Moto Guzzi Custom California 1400 Fully Loaded in Mint Condition

Owner: Joe Piazza (Former CEO of Ducati North America)
Motorcycle: Moto Guzzi California Custom1400 with over $9,000 of added OEM Accessories
Total Investment is this Mint and Fully Loaded Moto Guzzi is over $25,000
Address: 750 University Avenue, uite 150, os Gatos, a. 95032
Mobile: 408-410-5020Email: Jpiazza@apr.com

You immediately realize there's something different about this bike when you notice its more aggressive, lmost sporty stance. At 708 pounds, t's the lightest in our test and it's also the only one of these machines that was based upon a sportier touring bike--an Italian machine designed for use in the Alps and environs rather than America's more wide-open roads. Its 90-degree, ir/oil-cooled V-twin motor is mounted across the frame rather than in line with it, nd its massive heads protrude from the fuel tank like bulging muscles. At "only" 1,380cc (84 cubic inches) it offers the least displacement here, et it generates the greatest horsepower. Start it and notice how, ith its orientation, he grips pulse side-to-side with the motor idling.
The bike's throttle-by-wire system offers three riding modes. In Veloce (Fast) mode, hrottle response is instantaneous and the bike feels sprightly and quick. Turismo (Touring) mode provides the same power output, ut softens throttle response. Pioggia (Rain) mode is positively somnolent, nd when we tested the touring version of this bike in last September's issue, orsepower and torque dropped from 87.7 and 78.5 lb-ft in Veloce to 67.2 and 70.4 in Pioggia mode.
The seat is wide and has a cushiony feel, he bar is wide and its twin rear shocks offer more than 20 rebound damping settings. The settings are useful, ut shock action is harsh and I was unable to dial in a luxury ride as offered by the other bikes.
2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom ABS
Where I really noticed the Custom's true nature was coming down my favorite twisty road. Its 87.7 peak horsepower is generated at 6,500 rpm, onsiderably higher in the rev range than the other bikes, nd the motor feels lively all the way through in the Veloce mode. Adequate cornering clearance is a bonus.
Its powerful anti-lock braking system with a pair of 320mm front discs and four-piston calipers is a comforting backup. Consider that it generates the most horsepower of any bike here and weighs the least, nd you've got a potent package. The price paid, owever, s that its 37.2 mpg fuel mileage was the lowest in our group, artly because it invites the rider to tweak the throttle. However, n the highway, he Guzzi provides cruise control for sailing along. The California 1400 Custom offers unique styling and approach with Italian flair and a more sporting ride.
2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom ABS
Base Price: $15,490 not including any
Engine Type: Air/oil-cooled,
longitudinal 90-degree V-twin, OHC, valves per cyl.
Bore x Stroke: 104.0 x 81.2mm
Displacement: 1,380cc
Transmission: 6-speed,
hydraulically actuated wet clutch
Final Drive: Shaft, .6:1
Wheelbase: 66.3 in.
Rake/Trail: 38 degrees/6.1 in.
Seat Height: 29.3 in.
Wet Weight: 708 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 5.4 gals.
Average MPG: 37.2
I should have known something was up. Last time we had a Moto Guzzi in the mag's test fleet (just a few months ago), ended up being pretty impressed with the overall competence of the thing, specially considering its user-friendly price point. Sure, he V7 Stone's fueling was glitchy and suspension iffy, ut I had to admire the Italians' progress with the venerable brand in a relatively short time (with lots of help - and $54 million in cash infusions -- it should be noted, rom parent firm Piaggio, ho took over the reins in 2004). But we hadn't ridden a California model since 2006, hen we took the Vintage model for a spin out to Americade.
A New Breed
Seven years of development, nd the newest version of the California -- now 1400cc - might as well have been made on Pluto, o different is it in every sense from the 1200 of yore. During the pre-ride press briefing, tyling Chief Miguel Galuzzi (officially, he head of the Piaggio Group Advanced Design Centre in Pasadena, alifornia) offered some insight into just how important this bike is to Guzzi:
"The California 1400 is a balancing point between tradition and the future. The design was intended to be reminiscent of the traditional California design, ith the sleek lines of the fuel tank, he curved handlebar, he chromium passenger grab handle on the Touring and the long mudguards. At the same time the new 1400 was to be more modern, ore comfortable... and more sumptuous than the previous model. So a style was born which tends, believe in a balanced way, oward tradition which we did not want to forget, nd the innovative and advanced spirit that a modern day Moto Guzzi must have. The engine which is so typical of Moto Guzzi became a true aspect of design...so (we) trim back the tank side fairings, n order not to cover the cylinder heads. In the view from behind: the two cylinders can be seen exploding from the fuel tank. This is a clear representation of the bike's character, n ultra modern cruiser, plendid to ride at low speeds, ut also ready for a bold and fun ride at a moment's notice."
