Review Summary:
- The Moto Guzzi V7 Stone is a rugged, stripped-down standard motorcycle that provides a true ‘old school’ riding experience.
- Great attention to detail has gone into the design of this bike, from the twin blacked-out exhausts to the Moto Guzzi logo carefully worked into the handsome single LED headlight.
- There are no rider aides here—in fact, there’s not even a fuel gauge—and the ‘Modes’ button on one of the bars can be misleading, as all this does is cycle through display screens.
- Still, if you’re looking for a ride with real character and prefer a classic experience, there are thrills aplenty to be had with this handsome standard bike.
Review: A Rock-Solid Ride on the 2022 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone
Moto Guzzi enjoys a reputation for performance and innovation throughout the motorcycling world. Nearly every rider has at least heard of the iconic Italian motorcycle brand, but not everyone has had the pleasure of throwing a leg over one of these machines. Neither had I—until I was given the chance of borrowing the 2022 V7 Stone for a few days from my local dealer, On Yer Bike.
Before riding the V7, I had never ridden a Moto Guzzi before. As such, I was interested to see if the iconic motorcycle brand would live up to my expectations, based on fond tales I had heard from Guzzi owners past and present. As you’ll soon find out below, my expectations of what to expect from a Guzzi were surpassed.
Pros
- Provides a truly ‘old school’ biker experience
- Handles better than you would expect for a bike of its class
- Power delivery comes on strong in the low end of the rev range, making it great for commuting as well as highway riding
- Shaft drive eliminates the need for chain lubrication or maintenance
- Overall looks and design are excellent
Cons
- ‘Mode’ button is confusing
- No fuel gauge
- Some riders may be put off by the initial vibration
- Clutch action is slightly high
Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Specifications
- 853cc iconic transverse v-twin engine
- 65 bhp
- 6 speed gearbox
- 21 litre fuel tank (with a range of 290 miles)
- Top speed of 110 mph
- Brembo disc brakes
- Marzocchi forks
- Weber marelli electronic fuel injection
- 780mm seat height
- 198kg wet weight
Colour Options
The V7 Stone comes in 4 colours:
- Nero Ruvido (Black)
- Arancione Rame (Orange)
- Giallo Metallico (Yellow)
- Grigio Alluminio (Grey)
Price
The starting price of the V7 Stone is £8,200 / $9,410 USD / $12,351 CAD.
Learn More: Moto Guzzi V7 Stone [Overview]
Other Versions
Moto Guzzi V7 Special
There is another version of the V7 Stone available—namely, the V7 Special—which offers more traditional styling available in two colours: Blu Formale (blue) and Grigio Casual (grey). Some of the features on this bike that differentiate it from the Stone are:
- Dunlop Arrowmax Streetsmart tyres
- Shortened rear mudguard
- New front light and new front and rear indicators
- Vintage-style saddle in classic brown upholstery and a stainless steel passenger grab rail
- Coloured band on the side panels that match the stripes from the 1975 V750 S3
- Aluminium spoked wheels
- Two circular instrument clocks
The starting price of the V7 Special is £8,600 / $9,897 USD / $13,002 CAD.
Learn More: Moto Guzzi V7 Special [Overview]
2022 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Engine
Horsepower & Torque
The engine on the new V7 Stone is an updated version of the V85TT. This new V7 has 25% more maximum power than the previous model, going from 52hp at 6200 rpm to 65hp at 6800 rpm.
The maximum torque has also increased from 60 NM at 4250 rpm to 73 NM at 5000 rpm with, according to Moto Guzzi, 80% of the torque available at 3000 rpm!
Engine Noise & Exhaust Note
I have to say that I am a fan of the twin engine. I love the sound it makes when you start the bike up, and I really love the noise when you open it up. I was super excited to hear what the V7 would be like.
I was not disappointed. When I first started the V7, I experienced what is known as the Guzzi twitch when the bike fires up, where the whole thing rocks gently from side to side. That made me smile straightaway. That is so cool, and something I did not tire of during the time I had the bike.
See Also: The 2022 Moto Guzzi Lineup
Power Delivery
The V7 pulls strongly from low revs with plenty of power at the lower end of the rev range, so it is quite happy to ride around town at low speeds but also equally happy when you find an open road and open it up. It felt smooth to ride and flowed through the bends very nicely. I felt really stable on the V7, which gave me more confidence in the corners.
2022 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Display & Modes
The bike’s stylish single round instrument clock is totally digital and shaped to the silhouette of an eagle (reminiscent of the Guzzi logo). The screen is clear and easy to read, showing your speed, revs, the gear you are in, the time, and the temperature.
Headlight
The headlight is on all the time, and you can see a green light symbol on the screen. A green ‘N’ will appear when in neutral.
‘Shift Gear’ Notification
Across the centre of the clock is an eagle shape—and this changes to ‘Shift Gear’ when the bike thinks you need to change gear. This is a handy feature, especially for newer riders.
Indicators
The indicators are on the outside edge on either side and are very prominent when flashing, which is great if you’re like me and have a habit of leaving your indicators on.
Modes
On the right handlebar is a button that says ‘Modes’. I assumed this meant riding modes (road, rain, etc.). Nope. ‘Modes’ on the V7 simply means you can scroll through and see your mileage, trip counter, and how much fuel you have left.
This obviously is in no way a problem, but it seemed like slightly odd wording for a bike that does not have any riding modes.
