2022 Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello | First Ride

Under the Piaggio umbrella, Moto Guzzi has the resources and focus to modernize the company’s offerings with a new engine platform and brand-new motorcycle. That motorcycle is the V100 Mandello. Cycle World Editor-at-Large Blake Conner takes a ride on a prototype V100 in Italy. --- Moto Guzzi, one of the oldest and most historic Italian motorcycle manufacturers and one of the longest surviving worldwide, turned 100 years old in 2021 and is determined to continue its legacy in style. CEO Roberto Colaninno told his engineers that he wanted to celebrate that centenary milestone by building a completely new and extremely memorable motorcycle, one that would take the company into its next century. That meant that this new bike would have to be powered by an all-new engine, as emissions regulations continue to tighten, especially in Europe. So back in 2019, Moto Guzzi began work on the V100 Mandello and its compact-block, longitudinally mounted twin, continuing with some of the ideas Dr. Federico Martini prototyped a decade earlier when he first worked on a modern design for the future. This design would incorporate liquid-cooling, a feature that has been a long time coming at Guzzi, and was also an opportunity for the company to embrace advanced electronics and engine management. Being a part of the Piaggio group, which bought Guzzi in 2004, has massive benefits; Moto Guzzi shares R&D space with Aprilia and its MotoGP race-winning team and engineers. There is no shortage of technological know-how inside the campus at Noale, Italy. The passion around the Piaggio group is infectious, and Moto Guzzi’s team was fully up to the task of creating something very special. Although the engine at the heart of the V100 is arguably the bike’s greatest attribute, that wasn’t enough for the team; the bike needed something else to make it stand out against the sea of motorcycles currently on the market. The team decided to pursue semi-active aerodynamics, not for the motorcycle but for the rider and passenger; this is something that has never been brought to market before. Additionally, it was well understood that Guzzi’s traditional customers still expect the brand to deliver its unique character. The team decided that this new engine would power a sport-tourer, although the designers like to think of this bike as a roadster with fairings. The goal was for a light, nimble bike that could easily serve as a tourer, but was more focused on being an enjoyable sport machine for the type of real-world riding that most people actually do. The pursuit of maximum horsepower and performance could be left to stablemate Aprilia and its racetrack-focused sportbikes; the engine’s usability, flexibility, and power delivery would be the focus for the V100. This aligns perfectly with the character that Guzzi powerplants have delivered over the years; rich with torque, the pulses of big twin pistons thumping in front of the rider’s knees. Since that’s what customers expect, the goal was to make sure that the Guzzi feel and personality remained intact while making the bike contemporary. For the full story read here: https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/moto-guzzi-v100-mandello-first-ride-review-2023/ Subscribe to Cycle World Youtube: /c/cycleworld Read more from Cycle World: https://www.cycleworld.com/ Buy Cycle World Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/cycleworld

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