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Early V7 Radial Tire Thread

I ran a bit too late to make it all the way home last night due to fatigue and cold. So I stopped over for the night at King City and completed the run home this morning. It was cool and sunny this morning, a beautiful morning to ride.

The ride home was 460 miles, total trip mileage a little over 900 miles. Racer ran flawlessly the entire way.

The new suspension setup does EXACTLY what I was hoping for: Racer now has a firm, plush ride with no harshness, and soaks up highway bumps that used to bash me in the butt and rattle my teeth. The Kineo wheels are gorgeous. The tires and steering are FAR more confidence inspiring.

I am extremely pleased ... This upgrade of suspension, wheels, and tires was money well spent. :D
 
Spent the day at the GT Motocycles shop with my V7III Racer installing suspension, wheels, and tires.

- New springs for the rear Öhlins shocks, a higher rate than OEM to handle my size/weight body.
- A Matris fork cartridge kit with, again, springs more closely matched to my weight.
- A set of Kineo tubeless spoked wheels in the OEM standard sizing.
- A set of Conti RA3s in the 110/80-18 and 130/80-17 sizes.

One detail that the mechanic suggested (and I went for) was to drop the front end 10mm on the fork stanchions for a bit faster steering turn-in. It seemed reasonable to me, and is similar to what I once did with my LeMans V way back in the mists of time.

Once installed, we set up the Matris fork adjustments to the suggested standards, then tweaked the preload just a little bit lighter from there to get the sag where it felt good to me sitting still. Similarly, the rear suspension units are at the default damping settings, we set up the sag per the spec, and then tweaked the setting just a little bit higher to where it felt good to me sitting statically in the shop. Then I took the bike for a short ride to see what it felt like.

Much better: The steering felt more planted and confidence-inspiring, the steering turn-in more natural. The tires feel much more grippy and predictable. I returned to the shop and we did a leak check on the forks (none) and arranged for my stop-back tomorrow morning to pick up all my take-offs with my partner so I can bring them home and decide what to do with them.

(Anyone want a set of V7III Racer OEM wheels with some low-mileage Pirelli rim protectors on them? :D)

It was only a short test ride as it was late in the day and both I and the mechanic wanted to shut down for the evening. I rode back to my hotel afterwards (about a 6 mile run through heavy Friday evening traffic) and my impressions held true: the bike feels much better to me with these upgrades. Of course, that's still only a little bit of ride testing and no serious corner carving yet .. I was too tired and traffic on a Friday evening too heavy and crazy to do much more. After my partner and I pick up the take-offs tomorrow, I'll ride the bike the 400 miles back home to Santa Clara ... While it might be spot on, I fully expect that I'll need to do just a little more pre-load and damping tweaking when I have some more time in different riding situations on the setup. But it's far closer to the mark already, a much better point to work from.

Overall, the changes are all positive and the value of doing these changes obvious and worth it to me. It takes what I know is a very good bike and moves it up to an even better level.

Many thanks to Todd and his mechanic, David, for their advice and efforts! They've truly done me very well, and although this work is not an inexpensive proposition, when I think what it might have taken me in time and trying different combinations and tires, it saved a huge amount of effort and expense to have their advice and act upon it. I didn't have to go for the Kineo wheels, but they are for sure very pretty indeed and they are a real tubeless rim, with no messing about trying to seal up the OEM wire wheels or switching to a tubeless mag wheel.

Onwards! Home tomorrow! :)

You are making me really jealous. That suspension upgrade sounds dreamy. I have the Conti 3s and they are already dreamy so I can't imagine what the new suspension is like. My back end feels a little squirrly on bumps when I had the stock tires, less so now with the 3s and I bet it's even more dreamy now with that setup.
 
Sorry to make you drool, Poppe. Well, a little bit. :D

The Kineo wheels are a lovely extravagance... But the real meat of the upgrade is the suspension work—getting the spring rates and preload correct with good damping. That can be done for lots less than changing the wheels like I did.

I figured I don't know how many more motorcycles I'll fall in love with like I have with this one, so I might as well make it everything it can be that suits my desires.
 
Sorry to make you drool, Poppe. Well, a little bit. :D

The Kineo wheels are a lovely extravagance... But the real meat of the upgrade is the suspension work—getting the spring rates and preload correct with good damping. That can be done for lots less than changing the wheels like I did.

I figured I don't know how many more motorcycles I'll fall in love with like I have with this one, so I might as well make it everything it can be that suits my desires.

I have the same feeling about mine and upgrading it to my desires. I have a 5-8 year plan with her. I think I saw your wheels on instgram on the Guzzitech feed. The racer right? Pretty crazy how fantastic they look on the bike. I bet in person they are even more insane.

Also what a trip!
 
I don't know about the Guzzitech Instagram feed! How does one see that?

Yes, my bike is a V7III Racer. I promised Todd a nice photo of myself and the bike so you'll see them in all their glory soon; I've been pretty busy today. The wheels are quite lovely pieces, subtle and beautifully done. I'll get to the last installment on the trip report soon too, and will add all three pieces I've written to the Ride Report.
 
I don't know about the Guzzitech Instagram feed! How does one see that?

