The rediscovered DNA

Premise

For those who don’t know me: I’ve never been a Guzzi lover. I have obviously known the Mandello manufacturer for a lifetime―I even drove past it last summer―and I have always vaguely known that it is a manufacturer with a great past and a present full of nostalgia. The first short test I did on the Mandello a few weeks ago (link to video―in Italian) really impressed me, so I organized a more in-depth test. In preparing the review, I dug into the history of this brand a bit and, I must say, I was fascinated by it. This road test has therefore turned into a veritable little monograph in which I not only describe how the V100 performs, but also how it was created, and what it means for Moto Guzzi.

A Bit of History

Carlo Guzzi, born in 1889, belonged to a wealthy Milanese family. A passionate motorcyclist with a sanguine character and not very suitable for educational institutions, he never even managed to graduate, but he had very clear ideas. When his father died prematurely in 1906, the family sold the apartment in the city and moved to the holiday villa in Mandello on Lake Como where the young man found work in a mechanical workshop. At the outbreak of the Great War, he was enlisted as an engine mechanic in what was then known as the Servizio Aeronautico della Regia Marina (Aeronautical Service of the Royal Navy) and, after discovering that aircraft engines were far more advanced, powerful and reliable than those used on land vehicles, he was struck by the idea of creating a motorcycle with a similar power unit. With his enthusiasm, he dragged two fellow pilots into the enterprise, Giorgio Parodi and Giovanni Ravelli, chosen not only as passionate motorcyclists, but also because the former was a member of a family of entrepreneurs, while the latter was a test pilot and successful motorcycle racer, known as the Italian Devil. After the war, Ravelli died during a test flight, but his friends continued with the motorcycle project. Parodi asked for funding from his father Emanuele Vittorio, a well-known Genoese shipowner, who immediately agreed to advance half of the requested sum but wanted to see the finished motorcycle with his own eyes before giving the other half. Guzzi immediately set to work with commitment, with calculations done by his elder brother Giuseppe, an engineer, and already in 1919 the G.P. 500 (Guzzi-Parodi) was born.

The G.P. 500. Note the horizontal shaft that drives the valves

This bike was so advanced―it featured a double spark, oversquare single cylinder engine with four valves and overhead camshaft driven by a bevel gear shaft!―that Parodi’s father, Emanuele Vittorio, agreed to finance its production, but only on condition that the mechanics were simplified to make it easier to produce and sell. Guzzi must have mulled it over a bit, but in the end he gave in. From the G.P. he drew the Normale―note the slight polemical vein―equipped with a standard two-valve timing with pushrod and rocker arm. In 1921 he set up the Società Anonima Moto Guzzi with the two Parodis―and two other partners wanted by them―who very chivalrously, as ‘merely financiers’ of the business, renounced the inclusion of their own name in the company name. In honor of their deceased friend Ravelli and to show their common military bond, the Eagle was chosen as the logo, it being on the coat of arms of the Navy aviators.

Speaking of the foundation, the official website of the House states that Moto Guzzi “is the oldest motorcycle manufacturer in Europe”; but, in reality, this is not entirely true. Triumph, born in 1884 as a bicycle factory, had already started building motorized bicycles in 1902 and built its first real motorcycle in 1915. However, the English brand went bankrupt in 1985, to reopen under new ownership and company name in 1990 while Moto Guzzi, which also went through various and even complicated corporate events in its long history, never went bankrupt or stopped production.

Giorgio Parodi, who would alternate the management of the company with his commitments as a military aviator until his death in 1955, wanted to spare no expense to achieve success in competitions. He realized its potential as an advertising tool, so much so that he destined the first two Normale for them. The successes soon became a distinctive element of the Mandello company which, between 1923 and 1957, collected over 3,300 victories in official sporting competitions. With such results, Moto Guzzi soon became the symbol par excellence of sportiness and modernity, and achieved ever greater success in Italy and abroad, so much so that in 1930 it became the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Europe. The drive for innovation was evident in everything: Just think, among other things, of the unforgettable racing GP500 with V8 engine and gear-driven camshafts from 1955, designed by Eng. Giulio Cesare Carcano; or the wind tunnel, strongly desired by the Guzzi brothers, built in 1950 and inaugurated in 1954―the first in the world by a motorcycle manufacturer and the first ever in Europe.

