As any olde phart who's done enough laps around the sun will tell you, fashion is cyclical. Who would ever have thought that beige leisure suit you wore for your high school yearbook photo would come back into style? Granted, fitting into it is another matter, but you get my point. In motorcycling, the fashion du jour has gone from bobbers/choppers to cafe racers to scramblers. And nowhere is this evolution more apparent than in Moto Guzzi's V7 lineup. Joining the Stone, Special and Racer for 2016 is a new scrambler model dubbed the Stornello. 
Technically its full name is the V7 II Stornello, because like its stablemates it gets the full raft of 2016 upgrades including dual-channel Continental ABS, traction control and a six-speed gearbox. Ergonomics are also improved, starting with a repositioned engine that moves the 90-degree V-twin's outward-jutting cylinders farther from the rider's knees. The seat was lowered by a half-inch to 31.1 inches to better accommodate shorter riders, while the footpegs were lowered to allow more legroom for taller folks. Output is given at 48 horsepower, the 5.8-gallon fuel tank is said to allow a range of up to 310 miles, and claimed curb weight is 410 lbs. But really, the Stornello—which means “little song” in Italian—is all about the look. Its white tank with red stripes, red frame and black engine pay homage to the 1972 Stornello Scrambler 125. And with its wire-spoke wheels shod with semi-knobby tires, long seat, rubber knee pads, off-road footpegs, fork boots, satin-finished aluminum fenders and numberplates, the Stornello looks every inch a scrambler. 
Except for one thing: that 2-into-1 Arrow exhaust. A high-rise dual exhaust is arguably the signature component of a scrambler, and here the Stornello misses the boat completely. Guzzi's designers should take a hint from French custom shop Baak Motocyclettes (www.baakmotocyclettes.com) and equip the Stornello with a proper exhaust. Ironically, the dual mufflers that look like an afterthought on BMW's new scrambler might look just right on the Guzzi! The Stornello will be available in a limited edition of 1000 units, with an aluminum tag on the headstock denoting its number. Price is set at $10,990 (same as the V7 II Racer), and a full range of accessories is offered. 
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