2021 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Centenario review: This goose is no turkey

2021 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Centenario review: This goose is no turkey


The 2021 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Centenario may be a person of the prettiest bikes on sale right now.


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Moto Guzzi bikes don’t feel like very good values on paper. This V7 has a new motor with additional electrical power, superior electronics and an improved suspension. But at the conclude of the day, in this beautiful Centenario trim, it truly is nonetheless practically a $10,000 motorbike that makes just 65 horsepower. And however, I unquestionably appreciate it.

The major explanation? The V7 — significantly the achingly fairly Centenario — oozes type. Everything from the transverse V-twin engine, distinctive tank shape and huge headlight seems great. Even superior than that, even though, is the way all the things feels. The bike feels like a little something that was created by people today who treatment, thanks to its outstanding match and complete and in general sense of craftsmanship. When anything feels this sound, the ability does not make any difference as a great deal.

The V7 gets a freshly revised engine dependent on the 1 in the V85TT to rejoice Moto Guzzi’s 100th anniversary, and it is a overall sweetheart. It receives a displacement bump for the 2021 product year from 744 cubic centimeters out to 853 cc’s, and the extra efficiency this delivers makes the bicycle infinitely nicer to journey in traffic. The aged V7 (aka V7 III) was good but never ever felt satisfied staying revved out to strike freeway speeds, but the new V7 does it without criticism.

Moto Guzzi is the only game in city when it will come to transversely mounted V-twins, and this specific model is a sweetheart.


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The bike’s 6-pace gearbox straddles the line in between experience old-timey and John Deere-ish, and clean and fashionable. It truly is not slick, by any signifies, but the transmission is pleasant to use and feels correct on a motorcycle like the V7 in that quite Guzzi new-old-bike form of way. The bike’s huge, solitary-plate dry clutch is also nicer to use this time close to. The pull at the lever feels lighter, and the engagement looks smoother than with the aged bicycle, which, when mixed with the reasonably gentle powertrain, helps make the V7 hugely approachable for a new rider. The V7 earns bonus points for its shaft push, too, considering the fact that it calls for really very little upkeep — a different boon for new riders due to the fact chain servicing sucks.

The V7’s suspension functions a pair of nonadjustable, 40-millimeter, right-aspect-up forks, though the rear has a pair of shocks with spring preload adjustment. This is not the world’s most refined setup, guaranteed, but for a motorcycle geared towards convenience and all over-town driving, it truly is thoroughly sufficient, and it really is a good deal enjoyment to lean in excess of in a convert.

Braking is handled by a single four-piston Brembo caliper with a 320-millimeter rotor up front, and a 260-millimeter rotor in the back which is gripped by a two-piston caliper. This set up is extra than ample for a bicycle of the V7’s ability amount and excess weight, and I never ever operate out of stopping electricity, even right after repeated tricky stops in targeted traffic. 

A modern day electronic instrument cluster with a tachometer, speedometer, equipment placement indicator and gasoline gauge is a really welcome issue.


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Twin-channel antilock brakes are conventional on 2021 V7 models, which I like to see, particularly on a motorbike that finishes up staying a to start with bike for a lot of men and women. The Guzzi’s other digital rider assist is the brand’s multi-stage traction command, which is an additional nice-to-have characteristic on a bicycle like this. Neither program is lean-delicate, but that is not a deal-breaker for me in this segment, thinking of the bike’s efficiency degrees.

The V7 has usually been a moderately approachable bike, and element of that arrives from its calm and accommodating rider geometry. The extensive, swept handlebars are tall, and the seat is very long and effectively-padded, offering a good deal of options for a rider to move around on more time rides — and so stay away from a sore butt. The seat peak is a smaller-rider-helpful 30.7 inches, which usually means that finding your ft flat on the ground at a quit need to be a cinch.

“Ought to be a cinch” is form of the V7’s whole raison d’etre, if I am currently being straightforward. It truly is a bike that excels at remaining elegant and overwhelming transportation. It can be not the most inexpensive bicycle in the class, but in contrast to numerous others, it’s still staying created in Moto Guzzi’s manufacturing unit on Lake Como with superior-excellent parts. There is also a little something to be stated about Guzzi’s various way of undertaking things and its structure language that has spoken to people for a century, and which will most likely go on to do so for a very long time to come. It absolutely speaks to me.

The 2021 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone begins at $8,990, while the 2021-only V7 Stone Centenario will come in at $9,190. The V7 Particular, with its additional retro styling and analog gauges, will come in at $9,490, and all a few versions are on sale now.



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