Testing the GP500 in the Moto Guzzi wind tunnel

This success story took a sudden and fundamental turn in 1957 when the main Italian motorcycle manufacturers―Moto Guzzi, Gilera, FB Mondial, and MV Agusta (which eventually changed its mind)―announced their agreement to jointly abstain from sporting competitions. The decision was taken on the basis of the launch of the Fiat 600 automobile in 1955 and the 500 in 1957, whose affordable prices kicked off the automobile boom in Italy. This would certainly have caused a strong contraction in the sales of motorcycles, which until then had been the only motor vehicles that Italian families had been able to afford; therefore the three manufacturers deemed it necessary to save the considerable costs associated with the races in order to reduce prices and improve retail competitiveness. Initially, thanks to this tactic, motorcycle registrations in Italy actually continued to grow from 251,000 units in 1957 to 283,000 in 1961; but from there, they began to fall inexorably to the dramatic minimum of 55,000 units in 1970. At the same time, however, the average income of the population was increasing, so a growing number of enthusiasts began to think of the motorcycle as a great toy to have fun with in their spare time. Motorcycle sales therefore began to recover; but this new audience favored even more models that won races, so Moto Guzzi found itself caught off guard, thus leaving the door open to increasingly fierce Japanese competition.

After the death of Carlo Guzzi in 1964, the House continued to innovate production and in 1965, the brand new V7 was launched, equipped with a 700 cc transverse 90° V2 with pushrod and rocker arms and cardan shaft designed by Carcano―already author of the V8―which over the years would become the basis for a myriad of variants with even much higher displacement and is still the quintessential symbol of Mandello motorcycles. But the accounts didn’t stop getting worse, so the company was sold in 1967 to the creditor banks, which set up the SEIMM (Società Esercizio Industrie Moto Meccaniche) to manage it. During this period, Eng. Lino Tonti, coming from aeronautics and taking over from Carcano, modified the V7 to beat the speed record of its class on the track. The enterprise succeeded, but the bike was heavy and not suitable for racing, so Tonti made the much lighter V7 Sport out of it in 1971. This marked the return of Moto Guzzi to competitions, with good successes at the 500 km of Monza and at the Bol d’Or. This extraordinary and iconic motorcycle, with its particularly close-fitting and modular, straight-tubes frame, initially painted red to highlight its novelty, beat the 4-cylinder Japanese competitors for performance and outstanding chassis.

Unfortunately, however, the V7 Sport costed one-and-a-half times the price of a Honda 750, so it didn’t solve the company’s economic problems.

In 1973, Moto Guzzi suffered the setback of being taken over by its enemy Benelli, part of Alejandro De Tomaso’s industrial group. As was his habit, the Argentine entrepreneur immediately launched a bombastic renewal plan based on the rapid development―usually at the expense of reliability―of numerous new models; but, being convinced that it was necessary to imitate the Japanese models in order to relaunch the brand, he abandoned again racing and development of what would later become the 850 Le Mans, and placed the Eagle logo on the tank of in-line four-cylinder Benelli motorcycles. Unfortunately, this strategy was disastrous for sales, so De Tomaso returned to focus again on the V7 Sport, which among other things was updated with integral braking, and he restarted the Le Mans project, set new models, including the famous California cruiser, and launched a new V2 (called small block to distinguish it from its older brother) designed by Tonti and inaugurated with the 1977 V35 and V50.

