Vanguard Moto Guzzi V7 Cafe Racer: Can we say SICK?
Vanguard is a lifestyle clothing brand for the “modern, sophisticated man.” The brand targets men who appreciate beauty and outstanding design.
Where does Vanguard style derive? Classic motorcycles, stylish clothing and all things made with love and attention. Vanguard has a close relationship with Moto Guzzi, and uses the combination of Italian design and the American spirit of freedom as a source of inspiration.
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Moto Guzzi V7, Vanguard developed limited-edition V7 Rider jeans. The jeans, coined the V7 Anniversary Jeans, pay homage to the Moto Guzzi V7, which was introduced 50 years ago this year. 
This machine formed the basis for the Vanguard V7 Custom. This unique custom was built in collaboration with Wrench Kings and features many details from the V7 Slim Rider Jeans.
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Moto Guzzi V7, Vanguard is honoring the Italian brand by building the Vanguard Moto Guzzi V7 Custom.
This machine is designed by Gannet Design of Switzerland, the same studio that built last year the Vanguard Moto Guzzi V8, which was built by Numbnut Motorcycles.
This time the design was brought to life by the Wrench Kings of the Dutch-based Bilthoven. The custom V7 features several references to Vanguard and the V7 Jeans, including the custom-painted tank with denim effect, the tail light with V-pattern and the embossed logo on the tank.
The handmade seat is the same color as the quilted back patch. The bolts on the bike are the same color as the jeans’ rivets, and the bar-end blinkers embrace the Vanguard logo on both sides.
For the presentation of the V7 Custom, pinstripe artist Martijn Krabman designed a one-off custom helmet with a design theme identical to that of the jeans and the bike.
It’s always fun to hear straight from the designer how things decisions were made and where inspiration came from. Here’s a quote from Ulfert Janssen of Gannet Design:
“In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Moto Guzzi V7 and new Vanguard jeans, we designed a one-off custom bike which bridges between the first V7 Guzzi model and the Guzzi bike from today. We changed the stance of the bike and created a slight forward leaning angle for more sexy proportions and racer look. The design is a bit retro fitted and some details throw you back a couple of decades.
“Yet the overall design keeps the connection to the contemporary donor bike, which gives a feeling of timeless mix. The custom cafe racer tail section and the “bikini fairing” underlines the racer style with a touch of vintage form language. Furthermore, we integrated key design elements of the new Vanguard V7 jeans into this exceptional bike, such as the special denim blue, quilted leather on the seat matching the leather patch on the jeans and V logo in the rear light, just to mention a few.
“As a special feature we designed a custom 2-into-1 exhaust system with solid roar and it announces the approach of the head turner even from a distance. The bike got built by the Wrench Kings with great attention to detail. In essence, the Vanguard Guzzi V7 has a super stylish and clean look with a mix of timeless classic and modern elements, and it fits perfectly to Vanguard Clothing.”
