Author Topic: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?  (Read 48559 times)

Offline mtwillyman

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California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« on: January 28, 2015, 01:37:53 AM »
I see Guzzi has some good deals on the California 1400s. I'd like to hear from owners the good and bad of these bikes. I currently ride a beat up 2003 Stone and a 2008 Norge. How quirky are these new 1400s? My Stone was a nightmare for the first 2000 miles, ha! Most of my riding is commuting and a couple of overnight trips a year. Thanks for your insight, peace.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2015, 12:06:07 PM by mtwillyman »
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crc

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2015, 03:52:58 AM »
I don't think they would

Vasco DG

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2015, 05:12:11 AM »
No matter what I say it will be misconstrued so I might as well just say what I feel.

Would I buy one again? No.

Why not? Because I'm not a 'Cruiser' type guy and the Cali, and probably all modern cruisers, have one major flaw that means they don't fit my needs for a touring motorbike, namely it can't handle even the tiniest bit of dirt, not even a loose verge or 'Hard Shoulder' without feeling horribly *Flabby* and uncontrolled. Why? I'm not sure. My guess is that the forks are too feeble. Certainly as far as I'm concerned the whole suspension issue lets the bike down but I'm a suspension junkie so don't put any store in that.

I spent three months in 2013 touring the USA on my Cali 14 Touring. It was a 'once in a lifetime' holiday and in many ways the Cali was ideal. It's powerplant is fantastic. It's transmission is the best I've ever used in a Guzzi. Cruise control is something I yearn for on my Griso! The Tri-Map function? Meh...I left it in 'Touring' for almost the full trip. Another downside, but one shared with many 'Cruisers' is that the luggage is not QD! That sucks at the end of a long day. The seat too was hideous! How could it be that wrong?

Really though there is one huge, glaring, reason why I wouldn't buy another Cali. I'm a Griso Guy. I don't do the whole 'Cruiser' thing really. Never have. If I want to tour I have other requirements over a huge, relaxed, engine that ticks over at the legal limit. When Jude and I tour here we do it on an 850cc Automatic and it will take us places a Cali would baulk at! That's us though. If you want a 'Cruiser' for what it is designed to do a Cali 14 knocks everything else in its class into a cocked hat.

Pete

(I do wish my Griso had the shock absorber in the gearbox like tha Cali though. That would be sweet.)

Online Cam3512

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2015, 06:41:37 AM »
I think they would.
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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2015, 06:41:37 AM »

Offline mjptexas

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2015, 06:46:29 AM »
Pete is correct in that the Cali is a cruiser.  If you are a cruiser guy then the Cali is a great choice.  As cruisers go it is fast, handles extremely well, is comfortable, fantastic brakes, cruise control....

I have about 8,000 miles on my Custom.  Zero problems.

This was my first cruiser so it took some getting used to.  After all, a 700 lb bike is a 700 lb bike.

Would I buy it again today?
- If the Grisos had ABS, traction control and electronic cruise I'd buy the Griso.
- If I wanted a non-Harley cruiser I'd have to take a really close look at the Ducati Diavel.

Having said that, I have no plans on getting rid of my Cali any time soon.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2015, 06:47:03 AM by mjptexas »
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Offline mtiberio

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2015, 07:16:01 AM »
I had one for a year (may 13 to may 14) and 15,000 miles, and then I sold it at a huge loss.

It was a fantastic bike, incredible engine, great tranny (as Vasco mentioned). I thought it handled well, but like Vasco, I know the seat and even the "factory gel upgrade", were horrible.

Downsides?:
It is heavy and especially for a guzzi, a top heavy bike (I had a touring in white). Tough to push around the garage, and not a city bike by any means.

biggest issues for me were that it broke the cross over off of the left header at 6500 miles, and then the cross over broke off the right header at 11000 miles. The bike also had pulsating front brakes. with the nearest guzzi dealer (capable of handling the 1400) 180 miles away, any trip to the dealer for me consisted of calculating the cost of 12 hours of my time (2 trips minimum, one to drop off, negotiate, one to pick up) vs the cost of just fixing the bike myself. I bought a header to replace the first break (~$350), when the other side broke, I had the holes in the original broken header and the newly broken header capped off so I could run with no crossover. At some point I noticed the front brakes pulsating. Since the front rotors were only about $230 a pair, I bought a pair, and the pulsating went away, until it came back. Soon after, I dumped the bike at a huge loss. I realized I wanted a bike with a dealer network like Harley, so I got a Harley. Am I happy with it? No, but that is another story.

Before you think oh, Mike was a former racer and he must have beat on the bike, I'll tell you I never did a burn out, I got over 11,000 miles from the rear tire, got some of the beat gas mileage ever reported for the bike, and the clutch worked perfectly (no drag, no clunk into gear) until the day I sold it. I'm incensed that the factory might have given the bike extra vibration at idle as a marketing move. Driving that bike around the city I even got to the point where I would turn it off at traffic lights to avoid the prodigous waggling of the exhaust. The rubber mounts worked great at speed (just like a harley), but contribute to waggling at idle, which I believe causes the crossovers to crack. The factory later came out with a revised map that was smoother at idle, too late for me.

Would I get another? Funny, but I do think about it, but given the bath I took, I'd have to get a great deal on a used unit before I jump back in. What I'm realizing is while it is nice to have a dealer network, if you trade a superior bike for an inferior bike in order to get one, you are suffering all the time while riding rather than suffering when you break down. Sort of like in sports, do you play to win or play to not lose???
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Offline mjptexas

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #6 on: January 28, 2015, 08:48:39 AM »
..with the nearest guzzi dealer (capable of handling the 1400) 180 miles away, any trip to the dealer for me consisted of calculating the cost of 12 hours of my time (2 trips minimum, one to drop off, negotiate, one to pick up) vs the cost of just fixing the bike myself...

I can certainly understand the issue here.  I would have not bought my 1400 if I didn't have easy access to a good dealer (AF1 Racing in my case).  I'm afraid this will be an ongoing problem for Moto Guzzi, and Moto Guzzi enthusiasts.
Mike

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Offline LowRyter

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2015, 09:45:10 AM »
I am still interested.  I really like the performance vs the other tourers I've ridden.  The only thing I don't like is the feet forward riding position.  And of course I worry about the electronics.

I'll point out the Guzzi Tech has a replacement crossover for $230.  I suppose I'd just install one if I ever acquired a 1400.
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Offline segesta

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2015, 10:16:47 AM »
Unlike so many of the hard core guys here, I'm a Sunday morning, fair-weather rider and I really like my California 1400. It's a cruiser, and cruisers don't make good tourers, so I am not surprised at what other posters say.

I got the 'leather touring' seat, which is a lot more comfortable (esp for my passenger), but the upright riding position is tough on my 50 year old back. And yeah, wheeling 700 pounds around the garage is no fun. On the other hand...

There's no perfect bike for everything--though my '76 CB550 was close--but the California is smooth, reliable (so far), cool-looking, and nobody else has one. I would buy it again, but I'm also happy to have a nice light Ducati in the garage as well.
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Online Kev m

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2015, 10:55:19 AM »
Unlike so many of the hard core guys here, I'm a Sunday morning, fair-weather rider and I really like my California 1400. It's a cruiser, and cruisers don't make good tourers, so I am not surprised at what other posters say.

Not to hijack, but perhaps this is an important related tangent to what the OP or anyone else considering a Cali 1400 should ponder.

I won't argue the semantics of what is a cruiser or not, but I'll say if that's your definition then there are 75,000 Harley FLH models sold each year (with a high percentage of riders who TOUR on them) who disagree.

BUT I'm also not surprised at what some of the other posters here say BECAUSE (and this is the key that a potential Cali 1400 owner should ask themselves) it depends on what you like in a bike (both from an ergonomics and a performance standpoint).

Personally I've owned a Breva 1100 and R1100RSa set-up for touring, and even though I had those bikes a total of about 10 years, I put more miles in 2.5 years on a Harley Road King because FOR ME, the Road King/Cali 1400 type of bike is a MUCH BETTER TOURER.