However, the accounts continued to go badly. During this troubled period, Moto Guzzi went through various mergers and acquisitions until it was sold in 2000 to Ivano Beggio, owner of Aprilia. He was moved by love for Mandello’s creatures and had the best of intentions, but the purchase helped undermine his financial stability and, in the end, he was forced in 2004 to sell both brands to the Piaggio group.

With the new management that is still ongoing today, Moto Guzzi started a phase of recovery. The new Breva V1100, Norge, Griso, and the maxi-enduro Stelvio, although based on evolutions of the old Carcano big block, were basically modern bikes that were certainly equal to their direct competitors, i.e., the BMW R with boxer engine; and this was thanks to the new Ca.R.C. (Cardano Reattivo Compatto), a double wishbone rear suspension, especially in the version with the 1200 8V engine, 4 valves per cylinder with overhead camshaft. However, their good commercial career ended between 2011 and 2016 with no model ready to replace them. The imposing and splendid 2012 California 1400 cruiser was never rewarded by sales and disappeared from price lists in 2020, so Moto Guzzi’s fortunes rested for many years largely on the shoulders of only two models: the eternal Nevada medium cruiser, which left the scene in 2016; and above all the 2008 V7 Classic. Declaredly inspired by the 1971 V7 Sport, this naked was essentially a retro version of the first series Breva―set up in the Beggio era―and as such it lacked the Ca.R.C. suspension and had the same sleepy 750cc 48bhp small block. It was a bike suited more to a turn-ups and aperitif hipster clientele than to the hard core Eagle aficionados; but that audience liked it and still does, and so we must be grateful to it because, without it, Moto Guzzi would probably have become extinct.

The 2017 V9 cruiser (equipped with a slightly modernized 850 cc and 55 HP small block that also had ride-by-wire) and especially the later and particularly well-made 2019 V85TT crossover (also with an 850 cc engine but further improved with titanium intake valves and 76 HP) won’t go down in history as signposts of technology, but they did help the V7 bring oxygen to Mandello’s coffers and allowed the technicians to work―in secret―on a new model to relaunch the Eagle, that was unveiled a few months after the centenary of the founding of Moto Guzzi with this September 2021 video.

After a gestation also delayed by the pandemic, the V100 Mandello was finally born―a totally new motorcycle with which Moto Guzzi has rediscovered its original DNA as a manufacturer of innovative sports motorcycles. I analyzed it thoroughly and I will tell you everything I discovered.

How It Is

Appearance

The look of the V100 is 100% Moto Guzzi because it clearly recalls some models from the past, reproducing the general look and various stylistic elements but, at the same time, it is very modern―to see it in the showroom next to the others models of the current range, it looks like an F35 in the midst of biplanes. It is characterized by a slim fairing culminating in a small windshield and therefore stands halfway between a naked and a sport tourer, a solution already seen in the past on, for example, the excellent Yamaha TDM. Obviously, the novelty of the line and the unconventional choice of the general setting did not fail to divide the most traditionalist category of mankind―yes, we motorcyclists―into total enthusiasts and perplexed critics. The comments of the latter range from “it’s too modern” to “they could have been more daring” passing through “it’s neither fish nor fowl” to “you can’t look at it”, and I really think that the design and marketing offices are doing a pretty tough job.

I like it a lot, both for the design itself, which is innovative and non-trivial, and because it immediately reminded me of models that I loved a lot when I was a boy, such as the 850 Le Mans III and the V35 Imola. Among the various details, I find very beautiful the horizontal full LED front light equipped with the by-now-classic running/daylight in the shape of a stylized eagle, the double-circle askew taillight similar to that of the V85TT, the short exhaust that leaves the beautiful rear rim in full view, the rounded and typically Moto Guzzi connection between the tank and saddle, and the passenger handles open at the rear. The refined design, the quality of the construction and the components, and the perfect integration of all the details are striking: Nothing is out of place and, on the whole, conveys a satisfying sensation of precision and solidity, even better than the already remarkable one of the California 1400s.

