Moto Guzzi Stelvio

WHAT WE LIKE
• Rock-solid handling
• Quality finish
• Comfortable and roomy

Under the ownership of giant bike and scooter conglomerate Piaggio since the end of 2004, these days the wings of Moto Guzzi's eagle are flapping harder than ever. Based on the shores of Lake Como in northern Italy, Moto Guzzi has been busily churning out a raft of new models in recent years, as it quietly goes about re-establishing its name as a maker of fine motorcycles, after years of under-investment in the hands of its former owner, Argentine businessman Alejandro De Tomaso.

Keen to address the profitable adventure tourer niche, and thereby challenge BMW's dominant R 1200 GS, Moto Guzzi has released the Stelvio – a dual-purpose (of sorts) machine, with sporty tyres and a high-spec brakes and suspension package for aggressive road riding, but also long travel suspension, spoked rims and relatively lazy steering geometry for limited off-road applications.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
At the heart of the Stelvio is the latest-generation eight-valve transverse V-twin, said to be good for 105hp at 7500rpm and a chunky 108Nm of torque at 6400rpm. This air/oil-cooled unit is fed by Weber Marelli electronic fuel injection, and it feeds the grunt to the back wheel via a hydraulic clutch, six-speed gearbox and shaft final drive.

The engine is held in a high tensile, tubular-steel twin cradle, while the suspension – an inverted Marzocchi 50mm front fork and Boge rear monoshock – is fully adjustable for preload, rebound and compression at each end. The braking package is of a similarly high spec – twin 320mm discs up front with four-piston, radial-mount Brembo calipers, with a single 282mm disc and twin-piston Brembo caliper at the rear. Braided steel lines are used front and rear.

Spoked Marchesini rims are clearly angled more at off-road exploits, but they're shod with relatively sporty Pirelli Scorpion Sync tyres – a 110/90ZR19 front mated to a fat 180/55ZR17 rear.

The steering geometry strikes a fine balance between on-road agility and off-road stability – a 1475mm wheelbase is coupled with a 27-degree rake and 125mm of trail. Broad handlebars place the rider in a commanding position, while the seat height can be adjusted from 820mm to 840mm. An 18lt fuel tanks helps push the bike's claimed wet weight to 251kg (214kg dry).

Twin headlights are matched with trick LED taillights. It should be pointed out that the test bike pictured here sports indicators integrated into the Stelvio's bodywork – to comply with Australian Design Rules, Stelvios sold in this country will feature front indictors incorporated into the mirror pods.

A white-faced tacho is complemented with a digital display showing speed, time, odometer/tripmeter, fuel and ambient temperature. An on-board computer can also be cycled through trip time, average fuel economy, average speed and maximum speed. The front screen is manually adjustable via two wheels.

Available in either red, black or white, the Stelvio retails for $22,990 plus ORC, and comes with a two-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. A range of optional factory accessories are also available, including fog lights, crash bars, panniers, topbox, tank bags, alloy sump protector and alarm, among others.

ON THE ROAD
At 2760m, the Stelvio Pass is one of Europe's most spectacular alpine rides. Located on the border of Italy and Switzerland, the wild and rugged backdrop conjures up images of adventure in myriad forms – and that's exactly what Moto Guzzi is hoping its Stelvio will do for the adventure bike-buying public.

While not exactly snow-capped, at first glance the Stelvio can appear to be a tall, large and somewhat daunting machine. Fortunately this is more bluff than brutal fact, and once you've hopped aboard you'll find it's actually quite narrow through the mid section, which helps you in your quest to reach terra firma. The adjustable seat height is a big plus here, broadening the Stelvio's potential market appreciably.

One quick stab of the starter fires the lusty 90-degree V-twin into life. The Weber Marelli injection sees it rapidly settle into a smooth idle, while a blip of the throttle elicits that familiar side-to-side torque reaction 'twitch' of the transverse V-twin layout. The six-speed 'box requires a reasonable prod to engage first, and you'll need a handful of revs before you ease out the heavy-ish hydraulic clutch, but then you'll be loping forward with impressive haste, while that Guzzi powerplant drums its hypnotic beat.

This 1151cc V-twin is certainly a solid unit. Taken from the muscle-bound Griso, in Stelvio form revised fuel injection and a different exhaust are said to boost midrange torque, while knocking around 5hp off its peak power. On the road it actually seemed a little lacking right down low, but an admirably chunky midrange builds seamlessly into a zesty top end, which continues a little past its indicated 8000rpm redline. The 'maximum speed' reading on my test bike read 213km/h – there's obviously plenty of poke on tap here.

I revelled in its ample torque on a run through the Black Spur, a tight and winding ribbon of blacktop that snakes its way through the Yarra Ranges to Melbourne's east. From 4500rpm onwards the Stelvio surged forward, leaping from one corner and launching you to the next, its EFI affording a crisp connection between throttle and back wheel. The vibration generated by those two big ol' pistons slapping around is certainly noticeable, especially when you're winding on the throttle, but it's not annoying – more than anything it simply adds to the bike's character.

