• NOTICE: The owner of this website and GTMotoCycles.com completely lost his home on the morning of January 8th in the L.A. Wildfire Storm. Most of his neighborhood is gone, and a few friends were killed along with their pets. The GTM SHOP and STORE are functioning normally, but we DEMAND EXTREME PATIENCE on orders as we are a SMALL business and Todd usually has his hands on nearly every order before it goes out. You can find more info on a post named L.A. Wildfires in the USA section. Our heart and best go out to everyone effected in this horrific disaster.
  • Ciao Guest - You’ve landed at the ultimate Guzzi site. NEW FORUM REGISTRATIONS REQUIRE EMAIL ACTIVATION - CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER - Use the CONTACT above if you need help. New to the forum? For all new members, we require ONE post in the Introductions section at the bottom, in order to post in most of the other sections. ALWAYS TRY A SEARCH BEFORE STARTING A NEW TOPIC - Most questions you may have, have likely been already answered. DON'T BE A DRIVE-BY POSTER: As a common courtesy, check back in and reply within 24 hours, or your post will be deleted. Note there's decades of heavily experienced Guzzi professionals on this site, all whom happily give endless amounts of their VALUABLE time for free; BE COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL!
  • Be sure to see the GTM STORE link also above for our 700+ product inventory, including OEM parts and many of our 100% Made-in-SoCal-USA GTM products and engine kits. In SoCal? Click the SERVICE tab above for the best in service, tires, tuning and installation of our products or custom work, and don't miss our GT MotoCycles® (not) art on the BUILDS tab above. WE'RE HERE ONLINE ONLY - NO PHONE CALLS MADE OR RECEIVED - DO NOT EMAIL AND ASK QUESTIONS OR ASK TO CALL YOU.
  • There is ZERO tolerance on personal attacks and ANY HYPERLINKS to PRODUCT(S) or other competing website(s), including personal pages, social media or other Forums. This ALSO INCLUDES ECU DIAGnostic software, questions and mapping. We work very hard to offer commercially supported products and to keep info relevant here. First offense is a note, second is a warning, third time will get you banned from the site. We don't have the time to chase repeat (and ignorant) offenders. This is NOT a social media platform; It's an ad-free, privately funded website, in small help with user donations. Be sure to see the GTM STORE link above; ALL product purchases help support the site, or you can upgrade your Forum profile or DONATE via the link above.

V7 III Suspension Thread

B4DDF718-44BF-45F6-BDD4-7E2B0947EF1F.webp So after a quick lunch time ride over the worst roads in town I can only imagine that the Old shocks were Springs on Sticks... NO DAMPING !!!

The new GTM 2WS Twin Shocks actually damp the spine jarring jolts I used to experience on these same roads - WELL worth the investment.
I really don't know why I'm keeping the old ones in a box... to serve as a Bad example ???l

Over 250km this evening and the ride is just great, smooths out the little stuff and take the major pavement issue in stride, no surprises !
A great product ! *****
 
Last edited:
DeadEye said:
So after a quick lunch time ride over the worst roads in town I can only imagine that the Old shocks were Springs on Sticks... NO DAMPING !!!

The new GTM 2WS Twin Shocks actually damp the spine jarring jolts I used to experience on these same roads - WELL worth the investment.
I really don't know why I'm keeping the old ones in a box... to serve as a Bad example ???
Click to expand...
I chucked mine in the trash bin
 
I am thinking of getting 20mm lower shocks, which means lowering the front as well. I know that perhaps the easiest way is to pull the fork tubes up through the triple trees (as in the GT video on Youtube), but it's also possible instead to cut the spacers/spring blocks by 20mm right?
 
Maj Steve Trevor said:
I am thinking of getting 20mm lower shocks, which means lowering the front as well. I know that perhaps the easiest way is to pull the fork tubes up through the triple trees (as in the GT video on Youtube), but it's also possible instead to cut the spacers/spring blocks by 20mm right?
Click to expand...
I may have a set in stock for a special price if you have an older V7. No, properly lowering forks internally is more involved. You can Google it if you’d like.
 
