The Underrated ADV That’s Better Than Most Riders Realize
Motorcycle development in general has devolved into a mindless pursuit of bigger numbers. While chasing more performance makes sense when you’re designing a sportbike for a racetrack, it just feels a little bizarre in the adventure bike segment. Touring means taking in everything on the ride—not just the destination, but the journey as well.
That means you do not really need to teleport between your start and finish points at scenery-blurring speeds. Still, modern manufacturers want their full-size adventure bikes to have power figures that compete with sportbikes, not to mention electronics that would make NASA proud. This insistence on spec-sheet supremacy has made these adventure motorcycles very demanding machines.
The ADV Arms Race Has Left Most Riders Behind — And One Brand Ignored It Entirely
This trend is very fascinating when you look at the full-size adventure bike segment because there is the opposite of homogenization in it. At similar price points, you’ll find bikes powered by a V-twin engine, a V4 engine, a parallel twin engine, a boxer twin, and an inline three-cylinder as well. But no matter the layout of the engine, everybody’s chasing the same thing: high horsepower figures and a laundry list of electronics and features that the owner can boast about. This has alienated riders who just want something that is balanced and unintimidating for a multi-day ride.
Real-World Touring Doesn’t Demand Sportbike Performance
What you need for touring is not a zero-to-60 time or the highest horsepower figure in this segment. More important than these things are reliability, great mid-range torque, and low maintenance—either in terms of cost or long intervals. What an adventure motorcycle, or any motorcycle for that matter, needs is character: the kind of thing that makes you grin inside your helmet, even if it is painfully slow. You just need something that settles into a relaxed rhythm on the highway, with enough performance to overtake without planning that requires a degree in physics.
Moto Guzzi Knows A Thing Or Two About Making Bikes With Character
Moto Guzzi is known for making bikes with character, and that’s mostly down to a simple choice of engine layout. All its bikes are powered by a 90-degree V-twin, but unlike Ducati’s, the engine is rotated 90 degrees and sits longitudinally in the chassis. They are very modern engines fitted to very modern chassis, and despite being an Italian marque, Moto Guzzi holds back on trying to be yet another Italian exotic brand.
It is surprisingly practical, full of charm, and undeniably capable. Somehow it always slips under people’s radar, and hidden in its portfolio is the underrated ADV that’s better than most riders realize.
The Moto Guzzi Stelvio Is The Underrated ADV That’s Better Than Most Riders Realize
The Stelvio is an old nameplate, but it has now been reborn with the V100 Mandello engine. It offers a broad torque curve and relaxed ergonomics, choosing to excel at most things both on tarmac and off-road rather than specializing in a particular area. This makes it suitable for a wide variety of riders, especially considering the convenience that its shaft drive offers. It also has a touch of premium feel despite the value pricing, with its aluminum single-sided swingarm and radar-based electronics. Despite all its pros, it remains one of the adventure bikes that are criminally overlooked.
The Price Makes It One Of The Bargains In The Segment
The base Stelvio retails for $16,990.00. This is a little cheaper than most full-size adventure bikes in the segment. In the case of the Stelvio, this represents extra value because it delivers a single-sided aluminum swingarm and shaft drive at that price. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that it is comparable to the BMW GS, but without the price tag.
If you add a little more money, the PFF Rider Assistance Solution is available for $17,590.00. This adds tech like forward-facing and rearward-looking radar and adaptive cruise control, again at a brilliant price for the segment. Finally, there is the Duecento Tributo, which is a limited-edition look with the PFF’s features, available for $18,490.00.
Longitudinal V-Twin Engine Offers A Unique Experience
BMW’s boxer twin has been the only north-south engine in the class so far, but Moto Guzzi has added its own longitudinally mounted 90-degree V-twin. Like the BMW, it runs a shaft drive because that makes a lot more sense. Like the BMW, it is a thoroughly modern engine that means business: it has a DOHC head, four valves per cylinder, liquid cooling, and a compression ratio of 12.6:1.
It generates 115 horsepower at 8,800 RPM and 77 pound-feet at 6,750 RPM. The V-twin layout’s broad torque spread offers great roll-on torque, removing the need to shift gears every so often. The power is sent through a six-speed gearbox with an assist and slipper clutch that also has hydraulic assistance. A two-way quickshifter is optional, and a driveshaft sends the power to the rear wheel.
