V7 850 special. Any tales to tell?

Posh Pete

Still got a pulse.
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I'm tempted by the V7 special. There's lots on t'internet : You tube videos etc, but if anyone has any real world experience, I'd be interested to know.
 
Hi Pete, I considered one for quite a while, then took one out for a 2hour test ride. Definately punchier than the 750 handled nicely, well finish and generally a nice place to be. Took it off the main roads and down some gnarly back roads. When I say gnarly, they weren't the grass down the middle gravely roads, just your average 'B' roads. The bike became a totally different animal on these rougher surfaces, it kicked and bucked all over the place nearly chucking me off on a couple of occasions. I had a little fiddle with the suspension but to no avail.
I did like the bike but didn't want to have to start spending £100's to sort the suspension out. I'm holding out for the V100.
 
Hmmm. Interesting. Thanks Steve. It's the very bike for a bit of back road scratching too! Suspension is always going to be the target for bean counter cheese paring, I suppose. Very few owners will test it in any severe way so it's unlikely to show up on Youtube etc.
 
I have had a V7 850 on loan from Teasdale Motorcycles while my V85 is having its falling off damage repaired. I rode over today to pick up my fixed bike. It’s a 200 mile round trip. It was very wet and very cold.

The V7 is very very basic, the suspension is really bad, and it’s under equipped. It’s small and low with foot pegs that seem high compared to seat height. The mirrors are useless.

But I sort of liked it. 50mph is a nice pace with the engine pleasantly pulsing along beneath you. It’s a nice place to sit. The engine is very torquey pulling strongly from right off tickover. Revving it hard doesn’t help really - there’s no tachometer just flashing lights if you get a bit throttle happy. I razzed it up to about 85 but it being a naked bike you certainly know about it. I wouldn’t want to go far on a motorway on it. As an urban bike or a back lane pootler it’s fantastic, but for just about anything else it’s hard work. And I’m going to say it Again the standard suspension is dire. Really really fire.

I V85 is s much better bike. I know I’m biased as I’ve got one but a used V85 would be a much better choice imho.
 
Thanks for the feed back Austin. :thumb2

You could get a decent V85 for that money Pete. Cracking bike.

I know Steve! I really like it, especially the 21 Centenario colour scheme. The extra weight is the only concern. Still, I may well end up looking for a SH one next spring!
 
Pete, I assume you are no longer considering an Enfield 650 Interceptor? I had two test rides on an 850V7, it's a nice bike and I was very tempted, but I didn't think it was £2k better than the Interceptor. I suppose in an ideal world I'd have both. Have you had a test ride on either bike?
 
Pete, I assume you are no longer considering an Enfield 650 Interceptor? I had two test rides on an 850V7, it's a nice bike and I was very tempted, but I didn't think it was £2k better than the Interceptor. I suppose in an ideal world I'd have both. Have you had a test ride on either bike?

Not so sure about the weight / power/ torque Al but still considering it. I'll need to try one out and that'll have to wait until the new year.
 
if it's the retro type of machine you are after and styled like a cafe racer. a Thruxton may be worth considering? its quite common to see these where owners have tricked them up a bit.
900's start at about 4.5k and 1200's start at about 6.5K and are lovely.

my Paul Smart is extremely uncomfortable if you havent ridden it for a while then get it onto the right road and it's great fun.

Barry
 
Z900rs

That’s all :thumb2

I don't know how you can compare a UJM Japanese 4 to a retro-twin.

I have been reading your rave reviews about how happy you are with the 900RS - and it's good looking machine. So I gave it a chance by riding it back to back with a Triumph T120.

I can see the attraction and it was indeed a more grown-up version of my recently-stolen Yamaha MT-09. Same but different.

However the T120 has a completely different character - much closer to the Guzzi, I guess. I was won over by its charm - I must be getting :rob
 
I was just throwing the Z out there as another alternative retro bike

I had the T120 but traded it for the Kawasaki, you’re right they are pretty different really, the Z just suits me better where I felt the trumpet needed too much changing to get it how I wanted it

It’s refreshing to get back on a 4 pot too after riding mainly twins for the last 20 years
 
It's a twin I'm after. Torque is everything. I've never had a Japanese 4 and only rarely have I ridden one.
 
It's a twin I'm after. Torque is everything. I've never had a Japanese 4 and only rarely have I ridden one.

If it's torque you're after I believe the new Goldie 650 could be worth a look at when they go on sale in spring.

That's of course if you want to wait that long. (No reviews at the moment, but it's early days yet).
 
That new BSA single looks good, apart from the bloody big radiator stuck at the front. At least on the T120 Bonny it's not as obvious.
 
That new BSA single looks good, apart from the bloody big radiator stuck at the front. At least on the T120 Bonny it's not as obvious.

Agreed on that.
The only other thing I don't like is the stainless steel big bore exhaust. A chrome one with a slightly smaller
diameter would have been more in keeping with the bike.
 
Agreed on that.
The only other thing I don't like is the stainless steel big bore exhaust. A chrome one with a slightly smaller
diameter would have been more in keeping with the bike.

:thumb

You are the St Helens version of Massimo Tamburini :)
 
The only other thing I don't like is the stainless steel big bore exhaust. A chrome one with a slightly smaller
diameter would have been more in keeping with the bike.

chrome will rust , SS will just discolour. Guzzi suspension on twin shock bikes has suffered from cost cutting for many years ....solved for less than £400.

yes i know you shouldn't have to .....but you do, tuff shit , suck it up..... don't like it , walk on by.

how much money have you thrown at other bikes to get them where you want them ?

i've recently purchased the most expensive bike , i've ever paid money for .....and within 4 weeks i've spent £650 on it , and the suspension still needs to be played with.
 
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I had a 2011 V7 as per the pic. Cramped, terrible stock suspension, snatchy throttle at low revs. Apart from the odd sunny Sunday pose ride to a cafe I just couldn't see what it was for. Too much chrome for all year use. Too small, underpowered and not many luggage options to tour on. Was a 750cc but felt like a 450cc. Even after spending a wedge on ohlins and an engine ECU re-map I sold it soon afterwards.

2010-MotoGuzzi-V7Classicd.jpg
 
I'm tempted by the V7 special. There's lots on t'internet : You tube videos etc, but if anyone has any real world experience, I'd be interested to know.

Magnet has real world experience. I suggested she might post on this thread and I caught her at a bad time. I got that look of hers that can melt plastic. So I’ll tell you what I know:

She bought it new last spring because it’s quite low and was perfect given she has some back issues that have kept off taller bikes for a few years. Lovely looking bike and handled quite well despite limited suspension. She spent a bit of money upgrading the suspension but it still didn’t make it good enough.

It got tested thoroughly on a West of Ireland trip with several trips across the Healey Pass plus Molls Gap after a downpour through four road closures due to water ingress, my fault apparently. It coped but she had to stop to empty her Altbergs. On the positive side we had a friend on a 1290 Adventure who couldn’t get anywhere near on the back roads but in fairness he is a work in progress. On the negative side despite her speed in the bends after the trip she declared it not capable enough for her style of riding and she's moved it on. By the time it left us the chrome pipes were well pitted but the dealer was happy to deal with that under warranty. Andy at Teasdales is one of the good guys.

PM me if you want to know more. I’m sure she’d talk to you if you were serious about buying one. For my ten penneth if you’re tall I’d look elsewhere.
 


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