Hi all, I'm fairly new to all this still so a lot of the talk in this thread is a little too technical. Just looking for a recommendation. I have an '18 V7 III Special and looking to see if I can upgrade the shocks. I'm a big guy, 300lbs. Where should I start? I'm looking to start improving the bike.
 
misterwes31 said:
Hi all, I'm fairly new to all this still so a lot of the talk in this thread is a little too technical. Just looking for a recommendation. I have an '18 V7 III Special and looking to see if I can upgrade the shocks. I'm a big guy, 300lbs. Where should I start? I'm looking to start improving the bike.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the GT Forum. The very first post of this thread... All items we use, recommend and sell here; https://gtmotocycles.com/collections/suspension/model_v7-iii?sort_by=best-selling
All shown there are very good. The GTM versions (also the cheapest) are built to order, and can made longer as well, no additional charge.
 
vagrant said:
Look in the store above. I'd go 20MM longer for a bit more stroke and get the non progressive springs for your weight too.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I just didn't know what mm is considered long or short or anything ha. thank you
 
Godfrey said:
While the V7III is not expensive in the context of today's $20,000 bikes, I don't consider $10,000 an inexpensive machine. :)

My Racer came with the excellent Öhlins rear suspension units albeit with springing more suited to a rider who weighs about 150 lbs. The OEM fork felt crude and unresponsive by comparison. So I installed an uprated set of springs on the rear and a Matris cartridge fork kit on the front, with matched springing. Now I have proper springing at both end as well as both adjustable compression and rebound damping to set the bike up with ... Both have needed a couple of fine adjustments over time so having both has been a major plus. Not inexpensive but well worth it, to me.

I also upgraded the wheels so that I could use tubeless radial tires. That was far less necessary than the suspension upgrade as well as far more expensive, but it also improved the bike by a significant and noticeable increment. Happily, I could afford it too. The V7III frame and engine are definitely worth these improvements. It makes me think that the only reason Guzzi didn't include this grade of equipment as stock was to keep the selling price down in the acceptable range; I'd rather have the frame and engine be supported by suspension and wheels/tires that allow them to be used fully.

Both of these sets of upgrades are practically invisible to the eye to the uninformed viewer, so I guess I'm not going to make much of an impression with the custom crowd. :D

G
Click to expand...
Godfrey, I would be interested to know what the spring rate in your Matris full fork kit was? I am about the same weight (240+ in street clothes, and I am riding a V7 III Special. The Matris kit I was offered has only .65 N mm springs which seems even slightly less that OEM springs! Can you pass on your experience here?
 
I've got about 2500 miles on my recently purchased V7III and I'm ready for better rear dampers. I weigh 210, ride solo only, and carry only a regular sized tank bag. Most all recommendations I read are concerned with fast riding. My days of dragging pegs are far in the past and all I drag now is my ass so I want the softest, most comfortable set up I can get. If any geezers out there have something you're satisfied with I'd like to hear about it.
 
Bill Meyer said:
I've got about 2500 miles on my recently purchased V7III and I'm ready for better rear dampers. I weigh 210, ride solo only, and carry only a regular sized tank bag. Most all recommendations I read are concerned with fast riding. My days of dragging pegs are far in the past and all I drag now is my ass so I want the softest, most comfortable set up I can get. If any geezers out there have something you're satisfied with I'd like to hear about it.
Click to expand...
You will not go wrong with anything I have in the STORE linked above. On the lower budget side of things, either these; https://gtmotocycles.com/products/gtm-s2w-ifp-twin-shocks --OR-- these work very well; https://gtmotocycles.com/products/bitubo-v7-iii-twin-shocks - these being able to be had quicker if that matters to you.
Also, NEVER ignore the front end. A balanced bike is paramount as to spring rate and damping. If you wanted to upgrade your 4-wheeled vehicle, you'd never do one end at a time. I have several affordable options; https://gtmotocycles.com/collections/suspension/model_v7-iii?sort_by=best-selling
 
I can vouch for these two-
  • MATRIS V7 FORK SPRING KIT WITH ADJUSTERS
  • GTM 2WS TWIN SHOCK
These took what I felt was a bit soft front end and a bone jarring back end and made the bike more stable and much more pleasurable to ride than it was.
I have yet to drag a peg, ever... :worried:
 
Last edited:
vagrant said:
I believe you can get by with 20MM longer and I would do that.
Click to expand...
Come on man. ;)
I developed, tested and confirmed this to work and be beneficial (circa 2013), and now two brands offer them this way that I sell (GTM 2WS & Bitubo).
 
Bill Meyer said:
Thanks for the info guys. The fork will get some attention but it's tolerable for now whereas the rear REALLY wants help.
Click to expand...
Welcome. I've also stated hundreds of times here that you don't know how bad the front is until you correct the back. I recommend you re-read my words above on both ends at once.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top