The bike is equipped as standard with a refined, electrically-controlled windscreen, of which a larger version is also available; and with the innovative adaptive aerodynamics consisting of two deflectors which, thanks to two electric motors, retract into the tank fairing when the ignition is off and emerge again upon ignition to increase protection of the legs. It is an absolute first which, not surprisingly, comes from a company that has 70 years of experience in aerodynamics. The only similar thing I know of are the flaps installed on the fairing sides of the BMW K1600 and the old K1200LT which, however, are manually adjustable.

Versions & Accessories

The bike is available in two versions, standard and S, which are distinguished by the equipment and color. The standard can be white―very beautiful in my opinion―or metallic red; while the S is supplied in two metallic two-tone pleasant liveries, one gray and green and the other in two shades of grey. There is also a special Aviazione Navale version, made in 1913 specimens―like the year of birth of the Corps in which the founders of Moto Guzzi served―and characterized by a beautiful gray livery with badges and details inspired by the fighters on board.

Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale

The standard version is equipped as follows:

full LED lighting system with daylight
corner lights
cornering ABS
traction control
cruise control
riding modes
5″ color TFT display
adaptive aerodynamics
electrically adjustable windshield
USB socket under the passenger seat

The special Naval Aviation version also includes:

tire pressure monitoring
heated grips
laser engraved serial number on handlebar riser
commemorative plaque
dedicated motorcycle cover.

The S version includes all the standard version accessories and the following:

Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 adaptive suspension
tire pressure monitoring
heated grips
quickshifter with auto-blipper
Moto Guzzi MIA connectivity system, fully compatible with Android and iPhone.

The following accessories are available in aftermarket.

Only for the standard version:
- tire pressure monitoring (standard on Naval Aviation)
- heated grips (standard on Naval Aviation)
- bidirectional quickshifter
- Moto Guzzi MIA connectivity system
- For all versions:
- side cases
- luggage rack
- top case
- central stand
- Theft Protection
- fog lights
- Touring enlarged windshield
- additional USB socket on the left of the dashboard
- paramotor
- headguard
- comfort heated high-, medium-, or low-seat
- passenger comfort seat.

The V100 is also ready to be equipped with the LCDAS system, i.e., the radar which signals the presence of objects in the rear blind spots by means of a danger symbol on the corresponding mirror and an orange area on the corresponding lower side of the instrument panel. This accessory cannot be ordered at the moment, but Guzzi promises that it will be available soon.

The sample tested was in the standard version which, in any case, already offers many accessories as standard.

Chassis

The V100 is all new and has practically no element in common with the other Guzzis. The frame is steel tubing, with the engine participating as a stressed member. The fork has upside-down stems, while at the rear there is a simple and elegant single-sided aluminum swingarm hinged directly to the engine with a lateral single shock absorber suitably inclined forward so as to ensure progressive springing without having to resort to kinematic mechanisms. The cardan shaft is housed in the single arm which, unlike on the other Moto Guzzis, is on the left and with characteristics―as we will see in the paragraph on the transmission―that have made it possible to eliminate the need for the Ca.R.C. double wishbone.

The standard version mounts Kayaba suspension, with a 41 mm fork adjustable in preload and rebound and mono as well adjustable in preload―by means of a particularly soft and well positioned knob―and in rebound. The S, on the other hand, is equipped with Öhlins adaptive suspension―43 mm Smart EC 2.0 fork and Smart TTX EC 2.0 shock absorber. Both are electrically adjustable in compression and rebound, while rear preload adjustment is always done manually with a knob. Some might not like this feature, but it offers the advantage of being able to fine-tune the adjustment based on the weight of the rider and passenger, rather than having to endure the limits of the predefined presets that the electrically-adjustable systems usually offer. In reality, it is also possible to adjust the front one, but the manufacturer recommends not touching it.

