Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello Owners Review
After several test rides on the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello S, I decided to order the V100 Mandello, the base model in white. I would like to share with you my first experiences with the V100 Mandello after having ridden it for more than 2,000 km. My experiences are from a personal point of view and are not meant to be objective.
Some of my own personal background
Please note that my ability to judge the new Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello is compromised by my limited experience with other motorcycle brands, my average riding experience and my conservative riding style.I have ridden many Guzzis since I got into motorcycling almost 25 years ago. The only side step I took was a BMW K75, which at the time I thought was a huge step forward for BMW with water cooling and fuel injection instead of air cooling and carburettors. But in the end I did not like that bike and returned to Moto Guzzi after only a year. Similar to the BMW K75, the V100 marks a big step forward for Moto Guzzi, being the first water cooled bike from the brand.
Design
I really like the look of the V100, especially when it comes in the colour white. From a distance, it reminds me of the white 850 Le Mans III that I used to own. White with orange touches, just as the V100 has now, but with a modern appearance. I can also see aspects of the fairing that recall the Quota 2nd series. Altogether a nice and attractive design.
Engine and transmission
The engine's performance is impressive. From low revs the pulling power is great and without hesitation. The sound at low revs is already beautiful and impressive, without the ticking of the valves and tappets as I am used to. Above 5000 revs, the engine sound swells to a true symphony.
Opening the throttle in neutral results in the bike tilting to the left instead of to the right as I am used to, which still takes some getting used to. After all, the older Guzzis tilt to the right, in the opposite direction. The engine revs idle quite a bit higher than the classic Guzzi's.
Engine braking is admittedly different between Sport and Touring, but not by much. That the old Guzzis have so much less engine braking is due to the much lower compression ratio and the much heavier flywheel on the oldies. Sometimes I think the flywheel is missing altogether.
The gearbox handles well. Finding neutral is never a problem. When the gear pedal is pushed up from a standstill, the gearbox always goes into neutral, accidental shifting into second gear is not possible. Shifting from neutral to first is accompanied by a loud knock. I have found that if I push the bike forward a little with my foot before shifting to first gear, the knock is less intense. However, this is not always possible in practice, especially in city traffic.
Driving position and handlebar controls
The riding position is active and slightly forward leaning, reminiscent of both a Le Mans and a V11 with straight handlebar. The brake and gear change pedals are well adjustable, both in height and distance from the pedal to the footrest. Adjustment is possible both by rotation of the pedal and by adjustment of the length of the handlebar system. I found it easy to find a pedal position which suited me.
The buttons on the handlebars are easy to use. I like the distribution of functions between left and right. On the right are the combined start and kill buttons and the driving profile and lighting modes. The left is for the other functions. The buttons took some getting used to, but I think they are well chosen. I like the fact that I can still reach the turn signal button with my left hand on the wheel and the clutch in. Unfortunately, the buttons are not retro-illuminated, which would have been a nice touch in the evening and night.
Vibration in the handlebars is remarkably low for a twin-cylinder Guzzi. As a test, I removed the weight from the handlebars and noticed no increase in vibration.
Ride quality and Steering
What stands out for me as a rider is the sheer peace and quiet of sitting in the saddle of the V100 Mandello, with very little disturbance from the wind flow or turbulence. The Adjustable Windscreen is part of an excellent wind protection system. Adjustability is not a gimmick. Both low and high settings have been used over the past 2000 kilometres. It is nice that the windscreen can be adjusted electronically from the handlebars. The effect of the wings is particularly noticeable when riding in the cold and rain. It keeps your hips and thighs out of the cold air stream.
The V100 is very confident on the road, with excellent road feel. My intended riding line is easy to plan and achieve. I find I can take corners easily and with more confidence than I am used to on the older Guzzis. The suspension is adjustable. The first few days and miles were spent trying to find a setting I liked. Eventually I found a setting that suited me, with firmer damping than the standard factory setting. I don't need an adjustable Öhlins setting for that. I am less happy with the adjustability of the spring preload of the rear shock absorber. The adjustment range of the front suspension is fine. But at the rear I would like the spring preload to be lower than the minimum setting now. I also think a progressive spring would be better for me. Again, the S model is not the answer. The rear spring preload is just as stiff as on the base model and it is not adaptive. Guzzi rightly calls it a semi-adaptive setting. A fully adaptive suspension, like some BMW models, controls both preload and damping. I find that the preload setting depends on personal preference and the length of the suspension travel, but above all on the rider's total weight when fully equipped. To put my experience into perspective, in my case that's 82kg with all my riding gear, including helmet and tank bag with disc brake lock.
I found the V100 to be quite a heavy bike. This was particularly noticeable when moving the bike in and out of the shed by hand, but also when manoeuvring the bike at low speed and changing direction abruptly in city traffic. Out of town, on country roads and on the motorway, the weight was never a problem. In fact, the S model feels substantial heavier than the base model. Guzzi states the same weight of 233kg without accessories for both models. Apparently Guzzi considers the Öhlins damping as an accessory. I suspect that the Öhlins suspension is the main reason for the subjective feeling that the S model is heavier than the base model. In this respect the base model has an edge over the S model as a sporty bike.
I have used the V100 for both short and long distances, such as an 800 km ride over two days. I find the seat very comfortable. I can easily ride for hours on this bike.
Brakes
One of the strong points is the brakes. They are very easy to control, both front and rear. The front brake never has an aggressive bite, and even after the brakes have warmed up through repeated braking, the excellent controllability remains. The fact that there is no disc oxidation after a ride in the rain is also a welcome improvement.
Equipement
The headlamp emits a huge amount of bright light. The eagle of the DRL is easily visible to other road users. I think the new LED lights are a huge improvement on the halogen lights I used before. The cornering lights do their job and it is fun to see them on and off, but I find them more of a gimmick than an improvement in visibility.
Ride by wire takes some getting used to. Sometimes there is an on/off effect. Especially when maintaining the lowest speeds at low revs. I never noticed this with the V11 and V7, so it cannot be the injection itself.
The comfort saddle is higher and more rounded than the standard saddle. It is also slightly higher. Even the lowered comfort saddle is slightly higher than the standard saddle. Funnily enough, I find the standard saddle more comfortable than the comfort saddle, although I can see the benefit of having the heating element in a saddle.
The cruise control is nice on long rides and you get used to it quickly. But when I ride a bike that doesn't have cruise control, I get used to it just as quickly, so I don't miss it.
The panniers are large and quite wide. The stated capacity is only 30 litres. But I find that the capacity of the panniers is halfway between the Hepco Becker Junior 30 litre and 40 litre panniers.
I had the heated handgrips fitted as an extra. What a job that was. The fairing and windscreen had to be removed to get to the connectors. A welcome luxury I was not used to before. Of course, with thin summer gloves I feel the heat more than with thick winter gloves. When riding in winter, I can get away with less thick gloves, which improves the riding experience.
Fuel consumption
I found the fuel consumption to be high during the first few kilometres, between 1:16 and 1:17 km/l. However, this quickly improved on longer journeys and I recorded a consumption of between 1:18.5 and 1:21.1 km/l. I hope that the fuel consumption will improve over time. The slightly higher consumption, combined with the smaller tank than I am used to, results in a lower than desirable range. Especially considering the comfort of the bike, which allows many hours of uninterrupted riding.
Built quality and Reliability
The paintwork is of reasonable quality. The panels are reasonably flush, but no more than that. My white bike has a three coat paint system. A white basecoat, followed by a transparent mica metallic paint and finally an opaque high gloss clearcoat. The effect is a nice white colour with lots of optical depth, unfortunately there is a slight difference in colour between the different panels, with the side panels being slightly darker than the other parts.
The cases have removable matte grey panels. It seems to me that at the design stage Guzzi left open the possibility of painting the panels in colour. I have had the panels painted in colour and I am very pleased with the way they look.
As for reliability, I can report that I have had no problems for the first 2000 kilometres.
Conclusion
Is the V100 Mandello still a real Guzzi after the change to water cooling, or is it more like an Aprilia Tuono V100? In my opinion the design of the V100 fits very well into the Moto Guzzi range over the years. Of course you can't deny the Aprilia influence on the design, but I still think it's a modern Guzzi. I'm glad to see it on the market.
Pros: Nice design and nice white mica metallic colour. Good wind protection with low turbulence. Powerful engine. Road handling gives great confidence, steering is very light and precise. Plenty of luggage space with panniers.
Cons: High idle revs. Limited range. Noticeable knock when shifting into first gear. Rear suspension preload adjustment leaves something to be desired, as the lowest preload setting is still too much for me. Substantial weight felt when manoeuvring by hand in the shed and when manoeuvring through city traffic.
And now I want to hear from you. Have you had similar or different experiences? Does the V100 Mandello appeal to you? Or maybe it has sparked your interest, but you are still waiting for the V100 Stelvio?
