Once full of quirks, devoid of modern tech and running with an utter old-school vibe, the Piaggio group has dragged Moto Guzzi into the now with the release of the V100 Mandello. The all-new, tech-savvy 1042cc V-twin, on paper at least, has shunted the Italian manufacturer in a whole new direction.
I must confess that I wasn’t buying the hype about the new V100 Mandello; modern, capable, fast, comfortable… but after riding the V100 Mandello and the tricked-up S version, I must humbly concede that I am very, very impressed. As much as traditional Guzzi riders might not like to hear this, the V100 is ready for the masses, yet hasn’t lost too much of the character that Guzzis are renowned for; it’s just that this time it’s there on purpose rather than being the side effect of, well, its unique Italian approach to engineering.
The V100 has logged several firsts for the 101-year-old brand. It is the first liquid-cooled production Guzzi, the first with modern electronics thrown at it including a six-axis IMU, and it’s also the first production motorcycle from any manufacturer to feature active aerodynamics.
But let’s get down to what is arguably the most important feature of the new
