THE SOUL OF MANDELLO: JOHN’S V7 SPORT
VERDE LEGNANO & THE SOUL OF MANDELLO: JOHN’S MOTO GUZZI V7 SPORT
The path to finding the perfect machine rarely follows a straight line. For John, a Swiss watch specialist and dedicated petrolhead, it took surviving a major crash on a Ducati Monster, a brief stint on a high-revving Triumph Street Triple, and extended miles on a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 before finally arriving at the 2025 Moto Guzzi V7 Sport in Verde Legnano.
THE Moto Guzzi V7 Sport
„I felt totally comfortable even at my height which is usually a problem on most motorcycles - I'm 194cm, the bike kept me entertained with its character and every look down on the tank made me smile.“
John
Standing at 194cm tall and holding a deep appreciation for mechanical craftsmanship, John was seeking a motorcycle that prioritized character, soul, and a relaxed riding flow over raw speed. The V7 Sport proved to be the exact answer. A long-distance road trip to Eastern Germany confirmed its exceptional ergonomics and road presence, solidifying John’s bond with the Italian twin. Apart from full paint protection film (PPF) to preserve its striking shade and a planned Zard exhaust system, John keeps the bike stock—finding its factory proportions visually flawless. For him, the culture surrounding Moto Guzzi isn't just about ownership; it represents a welcoming, ego-free community bound by pure enthusiasm.
THE RIDER
Name: John
Base: Switzerland
Garage / Life: Petrolhead, watch industry professional, and advocate for neo-classic motorcycle culture.
THE MACHINE
Model: 2025 Moto Guzzi V7 Sport
Spec & Mods: Finished in iconic Verde Legnano, protected by full paint protection film (PPF), with an upcoming custom Zard exhaust upgrade currently in development.
IN CONVERSATION WITH JOHN
RWN MOTOZINE: Tell us a bit about yourself, your background, and what drives your passion outside and inside the garage.
John: My name is John, I am based in Switzerland. Besides riding on beautiful roads I really enjoy travelling, watches which also happens to be my job (I know what a cliché ) and pretty much anything that is car/motorcycle related. So I guess you could say I am a huge petrol head with a big passion for watches.
RWN MOTOZINE: Your motorcycle journey took a few turns before leading you to Moto Guzzi. How did you end up riding the V7 Sport?
John: My motorcycle happens to be a 2025 Moto Guzzi V7 Sport in Verde Legnano. It's my fourth motorcycle now and the progression is quite interesting - I started out on a Ducati Monster, I loved that bike but a car failed to give me right of way and sadly the bike did not survive the impact. I then went to the Triumph Street Triple, wanting to explore the lovely three cylinder and the slightly more sporty/high revving nature of that bike. I loved the premium feeling of that motorcycle and the fantastic handling, however ultimately I guess it was too soon after the crash with my Monster and I was still recovering mentally from that crash, so I sold that bike about 7 months later and for a few years I got into cars only. Then naturally the itch came back as it usually does if you truly love motorcycling, you can't ever really be without a motorcycle for too long and by then I wasn't really looking for anything sporty or too brutal because I have realized that my riding style is much more laid back and flowing and not chasing the highest speed through any given corner. Plus I loved the look of old school bikes, so I made the decision and got into a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 - I loved that motorcycle, it is the one I kept for the longest. However it naturally had it's quirks and subtle let downs given the price point and over time I just wanted an upgrade and for years by that point I have been playing around with the idea of a BMW RnineT or a Moto Guzzi V7 and conveniently at that point the new V7 Sport came out not so long ago. Given the rarity of MG's on the road and after seeing the Verde Legnano in person I was instantly sold and I haven't looked back since. It's the most perfect motorcycle I have had for me personally up to this point. It gives me everything I want - old school styling, tons of soul, sporty enough handling for me to still be able to have fun, great brakes, much higher quality build and comfort than the RE. It's basically everything I ever wanted in a motorcycle and it came at the right time.
RWN MOTOZINE: Most riders immediately start modifying their bikes. How are you approaching your V7 Sport?
John: So far my V7 Sport remains completely stock, which is a strange one for me - I love to modify and tinker with motorcycles to have them exactly how I'd want and to somehow reflect myself a little bit in the way the bike looks. The V7 Sport is the first motorcycle where when I look at it I cannot find a single thing that needs to be changed aesthetically. I am super happy with the way it looks, I'm super happy with the way it rides. The one thing I have done is that I've covered the painted parts of the bike in PPF, to preserve the beautiful paint job as best as I can. The other thing I plan on doing next is installing an exhaust on the motorcycle, because that is the only one thing that it really needs. My Royal Enfield had S&S pipes on it and I really miss that sound. I am currently in talks with Zard as I feel that their exhausts are incredibly well built and not that common on Moto Guzzi's - which is a recurring theme as you'll surely notice - I like to stand out from the crowd and I never like to go with the obvious choice.
RWN MOTOZINE: Was there a specific moment or ride where you knew for certain that this was the right machine for you?
John: When I got the V7 I was really looking for something that would be a massive upgrade over the RE. I wanted to do bigger trips on the motorcycle and the GT 650 being designed as a Cafe Racer was excruciatingly miserable over longer distances. Having seen the V7 in person I was positive that it would be all that I wanted it to be, however I still wasn't too sure because you never really know until you really get to live a little more with the motorcycle. So I got it and after running it in, I went on my first bigger trip. I had some business to take care of in Eastern Germany and I really wanted to go with the V7 to test it out. That very trip made me realise just how amazing the bike is - I felt totally comfortable even at my height which is usually a problem on most motorcycles - I'm 194cm, the bike kept me entertained with its character and every look down on the tank made me smile because of that striking colour. That's when I knew for certain I have made the right choice. Which is a feeling that only grew stronger since then, having gotten to know the community around Moto Guzzi - they're probably the friendliest people who are just genuinely in love with the brand and so for the first time I am not second guessing myself and thinking of whether I should've gotten a different motorcycle over this one, it's just pure enjoyment for me at this point.
RWN MOTOZINE: What does motorcycle culture mean to you at its core?
John: Motorcycle culture is like a family to me. It's crazy to say but that's genuinely the way I feel about it. I can't think of another community where everyone is just so happy to share the same hobby as someone else, looking out for themselves, waving to each other as we pass, it's really something that is so unlike anything else that I got to experience so far, because you feel welcomed and included by complete strangers, whom you've never met before but somehow you get this sense of connection to them just because you share the same potentially dangerous hobby. It's just so refreshing because at least in the classic/neo-classic side of the moto community there is just a complete absence of jealousy/malice towards others - it doesn't matter what you ride, how much hp it has or how much it cost, everyone is just genuinely intrigued and positive towards the others, which is something that isn't always the case in other communities surrounding other hobbies. I have already alluded to this before but the community around Moto Guzzi especially needs a special shout-out because the level of genuine interest and love for the brand and the conversations you get to have with people you'd probably never get to talk to otherwise just because they love Moto Guzzi as much as you do is really something that made me warm up to the brand even more than I normally would. Riding gives me an incredible sense of freedom and it really helps me clear out my head from all of the daily struggles and stress - that combined with the culture and community around motorcycles is just priceless and truly something to behold and cherish. This is something that became more and more evident to me as I started on my social media journey with my V7 - the community is great, I’ve got a lot of amazing people follow my journey and it’s great to be able to connect what you love with something perhaps even more meaningful.
RWN MOTOZINE: John, thank you for the craft, the time, and for keeping the raw spirit of the culture alive.
Photos by John - Story by Sascha Köhmstedt