Legendary Italian motorcycle manufacturer Moto Guzzi’s presence in South Africa has expanded with the arrival of two new retro-styled 750cc models - the V7 Special and the V7 Stone.
These, with the V7 racer that arrived in August, make up the factory’s full range of three machines powered by the air-cooled V-twin engines introduced in 2008.
As with all Moto Guzzis, the engines are mounted transversely and deliver power to the rear wheel via a shaft drive.
All three models in the V7 range are mechanically identical, with the bikes being given individual personalities through mainly cosmetic differences.
The base model V7 Stone comes in matt-black or glossy white and wears 1970s-styled alloy wheels. Pricing has yet to be determined.
Those who want a little more bling will be attracted to the V7 Special, a stylish motorcycle in red and white, with natty wire-spoked aluminium rims adding an additional retro element to the mix.
This, the intermediate bike in the trio, retails at R106 995.
Like the Stone, the Special can be decked out with accessory luggage and a windscreen to make it a superb middleweight tourer.
Third, and at the top of the pecking order, comes the V7 Racer with its fiery red frame.
It’s loaded with period-replica café racer components such as a chromed petrol tank, racing numbers, a bikini fairing and flyscreen, a racing seat, clip-on handlebars and rear-set footrests.
The Moto Guzzi V7 Racer sells for R109 995 and, like all others in the Moto Guzzi range in South Africa, comes with a two-year unlimited-distance warranty. Service intervals are 10 000km.
Moto Guzzi motorcycles have been available here on a small scale through various distributors since the 1960s. Kawasaki Motorcycles South Africa, a subsidiary of Associated Motor Holdings, took over importing and distributing the bikes this year, ensuring a strong dealer network and constant availability of spares. - Star Motoring