I’VE always had a thing for vintage motorcycles. If modern retro styling was an art, the Italian-born V7 is close to being a masterpiece. And it’s not just a pretty face. The V7 is as satisfying to ride as it is to look at.
The Stone is not young. After 50 years of production, the V7 is now onto its third iteration. The V7 III remains Guzzi’s entry-level classic and comes in three versions: Stone, Special and Racer.
I rode the 744cc retro enroute to the recent Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride in Ipoh, Perak, from Kuala Lumpur.
We climbed the majestic Cameron Highlands with the V9 Bobber keeping company all the way.
With the transverse V-twin engine, Guzzi says the bike’s performance is improved by 10 per cent compared with the V7 II, producing 52HPat 6,200 rpm. The Stone rides smoothly on the highway and was happy on Cameron’s sharpest corners. If you want breakneck speeds, the Stone is not the bike for it. With the Guzzi, you want to enjoy the ride and be able to take in the beauty of your surroundings.
I understood the bike’s character and its limitations, and that made the ride even more enjoyable. The Guzzi’s oversized cylinder heads next to my knees can feel somewhat intimidating, but the configuration that sends sideways rotational forces through the chassis as I open the throttle gives me a lot of confidence and satisfaction, especially when entering corners.
The seating perch is near perfect. I stand at 171cm, and the lower saddle height (now 770mm from the ground) gives me complete control of the bike, and the saddle-handlebar-foot pegs triangulation takes on ideal measurements. Kudos to the designers at Moto Guzzi for I experienced no numbness or cramps throughout the ride.
The Stone weighs 189kg. The bike looks heavy and bulky with its huge 21-litre capacity fuel tank, but as I shift to put the kickstand up, it really doesn’t feel that heavy.
With the V7 III, Guzzi has retained the predecessors frame, but the front has been revamped with a new steering geometry that is more eager to attack the corners. Handling has improved, along with stability.
The Stone’s shock absorbers are adjustable in preload, allowing a more progressive and pleasant ride by absorbing the uneven surfaces and bumps on the road. Wheels are 18” in lightweight alloy at the front and 17” in lightweight alloy at the rear.
There are a lot of cosmetic changes as well. Guzzi had the turn indicators redesigned, as are the mirrors, which are 40mm wider to increase visibility.
The Stone gets an analogue speedometer where all the other information is included on the digital display: odometer, average speed, trip time, partial and daily trip (resets automatically eight hours after being switched off), instantaneous and average consumption, air temperature and many more.
To me, the V7 III Stone looks extremely handsome in the matt black paint or Nero Ruvido. If you don’t agree with me, there are three other colours available, which are the Azzurro Elettrico (Blue), Verde Camouflage (green) and Giallo Energico (yellow) which is the colour of the bike I rode.
Priced at RM66,900 (including GST, but excluding road tax and insurance), the improved V7 is a charming addition to the current crop of retro bikes in the Malaysian market.