DIDI Resources, the official custodians of the Moto Guzzi Malaysia, has officially launched 2018 Moto Guzzi V7 III Rough. We had the first look of the bike earlier.
The V7 III Rough is the latest addition to the V7 III’s extensive model line-up which includes the recently launched Carbon, Anniversario, Racer, Stone, Special, besides the Limited and Milano that are not available in Malaysia, as yet.
Moto Guzzi Malaysia introduces limited edition V7 III Carbon – Priced at RM74,900
The V7 III line-up not only represents the Moto Guzzi’s entry-level motorcycles, but also the most customizable, which is why there are so many interpretations within the manufacturer itself.
Coming back to the Rough iteration, the bike rolls on knobby tyres mounted on spoked rims, for a version that screams “urban jungle basher.” That should mean the bike is made for conquering rough city roads, as well as shooting through an unpaved shortcut. It also should be fine for light off-road paths, say to camping sites like those at Janda Baik or Mat Daling, to name a few.
In the V7 III signature minimalistic style, the front and rear fenders are polished aluminium while the fuel tank is finished in matt silver. The headlamp nacelle, handlebars, engine and single-sided swingarm are powercoated in black. The fork stanchions are enclosed in classic dust gaiters. A black leather seat with classy red stitching adds the finishing touch.
Moto Guzzi also offers an extensive array of accessories for the rider to turn his V7 III Rough into a bike which better reflects his personality.
Powering the V7 III Rough is the same 750cc, air-cooled, pushrod-activated 2-valve-per-cylinder, transversely-mounted, 90o V-Twin lump which made its debut in 1967. It produces 52bhp at 6,200 RPM and 60 Nm of torque at 4,900 RPM. The engine is tuned to provide linear torque throughout its rev range.
The engine and longitudinal gearbox are then mounted to a dismountable double-cradle frame with the same weight distribution as the legendary V7 of 46% rear and 54% front. Dual Kayaba shocks suspend the swingarm (which contains the driveshaft on one side) from the frame. This configuration provides the bike with a low and accessible seat height of just 770 mm.
While Moto Guzzi is considered the “heritage” brand under the Piaggio Group, the motorcycles are anything but, as despite being the entry-level range, the V7 III line-up features a two-level Moto Guzzi Traction Control (MGCT) and a two-channel ABS system made by Continental.
Further on electronics, the single speedometer gauge may look basic, but it displays all pertinent data such as gear position, odometer and daily trip odometer, trip time, average speed, real-time and average fuel consumption, average speed and MGCT level. The minimum and maximum engine revs can also be preset.
The instrument display may also be updated with the optional Moto Guzzi Multimedia Platform which connects a smartphone via an app to present even more data to the rider.
In launching the Moto Guzzi V7 III Rough, it also pays tribute to the upcoming Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR) 2018 (happening on 30th September 2018), Mr. Simone Niccolai, the Managing Director of Asia Pacific 2Wheeler, Piaggio Asia Pacific, dressed the part for the occasion with attired supplied by Tiga Supply Co. together with the management personnel of DIDI Resources and Stronghold Cycles.
The 2018 Moto Guzzi V7 III Rough is priced at RM 69,900 for introductory units and RM 75,000 thereafter (prices are basic selling prices with SST, but no on-the-road).
2018 MOTO GUZZI V7III ROUGH |
|
ENGINE |
|
| ENGINE TYPE | 4-stroke, pushrod-activated 4-valve, air-cooled, transversely-mounter, 90o V-Twin |
| DISPLACEMENT | 744 cc |
| BORE x STROKE | 80 mm x 74 mm |
| POWER | 52 bhp (38 kW) @ 6,200 RPM |
| TORQUE | 60 Nm @ 4,900 RPM |
| TRANSMISSION | 6-speed |
| FUEL SYSTEM | Fuel injection with single throttle body |
CHASSIS |
|
| FRAME | Double cradle tubular frame in ALS steel with detachable elements |
| FRONT SUSPENSION | ø Ø 40 mm hydraulic telescopic forks, 130 mm travel |
| REAR SUSPENSION | Twin Kayaba shocks with adjustable spring preload, 93 mm travel |
| FRONT BRAKE | 1 X Two-piston Brembo caliper, ø 320 mm floating disc |
| REAR BRAKE | 1 X Two-piston floating caliper, ø 260 mm brake disc |
| FRONT TYRE | 100/90-R18 (110/90-R18 optional), |
| REAR TYRE | 130/80-R17 |
| STEERING HEAD ANGLE | 26.4o |
| TRAIL | 106 mm |
| WHEEL BASE | 1,445 mm |
| SEAT HEIGHT | 770 mm |
| FUEL TANK CAPACITY | 21 litres (with 4 litres as reserve) |
| KERB WEIGHT | 209 kg (with 90% fuel and all fluids, ready to ride) |
It seems that virtually every manufacturer which has a modern retro line-up features at least one “lightweight adventure” variant, usually called a “scrambler.” Moto Guzzi is not left out in this revolution either, with this 2018 V7 III Rough.
The Rough is part of Moto Guzzi’s popular V7 III line-up. Its styling outline is the same, with minor differences.
The fuel tank is painted in matt silver, while the front and rear fenders are polished aluminium. It also sports larger sized wire-spoke wheels shod with adventure tyres and minimal bodywork, signaling its intent. This means the bike could be ridden on the road and on light off-road situations.
The V7 III Rough is powered by the same 744cc transversely-mounted 90o V-Twin which serves the V7 III range. The fuel-injected, air-cooled, OHV engine produces 52 bhp @ 6200 RPM and 60 Nm of torque at 4900 RPM.
It has Moto Guzzi Traction Control (MGTC) but no power modes. ABS is standard on both ends. The front brake consists of a 320mm floating disc clamped by a Brembo caliper.
Unlike other “scramblers,” the Rough’s dual exhausts are mounted in the standard positions instead of being mounted high up. As such it should be able to tackle the lighter off-road stuff. On the plus side, the low exhausts allow for more luggage mounting options.
All in all, the V7 III Rough provides Moto Guzzi fans with another option. Priced at RM 69,900 (basic selling price excluding tax, road tax and insurance), it is now available at Moto Guzzi Malaysia’s showroom in Petaling Jaya.
Please follow Moto Guzzi Malaysia’s official Facebook page for more details or drop by at the location below.
Moto Guzzi may be the represent the “heritage” side within the Piaggio group of motorcycle brands, but that does not mean the brand is without “characters” such as this Audace Carbon.
The Audace Carbon represents the “dark soul” of the Guzzi line-up along with the MGX21, a reflection of its name which means “audacious.” There is not one single chromed part. You could say it is the gothic version of the regular Audace.
Distinguishing parts include the carbon fibre cowlings on either side of the fuel tank and front mudguard. Besides that, the cylinder head covers and Brembo front brake calipers are painted in “Mandello Red,” to mark it as the dark lineage shared with the MGX21 and V7 III Carbon.
Moto Guzzi Malaysia introduces limited edition V7 III Carbon – Priced at RM74,900
At the heart of the Audace Carbon is a monstrous 1400cc, transversely-mounted, 90o V-Twin which punches out 96 bhp. Being a cruiser, however, means torque is always more important than outright horsepower. As such, the engine produces an arm-straightening 121 Nm at just 3000 RPM. It is also Euro 4 compliant, featuring 2 sparkplugs per cylinder and a 3-way catalytic converter. Along with an Eco Ride mode, you can have best mix of performance and fuel consumption while touring.
Speaking of modes, there are three power modes: Veloce (sport), Turismo (Touring), and Pioggia (Rain). The power maps are linked to the adjustable Moto Guzzi Traction Control (MGTC) thresholds. The power modes are courtesy of the ride-by-wire (rbw) throttle.
There is also cruise control, activated by a single switch on the left handlebar.
Lastly, the Audace Carbon includes the Moto Guzzi Multimedia Platform (MG-MP) which interfaces with the app in your smartphone to provide a complete suite of riding information. The system will even show the location of the nearest petrol station within range when the fuel level goes into reserve.
Priced from RM 123,000 (basic selling price not inclusive of SST, road tax and insurance), the 2018 Moto Guzzi Audace Carbon is now available at Moto Guzzi Malaysia. Please follow the Moto Guzzi Malaysia Facebook page for more information.
When was the last time you witness a group of modern classic bikes tearing it up in the track? It is certainly a rare occasion and earlier today, the Modclass Speedway organised the very first outing for some enthusiastic modern classic bike owners around the Sepang International Circuit (SIC). (more…)
Moto Guzzi Malaysia today introduced the limited edition Moto Guzzi V7 III Carbon. An aesthetically racier, more performance oriented variant of the popular V7 III.
The Carbon variant, which was introduced at the Moto Guzzi showroom at The Gasket Alley in Petaling Jaya, is distinguished by its carbon fibre components such as the shortened fenders and side fairings, as well as the Matt black colour with red contrasting highlights on the engine cover, logo and front brake caliper.
The seat (above) is also unique to the Carbon model and is made of water repellent Alcantara, leather. It too features red highlight stitching as shown below. In fact, the carbon features many such unique features, such as the tank cap made of anodized black billet aluminum, headlight frame, injector covers and the rear brake master cylinder.
The Moto Guzzi V7 III Carbon is made in limited number, 1921 to be exact, a number that recalls the year Moto Guzzi was established.
The series number of the model is identified by the plate on the handlebar riders as shown above. Also shown above is the dedicated single circular display, which is typical of variants such as the V7 III Stone, Rough and the Carbon. The V7 III Special, Racer and Milano variants on the other hand, have a second circular display for the rev counter.
At the heart of this Carbon model is a transversal V-twin engine, which is now in its third iteration since the original engine was first introduced back in 1967. The 744cc engine features twin valves with light allow pushrods and rockers as well as aluminium heads, pistons and cylinders that help to generate 52hp at 6200rpm and 60Nm of torque at 4900rpm.
Power is transferred via a six-speed transmission which was first introduced in the V7 II model, but with an updated, longer first and final gear ratio that are able to fully exploit the torque and power of the engine.
On the safety front, the V7 III Carbon comes equipped with a four-pot Brembo caliper up front gripping a 320mm disc brake, ABS braking as well as an adjustable traction control system called the Moto Guzzi Traction Control system, which can be adjusted to two sensitivity levels or turned off entirely. The rear brake consists of a 260mm disc with a twin-pot caliper and a master cylinder with built-in resorvoir.
As for the handling of the bike, the sitting position is commanding which is typical of modern-retro machines. The steel frame and the completely reworked front end of the third generation variant of the V7 is said to give the bike a steady feel at high speed and in corners.
As for the the shocks, the front features basic non-adjustable forks with 5.1-inch of travel which the rear is kept in check by a set up Kayaba shocks with 3.8-inch of travel at the rear, adjustable for pre-load and travel.
The limited-edition Moto Guzzi V7 III Carbon is priced at RM74,900 and is now available for viewing at the Moto Guzzi showroom at The Gasket Alley in Petaling Jaya.
As far as retro styling goes, Moto Guzzi is the one brand that has remained true to form for many years now. The V7 has largely remained unchanged from the beginning except for some sprinkling of modern features here and there.
The V7 has spawned many special editions including the gorgeous Anniversario model. That model has completely sold out and Moto Guzzi went back to the drawing board to come up with yet another stunning model aptly called the V7 III Carbon Shine.
It may not have a lot of updates to its styling or to its performance as it is powered by the same 90-degree transverse V-Twin with the same shaft drive. In fact the updates are aesthetics only, with only black and chrome highlights.
The tank os chromed out with a black leather top strap which we first saw with the Anniversario which had a brown leather strap. There’s also some carbon fibre on the front mudguard and side panels, billet machined aluminium bits and a classy, hand-stitched saddle.
Only 500 of this beautiful authentic motorcycle are being made, and possibly a few might make it to the Malaysian market, considering the resurgence of the Guzzi brand in Malaysia.
Speaking of which, The Clan, which is the name given to the Moto Guzzi owner’s club, has been very active in Malaysia of late. Click here to read about their recent night ride to Penang, or check out the video below for their pre-Raya ride to Malacca where they spent time lounging at The Straits Werks Cafe.