The bike has a kerb weigh of 233 kg with a full tank of 17 liters, and its main chassis dimensions are as follows:

front travel 130 mm
rear travel 130 mm
wheelbase 1,475 mm
trail 104 mm
rake 24.7°.

The measures are those that one would expect from a tourist with sporting ambitions. The value of the wheelbase is interesting, on average shorter than most other Moto Guzzis.

The wheels are alloy with tubeless tires in the usual sizes: 120/70 ZR 17 on a 3.5 x 17″ rim at the front and 190/55 ZR 17 on a 6 x 17″ rim. The specimen tested was equipped with Pirelli Angel GT II tires, perfect for this kind of bike.

Engine

The V100 engine retains the classic transverse 90° V-cylinder layout, but otherwise has nothing to do with what was seen previously in Mandello. Characterized by a particularly modern design, it is liquid-cooled and controlled by a ride-by-wire system, has four valves per cylinder distribution with double overhead camshaft and small finger rocker arms, and has the heads rotated 90° with respect to its predecessors. Intake and exhaust are now located respectively above and below the cylinders instead of behind and in front―similar to what BMW did on the liquid-cooled boxers―to improve intake flows and increase the room available to the driver. It is equipped with a counter-rotating shaft to reduce the typical overturning torque of longitudinal shaft engines to almost zero; while the lubrication, defined as wet sump in the technical data sheet, is actually a semi-dry sump―a solution already seen on the V85TT―because the oil sump, placed in the crankcase anyway, communicates with the crank chamber only through a reed valve. In this way, lubrication on strong accelerations is improved and the formation of foam in the engine is reduced, creating a slight advantage in efficiency and therefore in consumption. The very rational design has made it possible to obtain a crankcase about 10 cm shorter than the V85TT’s small block despite the larger engine capacity, and this ensures greater roominess with the heads well away from the drover’s knees, and allows for the simplification of the swingarm seen above.

With a displacement of 1,043 cc―bore and stroke are 96 and 72 mm respectively―maximum power is 115 HP at 8,700 rpm with the limiter set at 9,500 rpm, making the Mandello the most powerful production bike in the history of Moto Guzzi; while the maximum torque, which has a peak of 105 Nm at 6,750 rpm, is high above all at medium-low revs―at 3,500 rpm 86 Nm are already available and at 5,500 there are 100―and in any case it has a very regular trend along the whole arc of use.

Trasmission

The gearbox, while using some features introduced on the V85TT to improve maneuverability, is all new and for the first time at Moto Guzzi―only on the S version and as standard―a quickshifter with auto-blipper is available. The latter can be deactivated via the menus, which is a very good thing because it allows the pilot to have fun blipping the gas when downshifting, which would be prevented by the somewhat obtuse logic of these systems.

The gear ratios are as follows:

Gear	Ratio
Primary reduction	1.548
1st	2.642
2nd	1.941
3rd	1.550
4th	1.272
5th	1.083
6th	0.960
Final reduction	3.166

The speeds at 1,000 rpm and when the engine begins to pull vigorously and express maximum power are as follows.

Gear	Speed @ 1,000 rpm	Speed @ 4,000 rpm	Speed @ 8,700 rpm
1st	9.3	37.3	81.2
2nd	12.7	50.8	110.5
3rd	15.9	63.6	138.3
4th	19.4	77.5	168.6
5th	22.8	91.0	198.0
6th	25.7	102.7	223.4

The very wide range of use and the relatively short ratios―the maximum speed practically coincides with the maximum power regime―make it possible to travel almost always in sixth gear with great smoothness, also with lower consumption.

The wet multi-plate slip clutch is also outside the classic Moto Guzzi schemes and is operated by a highly refined radial pump symmetrical to that of the front brake.

The transmission shaft has a single cardan joint at the gearbox outlet, as per the tradition of the House; and it is hinged lower than usual and is particularly long, possible only because of the remarkable compactness of the new engine. Thanks to these features, and despite the absence of the Ca.R.C double swingarm, the Moto Guzzi technicians have obtained a behavior similar to that of motorcycles with chain transmission―i.e., without extension of the suspension under acceleration.

Brakes

The V100 is equipped with two 320 mm front rotors with Brembo four-piston radial calipers actuated by a radial pump through steel braided pipes; while at the rear, there is a 280 mm rotor with Brembo two-piston floating caliper. The braking system is a standard two channel and ABS with cornering function that is standard on both versions.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

From the point of view of electronic driving aids, the Mandello is equipped as standard with a 6-axis inertial platform and offers the following functions in both versions:

Cornering ABS―anti-lock braking system with rear wheel lift control and Cornering function which reduces the initial braking power at the front when the motorcycle is leaning, and serves to limit as much as possible the effects of too abrupt an operation of the front brake when cornering
TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)― available only on the S version
MGQS (Moto Guzzi Quick Shifter)―quickshifter with auto-blipper, with the particularity[?peculiarity?] that the auto-blipper intervention can be deactivated from the menu
Cruise control
Riding modes―the four are: Sport, Road, Touring, and Rain; and they act on the following four systems:
- MGCM (Moto Guzzi Engine Control)―system that varies engine delivery in relation to the position of the throttle
- MGCT (Moto Guzzi Traction Control)―anti-skid system that takes into account the lean angle of the motorcycle
- MGCA (Moto Guzzi Aerodynamics Control)―sets the operation of the flaps located on the sides of the tank, which can remain always closed or always open, or can swing open when a set speed is exceeded
- MGCS (Moto Guzzi Suspension Control)―only on the S version; it acts on the semi-active Öhlins suspension which provides the following modes:
  - Automatic Dynamic―the suspension automatically adapts to the route and driving style
  - Automatic Comfort―like the previous one, but softer
  - Manual Dynamic―suspension behaves as if it were non-adaptive
  - Manual Comfort―like the previous one, but softer.

Controls

The handlebar controls are classic, well made, and offer a nice feeling.

On the left block there are:

on the front side, the light switch, of the type that you pull to flash and push out to switch to high beam
the traditional-type control of the turning lights, equipped with automatic shut-off on movement, which occurs after 500 m or 40 s.
The button for the horn―the usual scooter-like sad thing, unfortunately almost universally widespread―placed correctly under the command of the turning lights (I hope they read me in Honda)
the four classic keys for navigating the menus, the left of which (Mode Set) is used only to confirm and the others to scroll through the menus
above, the standard cruise control slider which, after reading the manual―not because it’s complicated, but it’s different from the BMW system I’m used to―turns out to be very functional. Note that, unlike on other bikes, here it is not possible to interrupt the automatic adjustment by blipping the clutch because, to do this, you really have to pull it all the way. Always used to doing this (badly), I risked the sin of sodomy with a truck.

When cruise control is off, the same command can be used to change traction control settings on the fly from any screen.

The Mode Set key on the keypad also provides quick access to power windshield adjustment using the up and down navigation keys.

On the right block are:

the rational rocker button for engine start and kill switch
at the bottom, the key to change the riding mode
at the top, the button for switching between day and night lights―which in any case can be set as automatic using the menu―and, with a long press, to activate any optional fog lights.

The keyless system is not foreseen on the S either, which considerably increases my already high esteem for the Mandello, given that, as my readers know by now, I consider this system only a source of useless complications. On the other hand, the button for the hazard lights is missing; but it is possible to set them to automatically switch on during emergency braking, and their activation is always triggered in any case of serious failure which involves the risk of the motorbike suddenly slowing down.

Display

The V100 is equipped as standard with a beautiful 5″ color TFT display housed in a frame containing various basic warning lights: immobilizer/gear shift RPM, direction indicators, ABS, cruise control, high beam, engine failure, traction control, reserve, and neutral. Navigation is carried out using the four keys on the left block with the following screens available.

Standard View

Dedicated to driving, it is pleasant and shows everything you need to know in a single glance:

digital speedometer
analog tachometer
fuel level
water temperature
gear engaged
riding mode active
Now
ambient temperature
when cruise control is active, the set speed
when the fuel reserve is reached, the remaining autonomy
open side stand light
a myriad of other warning lights and indicators for all the various standard and optional accessories

The lower area is intended to house alarm messages and indications of various kinds, while a large area on the left is dedicated to the following tabs, which can be accessed by pressing the right key:

two travel diaries separately resettable
heated grips setting (if present)
heated rider seat setting (if present)
tire pressure (if the MIA system is present)
Information relating to telephone calls (if the MIA system is present)
Information relating to music tracks (if the MIA system is present)
Different information relating to the multimedia system (if the MIA system is present)

In turn, the travel diaries allow, by pressing the up and down keys, to alternatively view the following data:

total odometer
trip odometer
travel time
full speed
average speed
average consumption
instant consumption
distance traveled in reserve (only with reserve warning light on)
setting of the MGCT (Moto Guzzi Traction Control)

Navi View

The Navi screen, available only if the MIA multimedia system is present, is similar to the standard one and includes all the important information and the lower and left information areas of the standard screen, but has smaller digital speedometer and gear position indicator to make room for graphical indications of the next turn, the current speed limit, and the next turn—info taken from the GPS app of the smartphone. Other information appears in the lower bar―name of the road traveled and north direction, while the destination address can be retrieved from the tabs in the left area.

Launcher Menu

From this view it is possible to access the various menus available:

Vehicle
Service
Dashboards
Riding Modes
Multimedia (only if the MIA system is present)
MGCS (Moto Guzzi Suspension Control), only on the S version.

Each menu has personalized graphics with an image of the system to which each item is dedicated, and everything is really pleasant and well done.

Vehicle

It includes:

Headlamp mode―sets automatic or manual switching from daytime to night lights
Shift light―selects the speed at which the gear shift warning light comes on
MGQS down (only if the quickshifter is present)―activates or deactivates the auto-blipper
Emergency brake―sets the automatic activation of the hazard lights on or off in emergency braking
Calibration―allows you to recalibrate the traction control if different types of tires are installed
Rear radar―turns the radar on or off, if equipped

Service

It includes:

Change user code―sets the personalized unlock code in case of immobilizer failure
Code recovery―restores the factory code if the code has been forgotten
Windshield―selects the maximum operating speed of the electric windshield (130 km/h for the standard windshield and 110 km/h for the Touring)
other items relating to the software and reserved for assistance

Dashboard

It includes:

Backlight―adjusts the backlight of the display
Clock―adjusts the time and select the format
Units―sets the units of measure for speed, consumption, temperature, and pressure separately
Language―sets the dashboard language to Italian, French, English, German, or Spanish
Riding modes language―sets the language of the riding mode names to either Italian or English

Riding Mode

It allows you to customize the four systems included in each of the four riding modes, choosing from the following settings:

MGCM (e-gas) – 1 = aggressive 2 = medium 3 = smooth
MGCT (traction control) – 1 = off 2 = minimum 3 = medium 4 = maximum
MGCA (retractable flaps) – Off = always closed On = always open On-km/h oppen at a freely set speed
MGCS (adaptive suspension) – A1 = Automatic Dynamic A2 = Automatic Comfort M1 = Manual Dynamic M2 = Manual Comfort

The factory settings of these systems are as follows.

Riding Mode	MGCM (e-gas)	MGCT (traction control)	MGCA (retractable flaps)	MGCS (suspension)
Sport	aggressive	minimum	closed	Automatic Dynamic
Strada	normal	medium	closed	Automatic Dynamic
Turismo	normal	maximum	open from 60 km/h	Automatic Comfort
Pioggia	smooth	medium	open	Automatic Comfort

The decision to set the traction control of the Rain mode to the medium level rather than the maximum appears curious.

