United States test ride V7 II

[elkgrichard]

Went to my local Moto Guzzi dealer today and they received their first V7 II today, I got to test drive it.

For one the seating position to me is about the same, I could not notice anything different about the seating position but I did sort of forget to check that out since my major focus was the 6 speed transmission.

First gear is lower but the top gear is exactly the same RPM's as my 5 speed IN 6TH GEAR.

My 5 speed at 60 MPH, 3,700 rpm's with my 90 profile tire.

6 speed at 60 MPH 3,700 rpm's with the stock 80 profile tire.

The clutch pull was maybe very slightly less then my 5 speed but not by much or almost unnoticeable riding the bikes back to back.

1st gear is lower and much less clutch slip from a dead start. It feels better off the line to me.

The gear throw between gears on the 6 speed is less distance but it is very notchy compared to the smoothness of my 5 speed.

To be honest about it the 5 speed gives a better feel shifting up and down the gears, it's much smoother with a longer throw the later being no big deal to me. The 6 speed does not give you that silk feel that I get with my 5 speed. On the plus side the 6 speed shifted smooth up and down between 1st and 2nd without the hang ups I sometimes get with my 5 speed.

Is it worth trading up to the V7 II??? Hell no!!!!!

The 6 speed for me is somewhat disappointing as far as final gear ratio, it's almost the same as the 5 speed just using a 90 profile tire on a five speed bike cancels out the rpm drop difference. The fifth and 6th gear difference is almost non existent.

For some reason it felt like I was shifting up and down all the time. The gear ratios between gears are almost ridiculously close to each other in several of the gears. It was sort of like shifting for the sake of shifting, so Moto Guzzi have turn shifting into a sport, keeps the easily bored people busy.

I'll keep my five speed bike.

The ABS and Traction control never came into use during my ride. Just more junk to have something go wrong with.

As far as it being better for taller riders, I'm not short and that for some reason was all lost with me. Can't say that anything jumped out and grabbed me saying "Hay Rick this thing fits your chicken legs better".

Go ride one and tell me what you think, maybe I missed the boat and don't have the aptitude to notice the brilliance with all that supposed change. It's about like all that Obama CHANGE to me.

 

[makarushka]

Thanks for the review!

For some reason it felt like I was shifting up and down all the time.

I imagine this is why:

First gear is lower but the top gear is exactly the same RPM's as my 5 speed IN 6TH GEAR.

As expected... They shortened the gears... No thanks! Last thing I'd want to do to my Racer; personally I find the gearing on the 5-speed bike just about PERFECT. Less clutch slip from dead stop would be nice but I would not give up the top RPM in first. Plus with careful clutch lever and cable adjustment, and with a few thousand miles on the reflexes for this very bike, the effect of the taller first is minimized.

I'll ride one next time I am at my dealer just for the heck of it but your report very much confirms to me my own expectations on this...

 

[andyb]

Ride a Goldstar and discover how high first gear can be!
I bought a 5 gear V7 2 months ago rather than a 6 speed one. I did not ride the 6 speed as from looking at the specs I could not see any advantages in it for me and it was about £1200 more expensive. More gears do not make a better bike, and the V7 engine has a wide power band so 6 gears seemed unnecessary - I am glad that has been confirmed!
The lower footrests might be an advantage - but I would really like to move them back a bit rather than just downwards - and I have similar thoughts to you about ABS and Traction control.
The V7 is sold to a wide range of riders including inexperienced ones and they won't learn much roadcraft with ABS and Traction control....in fact it may cause them to get bad habits that manifest themselves when they ride a bike without ABS and Traction Control
AndyB

 

[elkgrichard]

The six speed in my opinion is nothing but a marketing gimmick to win over decisions between this bike and a few others on the market. The ABS and Traction Control a must because of the Euro requirements.

Going from 4 speed box to 5 speed was a big change/improvement on most bikes and the 5 speeds hit the nail on the head. Going to the 6 speed box on these bikes is just not any real change. Problem is the only thing they can really do is tighten up things between gears and for the most part that really amounts to splitting hairs.

What next a 7 speed which would require split second shifting between gears? Gheeeeez. I guess that would sound like a 2 stroke dirt bike I once had that I could shift through 5 speeds in a few micro seconds.

 

[sib]

Ride a Goldstar and discover how high first gear can be!
....in fact it may cause them to get bad habits that manifest themselves when they ride a bike without ABS and Traction Control
AndyB

Won't be a problem, as most or all bikes sold new will require ABS starting in 2016 in Europe, and, therefore, will be true in the US as well. I happen to like my new V7-II with ABS/TC. The 6-sp gearbox is by no means a necessity, but it's nice to have a gear between what was 4th and 5th on my previous 5-sp V7. I do notice a significant, but not large, increase in the seat-to-pegs distance. For me, overall, it was worth trading up.

 

[andyb]

Hi Sib,
Glad you are happy with your bike. Each to their own, but to me the latest is not always the best.

