Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello review (2026 – )

A hugely significant bike for Moto Guzzi, the V100 Mandello was the brand’s first offering in the over-1,000cc class since the old California was killed off by emissions regs in 2020 and was conceived and named in celebration of its 2021 centenary. Quite the weight of expectation on its shoulders, given it also set the tone for a new generation of Moto Guzzis with an all-new liquid-cooled engine, electronically controlled suspension, active aero, radar-enhanced rider aids and more. Best of all, this has all been achieved without compromising the classic Guzzi character and style, or hiking the price beyond reach, the same basic platform since going on to underpin the equally appealing Stelvio adventure tourer. It’s not perfect and it’s still unlikely to tempt everyone but the V100 Mandello is a pretty, classy, potent and a very modern Moto Guzzi, and when was the last time anyone could day that?

The new Mandello has mostly been described as a sports-tourer but the reality harder to define. Instead, it’s simply more a semi-upright, half-faired, all-round motorcycle – and a damn good one at that. Its traditional big longitudinal V-twin with shaft-drive layout means it’s substantial and hefty, but also surprisingly slim enough for respectable low-speed manageability. The seat is decently low and easy and unintimidating to climb on board, too. The riding position, mostly upright and looking forward to wide-ish bars and over the small frame-mounted fairing brings to mind the BMW’s R 1250 RS or even Yamaha’s old TDM900 and yet the electrically adjustable screen adds a versatility meaning the V100 can happily be a tourer, commuter, round town bike or sporty Sunday toy. Legroom is improved over old Guzzis by rotating the cylinders through 90 degrees to put the throttle bodies above the cylinders rather than in front of the rider’s knees as before. The seat is also impressively comfortable and, for all-round, multi-purpose riding, it’s a nice place to be.

Another impressive surprise. Big Guzzis have historically never been that practical, although some, like the related Stelvio adventure bike, are better than others. But the new V100 Mandello sets a new standard for Moto Guzzi versatility. Comfortable, flexible, fast enough and well-equipped, the Mandello is just as happy eating motorway miles as it is cutting through city congestion as a commuter, even if it’s probably too precious to daily. Luggage is an easy-fit option while the balance of 233kg kerbweight and 115 horsepower means it’s neither too heavy nor too potent to be usable. New goodies such as the electric screen and heated grips add to its practicality as well. Adventure-style off-roading apart, the V100 Mandello is truly a do-it-all Moto Guzzi.

The all-new engine in the V100 Mandello is a massive leap forward. Yes, it’s still a ‘signature’ longitudinally-mounted, shaft-drive V-twin (Guzzi still says it’s transverse but we’ll beg to differ given the crank is in-line with the frame!) but in every other respect it’s truly modern – and effective. Liquid cooling and an impressive suite of electronics were to be expected but still impressively executed, the radiator tucked out of sight while Tour, Rain, Road and Sport rider modes are supported by lean-sensitive electronics. The 115 horsepower and 105Nm delivered by the 1,042cc twin isn’t earth-shattering in the context of the 145 horsepower and 149Nm of BMW’s 1300 boxer twins but that’s missing the point, given the V100 Mandello is fast enough for this style of bike while delivering more than enough mid-range grunt and classic Guzzi character, even if it is a little raw around the edges. For a fully homologated modern bike it does sound epic, too, with a booming exhaust note and glorious overrun. The Brembo M4 32 radial calipers often plenty of power and feel and are more than up to the competition, even if it’s a bit of a stretch to the lever, even when supposedly wound all the way in.

Italian bikes are known for their handling and this is certainly true of the V100 Mandello, albeit with some distinctive character traits to set it apart. The more compact dimensions of the new engine and longer – and now left-side – shaft drive help, and while steering geometry is on the relaxed side with an emphasis on stability over quick reflexes it can still get a hustle on through a set of bends. It’s no sports bike and you feel the weight, but it’s a wonderfully satisfying bike to make progress on. Worth noting there are to main versions to choose from, the V100 with passive (but still adjustable) KYB suspension and the fancier V100 S with semi-active Öhlins forks and shock with electronically controlled damping. Where the standard version is absolutely fine the latter offers a much greater bandwidth and the choice of pre-set calibrations according to the selected rider mode or option to configure your own damping settings via the on-screen menus. We ran with the stock settings and you can certainly feel the difference between the modes, the more mellow configurations better suiting the character of the bike than the harder, more aggressive ones. The beauty being you can set it up to your tastes, and the roads you happen to find yourself riding.

The new V100 Mandello, in both its guises, is a premium bike with a +1,000cc engine so running costs are never likely to be cheap. That said, it’s also not a full-on sports machine, its peak power is fairly ‘real world’ and its hunger for tyres and brakes pads is unlikely to be excessive. Shaft-drive means there’s no chain to worry about or replace, either. Sure, it’s not going to run on mere buttons, but it shouldn’t be prohibitively expensive, either.

The Mandello is not just a new bike but it’s one powered by a fresh engine and supported by an all-new suite of electronics. With all that said it’s also worth pointing out Guzzi is now owned by the vast Piaggio group, which also owns Aprilia. The latter has its own legacy in vee-configured engines and rider electronics, and the Mandello was developed at Aprilia’s Noale base, which adds a level of confidence.

Like virtually all major motorcycle manufacturers, the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello comes with a standard, manufacturer-backed, two-year warranty covering all parts and labour. Servicing-wise, maintenance intervals are set at every 7,500 miles which, although not overly generous, are not atypical, either. The Mandello’s accessible V-twin configuration should also make labour times shorter than many, too, also helping to keep costs down.

Depending on which spec you go for, the Mandello comes with pretty much everything you could possibly need – and when was the last time you could say that about a Moto Guzzi? Apart from the standard rider electronics, there’s a slick new colour 5.0-inch TFT dash with Bluetooth connectivity, power-adjustable screen and even ‘active’ aero in the form of winglets that emerge from the tank sides for a claimed reduction in air pressure to your legs of over a fifth. We’ll confess we didn’t feel that much difference but it’s a nice talking point! Dig a little deeper for the S if you want the fancy two-tone paint, semi-active suspension, heated grips, quickshifter, tyre-pressure monitoring and more. This also adds the front and rear radar for forward collision and blind spot alerts you can option into the regular V100, though (annoyingly) you still need to fork out a bit more still to enable the distance-sensing cruise control. The front radar sensor also rather spoils the clean lines, the quirky sounding Wind Tunnel version splitting the difference with the nice stuff like the semi-active Öhlins and other goodies but ditching the radar gimmickry. Integrated luggage is available as an optional extra.

Pre-Mandello there was a notable absence of big-bore options in the Moto Guzzi line-up but this and the Stelvio now satisfy that need, and with some flair. The brand traditionally attracts a passionate following, and the V100 Mandello knows how to play to their tastes with its combination of charismatic engineering and beautiful looks. If a little down on power compared with BMW’s latest 1300 boxers the V100 has more than enough about it in terms of style and tech to compete, and perhaps attract new fans to the brand’s unique combination of style and character.