Despite its dimensions and weight, the Stelvio is surprisingly agile, and while its long-travel, fully adjustable suspension won't deliver a sportsbike level of super-sharp feedback, it soaks up the bumps of your average Aussie road incredibly well, holding a rock-solid line through a bend until you reach track day levels of silliness (i.e., when you'll be pushing it outside its design brief). Excellent ground clearance only adds to the fun, as do the more road-focussed Pirelli Scorpion Sync tyres.

The brakes also seem to point towards top shelf performance, the front stoppers being four-piston, radial-mount Brembos, fitted with braided steel lines. However, on the road I found the front anchors to be a little soft, and while offering progressive power and good feel, they lacked any initial bite. Off-road of course this would be preferred, but for fast tarmac carving, if the Stelvio was mine I'd be playing around with some different pad compounds (because there's certainly no inherent flaw in the Brembo system itself). The rear brake is strong and responsive – and perfect for both on and off-road applications.

Sadly, on this particular Moto Guzzi press ride day we didn't have the opportunity to put the Stelvio through its paces off the tar, but I couldn't find anything to indicate it wouldn't be anything less than a thoroughly competent machine on your average Aussie dirt road. Bear in mind I said “dirt road” there, not “motocross track” or “hill climb event”. Standing up on the pegs reveals a perfect stance for off-road work, legs and knees comfortably gripping the tank, with an easy reach to those broad, leverage-affording 'bars.

What I can say with complete certainty is that the Stelvio is a mile muncher extraordinaire. The ride position is upright and wonderfully roomy. The screen deflects the wind and minimises turbulence well. The seat is firmish, but compliant. All that adds up to all-day comfort, although it's a bit of a shame Moto Guzzi couldn't squeeze more than 18lt into the Stelvio's tank.

On our 'spirited' test run the on-board computer was indicating a bit over 15km/lt. Bump that up a bit for more relaxed riding, and you're still talking around 300km per tank. That's not bad per se, but I'd want more. Maybe I'm just greedy.

Other gripes? Nothing major. The sidestand's placed in an unusual spot, a little too close to the gear shift and a hot exhaust header. That aside, I was impressed by the quality of the Stelvio's general fit and finish, that appeared devoid of the foibles and idiosyncrasies that plagued Guzzi before the Piaggio takeover. At least Guzzi fans used to call them 'foibles' – others would call them faults. The Stelvio, however, is a striking machine. The jury's still out on its unusually-shaped nose, but hey – BMW's R1100 GS wasn't exactly seen as a beauty queen on its first release, and now there's a gazillion of its offspring dotted around the globe.

It's impossible to discuss the Stelvio without reference to BMW's R 1200 GS. While it would take a back-to-back comparison to pick a winner, I suspect the bottom line would boil down to personal preferences – after all, although the pricing of each is similar, the characters of the Boxer flat-twin versus the V-twin are very different. The BMW's a little lighter, with a bit more torque but the same claimed peak horsepower, but the Stelvio is without a doubt nipping at its heels.

When you've weighed up all the pros and cons, the Stelvio, as the Moto Guzzi faithful will point out, is a Guzzi – and the spell cast by that Falcon on the tank, and that transverse V-twin layout, is just as strong as ever. Backed up these days by a quality finish and a realistic $22,990 (plus ORC) price tag, for those after an adventure tourer with a difference, the Stelvio ticks all the right boxes.

SECOND OPINION
A new dual-purpose hell raiser is in town, and it means business. The Stelvio just loves to rev and rev, and once it really flexes its muscles I reckon it feels a bit stronger than the BMW R 1200 GS through the mid-range. That's a big call against the doyen of the twin-cylinder adventure bike genre, although I still reckon the BMW has a little more sting up top.

Either way, it's probably all semantics, as both bikes go like the clappers and have more than enough poke to satisfy even the most discerning rider.

Despite its fairly rangy geometry, the Stelvio steers very well and is hoot through the twisties with its massively wide bars and road-holding poise. The seat is also beaut.

The screen is serviceable, if a little too low, while the sidestand is a cumbersome item.

The Stelvio also lacks the chattels of the BMW like heated hand grips and ABS (either as standard features or accessories), but overall it's an impossibly enjoyable package that is just a joy to ride. - Mark Fattore

ENGINE
Type: 1151cc, air/oil-cooled, eight-valve, OHC, four-stroke, transverse 90-degree V-twin
Bore x stroke: 95mm x 81.2mm
Compression ratio: 11.1:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Tubular steel twin cradle
Front suspension: Upside-down 50mm Marzocchi telescopic fork, adjustable for preload, rebound and compression
Rear suspension: Monoshock, adjustable for preload, rebound and compression
Front brakes: Twin 320mm discs with four-piston, radial-mount Brembo calipers
Rear brakes: Single 282mm disc with twin-piston Brembo caliper

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Dry weight: 214kg
Seat height: 820-840mm
Wheelbase: 1475mm
Fuel capacity: 18lt

OTHER STUFF
Price: $22,990 plus ORC
Colours: Black, white or red
Bike supplied by: John Sample Automotive Pty Ltd, tel: (02) 9914 8799
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres