Dayton Daily News

The Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200 4V is a really enchanting motorcycle. Once the big Goose is rolling along under you, it's hard not to be seduced by the loping beat of the venerable V-twin, the precision of the big chassis, and the natural conversation the Stelvio has with its rider. Even if you aren't a fan of this genre, or of big V-twins with shaft drive, this bike will charm you into seeing things differently.

The Stelvio's engine is shared with the Moto Guzzi Griso, and although the performance is very slightly different —

105-horsepower versus the Griso's 110 — you soon sense that its state of tune is more appropriate to the Griso. Most of the serious power is bunched near the top of the 8000-rpm range, where the 1200cc four-valve (per cylinder) twin produces vigorous force.

But there's enough power at lower revs to allow short-shifting in traffic, where it drops the revs to a relaxed and economical burble. The tallest of its six gears is very high, for relaxed touring, and you soon get used to keeping it in fifth when you're looking for a passing opportunity. Despite it size and macho styling, the Stelvio is easy to ride, and it infuses its rider with a sense of calm purpose.

It tips easily into corners, and once banked into a long bend, the bike takes a steady set and just carves its way onward. With mirrors one can actually see out of, and a command seating position, the Stelvio also proved an adroit traffic runner. As one would hope in dense traffic, the Brembo brakes were well up to the job of slowing this 500-pound machine.

Biased toward ride comfort, the bike's suspension strikes a decent balance between compliance and control. The seating position is comfortable for long journeys, with a spacious seat and adequate padding. Care was taken with the design of the manually adjustable windscreen and nosecone moldings to chop a good-sized hole in the atmosphere.

The big Guzzi idles with a mild side-to-side shimmy, then tilts hard up against your thigh when you blip the throttle at rest. Yet you hardly notice this when on the move. Nor do you really detect the shaft drive, whose up-and-down torque reactions have been cancelled out by Guzzi's CARC (compact reactive shaft drive) system. Mostly you just get on and go. Any noticeable idiosyncrasies of the bike's design simply become part of its appealing character.

Adventure-tourers like this usually offer various long-distance additions, and the Stelvio has available side cases, engine protection guards, GPS navigation, heated hand grips, hand guards, fog lights, tank bags and an anti-theft system.

At $14,990, the Stelvio is not cheap, but it's priced very close to its obvious rival, the BMW R1200 GS. For those who prefer it, the Stelvio 1200 4V delivers intense Italian motorcycle character.

Barry K. Winfield is a free-lance motorcycle and automotive reviewer based in California. He rides a Kawasaki ZZR600.

View photos of the 2009 Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200 4v online at DaytonDailyNews.com/WheelsReviews