After several test rides on the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello S, I decided to order the V100 Mandello, the base model in white. I would like to share with you my first experiences with the V100 Mandello after having ridden it for more than 2,000 km. My experiences are from a personal point of view and are not meant to be objective.
Some of my own personal background
Please note that my ability to judge the new Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello is compromised by my limited experience with other motorcycle brands, my average riding experience and my conservative riding style.I have ridden many Guzzis since I got into motorcycling almost 25 years ago. The only side step I took was a BMW K75, which at the time I thought was a huge step forward for BMW with water cooling and fuel injection instead of air cooling and carburettors. But in the end I did not like that bike and returned to Moto Guzzi after only a year. Similar to the BMW K75, the V100 marks a big step forward for Moto Guzzi, being the first water cooled bike from the brand.
Design
I really like the look of the V100, especially when it comes in the colour white. From a distance, it reminds me of the white 850 Le Mans III that I used to own. White with orange touches, just as the V100 has now, but with a modern appearance. I can also see aspects of the fairing that recall the Quota 2nd series. Altogether a nice and attractive design.
Engine and transmission
The engine's performance is impressive. From low revs the pulling power is great and without hesitation. The sound at low revs is already beautiful and impressive, without the ticking of the valves and tappets as I am used to. Above 5000 revs, the engine sound swells to a true symphony.
Opening the throttle in neutral results in the bike tilting to the left instead of to the right as I am used to, which still takes some getting used to. After all, the older Guzzis tilt to the right, in the opposite direction. The engine revs idle quite a bit higher than the classic Guzzi's.
Engine braking is admittedly different between Sport and Touring, but not by much. That the old Guzzis have so much less engine braking is due to the much lower compression ratio and the much heavier flywheel on the oldies. Sometimes I think the flywheel is missing altogether.
The gearbox handles well. Finding neutral is never a problem. When the gear pedal is pushed up from a standstill, the gearbox always goes into neutral, accidental shifting into second gear is not possible. Shifting from neutral to first is accompanied by a loud knock. I have found that if I push the bike forward a little with my foot before shifting to first gear, the knock is less intense. However, this is not always possible in practice, especially in city traffic.
Driving position and handlebar controls
The riding position is active and slightly forward leaning, reminiscent of both a Le Mans and a V11 with straight handlebar. The brake and gear change pedals are well adjustable, both in height and distance from the pedal to the footrest. Adjustment is possible both by rotation of the pedal and by adjustment of the length of the handlebar system. I found it easy to find a pedal position which suited me.
The buttons on the handlebars are easy to use. I like the distribution of functions between left and right. On the right are the combined start and kill buttons and the driving profile and lighting modes. The left is for the other functions. The buttons took some getting used to, but I think they are well chosen. I like the fact that I can still reach the turn signal button with my left hand on the wheel and the clutch in. Unfortunately, the buttons are not retro-illuminated, which would have been a nice touch in the evening and night.
Vibration in the handlebars is remarkably low for a twin-cylinder Guzzi. As a test, I removed the weight from the handlebars and noticed no increase in vibration.
Ride quality and Steering
What stands out for me as a rider is the sheer peace and quiet of sitting in the saddle of the V100 Mandello, with very little disturbance from the wind flow or turbulence. The Adjustable Windscreen is part of an excellent wind protection system. Adjustability is not a gimmick. Both low and high settings have been used over the past 2000 kilometres. It is nice that the windscreen can be adjusted electronically from the handlebars. The effect of the wings is particularly noticeable when riding in the cold and rain. It keeps your hips and thighs out of the cold air stream.
The V100 is very confident on the road, with excellent road feel. My intended riding line is easy to plan and achieve. I find I can take corners easily and with more confidence than I am used to on the older Guzzis. The suspension is adjustable. The first few days and miles were spent trying to find a setting I liked. Eventually I found a setting that suited me, with firmer damping than the standard factory setting. I don't need an adjustable Öhlins setting for that. I am less happy with the adjustability of the spring preload of the rear shock absorber. The adjustment range of the front suspension is fine. But at the rear I would like the spring preload to be lower than the minimum setting now. I also think a progressive spring would be better for me. Again, the S model is not the answer. The rear spring preload is just as stiff as on the base model and it is not adaptive. Guzzi rightly calls it a semi-adaptive setting. A fully adaptive suspension, like some BMW models, controls both preload and damping. I find that the preload setting depends on personal preference and the length of the suspension travel, but above all on the rider's total weight when fully equipped. To put my experience into perspective, in my case that's 82kg with all my riding gear, including helmet and tank bag with disc brake lock.
