Limited Edition Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello

Anyone seeing the active aerodynamic flaps on the shoulders of the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello’s fuel tank in action is likely to be reminded of the speed brakes on an aircraft so a limited-edition version that pays tribute to the Italian Navy’s F-35 fighter jets seems apt. The V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale – complete with military grey paintwork – is just such a bike.

Guzzi’s connection with naval flying predates the company itself. Founders Carlo Guzzi and Giorgio Parodi worked together along with pilot Giovanni Ravelli in the Italian Royal Navy’s Aeronautical Arm during WW1, not long after the birth of powered flight, and decided to go into the motorcycle business after the war. While Ravelli was killed in a 1919 accident, before Moto Guzzi came into being, the company’s eagle logo was chosen in his memory. The new V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale results from a tie-in with the Italian Ministry of Defence, which has allowed Guzzi to use the name on the bike.

Only 1913 of the V100 Aviazione Navale machines will be made, a number chosen to mark the date when the airborne arm of the Italian navy was set up. The bikes’ grey paintwork mirrors the Italian-made derivative of the F-35B Lightning II short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) fighters that have recently gone into service with the force.

The grey-on-grey graphics are designed to replicate the shapes used on the aircraft, with V-shaped markings on the air intakes to mirror those on the plane’s jet ducts and a circular Tricolore on the side in three shades of grey rather than the traditional red, white and green, just as used on the aircraft to minimize visibility. The ‘Marina’ script on the fairing is again a replica of the text used on the naval jets.

The limited-edition bikes get a tyre pressure monitoring system and heated grips as standard and feature their individual serial number on the handlebar clamp – it’s a nice touch that the number is etched into the clamp itself rather than being on the usual stuck-on plaque. Owners will also get a fitted cover for their bikes.

Otherwise, the V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale has the same spec as the standard machine, with 115hp from Guzzi’s latest 90-degree V-twin engine, allied to 77ft-lb of torque. There’s full LED lighting and a six-axis IMU providing cornering ABS and traction control, as well as that unique active aerodynamics package that’s claimed to reduce wind blast on the rider by 22%, but despite being first revealed a year ago we’re still waiting for the Mandello to reach dealers and for Moto Guzzi to reveal the complete, final specifications of the bike. The top-spec version of the standard bike also gets Ohlins Smart EC 2.0 semi-active electronic suspension, but it appears the new limited-edition machine is based on the entry-level version with ‘dumb’ suspension. Dealers are already accepting pre-orders for the £13,500 standard model and the £15,750 ‘S’ version, but the price for the limited edition isn’t known yet.