Moto Guzzi Updates 2021 V7 With Larger 850cc Engine

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The 2021 Moto Guzzi V7 Special. (Moto Guzzi/)

Moto Guzzi updates its classic V7 for 2021, replacing the 744cc transverse-twin engine with an 850cc unit derived from the V85TT and V9.

Moto Guzzi claims the new engine has a 25-percent boost in maximum power, producing 65 hp at 6,800 rpm and 54 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm—that’s 13 more horses and 10 more pound-feet than the outgoing V7 III. Guzzi also claims that more than 80 percent of its torque is available at 3,000 rpm.

The Italian marque used the update as an opportunity to axe the roman numerals from the model designation, which it used since the V7′s revival in 2007.

The V7 Stone in Copper Orange features a more minimalist attitude. | (Moto Guzzi/)

On the chassis side, Moto Guzzi reinforced the frame around the headstock and added longer-travel twin Kayaba shocks. Ergonomically, there’s a new saddle and updated footpeg supports to increase comfort. A wider 150/70 rear tire replaces the outgoing model’s 130/80-section rubber. Like its predecessor, there’s a single disc brake up front, a shaft final drive, and a heck of a lot of Mandello del Lario personality in between. Aesthetic updates include new side panels and a shorter rear mudguard.

For 2021, the V7 will be available in two versions—the V7 Stone and V7 Special. The V7 Stone has a single LCD gauge, LED lighting, cast aluminum wheels, and a headlight that features a DRL in a shape reminiscent of the Guzzi eagle. Three satin finishes include Nero Ruvido, Azzurro Ghiaccio, and Arancione Rame—names that further prove that everything sounds cooler in Italian. In English, the colors are Rough Black, Ice Blue, and Orange Copper.

Check out the eagle-shaped daytime running light in the headlight. The shape is repeated in the dash. (Moto Guzzi/)

The V7 Special has dual analog dials, spoked wheels, a classic round headlight, and comes in two color schemes: Blu Formale (Formal Blue) and Grigio Casual (Casual Gray).

Availability and price have yet to be announced, but for reference, the V7 III started at $8,490. As we’ve seen in the past, the V7 lineup has comprised many variations over the years, so we expect the Stone and Special are just the beginning of what we can expect to see in the lineup.

The latest V7 isn’t a huge departure from the V7 III formula, and given the category and the bike’s uniqueness in the market, that’s likely a good move. While we’ll never stop hoping Moto Guzzi will build a modern version of the sublimely attractive MGS-01 sportbike, there’s a certain comfort knowing that Guzzi is staying true to itself, continuing to develop its iconic engine platform, and building reasonably priced motorcycles with classic aesthetics and strong identity.

2021 is the 100th anniversary of the company’s founding. (Moto Guzzi/)

That said, the V85TT adventure-tourer proved the Guzzi formula is flexible enough to be reworked without having to think outside the vee, as it were. With more modern equipment than its stablemates, the V85TT invites comparison to similarly intentioned and comparably equipped machines in the adventure-touring category. At the same time, it’s still very much its own thing.

The V7 Stone’s digital instrument cluster. (Moto Guzzi/)

All of that’s to say: If the folks in Mandello del Lario decide to take the new V7 and give it the cafe racer treatment with modern fully adjustable suspension and clip-ons, or go the scrambler route and fit it with long-travel suspension and barkbusters, we would be neither disappointed nor completely surprised if they turned out to be pretty sensational in a uniquely Guzzi kind of way.

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