P92
RIDE REVIEW I 2021 MOTO GUZZI V7
fuel maps, it gets the job done
well enough.
You get a revised gearbox in
the new V7, but the shifts are
still not perfect. There's a bit
of a notchy feel with the shift,
although it is improved com-
pared to the outgoing model. A
couple of testers on the launch
complained about the clutch
actuation, saying it didn't have
enough feel when you release
the lever, although I must admit
I did not run into this issue.
When you consider the Guzzi
weighs a claimed 481 pounds,
the 40mm fork does seem a
little inadequate. There's no ad-
justment up front and preload
only on the back for the twin
shocks, and the ride is defi-
nitely on the soft/springy side.
It could only be one.
That's fine if all you're doing is,
well, the kind of riding the V7
was designed for–moderate-
speed cruising and a few twist-
ies, but if you get a bit of the
devil in you and want to wind
it out, you will reach the outer
limits of the suspension quite
quickly.
Bump absorption is ad-
equate, although the rear
shocks will give the rider a solid
boot up the butt if the rider hits
rough terrain at speed. Smooth
roads are the V7's jam—stay
away from road works.
At 6'1", I find the ride posi-
tion to be near perfect for an
afternoon's ride. By all rights
I should feel much more
cramped, but you're positioned
in a near ideal rider triangle that
puts no weight on your wrists or
lower back. With a seat height
of 30.7 inches, the V7 should
be one of those bikes that, un-
(Above) The
green paint on the
Centenario V7 has
taken inspiration from
the legendary Moto
Guzzi 500cc V8 GP
racer of the 1950s.
