Moto Guzzi Stelvio NTX to go on sale in March

Moto Guzzi Australia has announced the Stelvio NTX, resurrecting a name not used on a Guzzi in over a decade, which will go on sale in Australia from around next March.

The NTX, already on sale in some overseas markets, is more equipped for serious off-road work than the Stelvio with switchable ABS brakes, aluminium panniers, hand protectors, crash bar and powertrain protectors, a metal bashplate and wide-angle headlamps.

Once the NTX goes on sale, at a price still to be finalised, Moto Guzzi's double-pronged attack on the dual-purpose segment will take a leaf out of BMW's book, which has the R 1200 GS and R 1200 GS Adventure in its line-up.

The NTX weights about 10kg more than the Stelvio, and has the same 1151cc air/oil cooled fuel-injected mill, delivering 108hp and 106Nm.

The Stelvio retails for $22,990, and with the extra level of standard equipment we'd expect the NTX to be priced around the $25-26K mark.

Meanwhile, the 2010 Stelvio will also have switchable ABS, stemming the bleeding where the current model lags behind the all-conquering R 1200 GS.

Visit the current model Stelvio in Bike Showroom.

Mind you, the R 1200 GS is only the third best selling adventure bike in Australia from January-November this year, with Kawasaki's unpretentious KL650E the runaway leader on 492 units, from the BMW F 800 GS on 309.

The R 1200 GS (260) is then a fair way back in third, followed by the Suzuki 650 V-Strom (233), V-Strom ABS (225), BMW G 650 GS (188), Triumph Tiger (160), R 1200 GS Adventure (158), BMW F 650 GS (130) and Suzuki 1000 V-Strom (118).