How The Stelvio’s Chassis Makes It More Accessible Than Any Other Full-Size ADV
The Stelvio uses a tubular steel trellis frame with the engine as a stressed member. It is not like something we are used to seeing because of the engine’s unique layout; the subframe is not a bolt-on type, but is welded to the mainframe. The swingarm is made of aluminum and is single-sided.
Sachs 46 mm inverted front forks are fitted, with adjustable preload and rebound damping. At the rear, there is a monoshock with remote preload adjustment and adjustable rebound damping. There is 6.7 inches of travel available at both ends.
The brakes consist of dual 320 mm floating rotors at the front with Brembo monobloc radial four-piston fixed calipers and a radial front master cylinder. This will be extremely handy when you’re coming down a road as steep as the Stelvio Pass when fully loaded. At the rear, there is a 280 mm disc with a Brembo two-piston floating caliper. These are mounted on tubeless spoke rims with a 19-inch front and a 17-inch rear. Tubeless radial tires are mounted on them.
The chassis specs can seem a little confusing: 6.7 inches of suspension travel is a little on the lower end of the adventure bike scale, which means a more accessible seat height and better handling on tarmac, but also reduced ground clearance for off-road work. The wire-spoke wheel rims help make it good on the rough stuff, meaning that it delivers comfort without sacrificing much capability.
Low Seat Height Makes Full-Size ADV Touring Accessible
The Stelvio is a full-size motorcycle that looks the business, with a length of 86.4 inches and a width of 37.2 inches mated to a wheelbase of 59.8 inches. However, the seat height is 32.7 inches, which is almost like a regular naked bike. This makes it one of the more accessible motorcycles in the segment. This could also be the reason Moto Guzzi does not publish the ground clearance figure for the Stelvio.
The fuel tank can hold 5.5 gallons, and it weighs 542 pounds wet. The wet weight means it will be a challenge in a parking lot and for low-speed maneuvering, but once on the move, the low center of gravity will make things considerably easier.
The $600 Upgrade That Gives The Stelvio More Safety Tech Than A BMW R 1300 GS
This Stelvio is available in three variants. The base version is exactly what you would expect from a flagship full-size ADV, with the by-wire throttle and six-axis IMU. That means a full electronics suite with features like ride modes, cornering traction control, and cornering ABS.
It also has a five-inch TFT color display through which to access the bike’s functions, including Bluetooth and navigation. A nice touch is the standard LED headlamp with a cornering function. Also standard is a USB port, but strangely, the two-way quickshifter is optional.
Step up to the PFF Rider Assistance Solution, however, and you get a very advanced electronics package that makes it the best Ducati Multistrada alternative for less money. The addition of radar means that it gets adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, blind spot detection, and lane change warnings as well.
At the top of the range is the Stelvio Duecento Tributo, which has graphics to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Stelvio Pass in Italy, after which this adventure bike has been named. Only 2,758 units will go on sale worldwide, in honor of the 2,758-meter (9,049 feet) elevation of the Stelvio Pass.
Why The Stelvio’s $16,990 Price Makes Its Rivals Look Overpriced
The Stelvio is underrated because people don’t usually consider it while looking for a full-size ADV, and there are some very good reasons for it. The brand’s dealer network is small, which is a problem for a motorcycle made for exploring like the Stelvio. A small parts shortage can turn a minor inconvenience into a trip-ending event.
There are also some truly gigantic brands and models present in this adventure touring segment. The king is the $20,395 BMW R 1300 GS, which is the adventure bike benchmark. You can customize it any way you want, including with an automated manual gearbox, but you are going to have to pay for the privilege.
The $19,995 Ducati Multistrada V4 is another big-name competitor and has a legitimate claim as the ultimate adventure touring motorcycle. However, just like the BMW, adding options to it will drive the price up in a hurry. It is the most powerful one here by far, and it has the most technology, with its 90-degree V4 engine, counter-rotating crankshaft, and rear cylinder bank deactivation.
The $17,779 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports prefers to keep things simple yet balances comfort, technology, and capability. It doesn’t have a lot of power on paper, but will serve the purpose well. Like the BMW, it is available with an automatic gearbox. But unlike the BMW, this is a true automatic gearbox with two clutches. It even sports electronic suspension, which makes it a value option.
Source: Moto Guzzi USA
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