Gregory Bender

Tire choices

Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models

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Good rubber is a necessity. I once read that the combined contact patch for the both the front and rear tires is the size of the palm of your hand (David L. Hough - Proficient Motorcycling). That being said, just about any tire you purchase today will be better than the tires available 30 years ago.

I think it is a usually a very good idea to purchase tires as close to the manufactures original specifications as possible. Modifying tire sizes can have a dramatic effect on the handling of the motorcycle. That's not to say you can't make modifications, just that the consequences may or may not be desirable. Here are the Moto Guzzi specifications for all V7, Ambassador, and Eldorado models:

Here would be my choices. In making these selections, I chose touring or cruising tires because that's what I do with my Ambassador and I like to get as many miles out of my tires as is safely permissible. If you choose sport rated tires, you can expect greatly decreased tire life (but all that gooey traction will let you ride the bike up a wall).

When viewing these selections, keep in mind that I tried to find the tires I think would be best for the style of riding I do with my Ambassador. I chose to include some brands below for which the tires they currently offer don't really meet my needs. I included these selections so that individuals who choose to be loyal to a particular brand would see it listed here. In the end, the tires you choose to put on your motorcycle are your own business.