The V7 100th Anniversary edition is painfully beautiful, with its two-tone paint.
Guzzi motorcycles
Moto Guzzi may not have the same kind of recognition among non-bikers as, say, Triumph or Ducati, but it certainly should. The Italian company will celebrate its centenary in 2021, centered on the launch of the new V7, which the company announced on Wednesday.
The 2021 V7 is an expanded iteration of the previous V7 III, meaning its eccentric transverse V-twin engine gets bigger and more powerful. The drivetrain is more robust and the instrumentation is more modern. It is still a bicycle for people who must have something elsebut now, more than ever, doesn’t mean less otherwise.
Moto Guzzi doesn’t make hugely powerful motorcycles, but the bikes always offer plenty of character and style, and the new 850 version of the V7 engine is no different. The air-cooled engine gets a big bump from 100cc and with that a power increase from 52 hp to 65 hp. It still won’t deter superbikes, but a little more power is always appreciated.
Another thing Guzzi is known for is shaft drive. The V7 gets a bigger driveshaft, a bigger swingarm and a wider rear tire for 2021, all of which should help make the bike feel a bit stiffer and increase traction despite all that extra power. By the way, I certainly said that with a straight face. A larger, more powerful engine also means more vibration – a long-standing problem with these bikes – but in concession to ride comfort, the 2021 V7 gets rubber-insulated footrests.
That transverse V-twin is the source of much of the V7’s charm and style.
Guzzi motorcycles
Also new is an improved suspension with increased shock movements, thanks to new Kayaba dampers. The brakes still come from Brembo, and as with the previous version, there’s a single front rotor that should be fully adequate. The V7 also gets anti-lock brakes and traction control as standard, the latter of which is user-beatable. Neither is lean sensitive.
Now here’s the thing: people don’t buy Guzzis because they are fast. Instead, they buy them because they are both beautifully crafted and constructed, and the V7 certainly seems to have both for it. The 2021 model gets a new, slimmer exhaust and a new two-tier seat, but thankfully retains its iconic (and giant) fuel tank. That tank has a 5.5-liter capacity, which means the V7 should have a positively epic cruising range.
The new V7 also benefits from new digital instruments that give riders almost all the information they could need. This includes a speedometer, tachograph, gear indicator, on-board computers, traction control level indicator and a clock. Unfortunately, there is no fuel gauge, so riders will have to rely on the gas light to know when to refill. This would be a big deal on a bike with a smaller tank, but in this case I let it slide.
A total of three versions of the new V7 will be available. The base model V7 Stone is available for $ 8,990 and will be available at the end of the first quarter of 2021. The incredibly handsome 100th anniversary model with its two-tone paint will cost $ 9,190 and will be available at dealers at the end of March. Finally, the Special model costs $ 9,490 and will also arrive at dealers in late March.
2021 Moto Guzzi V7 gets more power, new instruments, but stays with its roots
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