So I think the potential buyer needs to ask that of themselves.

If they're a Griso/Norge/V11 Sport type, then yeah, the Cali is probably not going to be a great tourer FOR THEM.

If they're a Tonti Cali/Ambo/Eldo or maybe Harley FLH/BMW LT/Goldwing kinda guy, then the Cali might be a GREAT tourer.

Personally I see the Cali 1400 an option for the "Harley/Cruiser/Tourer" type rider who is looking for something a little different in terms of performance and motor layout, not to mention style difference (if they're concerned about seeing themselves coming and going).

I do think there's a handling difference between a Cali 1400 and a Harley FLH, but I also think that MOST people in that later category won't give a crap, and most people in the Griso/V11 Sport category probably still won't want the Cali.
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Offline AH Fan

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #10 on: January 28, 2015, 10:56:08 AM »
   Absolutely ............... few little issues but nothing compared to what the other premium brands are dealing with.
  As stated many times by others......... there is no perfect one bike, so having a few other Guzzis in the barn is never a bad thing.
  Sneaky quick for its size and weight that's for sure.

   Ciao    ;D

Online rocker59

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #11 on: January 28, 2015, 11:12:26 AM »

Personally I see the Cali 1400 an option for the "Harley/Cruiser/Tourer" type rider who is looking for something a little different in terms of performance and motor layout, not to mention style difference (if they're concerned about seeing themselves coming and going).

I do think there's a handling difference between a Cali 1400 and a Harley FLH, but I also think that MOST people in that later category won't give a crap, and most people in the Griso/V11 Sport category probably still won't want the Cali.


 :+1

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Offline segesta

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #12 on: January 28, 2015, 11:49:10 AM »
Not to hijack, but perhaps this is an important related tangent to what the OP or anyone else considering a Cali 1400 should consider.

I won't argue the semantics of what is a cruiser or not, but I'll say if that's your definition then there are 75,000 Harley FLH models sold each year (with a high percentage of riders who TOUR on them) who disagree.


Well said--I had a HD Softail Deluxe in mind, not the FLH line. Despite the excellent comparison photo above, I always thought the Cali 1400 was more comparable to the Deluxe (esp in terms of weight) than the Road King (which is a great bike).
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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #13 on: January 28, 2015, 11:55:35 AM »
I always thought the Cali 1400 was more comparable to the Deluxe (esp in terms of weight) than the Road King (which is a great bike).

Other than weight, what makes the Cal 14 comparable to the Softail Deluxe ?

The Softail has less suspension travel, less ground clearance, and less lean angle than the Road King, and much less than the Cal 14.
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Offline mtwillyman

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #14 on: January 28, 2015, 12:16:31 PM »
 :D Wow! Thanks for the replies fellas. Some of them made me chuckle. I may demo the 1400 Custom  and see what I think. I'm in no hurry to throw money at anything, I just wanted to see what the owners of these bikes have experienced. Keep it coming. My Stone is worried now, ha!
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Online rtbickel

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #15 on: January 28, 2015, 12:30:37 PM »
Its definitely not a commuter bike or grocery getter and the suspension was made by the low bidder and needs expensive attention.  But I would definitely buy again because it is a mile eater par excellence and that is what I bought it for. 
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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #16 on: January 28, 2015, 12:50:41 PM »

****

I got over 11,000 miles from the rear tire ...

****


Was just over looking at my brother's Cali 1400.  He is just shy of 10K miles on his Touring model.  I was very surprised -- given the 700# and the 150-mile r/t he needs to get to curves, that his rear tire was not yet to the wear bar nor was it particularly squared off.

FWIW, and interestingly to me, his front tire is well worn on all road surfaces, and is at the wear bars.



****

Personally I see the Cali 1400 an option for the "Harley/Cruiser/Tourer" type rider who is looking for something a little different in terms of performance and motor layout, not to mention style difference (if they're concerned about seeing themselves coming and going).

****



My brother also reports that he cannot stop at an overlook on the BRP or most anywhere where the dew-rag crowds gather without interested and impressed riders of That Brand commenting and complimenting his Cali 1400.

