Moto Guzzi's V7 family expands yet again with the V7 III series that sees the popular “Stone” model carry over from the outgoing V7 II generation. The new Stone carries itself with the same subtle darkness that made its predecessor so popular along with many of the genetic markers normally associated with the Moto Guzzi brand. Foremost among these is the transverse-mount V-twin powerplant that protrudes conspicuously from both sides of the bike, and of course, the 52 ponies that come along with it. The fuel tank strikes a classic shape as well, and the rest of the design falls right into line with plenty of yummy-goodness under the hood in the ABS and traction control features. There's more to be found, so let's dig into this little Italian gem with its not-so-polished moniker.

See our review of the Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone.

2018 Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone

Specifications
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  • Model: 2018 Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone
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  • Engine/Motor: V-Twin
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Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone Design

“Eclectic and essential.” That's the official line from the factory reps in Mandello del Lario, and it's a difficult claim to rebutt in light of the chopped-down front fender, minimal appointments and lack of superfluous features. In addition to the chopped look, the generous blackout treatment that runs from head to tail adds even more cred to its custom-built vibe.

A single round headlight can and solitary instrument clock pairs with the bellow fork gaiters to make a direct connection to the style of the '70s, but the factory didn't stop there, it even drew from a period-typical palette for the fuel tank colors. That's right, the fuel tank alone gets some paint other than flat black with a satin-finish Giallo Energico (yellow), Azzurro Elettrico (blue), Verde Camouflage (green) and Nero Ruvido to match the same flat black as the rest of the bike. Gotta' say you can go ahead and pencil me in as a fan of the absolute dearth of chrome on the Stone. I've come to despise chrome anywhere on the tank/control area for the eye-piercing light it throws back in my face, so the Stone scores big in that category.

The distinctive, 5.5-gallon fuel tank carries the traditional shoulders that help to visually fair out the protruding engine parts, and it serves to form a sort of faux knee pocket and a landing pad for the spread-wing badge as well. Newly lowered for this year, a 30.3-inch classic bench seat takes over from there with the slightest of scoops for the pilot and a full-width p-pad that comes complete with a grabstrap and fold-up footpegs to complete the passenger's goodies.

Out back a fullish rear fender reverts back to blackout to finish out the sheet metal with an oval taillight and standoff turn signals to finish off the lighting. An upswept exhaust system pulls the mufflers up to a jaunty angle that keeps them well clear of the terrain/tarmac for a final little sporty kick.

Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone Chassis

Tubular steel members make up the dismountable double-cradle frame with a weight split that falls out at 46-percent up front and 54-percent out back with a new steering-geometry setup to increase agility even more yet. The new steering-head setup rides at 26.4 degrees with 4.17 inches of trail over a 57.59-inch wheelbase to give the Stone an eagerness in the corners that is tempered by a reasonable amount of stability on the straights. Cast-alloy wheels round out the rolling chassis with an 18-inch rim and 100/90 up front and a 17-inch rim and 130/80 out back that come cut primarily for road use, none of that dual-surface scrambler-tastic business here, just sticky road rubber.

Standard, 40 mm hydraulic forks float the front end on 5.11 inches of travel, but the only adjustments in the system are found in the Kayaba shocks out back that come with naught but the obligatory spring preload tweak. Pretty doggone vanilla stuff, but not unexpected given the salt-of-the-earth nature of the V7 family and the standard configuration.

MG steps up its game in the brakes with a pair of 320 mm front discs complete with four-pot, opposed-piston Brembo calipers to bind them. Out back, a twin-piston anchor grabs a 260 mm disc to slow the rear, and both ends benefit from the ABS feature that comes as part of the standard equipment package.

Frame:

double cradle tubular frame in ALS steel with detachable elements

Trail:

4.2 inches (106 mm)

Headstock angle:

26.4°

Front suspension/ Travel:

Ø 40 mm hydraulic telescopic fork/ 5.1 inches (130 mm)

Rear suspension:

die cast light alloy swing arm with 2 shock absorbers with adjustable spring

Wheel travel:

3.7 inches (93 mm) (shock absorber travel 3.1 inches (80 mm))

Front Brake:

Ø 320 mm stainless steel floating discs, Brembo calipers with 4 differently sized opposed pistons

Rear brake:

Ø 260 mm, stainless steel disc, floating caliper with 2 pistons

Front wheel:

18" in lightweight alloy 100/90 (110/80 R18 as alternative)

Rear wheel:

17" in lightweight alloy 130/80


Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone Drivetrain

Not exactly an exercise in subtlety, the air-cooled, 744 cc V-twin protrudes to catch plenty of incoming air while forming the distinctive shoulders up front. Granted, it puts some really expensive engine parts in a really vulnerable place where they can easily be damaged in a laydown, but I reckon that the multitudes of fans can't be wrong, and they don't seem to be put off by the possibilities whatsoever.

An 80 mm bore and 74 mm stroke leaves the engine with an oversquare layout that helps to keep horsepower up, to the tune of 52 ponies at 6,200 rpm with 44 pounds o' grunt that come on fully by 4,900 rpm. Yeah, it could be even gruntier, but not without inverting the bore/stroke numbers a la Harley, and that would just be a trade off between horsepower and torque at the end of the day.

The two-valve heads use a pushrod-and-rocker arm system rather than an OHC to time the poppets. New engineering within the engine reduces pumping losses with revisions to the oil sump and pump to eliminate another source of power loss with oil jets to carry waste heat away from the piston crowns.