Yes, my bike is a V7III Racer. I promised Todd a nice photo of myself and the bike so you'll see them in all their glory soon; I've been pretty busy today. The wheels are quite lovely pieces, subtle and beautifully done. I'll get to the last installment on the trip report soon too, and will add all three pieces I've written to the Ride Report.

Here it is. Both the Guzzitech and the GT Moto Cycles feed are great for seeing what everyone else is up to. It basically what I use to go, oh yup that's what I should do with my suspension or wheels or whatever. Ha.

This is yours right - https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi-h7UfhXqs/?hl=en&taken-by=guzzitech
 
Indeed it is! Todd must have caught that shot before I stepped outside as I was getting ready to leave. :)

That's the Guzzi Comfort Gel dualseat on the bike, used for travel so I can fit the little tailbag on the passenger portion. I usually prefer the monoposto saddle: it's more comfortable.
 
Hi everyone. Has anyone tried the Dunlop Sportmax Alpha-13 SP tyres140/70 R17 110/80 ZR18 ?
 
I dunno if anyone's tried them, not me for sure.
Dunlop doesn't even list the Moto Guzzi V7 models in the "Does this fit my bike" selector for these tires.

A 140/70 section is going to be a tight fit on the back of a V7III ... It might or might not clear the swing arm, and is likely to need you to drop the final drive to get it on and off.

That rear tire is a size up from the stock size... I'd check the rolling radius to see how much it will quicken the steering up. There's some leeway there ... My Racer has the front end lowered by 10mm on the stanchions and David suggested that the more aggressive riders have lowered it by 20mm without problems. 10mm quickens up the steering response just right, makes it more neutral. I'll probably someday try 20mm just for the amusement factor, but I tend to like slightly "lazy" steering response.
 
Just wondered. They’re probably what im going to try when these pirellis are done. Although I may look into fitting the v9 swingarm and lacing some proper sized rims onto some v7 hubs so I can run 120/17 and 160/17 tyres, we’ll see. Maybe I should’ve bought the v9 and changed the tank and seat since I’m now modifying my bike anyway which was never the plan when I bought it but they do get under your skin and I cant see me getting rid of my v7 unless they throw that new v85 engine in something other than an “adventure bike”
 
Moto Guzzis always seem made for modification and customization. Or is it me? :D

I fully expect that the V85 motor and main frame structure will at some point surface in a more sporty road-cafe bike along the lines of the LeMans and Racer. Probably nicely up-market with higher-end brakes, forks, and suspension direct from the factory. That will prove mighty tempting when/if it appears.

If you need a set of hubs, well, I have full OEM Racer spoke wheel assemblies available for sale. Not many miles on 'em. Just sayin' ... ;)
 
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140/80-17 will fit, you have to remove the final drive each time to fit. I use this size on my Racer rental with the correct width rim for that size. You cannot use a V7 hub on the V9 swingarm, unless you machine the V9 drive. Not saying it can't be done, but far from simple or easy without talking internal space issues. The V9 has only cast wheels (no hubs - already thought about that), however Kineo does sell a 17" front/rear option for the V9.
 
Well i just ordered the same tyres! The Conti RA3's aren't available out here yet and will be expensive when they are. I was going to get some Scorpion Trail 2's as i think they would be perfect for the roads i ride, or want to ride. The MT60's i hate to say just look so cool and are cheap here. Going to do as many gravel road trips as i can while i have them.

I still haven't mounted the MT-60's - too much work and back still buggered. Have you done your's yet? If so how do they feel?
 
What tire pressures are you guys running with the Conti RA3's?
I installed the Contis on a 2012 V7 Classic, 110 front and 130 rear, currently have them at 35psi front and rear. First impressions are pretty good, but nothing life-changing the way other guys here seem to feel. They feel good the way putting new tires on a bike feel. One thing I did notice was the rubber on the new tires do feel way more soft and malleable in my hand compared to new Pirelli Sport Demons, almost the way Dunlop Q3 rubber compound feels.
 
What tire pressures are you guys running with the Conti RA3's?
34F/36R
If you are mainly city riding, you probably won’t feel much difference. The revelations you are reading about is with the twisty road fun. You should see a much greater tire tread life though, if nothing else.
 
34F/36R
If you are mainly city riding, you probably won’t feel much difference. The revelations you are reading about is with the twisty road fun. You should see a much greater tire tread life though, if nothing else.

I agree, that matches my sensations with them vs the Pirellis. It's when I have twisty roads to play on that they really feel FAR better.
 
34F/36R
If you are mainly city riding, you probably won’t feel much difference. The revelations you are reading about is with the twisty road fun. You should see a much greater tire tread life though, if nothing else.

Concerning city riding, my earliest impressions of the RA IIIs were:
* I did find the RAIIIs noticeably more unstable under 2 mph - perhaps a consequence of their profile?
...well worth the trade off!! :)

I still find it true that they're a bit more unstable than the Pirelli Sport Demons when rolling at super slow speeds - kind of something you can see a bit of in congested city traffic.

But, yes, every other situation... significantly better. And particularly through the twisties.
 
...
I still find it true that they're a bit more unstable than the Pirelli Sport Demons when rolling at super slow speeds - kind of something you can see a bit of in congested city traffic.
...

Hmm. I haven't noticed this at all. Perhaps it's pressure related .. I'm running 36/38 psi, not 34/36 so far.
 
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