retro rides: Enigma v-ariations

Bertie Simmonds enjoys three subtly different versions of the V7 modern retro Moto Guzzi theme and comes away impressed.

A change is as good as a rest, goes the old adage, and today is a very pleasant change for me. I’ve got the whole day around the glorious Northamptonshire countryside on three pretty similar (but also subtly different) modern takes on the Moto Guzzi theme.

The weird juxtaposition is that I’ve arrived at Moto Guzzi test bike HQ on a 207bhp supercharged, sports-touring Kawasaki. This is going to be interesting and I’m rather looking forward to it.
For background, the Moto Guzzi V7 III family were brought out in 2017 and (understandably) the ‘III’ denotes the third generation of V7 machine, which can trace (the name at least) back to 1965 or so. The V7 itself has been a popular model in the Guzzi range, so – following the V7 II – it made sense to give the entry-level model a thorough face-lift. After all, it’s been their best-seller since 2009.

Moto Guzzi’s V7 III is available in three distinct (when it comes to style, at least) versions in the UK: the Special, the Carbon and the Stone. Most of our riding today will be on the Special, the classically styled of the three. Approaching the bike, I’m very much looking forward to the ride. It looks like its name ‘special’ and very much a Moto Guzzi in the fine old tradition of an ‘across-the-frame’ V-twin from Mandello del Lario.

Read the rest of this article in the June issue of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics, in the shops NOW!