Author Topic: California 1400 Merged Threadfest (Read 855497 times)

JohninVT` · « **Reply #960 on:** September 23, 2011, 08:19:13 PM »

Quote from: mphcycles on September 23, 2011, 06:47:45 PM

the single TB can be set up for improved torque and the elec throttle will help with that too. The covers are as Pete describes, new lids on a similar to current head. The point of the double-decker cover is to decouple the outside surfaces to reduce noise emissions.

The new Stelvio has 105hp and 83ft/lbs....if the new engine has 14% more torque to go along with the added displacement(and a single TB for improved torque)....it could had 95ft/lbs. That's stout.

A Hayabusa has 95ft/lbs. Kind of puts things in perspective. Sure...the Cali will weigh 700lbs, but 95ft/lbs is going to make this bike the absolute quickest Guzzi ever made from 50-100mph.

Mile High Guzzi · « **Reply #961 on:** September 23, 2011, 08:24:00 PM »

First impression.....look s a little busy....don't like the valve covers, they look like Bart Simpson's hair. May grow on me.

cruzziguzzi · « **Reply #962 on:** September 23, 2011, 08:35:47 PM »

Quote from: Mile High Guzzi on September 23, 2011, 08:24:00 PM

First impression.....look s a little busy....don't like the valve covers, they look like Bart Simpson's hair. May grow on me.

That's a good point so I wonder if exaggerated cooling fin depth might not mellow that harsh elevation a bit?

Why yes I did say "mellow that harsh". :BEER:

JohninVT` · « **Reply #963 on:** September 23, 2011, 08:39:45 PM »

I love it and think it's a fantastic update. Since everyone is nitpicking though, here are my likes and dislikes:

The Good.....
The only chrome appears to be the headlight bucket and seat trim ring. the other metal finishes are satin. I like that.

They changed the exhaust tip from the white bike and slightly angled the outlet. It looks a lot better.

Love the seat. It's flat, wide and comfortable looking. I don't believe it's a CalVin seat. The proportions are slightly different.

I like how they changed the fender stay. They lowered it a couple inches so it extends the natural line your eye follows from the lower caliper mount.

The groove in the side panel is a nice touch. It breaks up what could otherwise be a big, flat expanse of plastic.

The black shrouded forks remind me of Eldorado's and that's a good thing.

The rims are a perfect match for the muscular stance of the bike.

LOVE the eagle on the tank. Go ahead...ask me what kind of bike I am riding....I will be proud to tell you I ride a Moto Goootzi!

The Bad.....
The bags look askew. It could be that they're just sitting there not mounted correctly but the Guzzi badge on them is level so that makes me think they're mounted. I could probably live with the shape if the bottom of them ran parallel with the exhaust pipe. Tip the back of the bag down an inch and all that goes away.

Speaking of the exhaust, the header bend is way wrong. It should drop right from the flange in a smooth arc the way it does on the CalVin/Rootbeer/Creamsicle version. It almost looks like the headers rise slightly as they exit the head. It's very....dissonant. It really sticks out to me. Maybe they needed exhaust volume ahead of an in-pipe catalytic convertor and that was the best they could do?

The floorboards look short.

I want to see it without bags. I am hesitant about the rear suspension. I hate the Bellagio because it looks so wrong from the transmission rearward. If this has a giant gap between the fender and tire with no vertical line(like a set of shocks) to break it up...it'll be ugly.

JohninVT` · « **Reply #964 on:** September 23, 2011, 08:40:56 PM »

Quote from: cruzziguzzi on September 23, 2011, 08:35:47 PM

Quote from: Mile High Guzzi on September 23, 2011, 08:24:00 PM
First impression.....look s a little busy....don't like the valve covers, they look like Bart Simpson's hair. May grow on me.

That's a good point so I wonder if exaggerated cooling fin depth might not mellow that harsh elevation a bit?

Why yes I did say "mellow that harsh". :BEER:

Dude...don't crush my mellow.

Vasco DG · « **Reply #965 on:** September 23, 2011, 09:18:06 PM »

Why not just admit it. It wouldn't matter WHAT Guzzi or Piaggio do some of you blokes will NEVER be happy! ;D ;D ;D

VDG

rocker59 · « **Reply #966 on:** September 23, 2011, 09:25:10 PM »

I like it! Still very Guzzi, but moving on from the Tonti.