Many already know that the holy month of Ramadan is when Muslims observe the act of Puasa (fasting). But it goes beyond not eating during the daylight hours of the day. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and was the month when the Holy Quran was revealed. Fasting is the one of the Five Pillars of Islam, so Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, improvement and worship. Muslims are expected to increase their effort into following the teachings of Islam.
It the time to challenge our resolve as Muslims to resist temptation.
Hence this was the reason Moto Guzzi Malaysia decided to organize a special ride on 1st June 2018. Called the Moto Guzzi Vengeance Challenge Ride, it was planned as an iftar (breaking fast) ride over two evenings.
The destination this time was Penang. As usual, the participants congregated at The Gasket Alley first for iftar before riding north at night. Jeya Thevan was the head marshal this time, thus he conducted the pre-ride briefing.
Riding at night during the Puasa month is much welcomed as we didn’t have to bask under the sun. The group of 12 kept a tight formation from the start point.
However, it started to rain slightly as we passed Rawang, cooling the ambient temperature even further. At least it wasn’t the heat causing drowsiness.
We topped off our tanks at the Tapah R&R and got rolling again, under the rain, all the way to another stop at Sungai Perak. It was planned as a relaxing ride, so we took our time to enjoy the fresh cool air, the ride and the soft rumble of the Moto Guzzi 90o V-Twin.
From there it was a straight shot to the Penang Island via the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge (the new bridge). It was 2.30 am when we arrived at the toll plaza and there was no traffic to be seen. As a note to bikers, there is a motorcycle lane from the time you turn onto the bridge’s slip road and it’ll lead you to the toll plaza and all the way to Penang Island. However, please make double sure that you have a Touch ‘N’ Go card with you, especially at night as the counters are closed. Imagine having to turn around to get one or have some amount topped up into your IC at Juru.
Penang being Penang (it’s my hometown, by the way), turned left right, left, right, left countless times before reaching the Vouk Hotel Suites along Jalan Azlan Shah. At 3am.
Yes, we surely took our own sweet time. What’s the hurry, anyway? It’ll probably be even more tiring if we had blasted our way there.
We were given some time to freshen up and head back out to Nasi Kandar Line Clear for sahur (breakfast).
The group was given some free time until check out time at 1pm, but we’re not sure if anyone did go around Penang.
From the hotel, it was to Sheng Fatt Motor, Moto Guzzi’s authorized dealer in Penang, situated along Jalan Dato’ Keramat. The dealership provided top-class Penang hospitality, as the shop’s crew even helped us to park our bikes. Looks like Moto Guzzi owners now have a good home up north.
Mr. Sheng, Boss of Sheng Fatt organized a crew to lead us first to Fort Cornwallis for a goup photography session. The Guzzi’s looked especially great in that kind of setting.
Next, the Sheng Fatt boys ran point as they guided us to the first Penang Bridge to Harley-Davidson of Penang at Juru Autocity. The dealership is now fully operational for sales and aftersales.
We bade farewell and got back on the road again, this time towards our first stop at Sungai Perak. The weather stayed clear and hot all the way to that particular R&R before turning cloudy. That cooled down the air and road.
Although most of the riders fasted, none seemed to show signs of fatigue. Instead, they were smiling and laughing as they joked with each other.
It was over to the Foods Project Restaurant in Ipoh for iftar. We arrived ahead of schedule and that allowed us to rest up first. We kicked back a bit more after our dinner before getting on the road again, straight to the Tanjung Malim R&R.
A few riders went their separate ways from the R&R as they didn’t need to ride all the way to Moto Guzzi Malaysia. Not a single Moto Guzzi broke down or encountered any serious problem. But more importantly, everyone got home safe and sound without a single untoward incident.
In conclusion, it was a pleasurable ride. However, we didn’t visit many historic sites in Penang as it was just not practical to explore during fasting, then continuing with the ride after that. Moto Guzzi Malaysia has promised a ride which includes visiting places of interest in Penang in the near future, so stay tuned!
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