The Italian Job! Can Moto Guzzi’s new V100 Mandello upset the sports-touring establishment?

Moto Guzzi aren’t the first name you think of when it comes to tech. True, in the past they demonstrated their prowess with the V8 GP bike but when they celebrated their centenary last year, their range was entirely powered by single overhead cam, two-valve, air-cooled motors. That all changed as they revealed an all-new engine platform: the V100.

Liquid-cooled and featuring double overhead cams, the V100 comes with modern tech such as angle-responsive electronics and a wet clutch.

But, importantly, the new bike respects Guzzi tradition with a transverse V-twin design – although even this is tweaked with the heads rotated through 90 degrees. And, to best demonstrate this fresh attitude, Guzzi decided to put it in a sports tourer – the all-new V100 Mandello.

Which, it has to be noted, also introduces a two-wheeled world first in the shape of adaptive aerodynamics. But here is Guzzi’s issue… after a bit of a lull, the sports-touring segment is now hotly contested.

So, can a new engine and a dose of flash technology help Guzzi make an impact? Time to find out as we put it up against the budget-friendly Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX and the supremely refined BMW R1250RS.

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