Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200 Test: Introduction, positioning and rivals of the Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200
Just over a year ago, I tested the Moto Guzzi V85TT Travel on these same lines, a bike designed for long distances that I loved. The only thing I missed was a bit of power with a passenger. The new Moto Guzzi Stelvio (115 hp, €17,099) or the version we are testing today, the Moto Guzzi Stelvio PFF Rider Assistance Solution (115 hp, €17,899), maintain the charm of that V85TT Travel, but with the power that I missed back then.
It should be remembered that the Stelvio is a maxi-trail model that was already in the Moto Guzzi range between 2007 and 2017. Now it returns to the catalogue of the Mandello di Lario brand, but with a new power unit, recently launched on the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello.
Now you can try your hand at the other maxi-trails on the market, which are somewhere in between the Suzuki V-Strom 1050 Tech (105 hp, €14,499), Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin Adventure Sports (102 hp, €15,525) or Ducati Multistrada V2 (113 hp, €15,790) and the very powerful Harley Davidson Pan America (150 hp, €20,600), Ducati Multistrada V4 (170 hp, €22,090), KTM 1290 Super Adventure S (160 hp, €21,369) or Triumph Tiger 1200 GT (150 hp, €20,095). All of them are very good bikes.
What sets the Stelvio apart from its rivals is its Moto Guzzi-inspired approach to doing things, a way of connecting man and machine that only Guzzi riders understand and never abandon. But Moto Guzzi doesn’t just live on spiritual connections. The Stelvio offers all the equipment and technology you’d expect from a premium maxitrail. If you try it, you might just be captivated by its charm.
Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200 Test: Technical features and equipment of the Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200 PFF Rider Assistance
Whether you like a design or not is subjective. However, I don’t think there are many people who would argue that the Moto Guzzi Stelvio is not beautiful. It is also true that, in my opinion, all Moto Guzzis are beautiful (there are some exceptions in 103 years). Its straight lines are harmonious and proportionate.
The body is made of a single piece, from the seat to the front light. The same continuity is found in the engine block with the gearbox and the cardan shaft. The 90º V-shaped cylinders and the manifolds give it a simple and sophisticated look at the same time. Italian design.
The engine retains the 90° V configuration that characterises the Moto Guzzi genome, but is entirely new. Liquid-cooled, it has a displacement of 1,042 cc and delivers 115 hp at 8,700 rpm of power and 105 Nm of maximum torque at 6,750 rpm.
With an approved fuel consumption of 5.1 litres and a fuel tank with a capacity of 21 litres, its theoretical range is more than 400 kilometres, a distance that you will never cover, because the consumption is higher, around 5.5/5.6 l. The on-board computer itself reports a range of around 350 kilometres when the tank is filled to the brim.
With Mareilli electronics, Continental IMU and electronic accelerator, you have up to 5 riding modes: Road, Touring, Sport, Rain and Off-Road. All modes are adjustable in four parameters: engine character (3 levels), engine brake (3 levels), traction control (4 levels) and ABS (2 levels), allowing a very fine degree of adjustment. In Off-Road mode, the rear ABS can also be switched off.
All of this is configured via a 5” colour TFT screen that is easy to use using the controls. Everything is much more intuitive than in the V85TT we tested last year, and it is clear that there is a desire for progress.
It has Bluetooth connectivity (optional, though) that allows you to connect to your phone via the Moto Guzzi MIA app and have the phone and navigation functions. You can charge your devices with the appropriate USB socket.
The transmission is by cardan shaft, reinforced with respect to its sister the Mandello and does not have parasitic reactions. What is loud is the gearbox, with a noticeable “clonk” when engaging the first gear.
The shifting is precise, but the lever travel is long, it is not very fast, unless you have the quickshifter that our test unit was equipped with and that avoids the issue of shift length; but it does not free you from the “clonk” of the first gear. The clutch lever is hydraulic, as on good bikes, but the feel is not very good. Blessed quickshifter.
The chassis is made of steel and is not visible, the engine being part of it (what is known as self-supporting). The inverted fork is a Sachs with a diameter of 46 mm, 170 mm of travel and allows adjustment of rebound and preload without tools. The rear KYB shock absorber has the same travel and adjustment capacity as the fork.
The wheels in sizes 120/70 R19 and 170/60 R17 are fitted with tubeless Michelin Anakee tyres. The brakes are top of the range. At the front it is fitted with a double 320 mm front disc gripped by Brembo 4-piston radial calipers. The pump is also radial. At the rear it uses a 280 mm disc gripped by a Brembo 2-piston caliper. The performance of both is impeccable.
The PFF Rider Assistance version of the Moto Guzzi Stelvio also features front and rear radars that manage the adaptive cruise control, frontal collision warning, lane change assist and blind spot information system.
Its intervention or not is completely configurable, so you can activate some of its functions and deactivate those you consider invasive. It is worth highlighting the good functioning of the adaptive cornering lights (standard), which provide a welcome extra level of safety.
The final weight in running order is 246 kg, which can be increased considerably with the plethora of options available. In addition to the aforementioned Bluetooth connection, there are heated grips, which is incomprehensible on a touring bike, as well as the heated seat and its height adjustment (830 mm as standard).
The panniers are also optional, but in this case it is recommended, as the integration of their anchors is exemplary. If you had to resort to the aftermarket, you would have to install a tube scaffold to receive other panniers. The quickshifter is optional, but in my opinion essential.
That is to say, it is very well equipped in some aspects (radar, brakes, electrically adjustable screen, adaptive lights), but there are glaring flaws in the standard equipment that are optional (add the kickstand, bumpers, auxiliary lights, tire pressure gauge or rear trunk).
You can’t ask for pears from an elm tree either, because the price is really attractive. To achieve this, aspects such as electronic suspensions have been dispensed with, which, given the performance of those equipped with the Stelvio and its stability, are not necessary and would have increased the final price.
Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200 Test: How does the Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200 go?
It must be admitted that the bike is a bit intimidating when stationary, because it takes up a lot of space. The presence of the cylinders widens the middle part of the bike, but just as the engine narrows as you look down, so do the footrests in relation to the seat.
Once I’m sitting on the Stelvio, my heels feel very close together, like on a small 125cc single-cylinder bike, so what seemed heavy to the eye is light to the touch. That said, the riding position is, in my opinion, perfect. I’m 178 cm tall and I feel like it fits me like a glove. I can reach the ground perfectly with both feet.
The seat (830 mm from the ground) is also extremely comfortable. With the screen adjustable to 70 mm and the adjustable levers, you can quickly find your setting. Your hands rest naturally on the grips and your legs on the footrests, while your backside will not notice the seat, which is the best sign of all. The narrowness of the whole at the height of the saddle guarantees an optimal standing position.
As with any long-range motorcycle, the tank widens as you move forward, but when you are seated, its shape protects you from the elements. The cylinders do not get in the way when riding, nor when off-road, although in summer you can feel the heat, more so when moving than when stopped, curiously, but it is not excessive thanks to the water cooling.
On the negative side, the passenger handholds have sharp edges that fit in well with the design of the rest of the bike, but are uncomfortable for the passenger to hold.
The sound of the engine is really suggestive at idle, but it improves as the revs increase, becoming exciting. The “clonk” when you put it in first gear takes you out of the first reverie, because of the sound and because you can physically feel the gear being engaged.
When shifting up, the gears work more normally, although the travel is a bit long. The quickshifter becomes essential here, as it greatly improves your relationship with the Stelvio, although this is only when it acts on the throttle. If you are going to shift up at a constant speed, it does not work as smoothly.
You soon find the sweet spot and it’s a real pleasure to spin speeds by stretching the engine. The engine’s sweet spot is at mid-range, just before (slightly) maximum torque delivery. It’s one of those motorcycles that allows you to choose two speeds for most of the curves, something to be appreciated on a touring bike.
The bike’s stability is exceptional, thanks to its 1,520 mm wheelbase. On straights and fast corners it is unfazed by its stability. When it comes to corners, its willingness to lean is surprising; at first, I was surprised by the feeling that the bike was turning more than I wanted.
You soon find the sweet spot, receiving complete confidence from the front end. Yes, it’s a bike that leans quickly, but not so much in the direction changes. These are surgical, as you think they’re going to be, but not lightning fast. I don’t know if it’s due to the weight, the centre of gravity or the crank arrangement, but it is. Fortunately, we have the lever arm of the handlebar, making the direction changes tremendously pleasant. Effectiveness.
The electronics do their job in a hidden way, meaning you don’t notice them, which is a good sign. Something I really liked was the ability to switch off some of the radar elements, especially the front one. I’m a big fan of cruise control, I use it a lot, but I’m not so keen on adaptive cruise control or collision warning systems.
I think that they distract me and that I won’t be paying attention until the system scares me with its intervention. On the other hand, few things seem as useful to me as the blind spot warning, both on multi-lane highways and on foggy days. Being able to configure the system to my liking seemed like a luxury to me.
If you’re a fast rider on the highway and motorway, you’ll have a blast on smooth roads. On very twisty stretches and/or on rough roads, it’s also a lot of fun, and you can lean it while keeping your torso upright, like in a supermotard (with its nuances, of course). It’s a bike with soul, which conveys sensations to the rider and reminds you how fantastic it is to travel on a motorcycle.
After a week under the spell of the Moto Guzzi Stelvio, I declare myself a defender of this bike, but keeping in mind what its purpose is: long distances. It provides comfort, safety, performance and, most importantly, riding pleasure, which will make your journeys happier.
Like any maxi-trail, it is capable of anything, even taking you to work every day in the city, but that is not where it will feel most comfortable, because that is not its purpose. It is capable of going off-road and going very far, but I would not put it on a trial bike, because that is not its purpose either. Its purpose is to enjoy those sensations that only a Moto Guzzi gives you.
