*California 1400 Merged Threadfest*

[Kev m]

Ah, I see what you were asking.

By "reserve" I meant literally - "more than you need/more than you were using".

[ridingron]

I don't care for it looking at the pictures. The valve cover/ head seems large and out of scale. The pipes and mufflers look overly large but that seems to be the trend in the case of mufflers. The section between the tank and forks looks like somethings missing but that about all you can do with the long rake look.

As for the guy looking like he doesn't fit. I don't think the Cruiser market is aim at the above 5'10' market.  ;D

[Chicago Mark]

I just realized what I don't like about this side view. Notice how the tank and seat come together in a vertical line. Then note how the side cover below has a straight edge that follows the seat/tank line. And if you follow it down even further, you have another vertical line on the front of what appears to be a variation of a CARC drive.

The result is that the front and rear of the bike don't flow together and look as though they were designed separately and then stuck together. The more I look at it the more I dislike it. I hope they do something about that on the production version.

Mark,

     The more I see this bike the more I can't help but see the near vertical line. It was pointed out early on that the front and back halves of the bike seem to have been designed at two separate places by two separate teams. That silly seam/line presents itself like a sore thumb. From the seat/tank to the intake/side covers to the shaft/U-Joint/transmission and even offset a bit to the scuff guard on the muffler. I did my best to try and ignore it but now that seems to be my focal point when looking at this new California. But I do believe we're looking at the production version. Doesn't Piaggio plan to have some of these in the USA late this year for a meeting of some kind or maybe for the start of the Motorcycle Show circuit? For better or worse, this just may be the end product, for now. I'm thinking the second version/generation may address the 'hinge' design effect.

All the best,

Mark

[Kev m]

I can see that line of demarcation, but I'm mostly ambivalent about it.

That said, I bet it would all but disappear if you got rid of the skunk stripe on the seat and/or reshaped the seat slightly.

[Chicago Mark]

You may have to reshape the front of the seat and the front of the side cover.

Mark

[goog64]

Mark,

     The more I see this bike the more I can't help but see the near vertical line. It was pointed out early on that the front and back halves of the bike seem to have been designed at two separate places by two separate teams. That silly seam/line presents itself like a sore thumb. From the seat/tank to the intake/side covers to the shaft/U-Joint/transmission and even offset a bit to the scuff guard on the muffler. I did my best to try and ignore it but now that seems to be my focal point when looking at this new California. But I do believe we're looking at the production version. Doesn't Piaggio plan to have some of these in the USA late this year for a meeting of some kind or maybe for the start of the Motorcycle Show circuit? For better or worse, this just may be the end product, for now. I'm thinking the second version/generation may address the 'hinge' design effect.

All the best,

Mark

Dude,
You gotta relax. You probably don't even like my bike....

[Chicago Mark]

Dude,
You gotta relax. You probably don't even like my bike....

Very good, bravo!!!   ;)

Mark 

[Guzzirider]

I hope the bike is good to ride and sells well, but the more I see it the more I dislike it. Too long, too low, with a generouse helping of fugliness. Maybe it will look much better in the flesh than in photographs.

Think it is aimed more at the US market than Europe.

[Atlanta Guzzi]

I looked at some of the old and most recent photos of the California 1400 and wondered once again...where's the foot shifter?  Could this bike have a paddle shifter on the handlebars, or some sort of transmission like the Mana?

Thoughts?

[Kev m]

I looked at some of the old and most recent photos of the California 1400 and wondered once again...where's the foot shifter?  Could this bike have a paddle shifter on the handlebars, or some sort of transmission like the Mana?

Thoughts?

No

Some of the recent pics from the rear that show the left side clearly show a heel/toe shifter arrangement at the left footboard.

[Atlanta Guzzi]

Thanks!

[Mark West]

No

Some of the recent pics from the rear that show the left side clearly show a heel/toe shifter arrangement at the left footboard.

Doesn't look like there is much lean available before that board starts scraping. Didn't realize they stuck out so far.

[rocker59]

Doesn't look like there is much lean available before that board starts scraping. Didn't realize they stuck out so far.

I don't believe that it's possible to determine lean angle from that photo, taken at that angle.

Keep in mind, also, that the bike is on it's sidstand in the photo, which probably takes at least 10-degrees.

[Mark West]

I don't believe that it's possible to determine lean angle from that photo, taken at that angle.

Keep in mind, also, that the bike is on it's sidstand in the photo, which probably takes at least 10-degrees.

Certainly not possible to get exact detail but if you assume that the frame rails aren't going to be any higher than they are on a Tonti and then consider the impact of having a floor board that looks to be mounted a good 3" off the frame, I think it's pretty safe that cornering clearance is going to suffer.

Of course I could be totally wrong and I hope that is the case. We'll just have to see what shows up at the dealerships.

[Lannis]

Doesn't look like there is much lean available before that board starts scraping. Didn't realize they stuck out so far.

Not to worry.  The "Target Market" (as has been described several times in the thread) doesn't care about that ..... Scraping?   That's for people who lean.

Lannis ("But it's not for eatin' - it's just for lookin' through ...")

[Dogwalker]

Bags.

[Kev m]

Oh crap - now I have to admit that looks HORRIBLE...

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Bags.

That's the best I've seen it look yet.

[rocker59]

Beetle Bags!

Has Piaggio hired someone away from Corbin?

 ~;

[Semper-guzzi]

With a nice windshield and top case(color matched) it looks good. Definitely outside the box and unique, which drew me to Guzzi in the first place. I still like it.

[Gary]

Now we're getting somewhere.

[lti_57]

Bags.

looks like the side panels from a Vespa

[bad Chad]

Looks very good, flow with rear fender looks right on but not over the top Corbin like


Color of bags, has to be prototype.

[Muzz]

Dude,
You gotta relax. You probably don't even like my bike....

I like your style! ;D ;D ;D ;-T

Good thing I am not part of the "target market" or if I do fit, it doesn't spin my wheels. Give me the smallblock any day. :D

[CalVin2007]

    I don't think this was designed by the same team who designed the CalVin. I'm no styling genius but shouldn't the bottoms of the bags be parallel to the tops of the mufflers?  Also the bars around the front halves of the bags are at an odd angle to the shape of the bags.
   I'd really like to "like" this new bike but too many things just don't fit with my idea of "good looking". I sure hope the production machine is much better.  :-\

       Terry

[Muley]

Who knows?  I'd wager that a bunch of us will be chomping at the bit to order one when they're made available.  Maybe the folks at MG are reading comments on this thread and making last minute changes.

It might be like the Cal 90, to me at least.  It looked OK in pictures but looks really good on the hoof.

[Chicago Mark]

The bottom angle is certainly off but that's an easy fix. But I sure like the bag design.

Forza Moto Guzzi,

Mark

[sbaker]

OOOOOOO More Pictures...

[nick949]

I agree with Charlie - the best look yet (with the bags).  They really have to do something about that daft feet-forward riding position though.  It's just wrong.

Nick

[rocker59]

  They really have to do something about that daft feet-forward riding position though.  It's just wrong.

Nick

The riders seating position looks very "Road King-ish".

Probably thier benchmark.