Moto Guzzi has arguably one of the prettiest motorcycle lineups on our shores right now. In a market that’s almost oversaturated with classic bikes, the Italian motorcycle maker’s models can still easily stand out.
It feels a bit overshadowed, however, by some of its European rivals. Let’s face it—you don’t see that many Moto Guzzis every weekend, do you? But in my opinion, that should change. You see, as upmarket as it may seem, the brand’s still got quite a few underrated bikes in its portfolio that need more attention. Bikerbox actually lent me one of them recently: the V7 Stone.
It’s quite the looker, and it’s got a beefy engine to back it up. But what kind of experience does it have to offer, really? Looking beyond the spec sheet, can I say it’s worth that slightly premium price tag? Let’s find out.
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Styling
The Italians just have a knack for building beautiful bikes, and the same can be said about Moto Guzzi. The V7 Stone is a no-frills, clean and mean classic machine.
It’s got that retro look going for it with the round headlamp up front. You also see hints of the Italian brand’s logo here, with the wing-like pattern on the headlight. The same Moto Guzzi-like accent can be seen on the lone round gauge, which has wings protruding from the center and with a matching shaded-out portion on the instrument cluster.
Perhaps that’s about as flashy as the V7 Stone gets, as all the other elements of the bike such as the handlebar, levers, side mirrors, seats, and even the wheels and exhaust have a subtle design. The colorway’s pretty neat, too, with that dominantly gray finish paired with tons of black bits that keep the look really simple. Nothing too fancy, but nothing too boring either.
My favorite part about how Moto Guzzi styled the V7 Stone, however, is just how macho it looks. The V-twin engine—which is a thing of beauty, by the way—is complemented nicely by the equally bulky fuel tank. Another nice detail I like here is the asymmetry of the design when you look down on the handlebar in front of you. The single round cluster is placed a bit to the left with the ignition a bit to the left, and with both of those off of center, the bike just looks asymmetrical from the saddle. And that’s not actually a bad thing.
I’m nitpicking here, but there is one thing I would change about the design: the cables up front. All those dangling cables could’ve just been hidden in plain sight, simply tied onto the handlebar or something. The bike would’ve looked even cleaner then.
The saddle
The thing about classic bikes is that they often compromise comfort in the name of style and more pizzazz. The V7 Stone isn’t quite like that, though, as the seat here is actually pretty comfortable. It’s soft and provides good cushioning. To add to that, the riding position also feels relaxed, as the bike’s ergonomics is on point.
Seat height is a friendly 780mm, but the bike’s pretty wide and bulky, so straddling this might still be challenging for beginners. And even with that supposedly low seat, I was still tiptoeing a bit. Granted, of course, my inseam isn’t the longest as I’m just about 5’5”, but that’s still something to take note of.
Oddly enough, the V7’s pillion seat is a bit low. Not that it comes at the cost of comfort or anything, it’s just pretty unusual. The seat itself is wide and provides good cushioning. The footpegs are positioned ergonomically at least for average-sized Filipinos. Taller individuals—six-footers or so—might find it a bit uncomfortable backriding here.
Engine performance
The V7 packs quite the punch with its 853cc air-cooled, transversal 90-degree V-twin engine. This powertrain churns out 64.1hp at 6,800rpm and 73Nm of torque at 5,000rpm. While this one has a lot of oomph to it, it feels like it’s at its best at lower revs.
If you’re the type of rider who likes those ‘chill rides’ then this one’s a perfect fit for you. It’ll cruise easily at 100kph at just 3,000rpm, and if you need the extra power for overtaking, the six-speed manual gearbox enables smooth and easy downshifts.
Fuel economy here is rather impressive, too. I got a solid 25km/L from the engine in mixed conditions, which was a bit higher than what I was expecting. A quick, spirited run on the highways, yielded, showed lower figures at around 20km/L. Still not too shabby.
Ride and handling
My first impressions of this bike? “Man, this thing looks heavy.” And the first time I sat on it, that’s exactly how it felt. As soon as I hit the road, though, it didn’t feel like so.
The V-twin really does wonders in balancing the weight. Moto Guzzi’s quite proud of that transverse-mounted engine with the 90-degree crank, and for good reason. While you will feel vibrations on the footpegs, they’re kept to a minimum at the handlebar, and that’s what’s important.
Banking this hefty two-wheeler didn’t feel like such a chore, either. It’s not that nimble when you’re weaving (safely) across lanes on the expressway, but it leans as it needs to when you’re on sharper-than-usual curves. The tires are quite grippy on this one, too, so there’s confidence through corners.
On bumpy roads, though, just try to manage your expectations. The V7 promises a comfortable ride on asphalt-covered highways, but when you’re on poorly paved roads, it can feel a bit stiff. Nothing too harsh, though, just something that needs to be said especially for people who have high standards when it comes to ride comfort.
Now, it may have handled better than expected on the road, but that doesn’t erase the fact that the V7 Stone is still pretty heavy. The trickiest part is when you’re moving the bike around parking lots or in and out of a garage. Without a proper grab bar at the rear (though other V7 variants may have one) it can be hard to push this thing around as you would, say, a bigger adventure bike that usually comes with a variety of bars and handles to grab. Such are the setbacks of keeping that clean, retro look. Don’t get me wrong, though, I still probably wouldn’t mind using this as a daily, unlike a BMW R1250 GS which I’d rather keep in the garage and bring out for long rides on weekends.
Extra features
If you’re familiar with retro bikes, then you know how they often come equipped with the bare minimum of extra tech. You know, to really stick to that retro vibe? Well, it’s the same story here.
There’s a fully digital LCD instrument cluster up front, and it displays the revs, speed, and fuel consumption. There’s also a single trip meter, as well as a gear indicator, which is pretty handy. It doesn’t come with a gas gauge, which wasn’t surprising but still a bummer. Nevertheless, when you have 21-liter tank with four liters of reserve fuel available, you wouldn’t be worried much about running out of gas.
Other tech here include, of course, ABS. No cruise control, keyless ignition, or any of those added amenities, and that’s perfectly fine. But if I were to pick what I could add here, it would probably be easy adjustment for the clutch lever. The lever itself was soft, but it was positioned a bit too far for my Asian-sized hands, sadly.
Verdict
Out of all the bikes I’ve tried out so far, I have to say the Moto Guzzi V7 Stone’s right up there with the ones I enjoyed the most. It reminds me a lot of my dad’s Honda Rebel 500. While they’re two totally different bikes, my riding behavior with both of the bikes was fairly similar.
The V7’s got the power to go fast—way more than enough, actually—but you wouldn’t want to ride fast if you didn’t have to. You’ll be happy with the relaxed rides on the expressways, knowing the V-twin you’re sitting on has the power on tap when you need it.
Having said all that, this Italian classic’s a bit upmarket, though, with an P810,000 tag. But considering the beast of an engine this thing comes with, I’d say that’s a reasonable price. Not to mention it’s got the good mix of style and simplicity that retro riders often look for. At the end of the day, the Moto Guzzi V7 Stone is a solid option for those who feel their entry-level big bikes are a bit lacking but aren’t quite sold on getting a liter bike just yet.
SPECS: Moto Guzzi V7 Stone 2023
Price: P810,000
Engine: 853cc air-cooled, V-twin
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Power: 64.1hp @ 6,800rpm
Torque: 73Nm @ 5,000rpm
Seat height: 780mm (30.7 inches)
Score: 9/10
More photos of the 2023 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone
