2024 Moto Guzzi Stelvio Review
To the uninitiated, Moto Guzzi, the brand that builds its motorcycles in Mandello del Lario on the banks of the beautiful Lake Como, complete with views to the Swiss Alps, is somewhat of an enigma.
I guess when motorcycles are made by Italians in such whimsical surroundings, then it should be no real great surprise that they travel to the beat of a different drum. I am a bit the same, so it is no wonder that, over time, I slowly developed an affection for them.
Changes have been afoot at Guzzi HQ, otherwise known as the ‘Eagle’s Nest’, in recent years to bring the brand into its second century of production.
Importantly, despite the motorcycles now being so thoroughly modern, thanks to plenty of smarts filtering down from owner Piaggio, who also owns Aprilia, the motorcycles are still unmistakably Guzzi from the moment you turn the key. It would be a travesty if it were any different.
The big difference is though, that while a decade or so ago a rider had no choice but to adapt to how to ride a Guzzi, as they did need to be ridden differently, now anyone can ride one and be at home almost instantly. Once upon a time, a down-change on a Guzzi would have to be executed smoothly at least 50 metres before a corner, if you were to have any hope of making it around that corner that is. Guzzis are a little more user-friendly these days.
The V85 and more recent V100 platforms heralded a new era for Guzzi, one that has, for the first time, included, gasp! A water-cooled engine! Blasphemy!
Unfortunately, in this day and age of Euro5+ emissions legislation, if you want decent performance from an engine, it needs to have some pretty trick cylinder heads, be water-cooled, ride-by-wire and controlled by a powerful engine management system to run the show.
What Moto Guzzi has given us is, of course, still a trademark 90-degree transverse V-Twin, which proudly bares its wares for all to see.
At 1042 cc, it is a fair bit smaller than the 1151 cc donk that powered my favourite previous generation Guzzi, the quite brutal Griso 1200 8V from 2010. However, the smaller new donk actually makes a little more power while almost matching it for torque. And while the Griso was a hoot to punt along a great stretch of road, it demanded a lot of its rider. In contrast, the new Stelvio is a doddle to ride.
As you fire the mill into life, the sideways lurch is still there, although not quite so accentuated due to much lighter engine internals. There is 50 per cent less inertia than the 1200 8V engine used in the previous Stelvio.
The heavy pull of the big single-plate dry clutch is gone, replaced by a conventional wet hydraulically assisted slipper set-up. The clunk into first gear is definitely still there but now a little more cultured.
It grunts effortlessly off the bottom, as Guzzis always have, but this latest engine also loves to rev. Maximum power is a claimed 113 ponies at 8700 rpm while torque peaks at 105 Nm some 2000 rpm lower.
The torque delivery is strong pretty much everywhere, it feels stronger than the numbers suggest. It then builds into a nice top-end surge that plateaus over 9000 rpm with a nice amount of over-rev should you negate to swap cogs before another turn. And turn this bike does.
I really gelled with the on-road handling of the Stelvio right from the off. It steers very nicely and relishes direction changes with aplomb. Only when exploring the outer edges of the tyres does it require a little more steering effort than I preferred.
I had a bit of a proper go on the climb up UT Creek Road near Eildon and had a grin right around to my ears. On the Reefton Spur I took a different approach. Just rolling along, still at a fair clip, but just relishing the moment and enjoying the Stelvio and our surroundings. Really enjoying the Stelvio in fact.
The suspension has 170 mm of travel at both ends and was surprisingly taut, even for a fella slightly larger than the average bear. The frame is 20 per cent stiffer than its Mandello sibling and rolls on a longer wheelbase.
I had wound on some rear pre-load using the hydraulic adjuster before even getting on the bike due to my bulk, but left the pre-load and rebound damping on the forks in their standard positions. Likewise, the rebound on the rear was left alone. The forks coped well, even when the quite fierce radial-mount Brembos were used in anger.
I couldn’t fault the suspension for street duties. Maybe a very light rider will want to soften things up, but the adjustments are there to facilitate that.
The gearbox is essentially all-new compared to the Mandello, which had copped some criticism regarding shift quality. No such problems here. A two-way quick-shifter is an optional accessory, but the shift quality is such that I don’t think I would bother and rather save my money for something else.
We did some light off-roading, predominantly on some loose gravel roads, and here, I found the suspension and geometry quite limiting. This was a launch, so we didn’t have a lot of time to fettle with the suspension, but I would start by softening everything up as much as possible before then working forward from there.
These situations highlight the instant versatility offered by the latest semi-active electronic suspension set-ups, which the Stelvio misses out on. The 46 mm Sachs forks and KYB shock on the Stelvio require the screwdriver and spanner approach. Save for the hydraulic assistance in setting the rear pre-load, which helps when you need to quickly adjust the rear stiffness for a passenger or luggage.
I struggled to gain any confidence off-road with the Michelin Anakee Adventure tyres, despite the 19-inch front. Softening things up and fitting more off-road-specific rubber would improve the situation no doubt, however, in the wider adventure-touring spectrum, I would place the Stelvio as one of the more tarmac-focussed options on the market. It rips on the road.
As a road-based touring option, I feel the Stelvio would excel. Big mile merchants will love the shaft drive which, incidentally, works well enough for you to think you are riding a chain driven bike. To better withstand impacts, the shaft drive casing is increased from 5 to 7 mm over the Mandello to better suit its dual-purpose brief.
Moto Guzzi claims best-in-class aerodynamics, and I have no reason to doubt it. I experienced virtually nil buffeting and felt well-protected even when venturing past double the national speed limit. The screen is electrically adjustable through a 70 mm plane at speeds up to 150 km/h. Sibling brand Aprilia undoubtedly lent some wind tunnel and computer modelling expertise in aerodynamics. Really tall folk can option a taller screen for even more protection.
The suspension is well-supported enough to load up a stack of luggage, and a pillion if need be. On the luggage front Guzzi offer some nicely styled 30-litre panniers that require no ugly pannier rails or extra hardware to fit. The panniers integrate nice and tight into the bike and I actually think the bike looks better with them on than off.
The seat is also nicely finished with some attractive stitching around the edges. The Stelvio will win plenty of friends with a fairly low 830 mm seat height, which makes throwing a leg over the bike a cinch. It is a bike that you really sit in to, rather than perch on top of.
The seat is not overly soft and supports the rider well. I did start to move around a little towards the end of the day, but I think that would just be a matter of getting accustomed to it. Harden up princess… It has been a few years since I made that 16,000 km trip around Australia in 15 days.
The five-inch display is functional enough and controlled by what seems to be the same switch-gear that is used on current Aprilia models. Even the dash itself has more than a hint of Aprilia to it.
The headlights have cornering functionality and are all LED. The highlight coming in the shape of the daytime running light that glows in the shape of the fabeld Guzzi eagle.
At 222 kg dry, or 246 kg wet with its 21-litre tank full, the Stelvio is not a lightweight but, on the road at least, that mass was never apparent to me. It picked up off the side-stand with ease and never felt ponderous when parking. Compared to the previous generation Stelvio NTX of a decade ago, this new generation Stelvio weighs 30 kilograms less!
Other than the lack of electronic suspension, the Stelvio is pretty well fitted out with rider aids. Six-axis IMU-controlled lean angle responsive ABS and Traction Control, five Ride Modes and Cruise Control are all standard. Traction control is easily deactivated and the bike remembers your preference even after the ignition is switched off. Likewise, rear ABS is easily deactivated.
The excellent blind-spot detection system is an optional extra along with the radar system that provides Forward Collision Warning and Lane Change Assist. Tyre pressure monitoring, a centre-stand and heated grips are also missing from the standard features list. A heated seat is another optional extra along with multimedia functionality for the five-inch display. Radar-assisted active cruise control is also available.
Guzzi’s have never been cheap. The Griso 8V that I was quite enamoured with 15 years ago was a 25 k ask back then, the Stelvio NTX was similarly priced when it ceased production in 2017. There is no doubt that this latest generation Stelvio is a whole lot more bike, bristling with all the latest technology, but at almost 33 k ride away, it’s an expensive ask in what now is a very crowded adventure-touring category. Even if shirking the many other options, you would definitely want the well-executed side panniers, which then makes the Stelvio a 35 k ask.
The Stelvio is most likely going to appeal to the well-heeled who like to swim against the tide a bit, and relish something a bit different from the norm. Much like it has always been with Guzzis. It is just that now, you don’t have to take a step back in time while riding it, as the new Stelvio is a thoroughly modern, comfortable and brisk machine, but retains that essential and quintessential bit of Guzzi character that makes it stand out from the crowd.
I can see the appeal in that…
Moto Guzzi Stelvio Specifications
| Moto Guzzi Stelvio Specifications | |
| Engine | 1042 cc, Liquid-cooled 90° transverse V-twin cylinder |
| Bore x Stroke | 96 x 72 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 12.6:1 |
| Power | 113 hp (84.6 kW) at 8700 rpm |
| Torque | 105 Nm at 6750 rpm |
| Valve Actuation | DOHC with finger rocker arms and four valves per cylinder |
| Induction | EFI, dual 52 mm throttle boddies, ride-by-wire |
| Fuel Capacity | 21 litres |
| Gearbox | Six speed |
| Clutch | Wet multi-disc clutch with slipper clutch and hydraulic control |
| Frame | Tubular high-strength steel frame |
| Front Suspension | Sachs telescopic hydraulic upside-down fork, Ø 46 mm, adj. pre-load and rebound. 170 mm travel |
| Rear Suspension | Aluminium single-sided shock absorber left side, adj pre-load and rebound. 170 mm travel |
| Front Brakes | Dual stainless steel floating discs, Ø 320 mm, Brembo radial-mount callipers with 4 opposed pistons and metal braided hose |
| Rear Brake | Stainless steel disc, Ø 280 mm, Brembo floating 2-piston calliper. |
| ABS | Continental ABS with cornering function |
| Tyres | 120/70-19 (F); 170/60-17 (R) |
| Length | 2195 mm |
| Width | 945 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1520 mm |
| Seat Height | 830 mm |
| Steering Angle | 25.6-degrees |
| Trail | 116.4 mm |
| Dry Weight | 222 kg |
| Wet Weight | 246 kg with 90 per cent full tank |
| Available | Now |
| Servicing | 12,000 km minor – 24,000 km major |
| Warranty | 24 months |
| RRP | $32,890 Ride Away |