It does seem as if the Piaggio ownership is beginning to pay off!

The updated Stelvio is another great looking machine!

Offcamber1 · « **Reply #967 on:** September 23, 2011, 09:43:58 PM »

Quote from: Mile High Guzzi on September 23, 2011, 08:24:00 PM

First impression.....look s a little busy....don't like the valve covers, they look like Bart Simpson's hair. May grow on me.

Why would you want Bart Simpson's hair?

Horseman · « **Reply #968 on:** September 23, 2011, 10:07:28 PM »

Overall, I think the 1400 looks pretty good. The subtle changes in the latest prototype have had a positive effect on the overall image of the motorcycle (looks more like a guzzi than the original) and something tells me they're not done yet. Having said that, I would put that red and white CalVin in my garage in a heartbeat! Gorgeous paint job! ;D Good to see new life for that bike. ;-T

Offcamber1 · « **Reply #969 on:** September 23, 2011, 10:14:43 PM »

Perhaps Piaggio is not going after the RK demographic? How about:

1. Big Japanese cruiser/bagger market, guys that never bought into the HD mystique. Price it in between RK and a Vulcan bagger.

2. Former ADV Ewan wannabees with a 30 inch inseam who finally figured out they look like a dweeb on their GS with neon Aerostich.

3. Aging Euro-sport bike enthusiasts that have had one to many trips to the Chiropractor from torture-rack riding positions.

4. Victory riders who realize thier motor is in the chassis 90 degrees off.

Damn, I love gereralizing!

Point is, you don't need to be going after the gay pirate crowd to sell a decent number of uniquely engineered power cruisers. How many Rocket IIIs has Triumph sold to HD crossover types?

I'm not the least bit interested in a bike with twice the cylinder capacity of my Lario, but I like the concept behind the bike.

I still wish they would have brought the Bellagio into the states, though.

cruzziguzzi · « **Reply #970 on:** September 23, 2011, 10:25:56 PM »

Quote from: Offcamber1 on September 23, 2011, 09:43:58 PM

Quote from: Mile High Guzzi on September 23, 2011, 08:24:00 PM
First impression.....look s a little busy....don't like the valve covers, they look like Bart Simpson's hair. May grow on me.

Why would you want Bart Simpson's hair?

Just look at some of the rally photos. There are cases where Bart's hair would be an upgrade. ;D

Kev m · « **Reply #971 on:** September 23, 2011, 10:30:27 PM »

Hair?

Oh like on my face ... or back?
:BEER:

JohninVT` · « **Reply #972 on:** September 23, 2011, 10:57:39 PM »

Quote from: Vasco DG on September 23, 2011, 09:18:06 PM

Why not just admit it. It wouldn't matter WHAT Guzzi or Piaggio do some of you blokes will NEVER be happy! ;D ;D ;D

VDG

I totally dig it. I was just eyeballing it as a critic rather than an enthusiast. I'm actually extremely enthused about the performance potential of the bike. I think it's gonna liquify rear tires.

Vasco DG · « **Reply #973 on:** September 23, 2011, 11:00:05 PM »

Kev, Kev, Kev! If it's on your face its hair. If it's on your back its a PELT!.

VDG

Kev m · « **Reply #974 on:** September 23, 2011, 11:08:18 PM »

I thought it was a man sweater?
8)

Dean Rose · « **Reply #975 on:** September 24, 2011, 09:28:50 AM »

Couldn't they come up with a better looking tail light? Looks like something that you could buy at a truck stop.

Dean

sangre · « **Reply #976 on:** September 24, 2011, 09:52:37 AM »

well...it seems everyone likes it....except me.
it's missing something...that guzzi touch....

maybe when more pics will arrive we will have a better picture about the bike..

just my 2 cents....

Rainman · « **Reply #977 on:** September 24, 2011, 10:33:04 AM »

Quote

The cutout could be filled in- by something like a fender skirt or blister that would also cover up the top half of the valve 'domes', making them look half the height.

I think they're trying to make the motor look bigger with the huge faux valve covers. And the cut-outs are part of the that new look.
In WFRFitness's pictures you can see it has two valve covers. The real one and a second one that covers up the sparkplugs & wires with a lot of dead air space in between.
I just hope the faux covers aren't made made out of plastic like a Honda. ~;

cruzziguzzi · « **Reply #978 on:** September 24, 2011, 10:45:15 AM »

Fine,,, You arbiters of all things weird and growing - what about that vegetation sprouting outa the ears - YOWZA! Hell, our hearing doesn't go south - it's just obstructed.

Horseman · « **Reply #979 on:** September 24, 2011, 12:19:35 PM »

Dean,

I agree with you about that tail light, ??? Looks like it came off of a boat trailer. They must have bought a truckload of them years ago and management wants them used until they're gone. :D The Japanese used to be real good at that practice in the late 70s and 80s. The only fly in the ointment on an otherwise beautiful motorcycle. ;D

bpreynolds · « **Reply #980 on:** September 24, 2011, 12:34:21 PM »

I'll bet better pics and the real showroom machine will make some improvement on response to this pic. It does remind me a bit of that Yamaha Midnight I posted side by side earlier in the thread, but oh well. Not a big fan of the skunk seat on this model, IMHO looks much better on the Vintage. And I doubt I'll like the chrome speedometer(?) on the gas tank either as it reminds me too much of generic cruisers. But these are minor quibbles. Just to have a really new guzzi sporting a new engine is something to get excited about. Even i ultimately don't like it, I hope mg sells a bundle of them.

Kent in Upstate NY · « **Reply #981 on:** September 24, 2011, 06:43:34 PM »

Quote from: r90s on September 24, 2011, 01:22:47 PM

I think it's going to be nice.

This one looks nothing like the spy shot photo. It is all of one piece. The design flows and everything looks right. The spy photo looks like somebody got into the parts dept. with a bottle of Grappa.

blackcat · « **Reply #982 on:** September 25, 2011, 08:58:56 AM »

I don't like this type of bike so it really doesn't matter to me but I do think they are going in the right direction with the latest spy photo. Way better than the first one. But until it is completely done as in a formal roll out by Piaggio, it is just a photo.

bad Chad · « **Reply #983 on:** September 25, 2011, 11:36:10 AM »

Some of you must be very color sensitive. When you set all the BS aside, the differences between the two bikes are very subtle. They are not viewed from the same angles which alters perception just a bit too. But by far the most dramatic differences are simply the colors of the paint, and seat.

rtbickel · « **Reply #984 on:** September 25, 2011, 11:53:54 AM »

I will take a long hard look at this bike when it hits the showroom. Piaggio will definitely have to do more work with the headers and bags, and it will have to have a windshield/fairing option that is actually functional and effective. The skunk seat doesnt do much for me but that is easily fixed. Now they need to get busy and quit screwing around. I realize it is Italy, after all but dont keep us all waiting for 2 more years before they show up.

IceBlue · « **Reply #985 on:** October 10, 2011, 08:00:08 AM »

Not sure if this one has been posted here before - if not - then enjoy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwREHnIUdZo

Ciao

oldmanjob · « **Reply #986 on:** October 10, 2011, 08:04:37 AM »

Thanks for the post ;-T I can't wait to see the Scrambler in person, might be trade in time :o ;D :D

The old Bill ;D

IceBlue · « **Reply #987 on:** October 10, 2011, 08:10:38 AM »

I like the Scrambler too - I think Guzzi has made a load of nice SB's lately.
Now it's about the time where they should look to introduce an additional SB mill for the upcomming models.

Ciao

Speed King · « **Reply #988 on:** October 10, 2011, 08:57:16 AM »

I didn't know about the scrambler. Will that be available soon?

cruzziguzzi · « **Reply #989 on:** October 10, 2011, 09:52:57 AM »

I sure would like to see them compliment those high pipes on the Scrambler with a nice belly pan, head guards and utility rack. Or just give us a Grisetta.

News:

Author Topic: *California 1400 Merged Threadfest* (Read 855497 times)

JohninVT`

Mile High Guzzi

JohninVT`

JohninVT`

Vasco DG

Offcamber1

Horseman

Offcamber1

JohninVT`

Vasco DG

sangre

Horseman

bpreynolds

oldmanjob

Author Topic: California 1400 Merged Threadfest (Read 855497 times)