2023 Moto Guzzi V7-850 Special Edition

[SportsterDoc]

Howdy all
Moved to small town in New Mexico (~hour south of Albuquerque) in March.
Son and family have 3 1/2 acres ~30 miles south on interstate 25 (75 MPH speed limit).
Traded 2023 Yamaha XT250 For the goose.
Age 76 and still riding.

 

[DaSwami_imp]

May I ask why the quick flip of the XT 250? Just bought one 2 weeks ago, 2023 like yours.

 

[peterbaron]

Jerry, nice beast congrats and keep riding

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Guzzis are so nicely built. Well done SportsterDoc.

 

[the Ferret]

Howdy Doc, glad you're still putting around.

 

[pdedse]

There's the Doc!! So good to hear that you've been able to keep riding. I like New Mexico.

 

[SportsterDoc]

May I ask why the quick flip of the XT 250? Just bought one 2 weeks ago, 2023 like yours.

The XT250 is a great bike and I intended my second one to be my last bike, but the distances around here are not conducive to a bike that is close to wound out on the interstate.

Home Depot and Lowes in Los Lunas are a 28 mile round-trip. Son's place is a 60 mile round trip. Mountainair is 92 mile round-trip. Pie Town is a 256 mile round-trip.

Need a swing arm lift for yours? I have an almost new Venom that I won't be using?

 

[Cormanus]

Nice looking Guzzi, SportsterDoc.

 

[KiowaEagle_imp]

Nice SD! I love that engine.

 

[Ollie]

On highways I feel the XT250 is in its element running 55 mpg (60 indicated) with brief speeds 5-10 mph higher. So while it'll do longer distance highway travel that's not what it's good at, your V7 is much better for that. Great looking Guzzi and I like that yours has tubeless cast wheels.
I had a small Dart shield on my V7 Stone and it was much more effective at reducing the wind blast than it looked like it would yet it gave clean air to my upper chest and helmet.

 

[DaSwami_imp]

To me, the XT250 is great on paper, but in reality "as is" stock I am not too keen right now.

The riding triangle is cramped for a dual sport. Needs a taller seat and lower pegs. My KLX230 is superior in this regard.

The suspension is atrocious, like the rear spring/shock is the worst I have ever experienced. It needs to be replaced (Cogent Dynamics?).

Love the motor and Yamaha quality, but this thing will need $$ to try to make it right.

 

[Ollie]

Agreed, with the combination of low seat and high ground clearance something has to give and that's leg room. My 32" legs with bad knees tolerate it fine, but they probably would if riding it continuously hours on end.

Suspension is probably fine for a light rider staying on pavement but otherwise you're right it's bad.

To get mine set up to work for me I had to address the suspension, seat, and add a rear rack which cost around $1,500 (Cogent F&R, Seat Concepts seat, and rack). Expensive but the ride and comfort is night and day from what it was stock.

I should add the suspension on the CRF300 I rode was a little better but surprisingly not *that* much better than the stock XT.

 

[SportsterDoc]

With Dart Marlin and Apache 1800 side cases

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Nice 'n' svelte SportsterDoc.