Cal Vin's on the block

[spmoto]

It seems I'm seeing quite a few Cal Vin's with relatively low miles come on the market from time to time. Any insights as to why this is?
Of the cruiser style Guzzi's it looks quite nice to my eye.

[guzzisteve]

Most likely to buy something smaller or they're pissed off at Guzzi. Could just be one of those riders that buy a different bike every couple yrs. Lot's do it for health reasons too.

[radguzzi]

They are gorgeous...  I saw the white variant at the Maine Rally and although I usually do not go crazy over white, this one is stunning.  We have owned and ridden a bunch of EVs and I prolly should have bought a CalVin, they have a great look.

We have a friend in Damariscotta with the black CalVin and he has put a stack of miles on it...  I bet they're comfy too.

rad___

[Sheepdog]

Like many Guzzis, the California Vintage requires a little sorting. It runs a little lean at low RPMs, it had the dreaded in-tank fuel filter issue, and of course all the normal ergonomic adjustments to suit the rider. It takes a bit of a commitment to do this, but if you succeed you will have a reliable and satisfying bike that looks great. I sat on one at the '07 Atlanta International Bike Show and was hooked. I had one in my garage two weeks later and it remains a treasured traveling companion today.

[spmoto]

Hey Rad,
I appreciate the "subtle" nudge. I'm actually taking your prior rational evaluations to heart and considering one of these as a more universal mounts. Any idea if your friend down your way would let us see his bike and share his insights with us?

Sheepdog,
Thanks for chiming in! I've been prowling around the forum and have been trying to find the discussion you have posted detailing the mod's you have made to your Cal Vin. I've not had much luck finding anything. Could you provide a link by any chance? I'd really appreciate it!!

Thanks to you both
Steve

[radguzzi]

Hey Steve,
I can swing by and see Barry, ask him when he is around to chat with you.  Ok to forward your e-dress to him...?

rad___

[spmoto]

Sure Rob,
That would be great. Thanks!
Steve

[Sheepdog]

Sheepdog,
Thanks for chiming in! I've been prowling around the forum and have been trying to find the discussion you have posted detailing the mod's you have made to your Cal Vin. I've not had much luck finding anything. Could you provide a link by any chance? I'd really appreciate it!!

I looked around, but most of the stuff I found was missing a bunch of photos. Let me try a short recap:
1) Givi E460 top case. I got hooked on top cases after putting some hard luggage on my old '99 KLR650. This one is a 46 liter model that came with a gloss black top. I found some double line stick-on pin striping at Pep Boys and applied it myself. I bought the case at Twisted Throttle's website in '07.

2) Made more space available on the foot boards. The front of the heel-and-toe shifter needs to come up about an inch to create enough space for your foot to fit beneath it. One adjustment is obvious outside the bike, but a second one under where the seat lock set resides gives you far greater adjustment. As for the Rube Goldberg brake pedal; I replaced mine with an Advanced Brake Pedal that routes the brake pedal under the footboard. It's not perfect, but it really opens up the board. Unfortunately, this pedal is no longer available.

3) Lightweight brake rotors. My mechanic sold me a pair of full-floating rotors from an Aprilia RSV (Grimeca) that are a perfect fit on the Calvin and saved me over 2 pounds in unsprung weight. It allowed me to reduce both compression and rebound dampening and sharpened up the steering.

4) Spotlamp bulbs. The standard (55 Watt) spot lamps will put your charging system in debt unless you can run the alternator at a 4000 rpm engine speed. I installed some 35 Watt PIAA Superwhites in their place and this eliminated the risk of running down the battery without reducing the brightness of my spots.
5) Sargent saddle. I always found the stock seat to be mediocre in shape and too low. I sent it to Sargent with instructions to widen and dish, Atomic foam and raise the rider portion by 3/4". White welts, Carbon FX seat surfaces, and a Tricolor on the seat's nose. The higher height reduced the bend to my knee, seriously enhancing comfort without making me tiptoe at stops. This seat works great for up to 200 mile legs and 500-600 mile days.

6) Windshield. There were not many options for windshields back in '07, so I sent the stocker w/mounts to Rifle and they created one to my specs (4" taller and 2" wider in light tint). Rifle now offers that same shield in their current catalog. It was much better than stock, but I was able to do more later...
7) Vetter Pop Vents. I knew that I could reduce buffeting on my windshield if I could vent it and finally found the right device for this on the Craig Vetter website. The same pop vents that went on the venerable Windjammer fairing could be used on my Rifle shield. It turned out to be the best $40 I ever spent...the vents improved the laminar flow noticeably and allows me to easily see over the shield without that pesky buffeting. I was so pleased that I added a cool Moto Guzzi sticker to jazz up the looks! I even received a neat email from Craig, himself.

8) Tires. I've tried a bunch, but like the Michelin Pilot Activ best. They have the right size, decent mileage, and a value price and the bike handles/brakes in a very linear manner.
9) Throttle lock. This is an item that I thought I'd never find. I bought a bunch, but none really worked as it should until I chopped up a Vista Cruise and anchored it to the throttle pod with a SS self-tapping screw. Problem solved.

10) GPS mount and power supply. I found both a custom RAM mount and a fused power cord for my Garmin on the Cycoactive website. I installed it near the handlebar clamp.
11) Handlebars. Those stock beach bars were too wide and created too weird of a wrist angle to suit me. A member of this forum fixed me up with some 30mm bars from an '03 California Stone that worked MUCH better...no problem with cables/wiring, either.
12) H-Pipe and airbox mods. I installed a Mistral H-Pipe and installed three 1" Uni Airbox vents. This improved access to the bottom of the engine and gave the bike a subtle rumble. If I do more with the FI, these changes may improve breathing a bit, but for now the access and sound are pretty cool.
13) Tuning. I tried everything to improve my bikes fueling, but I'm still not fully satisfied with the results. Right now, I am using an O2 Optimizer with the latest Guzzi fuel map. It works pretty well and provides quick starts and improved low rpm operation, but I still get some popping on deceleration. Though I felt my bike was improved, others consider the O2 Optimizer to be smoke and mirrors so I can't recommend it. I will likely try to find a way to re-flash my CPU sometime in the near future.

14) Grips. Many folks prefer big, chunky grips. I find them okay on bikes with a lower bar, but like something thinner on a more upright bike. I use Renthal full-diamond street grips...
15) In tank hoses/filter. I got the right examples of these items from MPH Cycles in Houston and double clamped them in place. It has held for 7 years.
16) Front mud flap. These help prevent pointy things getting thrown into your rear tire by your front tire. Flats suck...


That's all I can think of, Steve (sorry it took so long). As you can see, most of my changes are ergonomic in nature as I like to use my Vintage for touring. I hope that you find something in there that you can use. Ciao...

[antmanbee]

I highly recommend reflashing the 15rc ECU. On my Cal Vin it has made a world of difference. I have modified a bit more the map I posted about in the below thread. I have altered the ignition curve to prevent pinging. The bike runs great with my air filter set up with the stock airbox removed. The other link is about the fuel pump and filter mod I did.

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=85980.msg1356390#msg1356390

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=85626.0

[Sheepdog]

Thank you, Antman!

[Cam3512]

I tried EVERYTHING to improve the fueling on my former 2009 Calvin.  Answer was stock pipes, open crossover, and open airbox with a GuzziTech ECU reflash eliminating the closed loop O2 sensor.  Transformed the bike, and the current owner is still happy.  No PC box or oxygen spoofing black magic.

[spmoto]

Thank you SOOOO much Sheepdog for your detailed insight and illustrations!! Also,thanks to cam 3512 and antmanbee !! I think I'm soon to pounce on a Cal Vin based on the feedback here. I've been riding Guzzi's since 1978 and have wandered astray occasionally, most recently to Triumph, but keep coming back primarily due to the tie that binds us. There is no more honest and loyal bunch of devotees than you find here, open and willing to help whenever they can.

