The Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200 is a dual-sport motorcycle manufactured by Moto Guzzi from 2007 to 2016. It was introduced in November 2007 at the Milan EICMA show for the 2008 model year and is named after the alpine Stelvio Pass, a traditional destination for motorcyclists.
Moto Guzzi Stelvio at a glance
| Maker | Moto Guzzi, Mandello del Lario |
|---|---|
| Production | 2007–2016 |
| Shown | EICMA, November 2007, for 2008 |
| Engine | 1,151 cc air and oil cooled 90° transverse V-twin, four valves per cylinder |
| Power | 79.4 kW, 106.5 hp, at 7,500 rpm |
| Torque | 113 Nm at 5,800 rpm |
| Bore and stroke | 95 mm × 81.2 mm, compression 11:1 |
| Fuel tank | up to 32 litres, 7 of them reserve |
| Frame | tubular steel frame with load-bearing engine |
| Front suspension | Marzocchi 50 mm upside-down fork with 170 mm of travel |
| Brakes | 320 mm semi-floating front discs with radial four-piston calipers, 282 mm rear disc |
| Off-road version | Stelvio 1200 NTX |
History of the Moto Guzzi Stelvio
Compared with the previous Quota model, whose layout it partly takes over, the Stelvio was designed for a more road-oriented use, noticeably reducing the off-road technical content and favouring the touring set-up. The name is a tribute to the Stelvio Pass, a traditional destination for motorcyclists. For this model too Guzzi used the company’s classic solutions, the V-twin engine, in this case with four valves per cylinder, and shaft final drive.
Engine and chassis
The so-called Quattrovalvole engine comes from the Griso and Breva series and was optimised with modified camshafts for a better torque curve. It is an air and oil cooled, transversally mounted 90° V-twin four-stroke of 1,151 cc, giving 79.4 kW, 106.5 hp, at 7,500 rpm, with maximum torque of 113 Nm at 5,800 rpm. The cylinders have a bore of 95 mm and a stroke of 81.2 mm with a compression ratio of 11:1, and each head has an overhead chain-driven camshaft operating two intake and two exhaust valves. The stainless steel two-into-one exhaust has a three-way catalytic converter with two oxygen sensors and emissions well below the Euro 3 standard.
The chassis is a tubular steel frame with a load-bearing engine. A hydraulic 50 mm Marzocchi upside-down fork with 170 mm of travel guides the front, and the rear wheel is held by a single-sided swingarm with progressive linkage damped by a Sachs-Boge monoshock with 155 mm of travel; power reaches the rear wheel through a shaft integrated into the swingarm with two joints and an anti-torque support. The front wheel carries twin cross-drilled semi-floating 320 mm steel discs with radially mounted four-piston calipers and the rear a cross-drilled 282 mm disc with a two-piston caliper, with steel braided lines, ABS and switchable traction control on the latest models.
NTX and updates
The base version was later joined by the Stelvio 1200 NTX, with a long list of accessories derived from Dakar rally competition: sump guard, engine guards, cylinder protection and hand guards, plus a pair of aluminium panniers. Its rear tyre was 150/70-17 instead of the more road-oriented 180/55-17 of the 2008 model, and on the MY 2009 NTX the torque was increased and delivered at lower revs. In November 2010 a further evolution was presented with the MY 2011 models: the main difference was a new 32-litre tank to cure the short range that had been the main fault of earlier series, along with minor improvements to the injection with twin lambda sensors, an Ohlins spring on the rear swingarm and better rider protection through new screens and deflectors, plus new colours. The 2009 model had changes in engine tuning, and for 2012 the fairing was restyled, the electronic dash updated and fuel capacity increased. Reviewers saw the Stelvio as a competent competitor for adventure tourers such as the BMW R1200GS, if heavy, and noted the ability of the NTX with its big tank to reach off-road destinations where refuelling is not available.
Design and features
- Four-valve V-twin: the Griso and Breva engine with modified camshafts, 106.5 hp and 113 Nm.
- Load-bearing engine: a tubular steel frame using the engine as a stressed member.
- Long-travel suspension: 170 mm front and 155 mm rear wheel travel.
- Range: a 32-litre tank on later models, 7 litres of it reserve.
- NTX: the off-road version with sump guard, hand guards, aluminium panniers and spoked wheels.
Moto Guzzi Stelvio versions
- Stelvio 1200 (2008): the original adventure tourer, 180/55-17 rear tyre.
- Stelvio 1200 NTX (2009): off-road accessories, 150/70-17 rear tyre and more low-down torque.
- Stelvio MY 2011: 32-litre tank, twin lambda sensors and Ohlins spring.
- Stelvio 2012: restyled fairing, updated dash and increased fuel capacity.
The Stelvio used the four-valve engine of the Griso and the touring thinking of the Norge; its predecessor in the Guzzi range was the adventure-styled Quota. More machines are in the Moto Guzzi collection.
Video: Riding a Moto Guzzi STELVIO 1200
Video by peeteey on YouTube.
Sources
- Moto Guzzi Stelvio, English Wikipedia: engine, suspension, brakes, NTX, reception
- Moto Guzzi Stelvio, Italian Wikipedia: Quota comparison, NTX, MY 2011 changes