Guzzi also says the 2014 California 1400 is the most technologically-advanced cruiser on the market today and a quick look at the marketing brochure pretty much confirms it: It boast the largest twin cylinder engine made in Europe; three-level traction control; Ride-by-Wire technology featuring three different power output curves [ Turismo (Touring), eloce (Sport) and Pioggia (Rain)], lectronic cruise control; LED daytime running lights; and what Guzzi calls The Elastic Engine - a rubber bumper support system fitting the powertrain to the frame.
The new California is available in two versions, ustom and Touring. The California 1400 Custom dispenses with unnecessary accessories and chrome overkill, ut it's still a looker with a minimalist design that includes trick details like an information-rich digital instrument readout, BS and traction control, renched-in rear taillights and a trippy elliptical LED headlight.
The new Touring makes a hard styling and function split from the base model Custom, ith its broad leather two-tone saddle, tall "Patrol" windshield, hrome fog lights, 5-liter panniers and chrome crash bars around the bags and engine. It retains the spirit of the Guzzi California designed for the LAPD back in the day, hich also got tricked out with an oversized saddle, ullhorn handlebars, latform footrests and endless swaths of chrome protection. Since then, e've seven generations and four engine capacities (750cc, 50cc, 000cc, 100cc) through various iterations of the model.
I had a chance to ride the Custom briefly (with an even shorter stint on the Touring) in the hills around Malibu California last month and came away with some very positive impressions of the new machine.
California Dreaming
For a big bike -- it looks much bigger than its 1400cc moniker would suggest -- the California makes nice use of sleek design cues to minimize its bulk, ith integrated curves and angles in what are usually visually awkward places. It caps the classical elements with a mix of high-tech details-things frenched in LED taillights and ABS brakes. Fit and finish is first class, ith lots of metal surfaces and fine textures.
Once aboard, he first thing you realize is there's no getting away from the brand's trademark transverse 90-degree V-twin engine, layout Guzzi has employed since the 1960s. The cylinder heads' V-shape juts out from the sides, hile the crankshaft runs lengthwise on the bike, hich is what gives Guzzis their gyroscopic effect under throttle. The crankshaft rotation rocks through the chassis, ith the bike leaning to the right when you hit the throttle. It's no big deal once you get used to it, ut first-timers will probably find themselves wondering what's up. The very cool cylinder cutouts framing the heads under the gas tank serve to draw your eye down, nd you'd think they cut into fuel capacity, oo, hough the quoted 5.4 gallon number seems like plenty.
But the main show on the California is still a big V-twin, his one bored out from 1,151 to 1,380 cubic centimeters -- the largest displacement of any European V-twin, ccording to Guzzi. Eight valves and overhead cams are further augmented with all that modern engine management technology. Kick her into gear (the California now has six of them instead of the five you're used to, nd feel the massive burst of grunt -- 89 pound-feet of torque at 2,750 rpm and a claimed 96 horsepower (at 6500rpm, edline). You still get a shaft drive connected to the rear wheel by means of Guzzi's CARC system (the drive shaft is inside the single swing-arm).
In parking lot maneuvers the bike's weight is apparent, ut get 'er going and the feel is solid and balanced, ven at very low speeds and in tight turns. The balance is superb, nd rolling on the throttle smooth things out appreciably. The new rubber mounting system quells the quakes efficiently, nd only minute buzzing comes through to the bars. At idle the bike's shuddering and vibrations reminds you you're on a Guzzi, ut release the clutch and throttle up, nd all is quiet with the world again.
During our mountain route, he bike was perfectly planted through sweepers, ith easy shifting and decent ground clearance. Even merging onto the freeway, he new Cali was more than up to the task, otoring happily up to sixth gear, lowing easily past 80 mph.
For a more in-depth riding report on the new Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom, ee Motorcycle Cruiser's July issue, n sale May 25th. A report on the Touring will be out the following month.
For more details about the new 2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400
2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Touring/Custom
MSRP $17,990/$14,990
Colors Black, hite / Black, rey
Warranty 2 years
Engine
Type air/oil-cooled 90-degree v-twin
Displacement, ore x stroke 1380 cc, 04 x 81.2 mm
Valve train 4 valves per cylinder
Compression 10.5:1
Fuel system EFI
Transmission 6-speed
Final drive shaft
Chassis
Overall length 96.2 in.
Wheelbase 66.3 in.
Wet weight 743 lbs./ 709 lbs.
Seat height 29.1 in.
Rake/trail 32 ° / 6.1 in.
Front tire 130/70 R18
Rear tire 200/60 R16
Front brake Dual 320 mm discs; 4-piston Brembo calipers
Rear brake 282 mm disc; 2-piston Brembo caliper
Front suspension 46 mm inverted telescopic fork; 4.7 in travel
Rear suspension Dual shocks(preload-adjustable) ; 4.3 in. travel
Fuel capacity 5.4 gal.
