What’s the history of the Moto Guzzi V7?
The Moto Guzzi V7 name dates back to late 1965 when the Italian factory displayed the touring model at the Milan Show. It was based on a police bike that had been under development since a government tender had been announced in 1963 to replace the 500cc single-cylinder Falcone. Engineers Giulio Carcano, famous for his Moto Guzzi racers including the vee-eight in the 1950s, and Umberto Todero partnered in the project, which called for a machine with a 100,000km service life. Guzzi had long been a supplier of police and military vehicles, and Carcano opted for a V-twin, a version of which he had experimented with in his Fiat car a few years earlier. While the configuration of an across-the-frame V-twin was not new – Lambretta had used it for a 250cc racer in 1952 while, in Japan from 1959 to 1964, Murusho produced the Lilac in sizes up to 332cc in several thousands – the use of a car-type single-plate clutch, four-speed gearbox and electric starter, along with shaft drive to the rear wheel, was a new departure. Also unusual was the use of a one-piece crankshaft with shell bearings that could be changed without removing the engine from the frame. Capacity was 703cc. Sales of motorcycles in Italy were in decline though and Moto Guzzi went into receivership in 1966, but in 1967 a new company, SEIMM (Societa Esercizio Industrie Moto Meccaniche) was formed, with as manager Bianchi’s Romolo De Stefani, who brought with him engineer Lino Tonti. To establish a sporting image, the factory set up a programme of speed record attempts and endurance racing, but this served to expose the inadequacies of the V7’s frame. Tonti designed a new lower frame and it appeared at the 1971 Milan Show in the V7 Sport with its lime green tank and side panels. The V7 Sport’s style was a game-changer for Guzzi and continued with the 750-S3 in 1974 and, in due course, the 850 Le Mans in 1976. The current V7 series is derived from the more compact series of V-twins designed by Tonti for launched in 1977 with the V50. Versions in 350cc, 650cc and, in 1991, as a 750cc model were developed (by then the Le Mans was offered as a ‘classic’ 1000 model). Both sports and touring options have been offered over the years. In 2016, the factory’s 95th of continuous production, the 750cc V7 series has been redesigned to maintain the original and classic V7 style and might even get bigger if the new 850cc V9 engine, currently powering cruisers, is used. There’s more about the history of Moto Guzzi in ‘The Moto Guzzi Sport and Le Mans Bible’ written by Ian Falloon, from Veloce Publishing Ltd, £29.99.