Let me draw your attention back to what I just said—you have to scroll through several screens to find out how much fuel you have left. Yep, that’s right: there is no fuel gauge.
I personally think a fuel gauge is a must on your screen for any modern bike. Looking at how much fuel you have is something that you want to be able to do whilst riding along, and it shouldn’t take more than a quick glance down.
Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Electronics & Rider Aides
ABS & Traction Control
The V7 comes with two-channel ABS and Moto Guzzi Traction Control (MGTC), which has two sensitivity levels to choose from (and can also be disabled if you wish).
Lights
The lights, be it headlight or indicators, are LED with the headlight design based on the Guzzi logo. I am a fan of the single headlight on a bike—not only is it distinctive, but it adds an air of coolness to the vehicle.
Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Transmission
The V7 has a shaft drive instead of a chain or belt. The transmission sends power to a metal rod, which feeds into a wheel-mounted hub. As there is no chain then, of course you do not have to keep adjusting and lubricating one—which, in turn, saves on garage time and money.
See Also: Chain, Belt, Shaft: Which Drive Type Is Best For You?
Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Branding
Moto Guzzi are no longer using roman numerals for the V7 models, so the previous model, the V73, marks the end of use of roman numerals. The new V7 850 will simply be known as the V7.
There is Guzzi branding on the engine casings and rather nicely embroidered onto the rear of the seat. The fuel cap also has Moto Guzzi printed around the edge, which is rather cool. The fuel cap did rattle though, which kind of added to the bike’s character to start with—but after a while, it got quite annoying. I would have to fashion something on the filler cap neck to stop the rattle.
The metal Guzzi eagles on either side of the tank are discreet and stylish, but there is also a stickered version on the front mudguard which has not been lacquered. I could see this peeling off in cold or wet weather.
The Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Exhaust & Rear End
Who doesn’t love the look of twin exhausts? The V7 looks incredibly cool from behind with the single round LED brake light and its black end cans flanking either side.
The side on view of the twin exhausts make this bike. They are black from end to end and are a simple yet elegant design. I think they really complete the look of the bike.
Riding the Moto Guzzi V7 Stone
A Rugged Riding Experience
It has to be said that minimalism is the name of the game here. Keep in mind that other than the digital instrument clock, the Moto Guzzi V7 Stone features no additional tech to speak of. There are no modes to choose from in the sense of rain, road, sport etc. There’s no electronic suspension. Heck, it hasn’t even got a fuel gauge.
But you know what? I love that about this bike. This is what makes the V7 such an awesome bike to ride. It doesn’t hold your hand; it’s totally up to you to make decisions about how it should be ridden—and this is what gives this bike character.
In other words, the V7 has soul.
Handling
I can honestly say I have never grinned so much on a motorcycle as I did when riding the V7 Stone. It’s enormous fun to ride—a solid and stable bike that loves to be ridden and just handles beautifully in the corners. Obviously, this is not a sport bike—but for a standard motorcycle, it handled better than I would have expected.
Suspension
The suspension is quite basic, being only adjustable for preload on the rear, but despite this, it worked quite well for this type of bike. I did not find the ride to be excessively hard. In fact, it was quite well-damped and handled bumpy or poor roads with a surprising amount of comfort.
Vibration
Despite it being a twin, I did not experience any excessive vibration from the V7 when riding. Obviously, there is the sort of vibration that you would expect during start-up and at idle—but once you’re going, this seems to disappear.
Clutch Action
The clutch action is slightly heavy by modern standards—although it’s still nothing that people used to riding older bikes wouldn’t be used to. Even by modern standards, however, I would not say it’s an excessive amount.
Overall Impressions
Each time I got off the bike, I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. This bike provides a real old school experience, and I absolutely want one in my garage.
When parked up, the V7 always garnered a lot of attention—and when chatting to people, most of them either owned a Guzzi or knew someone who did. The Guzzi name is steeped in history, having been around for the last one hundred years, and there are a lot of fond (and some not so fond) memories floating around. I just love listening to people’s stories; it’s just part of owning a Guzzi—it seems you always have stories to tell.
Check out this video of me riding the 2022 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone:
The 2022 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone vs. The Competition
With an OTR price of £8,200 / $9,410 USD / $12,351 CAD, you are getting an awful lot of bike for your money here—and one that oozes character and soul, too (which is hard to put a price on).
Here are some other bikes I consider to be in the same category as the V7:
- Triumph Speed Twin 900 (OTR £8,795 / $10,129 USD / $13,297 CAD) with 65 bhp; a wet weight of 216 kg and seat height of 765 mm)
- Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 (OTR £6,239 / $7,185 USD / $9,433 CAD) with 47 bhp; a wet weight of 217 kg and seat height of 805 mm)
My Final Verdict on the 2022 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone
In conclusion, my expectations of what riding a Moto Guzzi would be like were absolutely knocked out of the park. I love the styling, the acceleration, and the riding position of the V7. I also especially love how smooth the bike was to ride, which really surprised me. I was not expecting that.
The Guzzi twitch is something that I came to love, and I would not like to see that disappear. It’s all part of the character of the bike.
To find a bike with soul is a rare find indeed, and to find one that puts such an enormous smile on my face is something to treasure.
I was reluctant to give the V7 back, it was a real shame that I was able to find the garage door key to enable me to get the bike out! Thank you On Yer Bike for the loan of the Moto Guzzi V7 Stone; it was a real privilege to ride.
– BikerKaz
2022 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone Photo Gallery