From what I've read so far, no one has mentioned suspension, particularly the rear. I had an ev11 back in the 90's and found the rear suspension extremely harsh with a very short stroke. I've read that some have raised the forks in the front triple clamps on the Vin but not heard of using a longer shock, with increased travel and better damping, in the rear. Has anyone gone this route?

Thanks All,
Steve
 

[Cam3512]

The forks are adjustable for rebound and damping.  Stock rears were fine for my weight. 

[Ncdan]

Is the stock saddle on these calvins acceptable for 2-3 hour rides?

[Cam3512]

Is the stock saddle on these calvins acceptable for 2-3 hour rides?

Yes.

[Sheepdog]

I've been pretty happy with the suspension on my Vintage, but it can be improved. Setup is critical. My bike had a slight wallow as new that I was able to correct by increasing pre-load and rebound dampening on the rear. The front took a bit more trial and error, but I have it pretty much dialed in, too. This is a good thing, as a Matris cartridge setup for the forks is a pretty expensive proposition. I keep waiting for the Sachs shocks in the rear to sack out so I can replace them with some Ikons, but they have held up very well...no need, yet.

[Jackalmike]

Mine is for sale because I'm looking to get back into sports cars with an Alfa Romeo or Maserati.  I love the bike but need to sell it to finance other toys.

JM

[Railroad Bob]

They are gorgeous...  I saw the white variant at the Maine Rally and although I usually do not go crazy over white, this one is stunning.  We have owned and ridden a bunch of EVs and I prolly should have bought a CalVin, they have a great look.

rad___

Have to say thank you for that Rad; being the proud owner of a white CalVin.  Guzzi calls that color "moon white."  Earlier I owned the black and white CalVin variant, but I like the Moon the best.  I also run a white Ducati; a older Multistrada 1100S. I don't think white looks too good on Harleys; no offense to any guys here with white Harleys. 

[Groover]

What would you guys consider to be the best year for these? Were they made from 07-09?

Edit: Also, does this model use tube type tires, or are the spoked rims tubeless?

[Ncdan]

Sounds like some of you guys know these Calvins pretty well so let me run a question by. I have a 07 Calvin on the way and it should be here in a week or so, being hauled by HAUL BIKES. the previous owner advised he used the recommended 10/60 synthetic high dollar motor oil. I live in the south and do not ride in either weather extreme and the bike will be housed in a climate controlled basement. I have used Mobil synthetic 15/50 for years in different bikes including my electric glide with no issues. Is there a reason this oil won't work in the Calvin? Thanks in advance for advise.

[Sheepdog]

This is only a theory, but I think that, because of it's excellent resistance to heat, the broad viscosity synthetic oil is a part of the engine's cooling system. In order for theses bikes to meet EPA and consumer requirements they are often fueled very lean. Heat is huge on a lean-fueled engine so the bike must be protected for many extreme heating cycles any way possible; thus the high-dollar oil. Re-mapped bikes tuned for slightly richer operation might be okay with a 10/50 syn, but if your bike is even close to stock I would recommend the specified oil. Besides, the oil change interval is about 6000 miles...no big deal.

[Ncdan]

Sheepdog, do I have any options to get the motor tuned differently except through a guzzi dealer?

[antmanbee]

Sheepdog, do I have any options to get the motor tuned differently except through a guzzi dealer?

Do It Yourself!

Buy these adapters,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231780066694?item=231780066694&viewitem=&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231780186778?item=231780186778&viewitem=&vxp=mtr



Download the following 5 items to a folder on your desktop. Windows version if that is what you use.

