MOTO GUZZI V7 II STORNELLO Scrambling Guzzi

‘A numbered plaque on the top yoke, below the chrome-rimmed clocks, confirms that the Moto Guzzi V7 II Stornello is one of a limited run of 1,000 units.’ We just came back from the first ride.

- Roland Brown

IT WAS SURELY only a matter of time before Moto Guzzi created a scrambler-style model to join their V7 II family of middleweight V-twins. Apart from the obvious high-profile example set by their old rival from down the road in Bologna, Guzzi have already seen their existing trio of 744-cc roadster models (Stone, Special and Racer) customised with an off-road look by numerous owners, and have assisted this process via their Garage programme of accessories.

So the Stornello’s arrival is timely, especially given that the existing V7s have been selling well in many markets, benefiting from the current popularity of rider-friendly, customisable twins, especially ones with some heritage. Italy’s oldest and most traditional manufacturers have essentially kept on building modestly powered, not very high-tech, transverse V-twins for year after year, and have recently found increasing number of riders interested in just that kind of bike.

Guzzi’s marketing people know that they are on to a good thing. Hence last year’s revamp to create the V7 II trio of models, with their updated engine and transmission. And now the latest addition to the family, the Stornello: a limited-edition, off-road styled derivative designed to take on the similarly themed Scrambler models from Triumph and BMW, as well as Ducati.

In the Stornello’s case, as with Ducati’s Scrambler, there’s a strong historical link with the name, which means ‘Starling’ in Italian. The original Stornello was a small-capacity single that was popular in the home market in the 1960s and ‘70s, and was produced in dual-purpose form with distinctive white paint work and red frame.