That's happened about once each with my EV, Ballabio, and Norge, and maybe five times with the Griso from those folks.  'Course, that just might come from My Attitude.   ;D

Bill

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #17 on: January 28, 2015, 05:57:56 PM »
Bill my friend. I've had so many positive encounters with Harley owners on all 3 of the Guzzis I've owned I'm thinking your opposite experience is not a result of the bike... :-*
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Bill Hagan

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #18 on: January 28, 2015, 06:10:40 PM »
Bill my friend. I've had so many positive encounters with Harley owners on all 3 of the Guzzis I've owned in thinking your opposite experience is not a result of the bike... :-*

Without necessarily disagreeing at all with your implication, kev, if you must know -- as I suspect you actually did  ;) -- I was possibly waxing hyperbolic.    :D

Now, that said, even tho you surely know I am a defender of TMC here, I have not found the typical riders of such to be quite as receptive as have you.  Some, yes; most, no.

You, of course, are privy to the secret handshakes, etc., which I am not.   ;D

Bill


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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #19 on: January 28, 2015, 06:29:44 PM »
No secret handshake. I probably just smell worse than you Bill.... I might in fact look dumber too...:-\ ;D
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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #20 on: January 29, 2015, 05:45:37 AM »
Very interesting discussion, thanks to all.  Almost asked the same question myself, then I looked up the Cali2 weight again, and went on to the next idea.

Scout.

ride safe, weekend is coming!

Offline boatdetective

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #21 on: January 29, 2015, 06:16:14 AM »
I think Kev said it best. It's pretty much what Pete was getting at. My mate here in town bought a custom and I can tell you, it is a very impressive motor. I had a lovely EV and can say that the hydro motor was very smooth. However, the 1400 at speed is just not comparable. You will find the shifting equally advanced. The decision- for ME- is based on ergonomics, though. I sold my beautiful EV in part because I'm not a feet forward guy. If you like the riding style - you will most likely love the position of the 1400. If you are coming from the Stone and are seeing what's out there- you might consider riding one of the CARC bikes just as a matter of comparison. I found that i like riding with my feet under me and a hollow in my back. You might hate it. The important thing is that we are encouraging you to undergo a series of psuedo scientific road testing as a means of justifying you buying another bike. "But honey, you don't understand, it's a study of riding ergonomics"  She probably won't fall for it, but at kleast you can fool yourself.
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Offline lucian

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #22 on: January 29, 2015, 07:02:51 AM »
I certainly would buy it again, ride one and decide for yourself.






Offline arveno

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #23 on: January 29, 2015, 07:14:48 AM »
I do not own one and never owned one but if i were on the market for one , i would wait for the Audace to arrive in the USA .
Basically is the california model , with less " stuff" ... i like better the front end and i like the foot peg instead on the floor boards.

In this video ( sorry it is in french ) you can see a guy seating on it and give you an "idea" of the ergonomics .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFiTJRyuEkQ


Then like other said , go test ride one and decide yourself.

good luck !!

This is funny

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuyHCb4llLs
« Last Edit: January 29, 2015, 07:21:46 AM by arveno »

Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #24 on: January 29, 2015, 07:20:07 AM »
Other than weight, what makes the Cal 14 comparable to the Softail Deluxe ?

The Softail has less suspension travel, less ground clearance, and less lean angle than the Road King, and much less than the Cal 14.

Harley Bob had a softtail, it was..uh.. trying to find something good to say about it.. shiny.  ~;
Chuck in (Elwood) Indiana/sometimes SoCal
 
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Offline mtiberio

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #25 on: January 29, 2015, 08:22:57 AM »
of the big cruisers I have owned. how they handled from best to worst:

'14 Guzzi California 1400, best, hands down, no question
'13 Harley Road King 103, surprised me how stable at speed
'02 Harley Softail, no "issues"
'00/'04 Yamaha RoadStar, vile handling pig
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Offline rboe

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #26 on: January 29, 2015, 08:35:23 AM »
Never rode or owned one but a buddy has a 1400, a 2013 Stelvio and a 2013 Griso.