LINK:        http://www.von-der-salierburg.de/download/GuzziDiag/
Read the page that is linked a couple of times

GuzziDiag V0.47


IAW15xReader V0.67 (15M, 15P, 15RC)


IAW15xWriter V0.26 (15M, 15P, 15RC)


AdapterTest V1.01


FTDI Driver Windows:  2.08.14   
       
IMPORTANT: install this driver before plugging in the adapter


And read through this wildguzzi thread to familiarize yourself with what you will be doing. Mostly the fist page of the thread.
http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=69168.0

[Sheepdog]

Antman has the best solution with GuzziDiag, but you can also get your fuel injection ECU re-mapped by GuzziTech:

http://www.guzzitech.com/store/product/gt-rx-ecu-re-flash-services/

[Ncdan]

Thanks guys, I'm afraid I do not have the computer skills to do it myself so maybe my best fix would be to go through the guzzitech guy. Unless I can find a friend with the computer skills to go the other route. Thanks a bunch, I may have to get back when the bike gets here for a little further advise. Thanks so much, I'm glad I have you guys for support until I can get a grip on the Calvin!

[antmanbee]

You only need very minimal computer skills to load a new map. It is a simple process to do.

[janusz]

Thank you all for posting great tips. I will pick up my new (to me) 2009 CalVin tomorrow evening and first thing I will do is to downgrade fog light to 35W and remap the ECU (thanks Antmanbee for instructions). Already place order on eBay for both connectors.

Wonder if anybody can point me where I can buy 35W replacement bulbs for the fog lights in Canada or at least point me what I should be searching for. I'm not very good at wrenching but decided to get better  and both changes listed above will be doing myself. Time will soon tell if my ambitions are equal with my abilities 

This is another post which I located on http://www.motoguzzicalifornia.com/2010/06/35watt-bulb/:

Jim Wolfe says:
February 24, 2015 at 6:09 pm
I have a 2009 CAL VIN that I bought as a wreck and restored after it was involved in a serious accident. I’ve learned a lot while rebuilding it and riding it for the last year.
The problems people are having with the California Vintage charging system are easy to correct. The system as designed has plenty of capacity to run all the lights and even heated grips if you would like to install them.
The problem stems from the electrical connector connecting the two yellow wires from the alternator to the regulator. Take the regulator off the frame and work the wires out of the frame until you get to the connectors. There is plenty of wire tucked up in the frame and you should be able you pull it out far enough to get good access to the connectors. The GREEN//RED//WHITE connector is probably O.K. but should be taken apart and filled with dielectric grease to keep corrosion out.
The two YELLOW wire connector is probably burnt, corroded and hard to get apart. When you get it apart you will see why you battery gets low. This connection is not heavy duty enough and gets hot and burns the wire ends out of the connector.
I cut the connector out and used high quality wire connectors and spliced the wires together, eliminating the connector. You may want to solder the connection if you don’t have very good butt splices and a good heavy duty crimping pliers.
After spicing the yellow wires I wrapped the hole connection with electrical tape and just pushed them back up into the frame and reinstalled the regulator.
My battery voltage was about 12.3 volts at 3,500 RPM before I did this modification. It now runs 14.4 volts at 3,500 RPM. Plenty of power for all the lights and other accessories you might like to add.

[spmoto]

So, I'd like to move from the more objective observations to a more subjective one, specifically, passenger ergonomics / comfort. Can any of you chime in in this regard? My wife and I are "graduating" from major long distance touring but still want to be comfortable for the occasional 2-300 mile day. No big deal if it means a custom saddle, but, is the suspension up to it?
Thanks,
Steve

[smdl]

Hi, Janusz.

Glad to hear you are excited about getting into your Guzzis personally.  Once you get the hang of it, you'll find this very liberating!

Just FYI, I have used Guzzidiag fairly extensively.  If you want someone to go through it with you the first time, i'd be happy to assist.

Cheers,
Shaun

[Cam3512]

There were a couple small improvements on the '09-'10 models.  Stronger saddlebag hinges, stronger tail light bracket, and chromed valve covers and a couple other bits.

My passenger was quite happy with a GIVI topcase with backrest pad.  NO factory back rest available.

I used Mobil 20/50 synthetic (V Twin) oil since new with no issues, even in hot weather.

Unfortunately, TUBED tires on all years.