Dancing the Polka

You would think this sort of article could be written by AI. I mean, it’s a simple enough task: identify a number of other people’s articles on a given subject – in this case, Moto Guzzi’s stylish and niche V100 Mandello sport tourer – then have AI software collate that information to create a more well-rounded, more useful assessment of the motorcycle than a single review might offer.

But, surprisingly, AI can’t pull it off. I’ve tried it. Experts may be worried that AI will destroy the world but right now it’s so ineffective that in one version that I attempted, the AI-generated article claimed the Mandello is powered by a single-cylinder engine. Another version declared no less than SEVEN times that the V100 Mandello is “a true return to form” for Moto Guzzi.

It seems that the special kind of plagiarism involved in a Review Round-Up requires a human touch. And you can tell this is being written by a human because an AI would have been far more punctual. Moto Guzzi revealed the V100 Mandello at EICMA way back in November 2021. Most moto-journalists had ridden it at some point in the year after that. From an SEO perspective, this article is far, far too late.

But I’m not trying to make money from this site anymore and I’m really interested in the V100 Mandello. So, let’s see if the AI is right: is this bike a true return to form? And if so, what does that mean?

Your test riders for this particular review are: the much-missed and legendary Evans Brasfield, Adam Waheed, Adam Child, Michael Neeves, Alex Strange, and Blake Conner.

SOME NUMBERS

Starting price: £13,500 for standard / £15,750 for S version (Prices correct as of December 2023)
Engine: 1042cc liquid-cooled transverse 90° V-twin
Power: 84.5 kW @ 8700 rpm (115 hp)
Torque: 104.3 Nm @ 6750 rpm (77 lb-ft)
Seat Height: 815 mm (32 in)
Fuel Capacity: 17.5 liters (4.6 US gallons)
Weight: 233 kg (513.6 lbs)

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

My own first impression of the Mandello was that it looks like a Honda from the late 90s/early 2000s. One can see flavors of Varadero and Deauville in its bulbous front end, with hints of an even older Hawk GT in the seat and tail.

That’s hardly a glowing endorsement. But look again and you see the brutish stance of the Mandello: the cylinder heads jutting out into the wind as if issuing a challenge, and chunky header pipes flowing into a massive catalytic converter that somehow manages to be aesthetically pleasing in its sheer not-hiddeness.

Meanwhile, Adam Child insists this is one of those bikes “that looks even better in the flesh than it does in pictures,” which feels just a bit like damning praise. I said the same thing about another Moto Guzzi, the V85TT, and meant it in the way of “It doesn’t look quite as awful when you’re standing right next to it.”

In fairness, though, the V85TT really did end up impressing me when I rode it. Enough that I often find myself wishfully looking at used listings, hoping to find one within my price range. Not yet… 

I suspect the Mandello is wholly capable of pulling off the same trick. A few years from now, it will be the bike I’m constantly checking eBay for.

The story behind The V100 Mandello name is easy enough to work out: it’s an iconic Moto Guzzi V-twin, revealed in 2021 to coincide with the Italian brand’s 100th anniversary, and it pays homage to Guzzi’s hometown of Mandello del Lario.

At a standstill, the Mandello’s most notable (and, arguably, most gimmicky) feature isn’t really visible: the wings. Flaps on the tank automatically extend when you’re riding in excess of 43 mph when you’re in Touring mode (or all the time if you’re in Rain mode). Moto Guzzi’s boffins claim the feature reduces air pressure on rider and passenger by 22 percent. We’ll get to those in a bit.

Throwing a leg over, most reviewers found the bike instantly comfortable, if not just a little lower to the ground than expected.

“Ergonomics-wise, I appreciated how narrow it felt between my legs,” wrote Adam Waheed. “Even though it’s a 500-plus-pound bike, it doesn’t look or feel that large. It’s nice and compact from front to back and fairly narrow in terms of width.”

“The Mandello’s rider triangle is just about perfect for a roadster or a sporty tourer,” added Evans Brasfield.

There are two versions of this bike: the V100 Mandello and the V100 Mandello S. Moto Guzzi’s own website states that the differences between the two come down to “technological bells and whistles.” Which strikes me as a tad dismissive but refreshingly honest. 

Alex Strange went to the trouble to find out exactly what the differences are: “The S model adds heated grips, tire pressure monitoring, smartphone integration, quickshifter (up/down) and Öhlins semi-active suspension.” 

ENGINE, PERFORMANCE, AND HANDLING

Contrary to what an AI might tell you, the Mandello is not powered by a single-cylinder engine. Instead, it is driven by an all-new, liquid-cooled 1042cc transverse V-twin. 

“The V100 features a huge first for Guzzi. Up until now, every transverse-mounted 90° V-Twin the company produced has been air cooled, but no more,” explained Evans. “The new ‘compact block’ engine is the result of a switch to liquid cooling. Although manufacturers frequently claim that new models don’t share a single part with their predecessors, these ‘complete redesigns’ rarely implement the amount of change Moto Guzzi has wedged into re-envisioning of its 90° V-Twin.”

Moto Guzzi promises roughly 115 horsepower from this engine. That’s impressive for a modern Guzzi, and mostly honest. In the May 2023 issue of Bike magazine, Mike Armitage spent some time riding a Mandello through the Yorkshire Dales and reported 108.4 hp at 8,500 rpm. He also found that peak torque was 72.5 lb-ft, at 7,000 rpm.

So, a little less oomph than promised but all still perfectly reasonable. I mean, I suppose. It’s certainly enough power for real-world riding, especially with such a healthy amount of torque on tap. It’s more than enough for me. The more I ride, the more I’ve come to believe that even as little as 80 horsepower can be all that you want. And in terms of what you need, you can very comfortably get by on all roads with a 47hp bike*. My old 2006 Honda CBF1000 delivered just shy of 100 hp and I never found myself wanting. 

But, of course, I’m old and boring. And Moto Guzzi pitches the Mandello as a sport-touring motorcycle. Within that context, it has markedly less power than, say, the 140hp Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX, the 151hp Suzuki GSX-S1000GT, or the 164hp BMW S 1000 XR. That would be OK if Moto Guzzi’s sport tourer leaned more into the tourer side of the category but its short screen, and the fact that I cannot find but one photo of the bike wearing its £943 accessory panniers, suggests that’s not Moto Guzzi’s thinking.

But, you know, whatever. As Michael Neeves explained: “It’s hard to pigeonhole the V100 Mandello and that’s one of its appeals.”

Press the bike’s starter and you get a bit of the classic Guzzi rumble and shake, but not enough to create concern or cause issues. In ye olden days, the engine’s configuration resulted in all kinds of longitudinal shift; the old dudes tell tales of twisting the throttle at idle and having the bike jump upright off the side stand.

Click into gear, and the bike shifts with a delightful level of grunt – the majority of its torque arriving around 3,500 rpm. Which of the four riding modes you choose will obviously affect your experience but in Sport there is “significant zip in the throttle delivery” according to Adam Child.

Only one reviewer even referenced the bike’s shaft drive, so I think it’s safe to assume that it doesn’t create any performance issues. Similarly, the semi-active suspension on the S version of the bike earns that sort of praise that comes from not being mentioned much. It’s worth noting, though, that other reviewers were equally happy with standard bikes, offering only adjustable pre-load.

Either way, the Mandello V100 earned praise for its ability to hustle along winding roads.

“Through corners the Guzzi is natural steering and composed,” said Michael Neeves. “Its brakes deserve a special mention, too. Brembo M4 32 calipers are incredibly powerful and tactile, something sadly missing from most ABS set-ups nowadays.”

A quickshifter on the S version is there to make riding more fluid, but Alex Strange suggested the feature may not be worth the extra cash.

“I felt the quickshifter was a bit lacking, in all honesty,” he reported. “Clicking up from first to second was often met with a sudden surge of power as the second gear engaged regardless of revs applied, and at some points even raising the front and rather drastically unsettling the ride.”

Overall, though, the bike earned across-the-board praise for comfort and ridability. Put aside nitpicking questions about how perfectly it fits in the sport-touring category and it’s clearly a bike that can be ridden and thoroughly enjoyed all day.

