2015–2019 · Retro Classic · Buyer's Guide
Café Soul, Numbered Plate
The V7 II Racer is the café-racer version of Moto Guzzi's small V7 family, and it's the one people stop to look at twice. Clip-on bars, rear-set pegs, a chromed 5.8 gal (22 L) tank and a numbered steering yoke plate set it apart from the more upright Stone and Special. It's also the only V7 II with adjustable Bitubo twin rear shocks. Underneath sits the 744 cc air-cooled, transverse 90° V-twin with shaft drive, making 48 hp and 44 lb-ft. ABS and traction control work quietly in the background.
On the road it's friendly rather than fast. It weighs 417 lb (189 kg) wet and has a 31.1 in (790 mm) seat. It's easy to handle, it stays settled at highway speed, and it runs out of breath around 100 mph (161 km/h). This bike is for the rider who buys with their eyes and heart first and wants a Guzzi that feels like a deliberate choice, not a nostalgia purchase. The honest caveat is that the fork has no adjustment at all so any setup work happens at the rear shocks. There are also no ride modes, no cruise control and no USB port. You pay a premium for the style here, so go in knowing that.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 48 hp (35 kW) @ 6,200 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 44 lb-ft (60 Nm) @ 2,800 rpm |
| Displacement | 744 cc |
| Engine | 90° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Shaft |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 100/90-18 |
| Rear tire | 130/80-17 |
| Wheelbase | 57.0 in (1449 mm) |
| Seat height | 31.1 in (790 mm) |
| Wet weight | 417 lb (189 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.8 gal (22 L) |
| Top speed | 100 mph (161 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 37 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Safety
Where this Moto Guzzi V7 II Racer pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the V7 II Racer is actually built for.
If your trip means the Kancamagus at an unhurried pace and a diner stop every hour, the Racer looks the part and rides it. Just plan regular breaks, because the clip-ons remind you of them.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
This isn't a cruiser and it won't carry you like a bagger. If you want something at Daytona that nobody else parked, though, a numbered Italian café bike has a story to tell.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
For a Saturday loop out of Austin with BBQ at the end, it's easy, light-handling fun. Ride it for the rhythm and the looks, not to chase the quick crowd on the Twisted Sisters.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2008–2013
Italian Style, Honestly Delivered
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Moto Guzzi V7 II Racer. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2017–2020
Café Soul, Chrome Delivered
Roughly $1,100 cheaper used than this bike at 7 yr
Competitor · 2017–2020
Retro Soul, Modern Bones
About the same used price as this bike at 7 yr
Same Platform · 2014–2016
Italian Soul, Featherlight Cruiser
Roughly $3,700 cheaper used than this bike at 10 yr