Triumph guy here looking for some info on the V7 Stone

[simplyj]

So apparently my gf is sick of riding on the back of my Triumph Bonneville and wants to get on a bike of her own. Initially she wanted to get on a vintage Honda, so I've been reluctantly building her a 71 CL350, but would much rather see her on a modern reliable bike with modern brakes and fuel injection. She's not the type to fiddle with carbs.

Recently we came across a few Moto Guzzis on a ride and she's been talking non stop about the V7 stone. I found a potential candidate for a mild build but wanted to get some opinions on how suitable it is for a new rider as well as ways to lighten it a bit.

She wants a street tracker style look like this:

In an attempt to lighten it up for her (5'6" ~100lbs) I'd definitely be doing a custom exhaust similar to the pic, ditching the rear fender and chopping the front (plastic?) and getting a ballistic battery. Any other ideas for easy ways to lose weight? (pods, mini gauge, etc). Would ideally like to get it down between 350-75lbs if possible.

you know what they say... happy wife(gf) happy life. I'd like to make this happen for her

Cheers,
Jason

 

[GTM®]

Hi Jason, welcome to the GT Famiglia, and in advance on the V7S. There's many of happy female riders aboard a Stone these days. Since the bike is in the low-low 400's, getting it down to 375 with simple exhaust and battery mods should do it. There's not much left that's heavy on the bike, being mostly plastic for the fenders, etc... So you won't lose much weight there. The bike won't run well with that exhaust, but if you're only going for looks, it doesn't matter. Secondly, you'll need to revise the fueling, which I can be of help with, but it requires sending me the throttle body/ECU, and some electronics once it's back on to reset things.
As for the battery, stay away from Ballistic and most others, see my offerings on my online Store HERE.
Hope that helps... hope to see you post again.

 

[simplyj]

Todd,
Thanks for the reply. I'm a carb guy so pod filters and custom exhaust usually doesn't take more than some fiddling with jets to get it running well. Any particular reason that style exhaust won't run well? A smooth running bike that also looks good is the ideal goal.

I'd assume a tune would be needed with efi (my last efi bike was an 03 ninja with exhaust and a power commander - but that was back in 04/05 - all carbs since then)

 

[GTM®]

Todd, Thanks for the reply. I'm a carb guy so pod filters and custom exhaust usually doesn't take more than some fiddling with jets to get it running well. Any particular reason that style exhaust won't run well? A smooth running bike that also looks good is the ideal goal. I'd assume a tune would be needed with efi (my last efi bike was an 03 ninja with exhaust and a power commander - but that was back in 04/05 - all carbs since then)

My pleasure... I was a carb guy for over 25 years, and been mostly in Guzzi injection since '01. Guzzi exhausts need a balance tube between the cylinders prior to the mufflers to run well, and that short exhaust with high-flow mufflers is going to require some serious EFI tuning, which the Stone offers next to nothing like a Power Commander... only my ECU re-flash. If you want to go the Power Commander route, look for a '12 V7; It has a more accessible ECU and two throttle bodies, where-as the '13+ models have a single throttle body with bonded ECU and onboard Throttle Position Sensor.

 

[simplyj]

another question as the bike i'm considering is lightly wrecked and missing the gauges. Was hoping to run a motogadget motoscope mini. Is this possible on an '14 V7 stone? Any wiring diagrams available? Thanks

 

[GTM®]

another question as the bike i'm considering is lightly wrecked and missing the gauges. Was hoping to run a motogadget motoscope mini. Is this possible on an '14 V7 stone? Any wiring diagrams available? Thanks

Wiring diagrams are available under the Resources tab above. You need the speedo assembly internals as the RFID chip in the key allows the bike to start, which talks to the dashboard. Nothing is impossible, but you will need the internals. If they don't exist, expect to replace them along with the keys in order to make the bike start and run.

 

[johnpaul]

My pleasure... I was a carb guy for over 25 years, and been mostly in Guzzi injection since '01. Guzzi exhausts need a balance tube between the cylinders prior to the mufflers to run well, and that short exhaust with high-flow mufflers is going to require some serious EFI tuning, which the Stone offers next to nothing like a Power Commander... only my ECU re-flash. If you want to go the Power Commander route, look for a '12 V7; It has a more accessible ECU and two throttle bodies, where-as the '13+ models have a single throttle body with bonded ECU and onboard Throttle Position Sensor.

That Exhaust does have a balance pipe:
http://www.baak-moto.fr/en/product/v7-en/exhaust-line-bobber-v7/

According to the manufacturer, it shouldn't require any injection modification, assuming of course that it works as advertised, which may or may not be the case.

 

[sib]

Wiring diagrams are available under the Resources tab above. You need the speedo assembly internals as the RFID chip in the key allows the bike to start, which talks to the dashboard. Nothing is impossible, but you will need the internals. If they don't exist, expect to replace them along with the keys in order to make the bike start and run.

Nope, no RFID chip in the newer V7 keys. A cheap hardware store brass duplicate works fine on my V7 Stone.

 

[larry B]

Hi Jason,
This is just my two cents worth, Don't get a Moto Guzzi!!! I have always been a Honda guy but after hitting a deer at 80 MPH with my 919 I was in the market for a new bike. I wanted to down size a bit because all the riding I do is 250 miles a week back and forth to work. Honda didn't make anything that really did it for me so I looked at the V7, I thought wow, shaft drive, 744cc's, easy to adjust valves and change the oil, I'll take one. Big mistake!
I have had nothing but trouble with the new bike, and all I keep hearing is that "Moto Guzzi's just do that", right now mines in the shop and has been for over two weeks waiting on a new ECU/Throttle body which is not stocked here in the US so it has to come from Italy.
My advice to you is keep building your CL 350, then you'll have a nice bike that will actually run.
Larry

 

[GTM®]

Larry, sorry, but all bikes have issues. Guzzi is actually pretty good if you want something different (like you clearly did), and once sorted (yes, dealer knowledge and set up is crucial), they have proven to be quite durable machines for the most part. You are having some unfortunate luck. Remember these and hand built, limited production Italian air-cooled machines (not a liquid-cooled Japanese soulless wonder). They are for hands-on owners who don't mind getting their hands dirty, and nowadays those who like to do so also like to tinker with electronics.

I have over 500k miles on Guzzis since '00. The reason this website was started in '01 was to try and sort through minor issues I had with poor running. I still have my original '00 Guzzi (Jackal), and it has over 150k miles on it (never really been apart, and I've run it hard including track day instruction). It'll never leave my garage.