68 V700, eventual project

[Gmc28]

(thanks Docc for moving this thread over.  I wasn’t thinking clearly when I dropped my little tangent onto Dave’s beautiful rebuild thread instead of starting my own.)

I’ll be keen to get input on this machine.  For instance, Daves pipes look great, and am interested in details on those.  Etc. 

I’m new to the 50+ year old bike category, other than bikes i rode as a kid, so even things like any hacks for the clunky center stand that wants to fall down to vertical, or the clutch engagement which is beautifully simple but clunky… are there hot tips on any of that floating out there in this group?

Link to @Dave Swanson's thread:

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Gmc28

[motortouring]

That looks like a great project too Gmc28. [ Best make a separate topic for it. ]

[docc edit: done! ]

[Gmc28]

(new thread here to unclutter dave swansons thread)

I may have accidentally ended up with this machine.  Oops.  A friend wanted to unload it, and offered it a few times over the years, with me declining, but finally circumstances, an adjusted set of desires, and price aligned, and now i have it.  I honestly had thought it was a ‘72 V7 from just eye-balling it casually in passing a couple times, but it’s a ‘68 V700.

Need to strip the paint and redo the tank (etc) paint scheme to something stock, or stock-ish, and am loving that red/chrome.  the chrome would presumably be harder to reproduce.  

probably will be a while till i actually do much with it, as this was not a planned thing.  Need to clear out some other projects first.  

Will be eye-balling stock or close-to-stock paint schemes, how to clean up the semi-hacked rear fender on this one, getting new fork seals in, ways to maybe enhance/improve the clutch activation, etc.  

[docc]

@Gmc28,

I hope my effort to help set up your thread came out okay. Sometimes that can be messy.

I did try to add back your second photo, but it does not look like that came through....

Looking forward to your V700's progress! 

[audiomick]

15 hours ago, Gmc28 said:

....Daves pipes look great, and am interested in details on those. 

 

Not the same as on Dave's I think, but Mistral has something similar

https://www.mistralspecialparts.it/en/product/classic-exhausts-moto-guzzi-v7-700-special-eldorado-850gt/

[Gmc28]

I’ll drain the old fuel out of the machine, as it’s apparently been in there a long time, which can make life more difficult with carbs (or FI).  

But whats the best option for long term storage… fill it with clear/non ethanol to keep the inside of tank less susceptible to moisture, or leave it dry?  i’m in a moist wet environment, so have always defaulted to keeping stored bikes with clean fuel in the tank, but have never planned to store for more than a winter.  

[gstallons]

Fill it up w/straight gas. You don't want to leave it empty and then take the cap off  year later to find RUST.

[gstallons]

You should look inside the tank of a 87 SE and it looks like it would be better underneath a tree w/o a fuel cap than inside a damp building w/an empty tank. 

[Gmc28]

makes sense, and thats what i've done in the past, but never for as long.  was just wondering if there were any other nifty hacks for that kind of thing.  i'll drain and refill with fresh petrol...

Probably the best habit to establish for this machine anyway, as it presumably will never be a regular rider bike, even when i've done what i'm going to do with her. 

[docc]

What about adding, to the ethanol-free fuel, a product like "Sta-Bil" fuel stabilizer?

 

[gstallons]

You can do that but use Sta-Bil for non-alcohol fuel or Sta-Bil for alcohol fuel. IDK what the difference is but there is a difference.

[HRC_V4]

These are the small hole exhaust, also come in the large hole version.

[Gmc28]

On 10/8/2025 at 6:12 PM, gstallons said:

You can do that but use Sta-Bil for non-alcohol fuel or Sta-Bil for alcohol fuel. IDK what the difference is but there is a difference.

I think there’s an enzyme in the one, like in Startron.  
That’s what I do for the V11’s, which mostly sit all winter, but will definitely get ridden again by spring.  All good, and can do same here with the loop, but that gas may sit longer.

Seems as though a good fellow on wildguzzi has a rear fender for me.  So the process is moving very slowly, but it’s moving.

looks as though MGcycle is out of stock on the solo seat they carry, but cycle garden has some.  Still giving thought to recovering the saddle I have, but it’s a mess, not stock or even remotely like stock, and I don’t think I like it.  Also thought about a lower, non stock style seat.  Probably not, but have seen some nicely applied on the V7.
Don’t need to stick with stock on this machine, so that’s not a key criteria, but a consideration.  
I love the stock restorations, and I love many of the well done custom builds.  Partly based on what I’ve got to work with, I’m inclined to depart from trying to go back to original/stock, but keep it in the subjective area of “respecting the stock style”.  Whatever that means…. We’ll see.