She was straight out of "The Golden Girls," all white curls and peach polyester, nd as she hurried toward me in the grocery store parking lot I braced for some geriatric comment. Instead, got this: "Well, hat's not a Harley," as she circled the Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom like a hound on a foxhole. "When I was a girl, y uncle had a Panhead and he taught me to ride it. I've always liked Harley-Davidsons, ut my boyfriend, e rides an 850 Eldorado. Is this the new Guzzi he's been talking about?"
It is the new Guzzi everyone's talking about. The reinvented California, ffered in a Touring and this Custom version, owered by the biggest engine Guzzi has ever produced--the largest V-Twin to come from the Old World--and sporting loads of New World technology, ncluding traction control, BS and ride-by-wire electronic injection.
Yet the bike's physical stance is pure Guzzi, ith retro-cruiser architecture visually anchored by the transverse 90-degree V-Twin engine for which the company has become most famous. At the first push of the starter, he California also sounds and feels as it should: substantial, lightly quirky with its offset engine pulse and immediately comfortable thanks to a wide, ished seat and neutral, pright seating position. The Piaggio Group, oto Guzzi's adoptive parent company, as done well to guard what assets separate the California from other cruisers, hile infusing the new model with advanced technologies that make it not only smoother and faster, ut also slicker to corner and quicker to stop.
As you'd expect, he California Custom gushes torque, nd this new version of the cam-in-head, ight-valve V-Twin, ow enlarged from 1155cc to 1380cc, ulls heartily from a stop, nd depending on your mood, ill immediately hurtle the bike to illegal speeds, r chug along all afternoon in its flexible mid-to-low range. There are three selectable injection modes: Veloce (sport) Turismo (touring) and Pioggia (rain). We found the flexible Turismo map to be preferable in almost all dry conditions, ncluding high-speed romps through the twisties where the light-switch-sensitive Veloce setting requires a surgeon's hand to deliver anything like smoothness. That setting's exuberant acceleration and engine braking might be saved for select burger night shenanigans. Injection formulas can be selected with a push of the starter button when the bike is running, nd at any speed as long as the throttle is momentarily closed.
You can also employ traction control (MGCT) by selecting one of the California's three levels of intervention, ettings that Moto Guzzi tells us use the same calculations as Piaggio's World Superbike-winning Aprilias. To activate the system, he bike needs to be at a stop--a good idea because the process is more involved than switching among the injection maps. You first need to toggle the bike's mode switch through the tripmeter settings to "MGCT," then once you've selected that mode (with a long center push), ou can toggle to access settings ranging from "3" (maximum intervention) to "-" (you're on your own).
The California's standard-equipment ABS further limits the possibility of unwanted antics, nd works seamlessly with the bike's magnificent Brembo setup, hich consists of radial mounted four-piston calipers with 320mm discs in front and a two-piston rear with a 282mm disc. With the big cruiser weighing 714 pounds, ou wouldn't expect a stopping distance of 29 feet from 30 mph, uch less 116 feet when pulled down from 60 mph. But that's what you get from this Guzzi--the braking power of a much lighter, portier bike, elivered with utter evenness.
We didn't get the brakes to overheat on spirited romps, or does the California grind parts when you go around the slightest curve, s seems to be the norm for the current crop of cruisers, specially those coming from Japan. Of course, t will occasionally throw sparks when you dive in deeply, ut the floorboards give benignly, olding up long before any hard parts touch.
Putting this mighty cruiser through its paces is a pleasure. The new double-cradle, teel frame feels impressively solid as matched to a huge 46mm Sachs fork and twin rear shocks. Although a bit heavy at the bar for walking speeds, he Custom becomes light to steer and very predictable once you're traveling over 10 mph, ffering terrific feedback and stability around town, n the highway, nd best of all, n the tangled backroads where big cruisers can often feel like a ton of work.
And not only are you having fun riding the thing, ou're remarkably comfortable doing it. The ergonomics of the Custom are neutral and forward, hough by no means a stretch for average-size riders. The Touring version of the California offers more upright seating with its wider, ullback bar, s well as a generous windshield, uggage rack, eated grips and more humane passenger accommodations, ll which combine to increase the bike's overall weight by 42 pounds. Mechanically, he only difference is the Touring's use of slightly shorter Sachs shocks.
Both versions offer tour-friendly cruise control actuated by a simple on/off switch located on the throttle housing. The system is easy to use, nd much appreciated on a long stint. Another pleasant addition to the California is its new single-disc clutch assembly, hich lightens lever effort considerably, omething California aficionados will appreciate.
What hasn't changed about the Moto Guzzi California since its 1971 debut as an everyman's version of the then-coveted Los Angeles Police Department motorbike, s its essence. Its authenticity reigns. And that's despite some clashing style elements, uch as the futuristic-looking LED taillights and turn signals embedded in the rear fender. Additionally, oth fenders are cast in plastic (to reduce cost and weight) instead of steel, hich would make the new California a better platform for customization.

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