My Italian dalliance

DELIVERING STYLE AND PRACTICALITY, AND WITH A RICH HISTORY, GEOFF HILL ENJOYS HIS FLIRTATION WITH THE SEDUCTIVE MOTO GUZZI V100 MANDELLO

- GEOFF HILL

IN Italy, the love of beauty is as important as the love of love, pasta, wine, and tradition.

As a result, Moto Guzzis are still made in the factory on the shores of Lake Como where they have been made since 1921, and every day, when the workers finish building beautiful motorbikes, they go home to eat pasta, drink wine and wave their arms around.

Which brings me, naturally, to the V100 Mandello, named in honour of that historic factory, and, like all Guzzis, with the eagle logo on the tank to honour Giovanni Ravelli, who planned the company during the First World War with fellow Italian Air Corps pilots Carlo Guzzi and Giorgio Parodi, but died in a plane crash in 1919 before seeing the dream of the trio come to fruition.

Being Italian, it looks infinitely stylish, but unlike an MV, not at the expense of comfort or practicality - the seat is plush, and the seating position a happy marriage of sporty and touring.