Moto Guzzi used to be a super high-tech firm back in the 1950s: its 175mph V-8 racebike was a proper legend, and the firm even had its own wind tunnel for bodywork development. Guzzi was also winning GP races while the Japanese firms were still stuck making mopeds in the 1950s.
In recent years, though, it’s been more of a heritage brand, selling air-cooled retro-styled roadsters and cruisers, with middle-of-the-road performance and tech. But this new Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello looks to change that, with a hugely advanced design all round.
The first thing that strikes you is the new engine – it remains a traditional Moto-Guzzi transverse V-twin, with the cylinders sticking out each side. But it’s now water-cooled, with DOHC four-valve cylinder heads, ride-by-wire fuel injection and a new vertical-flow design, with the intake on top of the heads and exhaust below. That’s the same setup as BMW uses on its DOHC R1250 GS Boxer engine, and allows better camshaft packaging on the DOHC layout. The 1,042cc capacity motor makes 115bhp with 105Nm of torque, which are decent if not earth-shattering numbers, and should make for a slick sport-touring package.
The chassis is based on a steel tube frame, with optional Öhlins EC2.0 semi-active suspension front and rear. The single-sided rear swingarm is a chunky aluminium construction, with the shaft drive incorporated into the structure, on the left hand side and there are high-end Brembo brakes all round.
The V100 boasts the world’s first adaptive aerodynamic system, which is a set of moving wings or flaps on the side of the fuel tank. These move in and out depending on speed and riding mode, to deflect air around the rider and pillion. It’s claimed to reduce air pressure on the rider by 22 per cent at speed, giving the effect of a much larger fairing without the weight or size. Clever stuff.
There’s a comprehensive electronics package, with the IMU-assisted cornering traction control and ABS setup, riding power modes, engine brake control, cornering full-LED headlights, and cruise control. A large 5” colour LCD dash controls the various functions, while linking to a smartphone app via Bluetooth to provide navigation, media and phone functions. Guzzi reckons the V100 is designed to carry two people in comfort too, with a large, padded seat and pillion grab handles.
The new V100 comes in two versions, with the posh one having the Öhlins semi-active suspension, heated grips, quickshifter and the Guzzi MIA phone connection package all as standard.
No word on price or availability of the new V100 as yet – more when we get it. In the meantime, check out www.motoguzzi.com for more.