There’s a Moto Guzzi V7 Classic in my garage right now, so when I heard that Cafe Racer Dreams were starting work on a new V7 Stone, my ears pricked up. There’s no shortage of Triumph Bonneville customs, but despite the sales success of Mandello Del Lario’s small block V-twin, it hasn’t yet filtered through to the leading builders.
Pedro García and Efraon Triana have given the normally svelte-looking V7 a shot of scrambler attitude, with fenders reminiscent of vintage enduro machines and chunky Continental Twinduro TKC80 rubber—a rare knobbly tire that doesn’t embarrass itself on pavement. The wheels have been sandblasted and refinished with a matte varnish.
The overall look is classic Café Racer Dreams, and it suits the Guzzi remarkably well. The side panels are gone, revealing a K&N pod intake, and the battery has been relocated to the swingarm.
The standard V7 exhaust sounds good, but I know from experience that the engine responds well to free-breathing pipework. Here, it’s a reverse cone system made to CRD’s specification by local specialist GR.
The rear frame rails have been reworked to take a flatter seat than the substantial stock item—still practical, but with more of a classic feel. The black Renthal Ultra Low bars are sporting enduro-style switchgear, with simplified electrics to match. And the bulky standard instrumentation has been ditched in favor of a single compact speedo. The headlight is CRD’s proprietary design—protected by a micromesh grille—along with the blinkers and taillight.
It’s a relatively simple build, but takes the V7 into a different and rather intriguing realm.
If Triumph has its Scrambler, isn’t it time Moto Guzzi created a version of the V7 to match?
Images by Enrique Pacheco. Contact CRD via their website or Facebook page.