Multimedia

Present only if the bike is equipped with the Moto Guzzi MIA system, it includes:

Device status―list of associated devices
Device pairing―pair a device
Reset pairing―reset all device pairings.

MGCS

Present only on the S version, it allows you to set the different parameters of each of the four modes available for the suspension.

In Automatic Dynamic and Automatic Comfort―the adaptive modes―three parameters are available: front damping, rear damping, and fork support under braking, adjustable on a scale from -5 (soft) to +5 (firm)
In Manual Dynamic and Manual Comfort, the non-adaptive modes, it is possible to electrically adjust the front and back hydraulic brakes in compression and rebound on a scale of 1 (hard) to 31 (soft).

The factory settings of the suspension parameters are as follows:

Parametro	Automatic Dynamic	Automatic Comfort	Manual Dynamic	Manual Comfort
Front damping	0	-5	–	–
Rear damping	0	-5	–	–
Fork support under braking	0	-5	–	–
Front hydraulic compression brake	–	–	28	31
Front hydraulic rebound brake	–	–	5	20
Rear hydraulic compression brake	–	–	30	31
Rear hydraulic rebound brake	–	–	10	15

Lighting

The V100 features a full LED lighting system with cornering lights as standard to improve visibility along curves. They work with a different logic from what I’ve seen on other brands because they have only one spotlight on each side instead of the usual three, and they come on only when the bike leans more than 25° rather than almost immediately. Given that these lights are usually quite dim, it makes me think that Moto Guzzi has paid attention to the point and has foreseen this as a more effective aid only when it is really needed, and that is precisely when you lean a lot and the headlight points too much towards the external edge of the road. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the opportunity to check it because I rode in the city in the evening where public lighting doesn’t allow you to check; and, while in the garage, I had no chance to reach the necessary inclination. Anyway, the low beam and high beam work very well.

As with many motorcycles, the V100 does not feature a quick system for adjusting the height of the headlight beam according to the load. The low beams are adjusted individually using two screws located under the dashboard, while the high beam is adjusted with a screw located under the fairing. It is therefore important to adjust the preload when riding with a passenger, an operation made very simple by the presence of the handy wheel.

Driving position

The riding position is comfortable and much more for a naked than a sport tourer, with the handlebars wide and open enough, the torso slightly leaned forward, and the footrests well distanced from the saddle and moderately back. The saddle is quite comfortable and allows the greatest freedom of movement for the rider.

There is no lowering kit, nor is there a seat height adjustment. The heated comfort saddle, available only in the aftermarket, can be activated through the menus and is available in three different sizes. The possible seat heights are as follows:

low comfort saddle 800 mm
standard saddle and medium comfort saddle 815 mm
high comfort saddle 835 mm

The mirrors are good and well spaced, at a height that does not interfere too much with those of the cars; they do not vibrate noticeably; and they allow a good view. If the rear radar is present, they show

the danger indicator, besides the one appearing on the LCD display.

Passenger

The passenger sits on a separate saddle that is sufficiently wide and comfortable – but not heated; has a nice pair of comfortable handlebars and footrests that are a little higher than those of the rider, but which nonetheless allow for a comfortable position.

Load Capacity

The V100 is also designed to travel two up and can be equipped on request with dedicated two-tone light and dark gray 30- and 29-liter rigid panniers, beautiful and well integrated with the line of the bike, which can bel installed directly without the need for frames, and they are locked with the ignition key. Also available is a 37-liter two-tone top box that requires the purchase of a specific luggage rack. This is certainly robust―the homologation is for 12 kg―but not beautiful or up to par with the rest of the bike; and it also causes a top case position that is slightly too raised.

There is also a (very) small storage compartment under the passenger seat, which is equipped as standard with a USB charging socket.

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