He prefers the 1400 for touring. He likes the Stelvio for long distance but says the 1400 is better at it. Takes the Griso for shorter trips but is not really a hooligan. For balls to the wall, get your health insurance canceled riding he has a dirt bike that he gets stupid on. An area he has skills in. sigh

He really likes his Guzzi's (has gone the Harley route though, says he won't go back). I keep teasing him that he needs a Norge and V7 to fill out the line but he says they don't interest him.

I hope to swing a leg on his 1400 at some point. If I go that route, I'd have to choose between the Indian and the 1400. Last ride on the Indian was much more impressive than the first. Life is short, it would be nice to explore other brands a bit. :)
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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #27 on: January 29, 2015, 08:45:27 AM »
I bought a California Touring just under 2 years ago to be my touring motorcycle. It replaced a Harley Ultra Limited. I only use it for long distance riding and have done just on 35000 km on it to date. The left exhaust header separated from the crossover at 29000 km. Clean separation of the weld that clearly had not penetrated. I had both sides TIG welded with additional steel gussets - it should never fail again. Warranty was in my view pointless as the replacement was identical to the part that had failed. The seat foam softened too much under my lardy azz so I replaced it with a Corbin.

I have not yet ridden another touring bike that I would consider over the Cali.

I don't commute with the bike so I cannot say how good it would be in that role.

Excellent touring bike overall.

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #28 on: January 29, 2015, 09:07:30 AM »
I hope to swing a leg on his 1400 at some point. If I go that route, I'd have to choose between the Indian and the 1400. Last ride on the Indian was much more impressive than the first. Life is short, it would be nice to explore other brands a bit. :)

In the past year or two I've actively sought rides on this market segment.

I've demoed the Cali 1400, Indian, RK, and a couple of Vics.

I can't say I DISliked any of them.

I really like the mechanical design and some of the aesthetics of the Indian. I might even like them best from that standpoint. At least the motor and the frame. I'm not a real fan of the deco fenders, but at least the running gear all seems top notch.

I equally like motor and basic mechanical design of the Victories, but they are a bit too angular and not nearly as pretty in my mind.

However SIZE becomes the issue.

The RK is big enough with a length/wheelbase of 95" / 63.5" with a wet weight of 812#
The Cali1400 is VERY close with a L/W of 96.6" / 66.34" (touring model) with a wet weight of 753#

So the Cali is just a hair longer, with a few inches more wheelbase, and a good 60# lighter.

These are big enough bikes.

But the Indian and Vics are even bigger.

The Indian Vintage is 103.7" / 68.1"  - so at least 7 inches LONGER, with almost 2 inches more wheelbase than the cali, ALMOST 5" more wheelbase than the Harley
The Victory Crossroads is 106.4" / 65.7" - meaning ALMOST a full FOOT longer than an RK, though at least the wheelbase is actually a hair shorter than the Cali.

AND weight is even higher than the RK - at 835# for the Vintage, or 82# bigger than the Cali Tour model, and something like 134# heavier than the Cali Custom.

So, those last two are probably both a bridge too far for me.


Now to put everything in perspective that some of the Guzzi guys can relate too.
 
A Cal-Vin is 93.7" / 61.4" and 616#

Which is BASICALLY pretty similar in size to a new Indian SCOUT, and maybe some late-model Sportsters

Scout 91" / 61.5" and only 563#
Sportster 90.1" / 60" and about 585#


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Offline rboe

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Re: California 1400 Owners, would you buy it again?
« Reply #29 on: January 29, 2015, 09:10:54 AM »
Ya, weight is a concern (I ain't getting younger!). The main reason I avoided the Stelvio, weight, and it's tall, making a pickup even harder. At least with cruisers the weight is low and with crash bars, in theory one could roll them upright.

But a Miata is even heavier...  ::)
Phoenix, AZ
2000 Quota 1100 ES Black (sold & gone)
2008 Honda XR650L
2012 Griso SE
2013 Honda CB1100

 

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