Italian motorcycle manufacturer Moto Guzzi has been making headlines in recent months thanks to the global launch of the V100 Mandello. The historic Italian brand has had quite a rich history, producing boutique motorcycles that have gained recognition for their unique, charming character.
Moto Guzzi's bikes are generally retro in nature – even its flagship adventurer, the V85TT, carries some retro-inspired styling and character. However, when the brand unveiled the V100 Mandello, this all changed. Featuring high-tech components and a powerful engine, it is by far the most technologically advanced motorcycle in Moto Guzzi's lineup. Powered by a 1,042cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, transverse V-twin engine, the V100 Mandello is also the most powerful bike in Moto Guzzi's lineup, dishing out 114 horsepower and 72 pound-feet of torque.
Now, in EICMA 2022, Moto Guzzi dropped an easter egg for fans of the brand. In a corner of its booth, it showcased two wheels on a platform in front of an LCD display with the word "Stelvio" plastered above it. The display showed an eagle flying across the famous Italian road, Stelivo Pass, a go-to destination for motorcyclists in Europe and around the world. Since EICMA 2022, there have been quite a bit of updates about the Stelvio – a bike that was produced from 2007 to 2017, but was eventually axed due to lackluster sales figures.
Now, with the resurgence of the liter-class adventure bikes, it's clear that Moto Guzzi wants in on the action once again. What better platform to use than the V100 Mandello? Spy shots from a Facebook post by Luigi Panizzo show the bike pretty much undisguised, and it's clear to see that the upcoming Stelvio is essentially a repurposed V100 Mandello. There are a lot of changes designed to give the Stelvio more off-road capability. The biggest of which was already revealed in EICMA 2022; the wire-spoke wheels shod in dual-purpose rubber. The bike is also expected to get long-travel suspension, and adjustable windscreen, and hand guards.
On top of all that, the upcoming Stelvio could very well be the most high tech Moto Guzzi to date. The bike, just like the top-tier adventurers from other European manufacturers, is expected to feature radar-powered cruise control, among other techie features. Of course, with radar in the mix, we can expect all sorts of other fancy electronic aids such as IMU-powered traction control, ABS, and multiple ride modes. Perhaps, the bike will even have electronically adjustable suspension.
All that being said, it's important to note that everything we've talked about so far is all speculation. Moto Guzzi, as is the case with all other manufacturers when it comes to new models, continues to be very tight-lipped about developments surrounding the Stelvio. Nevertheless, multiple sources have speculated that the new adventure bike will make its debut no later than EICMA 2023, which is scheduled for November 7 to 13, 2023.