I personally think that raising new riders on bikes with ABS and traction control really is a bad idea. They will not gain a 'feel' for when wheels are beginning to slide - or know what to do. I would expect that riders who start off their riding career on bikes with traction control and ABS will become heavy handed on the throttle and brakes - no reason not to be as their bike's electronics will sort everything out. Put such a rider on a higher powered bike without ABS and traction control and there may well be a disaster.
This is not really a MG issue as all MG are doing is producing what they are expected to produce. It is more a comment on how our society is trying to make everything super safe.

I was working in Nepal last winter and hired an Enfield Bullet. A fairly basic bike but ideal for the sand / gravel roads I was riding it on.....if I had been weaned on ABS and traction control I would have been off pretty quickly as throttle and brakes had to be used carefully, and an Enfield is not exactly powerful or is known for having good brakes!

AndyB

Edited to add: In UK there is a significant price rise between the 5 and 6 speed models. I hope that MG do not price themselves out of the market.

 

[M0T0Geezer]

I read a report that the V7 II 6-speed tranny "locks" the shift lever when 1st and 6th gears are engaged. When in 1st the lever won't go down and when in 6th the lever won't go up.

The 5-speed tranny's allow the gear lever to go down (but do nothing) when in 1st gear and go up (but do nothing) when in 5th gear. I prefer this arrangement because I can test to see if I am really in top (5th) gear by lightly pulling the lever up. If it resists then I know I'm still in 4th. Sometimes I do not want to take my eyes off the road to check the speedo/tach readings.

I had a Honda ST1100 and a Honda ST1300. Both had 5-speed trannys.
The "11" had a "free" shift lever like the old V7s (and my 1950s T110 and T120 Triumphs).
The "13" had a "locked" lever like the new V7 II.

That was a major reason I preferred the 1100 over the 1300.

'Geezer

 

[mermoto]

Thought I would add my pennies worth. I rode the 5 speed but bought the 6 speed. Very happy with the new bike with 6 gears and to be honest I am not even aware if it has 5 or 6 speeds, you just change up or down depending on speed and incline. A big part of the enjoyment in riding is going up and down the gearbox making smooth precise changes, enjoying the sensation of acceleration and deceleration. Listening to that great sound on the overrun. To be honest if had 10 gears it would be just as good to ride. So those of you considering the new model don't feel put off, enjoy riding twisty hilly roads were you constantly change gears cos that's were the fun is. A one gear bike would be so boring unless it's my Vespa but that's another kettle of fish.

 

[elkgrichard]

If the 2016 model was available when I purchased my bike I probably would have gone that route. Although I don't feel I'm missing much at this point.

 

[jefrs]

Ride a Goldstar and discover how high first gear can be!
I bought a 5 gear V7 2 months ago rather than a 6 speed one. I did not ride the 6 speed as from looking at the specs I could not see any advantages in it for me and it was about £1200 more expensive. More gears do not make a better bike, and the V7 engine has a wide power band so 6 gears seemed unnecessary - I am glad that has been confirmed!
The lower footrests might be an advantage - but I would really like to move them back a bit rather than just downwards - and I have similar thoughts to you about ABS and Traction control.
The V7 is sold to a wide range of riders including inexperienced ones and they won't learn much roadcraft with ABS and Traction control....in fact it may cause them to get bad habits that manifest themselves when they ride a bike without ABS and Traction Control
AndyB

Goldstar? Only the DBD34RR had the ridiculously long 1st gear, the "RR" denoting the road race gearbox, where riders rarely drop below 40mph. This is common to most competition vehicles, why have a gear you're not going to use outside of the paddock. If you got a trials Goldie you would have a low ratio box. The DB34 Goldstar came with a conventional set of cogs. The "34" in the name refers to the stock 34hp, which is fairly easy to get out of a modern Enfield EFI-500 (Bullet), and which you don't have to treat like antique bone china. Strangely perhaps the final drive ratio is pretty much the same as the Guzzi V7 II. The Bullet won more completions than the Goldstar, but off-road, they were rivals, off-road the Bullet had more torque.

The V7 II does have a low 1st, which is useful for hauling a pillion, but it will happily pull away in 2nd.
It can seem to have too many gears at times. The engine revs willingly so changing gear alleviates boredom. With so much torque down so low, I have developed an unusual overtaking technique of changing up and then opening the throttle. And with it running so slow in high gear, I have to remember to change down sometimes, because yes, it will pull away in third (oops).
The ABS does light up with the Pirelli but not with extra grip of Avon. The Traction Control also lights up, noticeably when both wheels are off the ground yumping. The rev limiter is somewhere north of 7200, well above peak power, but it's not sudden death like some are. This is the rev limiter not the red line which is (based on some arbitrary maximum piston speed) probably another 1000rpm further up.

Power output of the V7 II depends on which tech spec you read, and maybe the compression ratio sent to your locale, that varies. On one sheet 47hp, another 48hp, nothing in the Owner's Manual, one reliable review 50hp and from a tuning company 55hp stock. I find this a bit confusing. Performance is adequate, and having ridden the V7 III, the V7 II is a bit quicker, probably because the III has gained weight.

Yes, I know this is an old thread.