Riders Preferred Membership
Shop by Vehicle
Track Order
Contact Us
When I wrote a piece last week about a few motorcycles I was going to be watching for at the EICMA show, the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello drew quite a few reader comments, and now, with the unveiling of the model in Italy, we have a few more details — though not yet all the details.
The V100 name doesn't indicate displacement, but rather time: Moto Guzzi's century of existence. Moto Guzzi sees the Mandello as its first bike of the next hundred years and has festooned it with technology far beyond the liquid-cooled engine we could see in the teaser photos (and well beyond what I expected). The Mandello retains the traditional V-twin and shaft-drive layout Moto Guzzi is known for, but beyond that it's a departure. The heads are on sideways, the shaft drive is on the "wrong" side and then there's all that tech.
"Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello will represent a turning point in the brand's history, the project introducing some very important technological innovations," the company announcement stated. "It will be the very first motorcycle to offer adaptive aerodynamics, and the first Moto Guzzi to be equipped with advanced electronic solutions such as the six-axis inertial platform, cornering ABS, semi-active suspension, and the quick shifter, to cite just a few of the most important features."
So let's talk about the "adaptive aerodynamics" first. In my previous article, one reader wondered if those aerodynamic panels were automatic and speed-sensitive and questioned whether such a design would hold up long-term. I guessed that they were rider adjustable, so they wouldn't have so much wear. Well, I was wrong.
The deflectors on the sides of the tank adjust automatically based on speed and which of the four riding modes is selected. The windscreen is also adjustable by the rider and Moto Guzzi says the adjustments can reduce air pressure on the rider by up to 22 percent, allowing the relatively svelte Mandello to provide more rider protection when desired.
Speaking of riding modes, the electronics suite is extensive by any measure, and even more so for Moto Guzzi. The ride-by-wire throttle enables the four riding modes: Travel, Sport, Rain and Road. There are three engine mappings, four levels of traction control and three levels of engine braking. An inertial measurement unit enables cornering ABS and also feeds information to the other safety features.
Two versions of the V100 Mandello will be available, one with standard Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 semi-active suspension, which adjusts settings on the fly, based on conditions and the riding mode selected.
All these settings are controlled through a five-inch TFT display. The upscale version with the Öhlins electronic suspension also includes a quickshifter, heated grips and the Moto Guzzi MIA platform that allows you to link your smartphone to the display via Bluetooth. This lets you manage calls, music and navigation via the handlebar controls. And yes, because I know some of you will ask, all Mandellos will have cruise control.
Just about any description of a new motorcycle starts with the engine, and yet I think it says something about how different this Moto Guzzi is that I haven't mentioned the engine until last, even though it is also new.
The V-twin and shaft-drive layout may be traditional Moto Guzzi, but much of the rest is different. The liquid-cooled V-twin displaces 1,042 cc. Chain-driven double overhead camshafts operate four valves per cylinder using finger followers. The clutch is hydraulic. The entire package is more compact than other Moto Guzzi V-twins but the other departure from tradition is that the heads are turned 90 degrees. Instead of intake at the rear of the cylinder and exhaust at the front, intake is inboard and exhaust is to the sides.
Moto Guzzi claims 115 horsepower and 77 foot-pounds of torque but says 90 percent of that torque is available at 3,500 rpm with the redline at 9,500 rpm.
The shaft drive is now on the left on the V100 Mandello and the longer swingarm and altered angle of the shaft are supposed to eliminate any jacking under acceleration or engine braking that can affect handling. Wheelbase is 58.5 inches. On paper, it sounds like a package that should provide a balance between sportiness and long-haul capability, even two-up.
The details we don't have yet are what the two trim levels of the V100 Mandello will cost and when they will be available in the United States. Piaggio Group Americas spokesman Shane Pacillo says that information will be coming late this year, most likely.
Image Gallery