BELLS AND WHISTLES

Let’s get back to those adaptive wings. These are not MotoGP-style wings designed to generate downforce on a 115hp bike. The idea is to help protect the rider from the elements. The jury’s still out on whether they actually do that. None of the reviews that I read were particularly impressed with the wings and most reviewers were unsure as to whether they were having any effect at all.

Other features won more praise, such as four riding modes that genuinely feel different from one another. 

“The electronics suite is packed to the rafters,” explained Alex Strange. “A six-axis IMU uses accelerometers and gyroscopes to read the bike’s position on the road, feeding information to the traction control, cornering ABS module, and power delivery.”

On the S version you also get the aforementioned semi-electronic suspension. 

The bike’s 5-inch TFT display is effectively the same as you’ll find on the V85TT. Clear and relatively easy to read, it displays all of the essentials – odometer, fuel information, time, gear indicator, etc. – and, if you get the S version, connects to your phone.

RIDERS’ VERDICTS

Evans Brasfield: “To say that I had been looking forward to testing the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello… would be an understatement. No bike has filled me with more anticipation… For the most part, the bike was worth the wait. Visually, the V100 is stunning with a premium fit-and-finish that rises above its price. The changes that it embodies for Moto Guzzi are huge: all-new liquid-cooled engine and full electronics package. Still, the V100 is unmistakably a Guzzi. The style, the visual profile, and the sound take care of that. Yes, there are some teething pains associated with this new platform, but I expect them to be sorted out in future updates. The compact block engine is a huge step into the future… I look forward to seeing what other motorcycles Moto Guzzi decides to put this engine in. You know it’s going to happen.”

Adam Child: “Despite all the modernisation, despite adopting electronic technology from Piaggio stablemate Aprilia, Guzzi has managed to stay true to its values and heritage. The V100 is desirable, attractive and unique… Like many, I’ve always had a soft spot for Guzzi, and I’m happy they are finally on par with, and in some cases in front of, the competition.”

Adam Waheed: “Overall, my initial impression of the 2023 V100 Mandello is favorable. It’s nimble; it’s got decent power; the clutch works well; the brakes are sharp. And it has a lot of amenities… It feels and looks more modern than previous Moto Guzzis and the engine doesn’t have an awkward lateral roll. On the flip side, the aerodynamic louvers: they’re cool but they’re kind of silly at the same time.” 

Michael Neeves: “New from the ground-up, it’s beautifully crafted with design cues from Guzzi’s glittering history… But it’s anything but a misty-eyed, two-wheeled reminisce. It’s thoroughly modern with a tasteful colour dash and lean sensitive rider aids… In terms of elegance and detailing the Guzzi puts its sports touring rivals in the shade.”

Alex Strange: “The re-engineered compact 90º V-twin is a brilliant thing. The heritage and style you’d expect from Moto Guzzi are clear as day, and it offers a modern-day take on where the Italian marque could be heading… To note the aero wings, they’re a nice touch, but not quite as obviously effective as I imagined. Nice talking point at a bike-meet, though.”

Blake Conner: “It’s clear that (Moto Guuzi are) aware the V100 is the motorcycle that will define the company’s future… With any luck, this new platform is not only a sign of things to come for one of the oldest brands in the world, but the beginning of another successful century for Moto Guzzi.”

MY TAKE

I want one of these. But with the new Moto Guzzi Stelvio on the horizon and likely to be driven by the same engine and tech, I wonder how much I really want the Mandello. 

Of course, I haven’t ridden it. What I’ve learned from Moto Guzzis is that they are a bit like Harleys in the sense that when you stand next to one you can tell yourself, “Nice bike, but I reckon I could live without it,” but when you ride one you feel deeply sad about all the moments in your life when you’ve not been riding one. 

I wouldn’t say the bike is a “return to form” but that’s largely because I think that moment came a few years ago, with the release of the V85TT. The Mandello is more powerful and has even better tech, but I think questions about Guzzi have already been answered.

The Mandello’s price tag seems a little spicy but, again, that may just be a case of me being an old man; the price of every bike these days seems a little spicy. Ultimately, I doubt it’s a purchase you would regret.

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* Totally unrelated: I spent a long time recently debating whether I’d like a Benelli TRK 502 X, which has an A2 license-friendly 47 hp. I ultimately decided against it not because of its low power but because I feel really uncomfortable buying China-made products.