A Marelli throttle body delivers the fuel-air mix, but the real electronical (sic) magic here lies in the traction control feature that comes with two levels of intervention and can be disabled entirely for a full-raw ride. Seeing how this is intended as an entry-level bike, I guess the extra safety is a good thing even though I'm old-school and believe that to truly learn to ride, you need to operate sans crutches and feel the true feedback. I'm sure the new guard is all onboard with it, though.

Displacement:

744 cc

Bore x Stroke:

80 mm x 74 mm

Timing system:

2 valves with light alloy pushrods and rockers

Max Power:

52 hp (38 kW) @ 6,200 rpm

Maximum torque at crankshaft:

44.3 lb-ft (60 Nm) @ 4,900 rpm

Exhaust system:

3-way catalytic converter with double lambda probe

Cooling:

Air


Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone Price

The V7 III Stone lands right above the top of the entry-level bracket with a $8,490 sticker. That tag is even sweeter when you consider the ABS and traction control that are frequently neglected on our domestic bikes. Yeah, we got ABS, but so far H-D and Indian seem a little oblivious on that feature. Maybe a little more than oblivious.

Colors:

Nero Ruvido, Azzurro Elettrico, Verde Camouflage, Giallo Energico

Price:

$8,490


Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone Competitors

Since the V7 is a mid-size, entry-level ride trying to compete in the U.S. market, I think it's only fair to grab a homegrown ride so here comes the Iron 883 from Harley-Davidson. The Iron runs with a similar look in that it's a mid-size standard with ample blackout and plenty of factory-custom chops scattered about. A cut-down front fender that sports drilled mounting tabs starts things off right with black sliders, gaiters and tripletree to tie it all together. The peanut tank necessarily changes the upper lines, and of course, since H-D mounts the engine fore-and-aft as it should be, there's no need to use the tank shape to try and mitigate the visual impact of the engine. Plus, that arrangement keeps the jugs nice and safe.

Suspension is straight-up vanilla across the board, and while ABS is available on the Sportster as well, it tacks another $795 onto the already prouder $8,999 sticker. We won't even get into the Hard Candy Custom color prices, but if you want to dance with the King of Paint, you've got to pay the piper.

MG also gets credit for doubling the braking power up front against the single-disc Sporty. Harley enjoys a slight displacement advantage with its 883 cc plant, and of course, that long-stroke V-Twin brings some serious grunt to the table with 53.8 pound-feet at a leisurely 3,750 rpm, much more stump-pulling grunt at a much less frenetic pace. Harley takes a hit, however, because of its willful avoidance of traction control technology that MG fully embraces. Yeah, I know I said that learner bikes should be raw, I will also assert that the entry-level bracket is the final destination for some, so the fandanglery will likely benefit those riders tremendously.

He Said

“Always loved MG, but I also always thought they looked a little odd, too. Aesthetics aside, the Stone is a solid little ride that really has a lot going for it, even against the likes of the Sportsters and the Indian Scouts.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “This is a small, nimble bike. It has nice throttle response; a little vibration, but not not overly so. I wouldn't ride it for a long distance, it's not that kind of bike; but for a commute or bopping around town, yeah, this is a nice bike."

Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone Specifications

Engine & Drivetrain:

Displacement:

744 cc

Bore x Stroke:

80 mm x 74 mm

Timing system:

2 valves with light alloy pushrods and rockers

Max Power:

52 hp (38 kW) @ 6,200 rpm

Maximum torque at crankshaft:

44.3 lb-ft (60 Nm) @ 4,900 rpm

Exhaust system:

3-way catalytic converter with double lambda probe

Cooling:

Air

Chassis:

Frame:

double cradle tubular frame in ALS steel with detachable elements

Trail:

4.2 inches (106 mm)

Headstock angle:

26.4°

Front suspension/ Travel:

Ø 40 mm hydraulic telescopic fork/ 5.1 inches (130 mm)

Rear suspension:

die cast light alloy swing arm with 2 shock absorbers with adjustable spring

Wheel travel:

3.7 inches (93 mm) (shock absorber travel 3.1 inches (80 mm))

Front Brake:

Ø 320 mm stainless steel floating discs, Brembo calipers with 4 differently sized opposed pistons

Rear brake:

Ø 260 mm, stainless steel disc, floating caliper with 2 pistons

Front wheel:

18" in lightweight alloy 100/90 (110/80 R18 as alternative)

Rear wheel:

17" in lightweight alloy 130/80

Dimensions & Capacities:

Wheelbase:

57.8 inches (1,463 mm)

Saddle height:

30.3 inches (770 mm)

Length:

80 inches (2,185 mm)

Height:

43.7 inches (1,110 mm)

Minimum ground clearance:

5.9 inches (150 mm)

Fuel tank capacity:

5.5 gals, including 1 gal reserve (21 liters, including 4 litre reserve)

Dry weight:

416.7 lbs (189 kg)

Curb weight:

460.8 lbs (209 kg)

Details:

Colors:

Nero Ruvido, Azzurro Elettrico, Verde Camouflage, Giallo Energico

Price:

$8,490


References

Harley-Davidson Iron 883

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See our review of the Harley-Davidson Iron 883.

Indian Motorcycle Scout

See our review of the Indian Motorcycle Scout.