My V7 Classic has a means of adjusting the rear springs surrounding the shock absorbers. There is a spanner for this job in the little Guzzi tool kit. Does anyone know how to decide the optimum setting?Â
Mine looks as though no-one has moved it from new. I was wondering if there is a recommended gap between the colts when sitting on the bike.
All the best,
David.Â
Hi David, the tool for that job is a C-spanner, like the one supplied with millions of pushbikes for adjusting the bottom bracket.
Settings are to suit your build and other load considerations, but rule-of-thumb with these is start out with maximum travel and tighten it up if you find it necessary.
Phil
And if you want to know more, google “motorcycle suspension set up” to find out how to set the “sag”. A little adjustment and with practice, familiarity, can pay big dividends. There’s lots of advice out there on this oft neglected topic.
Mal
Hi David,
It’s generally accepted that the standard units are pretty rubbish and those adjustment collars can get very stiff without a squirt of oil once in a while. I use a small steel rule to measure the amount of thread showing on both shock’s to get them both the same and normally have 12mm of thread showing but that’s a bit on the firm side for solo riding but its ok for when I’m loaded up, which is pretty often… honestly I can’t be bothered with adjusting the collars for riding solo in the week and riding loaded up at the weekend. I find my Nevada rides best if the suspension is not set up too hard, I’ve talked to other small block owners and most agree that they handle better with it set up a little softer on the rear.
All the Guzzi’s I have owned handle best with soft rear suspension.
Clair, there is no need to worry about both sides being the same as they cannot work independently.
MZ’s used to have hard and soft settings with medium being one of each.
Looking at the length of threads beneath the lower of the two C nuts I think it is about 25mm but did not have a ruler with me. My guess is that it is as it left Mandello so there may well be scope to soften it quite a bit. Anyone else have an untouched V7 Classic they could measure?
All the best,
DavidÂ
Hi again, Mine came with that much wound on in 2009, very nearly new.
I considered stiffening further to help it round the bends, but as iandunmore
advises the opposite works best with these small Moto Guzzis.
Now I count 9 threads under the bottom collar but since my Cali took over all
the heavy lifting I’m going to slack 'em right off. They are pretty basic units
so don’t expect too much 
Phil
Thanks everyone. A job for the weekend, along with replacing the left side rear indicator that was snapped off during a tight parking manoeuvre in my overcrowded garage. Part is on its way from Gutsibits.
All the best,
David.Â
A bit late now, perhaps, but the ones from the single throttle body models have the flexible rubber (?) mounts that make them a little more forgiving in tight spaces. A direct replacement.
Mal
ref my post above, so I took the collars down to where the spring is at full extension showing four threads under the bottom collar. The bike is very happy this way, steering is perfectly neutral and stable in the turn. I’m having more success at hitting the blind, late apex now. Two weeks in and it’s a keeper +
Phil
I replaced mine with Hagons, because changing them in a hurry for touring with a pillion and luggage is a pain
the Hagon ones come with a decent spanner and it simply clicks around a collar, much easier
however the origionale Boge shocks are ok , it does pay to lube the threads though, and spray some ACF 50 up inside the collars at the top as they fret and corrode there
you may well find the standard spanner is made of pasta ( I bent mine) worth getting a decent one to adjust it with
I had 17 threads showing beneath the locking ring nut and have now reduced this to 9 threads. The proof of the pudding is in the eating but I will not have an opportunity to try out the new setting for more than a week. Have I gone too far? Will I end up in the nearest ditch…?Â
Tune in soon for the next exciting episode!
David.Â
Well, the 9 threads left me with a feeling in the stomach akin to coming off a hump-back bridge when going round some corners.
Putting it back to 17 threads has made it a real bum bruiser again so I have split the difference and set it at 13 threads.
Will test ride it over the same route next weekend. Hoping it will be OK this time.
David.Â
Forgot this goes back to July! 
This is also running on the on GR forum, where an American chap has advocated changing to Hagons. He could NEVER get his ‘stock’ V7 rear suspension set up ‘right’.
Hi Mike.Â
Yes I have asked the same on GR. Looking at Hagon’s website it would cost £200 to buy a pair.
So am still trying to optimise what I have. I am not a thrash-it rider so feel it ought to be a possibility.
David.Â
Not if it’s just plain bad.
Admittedly a long time ago but the stock suspension on my Spada literally made it a death trap.
Eventually only new Marzocchi rear shocks and a fork brace, i.e. spending a large wodge of readies, could finally solved it.
On my V7 Classic the shock absorbers are made by Sachs. Looking at their web site they do not even appear to offer units for motorcycles, only for cars!