I found the V100 to be quite a heavy bike. This was particularly noticeable when moving the bike in and out of the shed by hand, but also when manoeuvring the bike at low speed and changing direction abruptly in city traffic. Out of town, on country roads and on the motorway, the weight was never a problem. In fact, the S model feels substantial heavier than the base model. Guzzi states the same weight of 233kg without accessories for both models. Apparently Guzzi considers the Öhlins damping as an accessory. I suspect that the Öhlins suspension is the main reason for the subjective feeling that the S model is heavier than the base model. In this respect the base model has an edge over the S model as a sporty bike.
I have used the V100 for both short and long distances, such as an 800 km ride over two days. I find the seat very comfortable. I can easily ride for hours on this bike.
Brakes
One of the strong points is the brakes. They are very easy to control, both front and rear. The front brake never has an aggressive bite, and even after the brakes have warmed up through repeated braking, the excellent controllability remains. The fact that there is no disc oxidation after a ride in the rain is also a welcome improvement.
Equipement
The headlamp emits a huge amount of bright light. The eagle of the DRL is easily visible to other road users. I think the new LED lights are a huge improvement on the halogen lights I used before. The cornering lights do their job and it is fun to see them on and off, but I find them more of a gimmick than an improvement in visibility.
Ride by wire takes some getting used to. Sometimes there is an on/off effect. Especially when maintaining the lowest speeds at low revs. I never noticed this with the V11 and V7, so it cannot be the injection itself.
The comfort saddle is higher and more rounded than the standard saddle. It is also slightly higher. Even the lowered comfort saddle is slightly higher than the standard saddle. Funnily enough, I find the standard saddle more comfortable than the comfort saddle, although I can see the benefit of having the heating element in a saddle.
The cruise control is nice on long rides and you get used to it quickly. But when I ride a bike that doesn't have cruise control, I get used to it just as quickly, so I don't miss it.
The panniers are large and quite wide. The stated capacity is only 30 litres. But I find that the capacity of the panniers is halfway between the Hepco Becker Junior 30 litre and 40 litre panniers.
I had the heated handgrips fitted as an extra. What a job that was. The fairing and windscreen had to be removed to get to the connectors. A welcome luxury I was not used to before. Of course, with thin summer gloves I feel the heat more than with thick winter gloves. When riding in winter, I can get away with less thick gloves, which improves the riding experience.
Fuel consumption
I found the fuel consumption to be high during the first few kilometres, between 1:16 and 1:17 km/l. However, this quickly improved on longer journeys and I recorded a consumption of between 1:18.5 and 1:21.1 km/l. I hope that the fuel consumption will improve over time. The slightly higher consumption, combined with the smaller tank than I am used to, results in a lower than desirable range. Especially considering the comfort of the bike, which allows many hours of uninterrupted riding.
Built quality and Reliability
The paintwork is of reasonable quality. The panels are reasonably flush, but no more than that. My white bike has a three coat paint system. A white basecoat, followed by a transparent mica metallic paint and finally an opaque high gloss clearcoat. The effect is a nice white colour with lots of optical depth, unfortunately there is a slight difference in colour between the different panels, with the side panels being slightly darker than the other parts.
The cases have removable matte grey panels. It seems to me that at the design stage Guzzi left open the possibility of painting the panels in colour. I have had the panels painted in colour and I am very pleased with the way they look.
As for reliability, I can report that I have had no problems for the first 2000 kilometres.
Conclusion
Is the V100 Mandello still a real Guzzi after the change to water cooling, or is it more like an Aprilia Tuono V100? In my opinion the design of the V100 fits very well into the Moto Guzzi range over the years. Of course you can't deny the Aprilia influence on the design, but I still think it's a modern Guzzi. I'm glad to see it on the market.
Pros: Nice design and nice white mica metallic colour. Good wind protection with low turbulence. Powerful engine. Road handling gives great confidence, steering is very light and precise. Plenty of luggage space with panniers.
Cons: High idle revs. Limited range. Noticeable knock when shifting into first gear. Rear suspension preload adjustment leaves something to be desired, as the lowest preload setting is still too much for me. Substantial weight felt when manoeuvring by hand in the shed and when manoeuvring through city traffic.
And now I want to hear from you. Have you had similar or different experiences? Does the V100 Mandello appeal to you? Or maybe it has sparked your interest, but you are still waiting for the V100 Stelvio?
