$6,199
Costa Mesa, California
Category
-
Engine
744 cc
Posted Over 1 Month
The Moto Guzzi "small block" 90-degree V-Twin, a.k.a. the V7, has a long story behind it. The engine started life in 1977 in the V35 and V50, with 350 and 500cc displacements. Plagued by a number of basic faults forced into the project by then-Moto Guzzi and Benelli chieftain Alejandro DeTomaso, the compact Twin reached positive maturity when it was enlarged to 650 and later 750cc. Never a high-powered engine, the Moto Guzzi V7's strong points lay in its compactness and light weight. When Piaggio took over, major development work was concentrated on the legendary "big block." But it was quickly realized that the V7 still retained good marketing potential as an "entry-level unit with great personality" once it could be fitted to a properly styled family of accessibly priced models.Everything to make that happen was already on the shelves: a fuel-injected evolution of the 750cc V7 unit, a classic-looking steel tube double-cradle frame, and the same tank and seat created back in the early '70s for the legendary V7 Sport. The new V7 family of models was an instant success by today's Moto Guzzi standards and, above all, proved worth the investment required to refurbish its dated components, starting with the engine.The V7 induction system has been completely revised, going to a single Y-shaped 38mm throttle body that splits into two 36mm runners, each with an individual injector, leading to larger valves. The single throttle body inhales much cooler air than its previous counterpart, thanks to the relocation of the airbox to a more rational and efficient position. The result is more efficient filling of each cylinder through the whole range of usable revs, starting from as low as 2000 rpm. The V7 has also received new lighter, stronger pistons sporting thinner, low-friction rings, and a vastly redesigned Heron-type combustion chamber that bumps compression ratio from a too-mild 9.2:1 to a more credible 10.2:1. This required larger fins at the heads and cylinders for increased cooling, resulting in a stronger look for the whole unit. More importantly, the revised V7 delivers performance that I would definitely describe as much more rewarding, even beyond the Moto Guzzi-issued numbers of 51 horsepower at 6200 rpm and 42.8 foot-pounds torque at 5000 rpm. Agostini Slip-Ons Tail Tidy Kit with LED Taillight V7 Racer Seat Brand New Clutch and Brake Levers Bar End Turn Signals Exhaust Wrap Clubman Handlebar CRG Bar End Mirror White Side Number Plates NEWPORT ITALIAN 1536 Newport Blvd. Costa Mesa, CA 92627 Ph. 949-515-8377
