &nbsp;34 degrees to watch for freezing bridge/ elevated roads..valves that can be checked-adjusted using 3 common tools- hex wrench to rem valve cover- feeler gage and 13mm wrench— 20 minute chore-no need to even remove fuel tank— try that o a &nbsp;kaw concourse or fjr ..or a desmo ducati that costs more than $3000. to adjust those valves— the only reason i never bought one of those magnificent quirky machines…<br><br>the older guzzi machines feel and sound and ride beautifully— to a guzziest that appreciates .. but the more modern guzzi, is so much closer to the most refined equipment- the masters of perfection- the japanese— that the recent guzzi equipment is not as perfect as the mighty japanese stuff.. but— the modern guzzi is not even compairable to the &nbsp;classic guzzi equipment..<br> &nbsp;a rider raised on japanese machines that rides a classic guzzi like a 70s LeMans would feel like they were driving a 60s ford 6- cylinder pickup with 3 on the tree shifting..if thats the alter you worship at, thats fine, but the modern guzzi stuff feels like a ram hemi pickup compaired to the classic machines..<br> &nbsp;in spite of progress and individual preference, one thing all guzzis have that no japanese masterpiece ever can have— a soul.. caracter…Guzzi’s are alive.. they have a heartbeat.. they are a living breathing thing that motorcycleists like myself make a connection with..as soon as i sit on any guzzi, and press that start button, i feel its heart pounding, i hear those valves tick tick ticking like Castanets.. i feel those two jugs of that v twin twist to the right with every explosion..to quote dracula—“ what music they make”….

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• PA

  @paulsven7923 · 2 years ago

  If that factory was in the English speaking world, it would have been sold and shipped to china and 1000s of high rise units built on site.....well done Guzzi and Italy

  7

• BA

  @barrybarnes96 · 4 years ago

  At least it doesn&apos;t have a honking big carbuncle of a car radiator hanging off the front of it like most of competitors these days.

  7

• CG

  @cgln8760 · 4 years ago

  Back when I were a lad I worked for a short time as an unpaid bike cleaner at Sports Motorcycles in Manchester (I offered to do it because I wanted to be able to be near these bikes.), I still remember the rows of brand new Moto Guzzi California T3s and Lemans, Laverda Jotas, Ducati 900SS Desmos etc etc. Awesome time.

  6

• MB

  @MB-TheRealAustralia · 4 years ago

  That &apos;72 Sport is gorgeous!

  8

• MI

  @MikesMachines · 4 years ago

  The current V7s actually trace their lineage from the 1977 V50 rather than the 1973 V7 Sport. Whilst the new V7 models have been heavily revised, the first of the new V7&apos;s released in 2007 was little changed from the original V50 designed by Lino Tonti in the seventies. Now that&apos;s true heritage ....

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• IN

  @indamood8806 · 2 years ago

  Nothing beats the originals.

  2

• SK

  @Skooter-nw3cm · 8 months ago

  Those old valve covers were minor works of art. I have one on my shelf.

  2