Kev's new Guzzi (sharing the garage with the Duc)

[Kev M]

LIFE IS GOOD!!!

So, this morning the long anticipated day finally arrived. Jenn and I suited up to ride her Harley 2-up the cold (about 40F) 50 miles of Philly freeways to FBF where I'd ordered my new V7 this past summer.

Seeing the anticipated temps I finally got off my butt yesterday afternoon and made a new fused harness adaptor to hook up the Widder heated vest/gloves to any bike with a battery tender lead. I've literally not used the vest or gloves in the past decade or so (or on any of our last SEVEN bikes, even when we took that spring break trip down the east coast in Feb of 2005 half of which was in freezing temps. I don't know why, just laziness I guess. Or maybe it's just that I started working at home back around 03 when I sold the last bike I HAD rigged for use with the Widder stuff. And not HAVING to commute on cold mornings allowed me to wait for better temps or weather most of the time so I just wasn't motivated.

Anyway, Jenn was bundled enough that she told me to go ahead and use the heated gear which was super comfy while we were 2-up on the Harley behind the big windshield. But it was a God-send this afternoon on the naked V7 (thanks FBF, I figured you'd install a battery tender lead for me!).

When we pulled up to FBF there was ONE bike sitting outside, obviously my new white V7 Stone!




Shortly we were on our way for the leisurely 65 or so mile run home on various back roads so I could get to know the new bike a little better.

I know it's the honeymoon period with this bike, but I was immediately convinced I'd made the right decision replacing my other 2 Guzzis with this one. The bike feels light and nimble, with plenty of down low grunt and a wonderful throaty sound when you wind it out a little more. Unlike my previous big-block Guzzis this bike really pulls from 2k on (at least in the lower gears). I'm not trying to baby it too much during break-in, but I never really had to wring it out either. I could effortlessly run along at 50 mph in 5th gear without feeling the slightest hint that I might be lugging it. I could also easily run it up to 70 mph or so in the same gear without it feeling busy/hurried at all.

As I'd expected from the demo I'd inspected back in October the fit/finish was fantastic. It's really a step up from the build quality on my old 00 Jackal, and possibly even a step up (or at least equal) to the perceived quality of my old 06 Breva (which is a fine bike and my little bro seems to be enjoying it quite well).

This was my first time seeing a new white V7 Stone in person and it was really visually stunning, striking every cord I wanted. Honestly there are a ton of cosmetics on this bike that I painstackingly did to my old Jackal (the colors on the tins, motor, rear drive, fork lowers, bar clamps, wheels, turn signals and valve covers are all things I did to my Jackal over the years). It's so nice it came this way, AND had extra touches I wanted like the fork gators, the black triple trees, the black dash etc. Plus details like the Guzzi badges on the tank and front fender, the Guzzi lettering on the back of the seat, the shape of the seat and tank are all exactly what I think a Guzzi should look like.

About halfway through the ride we stopped in Valley Forge park to take a couple of pics (and for Jenn to warm up a little). I should add that this was only the SECOND time Jenn has ridden her Harley since we picked up her Ducati a year and a half ago now. She still likes it, but REALLY prefers the Ducati.





Interestingly enough, the Guzzi does feel very similar to the Ducati in a lot of ways. For all practical purposes there's nothing either of us will do with the Ducati that we can't with the V7.

Anyway, by this evening we rolled back into the garage to introduce the V7 to her new home.

I'm thrilled to have a current fleet of such comfortable and capable bikes, all of which Jenn or I can happily ride. Jenn hasn't ridden the V7 yet, but she said she's looking forward to it. Perhaps she's waiting for me to install my x-mass and birthday present that she presented me when we got home, a set of gorgeous billet aluminum, frame-mount sliders she ordered from a Japanese company! I'll have to do that tomorrow, as soon as I figure out how to remove those black plasti covers over the lower frame rail bolts.



After standing it up in the garage she did remark that perhaps if she really is done with the Harley she'll have to think about a different second bike for her and pick up a new Bonnie in the next couple of years. Our Harley dealer is picking up Triumph sop the timing might work out next year or so. Till then, we certainly can't pregnant dog.

[DucHead]

Very nice!!  After one of your posts, I looked up the Stone and thought, "I hope he got the white!"

Are you sticking with the stock exhaust?

I grew up across the Susquehanna from Harrisburg.

[Kev M]

Yeah, I'm very much a "loud bikes cost rights" kinda guy and usually stick with the stock pipes.

The stock pipes on the new V7 actually have a nice sound.

We spend a lot of time up and down around the Susquenhanna (and on it in the summer).

[OT]

Nice!

Where you located - Chester County west of VF Park, or in the Reading area?

I'm in your area - let's hook up for a ride in the Spring.

[lazylightnin717]

Let me know when you are around. I ride a lot of the roads down by the river.

I'm from the Lancaster area.

Bike looks great and in a well sorted garage  

[hillbillypolack]

I see you have a soft spot for large displacement, air-cooled bikes.  Nicely done.

[Kev M]

We're down in Kennett Square. Definitely would like to get out for some rides in the spring. Jenn and I will be the easy to find, the slow ones everyone is waiting for lol.

Yup - definitely have a soft-spot for air-cooled twins. It's almost a prerequisite in this garage. Of the many bikes we've owned I think only one was water cooled and only one was an L4.

