Moto Guzzi might not be as active and prominent a name in the motorcycling world as its chief Italian rival - Ducati. However, the brand has always stood for its rich lineage of making motorcycles for decades and recently has started introducing new-age motorcycles that are making their mark in the modern world. One such motorcycle is the V100 Mandello, a semi-faired sport tourer that has impressed many with its mature styling and refined engine. And now, Moto Guzzi has pulled the wraps off from V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale, a limited-edition motorcycle that is a tribute to the Italian Naval Aviation.
The Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale is quite a long name for a motorcycle. However, its representation of the Italian armed forces on two wheels is even mightier. The limited-edition motorcycle made its spectacular debut on the Cavour, the Italian Navy’s flagship vertical landing aircraft carrier, which is there in service for the Italian Navy since 2009. Moto Guzzi has announced that only 1913 units of V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale will go into production.
The Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale Has A Back Story Related To Italian Navy
There’s a back story behind Moto Guzzi producing only 1913 units of the limited-run V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale. The number 1913 represents the year in which the Italian Navy’s air force unit came into existence. Also, the two founders of Moto Guzzi – Carlo Guzzi and Giorgio Parodi – also served in this first-ever batch of the Italian Navy’s air force unit in 1913 before laying the foundation of Moto Guzzi in 1921.
Guzzi and Parodi, along with their companion pilot Giovanni Ravelli, served in the Italian Navy’s air force during the first world war. All three decided to form a motorcycle brand while the world war was on. However, before the war ended, Ravelli was killed in an accident in 1919. In memory of Ravelli, Guzzi and Parodi decided to choose a spread-winged eagle as the logo of their new motorcycle brand. This logo continues to be the mark of pride for Moto Guzzi, even today.
Moto Guzzi has received the right to use the term ‘Aviazione Navale’ (Naval Aviation) from Difesa Servizi S.p.A., an in-house organization of the Ministry of Defense in Italy. This organization has been responsible for optimizing the department’s assets for the last ten years.
What Makes The Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale Look Special?
All the 1913 units of the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale will feature a unique grey-themed livery, inspired by the color of the Italian Navy’s F-35B fighter jets. The fuel tank cowl of the motorcycle has exclusive graphics that represent the typical ‘jet intake’ stripes highlighted on those fighter jets.
In addition to these highlights, there is a low-visibility Italian tricolor rosette, which is present on both sides of the fuel tank of the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale. This limited-run model also features emblems of the Italian Naval aviation and the Boarded Aircraft Unit. All these 1913 units will come adorned with their cover, a commemorative plaque, and a unique serial number laser etched on their handlebar risers in the middle. The exclusive features available in this iteration of the V100 Mandello are heated handlebar grips and a tire pressure monitoring system.
About Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello
An Italian take on the liter-class sport tourer category, the V100 Mandello features the latest design language and technologies from the house of Moto Guzzi. For its name, the motorcycle seeks its inspiration from the town of Mandello, the place where the headquarters of Moto Guzzi are located.
The 90-degree, V-twin, 1,042cc engine of the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello has a state-of-the-art transverse design like the Boxer twins. This engine produces a maximum power output of 115 hp, while the peak torque output of the engine is 77.5 lb-ft. This new compact-block engine comes coupled with a 6-speed gearbox. However, the most highlighted talking point of the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello is its first-in-industry adaptive aerodynamics.
The Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello is also the first motorcycle from the brand to get modern features like cornering ABS, a six-axis inertial measurement unit, semi-active suspension, and a bi-directional quick-shifter, making it a modern Moto Guzzi in all sorts. The bike also gets premium mechanical hardware, like the suspension combination from Ohlins and rubbers from Pirelli. Other prominent highlights of the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello include a single-sided rear swing-arm, shaft drive, and four riding modes – Sport, Tour, Road, and Rain. It also gets a 5-inch full-TFT instrument display and all-LED illumination for the headlamp, tail lamp, and turn indicators. The Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello competes with motorcycles like Kawasaki Ninja 1000, Ducati SuperSport, and Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT.