Moto Guzzi turned 100 this year, and it’s taking a big step forward to celebrate this anniversary. Today at EICMA, Guzzi unveiled the new V100 Mandelo, a sort of roadster that can convert into a touring bike as it picks up steam, thanks to an active aero system—the first bike so equipped, says Moto Guzzi.
Here’s how Moto Guzzi describes the new aerodynamic system: “Moto Guzzi technology also contributes to increasing both comfort and air protection, with the world-first adoption of an adaptive aerodynamic system that automatically adjusts the position of deflectors on the sides of the 17.5-liter tank depending on the speed and selected Riding Mode. The fully raised aerodynamic appendages reduce air pressure on the rider by 22%, which brings V100 Mandello close to the level of air protection afforded by more voluminous and less sporty tourers, thanks also to the protection provided by the top fairing, the height of which can be electronically adjusted.”
So, the bike’s bodywork changes as speed rises, to protect the rider from wind. It’s not intended to provide stabilization, like the winglets you see on other bikes on the market.
Moto Guzzi also put an all-new liquid-cooled transverse V-twin engine in the V100. This 1042 cc motor comes with heads twisted 90-degrees from standard Moto Guzzi architecture, along with chain-drive DOHC top end. The liquid cooling system, along with other updated design (finger followers, four valves per cylinder), lets Moto Guzzi downsize the engine’s physical sizing while boosting power to 115 hp and upwards of 77 lb-ft of torque, almost all on tap in the low-to-mid range, where you spend your time when street riding.
The non-traditional Moto Guzzi features continue with a single-sided swingarm containing the shaft drive. The press release says this is cleverly engineered to remove the need for swingarm linkage. The frame itself is steel tube, which might not be as fancy as something from aluminum, but will certainly get the job done. Also, Moto Guzzi made sure that frame was strong enough for a passenger and saddlebags, which will be welcome news for those thinking of two-up touring.
Moto Guzzi also built in a new six-axis IMU on this bike, powering cornering ABS, four riding modes (Travel, Sport, Rain, Road), selectable engine maps, and adjustable engine braking and traction control. There’s a five-inch TFT dash, and full LED cornering-sensitive headlight.
It isn’t clear if all that electro-tech is included on both the standard and the up-scale model—because yeah, there’s an upscale model as well, with higher-spec’d tech. This includes semi-active Ohlins Smart EC 2.0 suspension, a quickshifter, and no doubt some other goodies we haven’t learned about yet.
We’d expect both versions of the new Moto Guzzi V100 Mandelo to arrive in Canada sometime in early-to-mid 2022. We don’t know pricing yet.