[Travman]

Yup - definitely have a soft-spot for air-cooled twins. It's almost a prerequisite in this garage. Of the many bikes we've owned I think only one was water cooled and only one was an L4.

So what were the two odd ball bikes?  And did you mean I4? 

[Kev M]

So what were the two odd ball bikes?  And did you mean I4? 

Ha ha...I don't recognize the moniker L for Duc since the upper cylinder doesn't have twice the stroke of the lower lol. So I use L for inLine. 

Oddballs were a Honda Ascot VT500 (water cooled) and Suzuki GS550E.

[Billyzoom]

That's a beauty.  Fantastic.

[HotIce]

Very nice bike. I liked it since the first time I saw it in the previews.

[Moto Motivo]

Congratulations, great bike!  I like the white

[Curmudgeon]

Congrats!

Looks like a nice "standard". You don't find it underpowered? Curb weight is ~ 100 lbs less than my T-100, but has ~ 19 BHP and 8 ft.lbs. less juice. Just curious as an acquaintance who lives on the Main Line asked me about these new Guzzis recently.

My M796 will leave my T-100 for dead but they have different missions. Never enough bikes, right?!

How's the gearbox? (18" front wheel looks good! )

[Kev M]

Curmudg - I think this report will answer your questions - if not, ask away. As for the gearbox, hard to say, compared to what? I've got not complaints, but I'm as happy with Harley and Guzzi gearboxes as I am BMW or Ducati.

See BOLD for Reader's Digest version

DAY 2 report.

Again, thanks all for the well wishes. I hope everyone has an awesome Christmas season and new year.

Woke up this morning and took some time to install the frame sliders.

http://www.over.jp/item/59-931-01/


With them installed Jenn came out with a hair dryer to tackle the horrible de-stickering. An hour or so of cursing, realizing she better use the high setting, and some Goof-Off got the job done and it was time for me to sneak out for a bit.


I spent the next couple of hours getting to know the girl even better, breaking in the motor and further scrubbing in the tires.

About 100 miles of almost all hilly and twisty roads later and I rolled back in even more excited than I had been the day before.

The motor and gearbox are already starting to feel like they are loosening up a bit (and/or I'm just getting to know them better). The bike is more nimble than I remembered or expected. Probably it was the fact that I was finally riding MY OWN bike on largely familiar roads so I was more willing to explore its capabilities. What struck me by the end of the ride was that I FELT AS IF I was already cornering it as or more aggresively than I would the Duc (M696) on the same roads. Now I think part of this was a comfortable familiarity with the feel of a Guzzi motor/chassis, and part is how confidently and easily this bike turns. But part of it might be illusion too.

I think a big piece of the fun on this bike is how it FEELS like it is going fast, even if it's closer to legal speeds than a more powerful/capable bike might be under the same conditions. The sound of the pipes, the feel of the motor, the feedback from the chassis is just enough to add up to FUN even if you're not about to win any actual races with it.

I'll be anxious to compare it to Jay's (my little bro) 2009 V7C when we get a chance because I feel like I can already tell the differences in where this motor makes its power compared to the older dual-throttle body motor. I'm taking it a little easy because I'm running it in, but it never feels like it needs to go north of say 5k (and probably rarely saw that today too). The gearing seems relatively low (like a Harley 883), so I'm shifting out of 1st earlier than usual, taking very sharp corners in 2nd more than I thought I would, and finding 5th on a lot of roads that I'd still be in 3rd or 4th on a big block Guzzi. I feel like Jay's V7C needs to be rev'd more (and is willing to oblige when you do).

Anyway the Stone will run along happily turning about 3k at 50 mph in 5th gear.

If I remember correctly 60 mph is a little shy of 4k, 70 mph is just shy of 4.5k.

It felt/sounded a little busy on the highway, and I didn't want to try and run it any faster at this point of break-in. But I'm figuring it won't be bothered at all running a constant 70-80 mph after break-in.

But running it there probably misses the point of this bike.

It REALLY feels good and happiest anywhere say 60 or below, meaning anywhere BUT the highway.

If you're the type that wants (or needs) to drone the highway at 75+ for long periods of time, my initial impression is that this IS NOT the bike for you.

I can understand that someone who is used to being thrown back on the seat and holding on while finding the ton before 3rd gear will probably think this bike is under powered.

However I've spent extended time on a number of bikes like that, and when I'm on the type of roads I was today on something like that, I've always wished I was instead on a bike like this.

Which tells me this is exactly what I wanted to add to the fleet at this time.

It feels like a brand new VINTAGE bike. Like a bike that CAN be hussled along well above the legal speeds, but is just as happy (and just as much fun) reasonably close to them.
 
I'm really looking forward to riding this bike, both around here and on some extended trips next season.

Kev

[Curmudgeon]

Thanks! I forwarded this link to the potential "victim" up on the Main Line.

Is yours a 2012 or 2013? Allegedly the 2013 has a bit more "go" and shifts better.

Will agree with you about going fast comfortably on a machine whose characteristics feel second nature. As an old BMW hand, I was faster in some tight stretches on my K100RS 16/ABS than I was on my 851, although my 796 feels like my Pantah 600 SL and just as confident and nimble.

Now that my T-100 is fairly sorted, it's the bike for 30 - 70 MPH. Poised and relaxed below 70. The 796 likes 80 and is not much fun under 55. Totally poised and relaxed at 80+ though. The T-100 can do it, but the steering becomes sluggish and it's like riding in a hurricane compared to the 796.