California 1400 Custom - how are they ?

[solarsea]

Stuck with my V7 in service and the main wrench on a vacation I couldn't help but notice that there is a highly-discounted California 1400 Custom in the showroom. It's a demo bike with a title but the odometer says that its basically brand new.

I'm looking at it for long distance 2-ups touring, while keeping the V7 as a daily bike (gorgeous bike it is, with the marlin screen and the norman hyde bars  ).

So, is the Cali worth it ? ;)

[mjptexas]

Stuck with my V7 in service and the main wrench on a vacation I couldn't help but notice that there is a highly-discounted California 1400 Custom in the showroom. It's a demo bike with a title but the odometer says that its basically brand new.

I'm looking at it for long distance 2-ups touring, while keeping the V7 as a daily bike (gorgeous bike it is, with the marlin screen and the norman hyde bars  ).

So, is the Cali worth it ? ;)

Yes it is.  Here's my 2014 as currently configured, with 15,000 miles and zero issues:



I was perfectly happy with the stock seat but the Mrs. wasn't.  The Corbin was a big improvement, with the Hepco-Becker rack and backrest.  I've got HB Cbows for luggage (which is not on the bike in this picture).  You may want a windscreen.  I have the MG sport screen on mine, which meets my needs as I'm not big into larger screens.  I've done a couple of long trips (1,700 miles plus) and several 500 mile days.  Great bike out on the road.

And you are right, V7s are nice bikes too:

[johnlanguab]

They're both beautiful!

[elvisboy77]

All of the 1400's are amazing.  Get it!

[boatdetective]

A buddy has one. Much easier to turn in than you would expect. I'm 6' and in general am not used to the "cruiser" riding position. That's a personal preference thing. I'm sure the right saddle would change things. The torque is smooth and quite ample. Definitely a "magic carpet" ride with more than enough power. Of course, wonderful character and tremendous design. I rented a Harley Road King and thought it was a flatulent pig in comparison.

[lucian]

I love my custom after 15,000 trouble free miles. Used mainly for two up road trips it devours long stretches of pavement. Acceptable gas range and comfortable enough for long day's once set up with a custom saddle, some sort of back rest for pillion and for some, bar risers and a wind screen. It does like to eat expensive rear tires in about 5 to 6 thousand miles, but they are pretty easy to change yourself after you've done it once.They definitely are a big heavy bike to manhandle and are best kept on paved roads. However ,mine has been in soaking rain multiple times, done many crappy dirt and bumpy roads without a hitch. All in all I have heard far less problems reported with the 14's than with many other new models out there, very solid bikes.

[Cam3512]

That's why the 1400 will be Guzzi's mainstay big block for all future models.

[Tom]

For 2 up touring.  It's a proper rig.    The Eldo handles better.

[solarsea]

Thanks all!

Another thought, do they need a map update like most of the first V7s? I'm asking because I believe that my dealer doesn't yet have a PADS system for those. On the other hand it seems supported be Rexxer though, and given that I already have one of their units I'm not too concerned with that but still, good to know.

[Murray]

Rode the Alduace a little while ago and thought it was the biggest POS I had ridden in a very very long time. It is a big heavy bike turns like a boat and stops like a train. If you like the lightness and nimbleness of the V7 look elsewhere the 1400 has none of those traits. If you've had big cruisers in the past and are fine with the idea then get the 1400 but make no mistake the 1400 is a big heavy cruiser.

The 1200 Norge, 1200 Breva/Sport, Griso, Stelvio, 940 Bellagio all run rings around the 1400 series. There are also a bunch of other bikes from other manufacturers that will fill the role. Obviously I can't comment long term, I won't be buying one.

[LowRyter]

Murray, I haven't ridden the Alduce but I have ridden the Custom and Touring and they are outstanding motorcycles.  They handle, brake and have good power.  Especially two-up.

My knock is the cruiser feet-first riding position and no touring / sport (RT) version.  I am sure it might be a different ride from the light and small V7 but the 1400 performance is impressive IMO.

[Murray]

Murray, I haven't ridden the Alduce but I have ridden the Custom and Touring and they are outstanding motorcycles.  They handle, brake and have good power.  Especially two-up.

My knock is the cruiser feet-first riding position and no touring / sport (RT) version.  I am sure it might be a different ride from the light and small V7 but the 1400 performance is impressive IMO.

I stepped off a clapped out 22 year old 1100 sport i.e. the bar is not very high for a new bike to stagger over now admittedly I think the 1100 sport is pretty pedestrian in its performance, the 1400 is at best the same but I suspect worse all just my impressions here I don't have side by side direct comparison yes the stupid thing was in Veloce, btw its so docile I have no idea what marketing clown thought it needed other riding modes. I was more than happy to return the demo and get my bike back.

What I was trying to convey to the OP is basing his purchase on the V7 experience i.e. if you think the V7 is good then the 1400 should be better, they are two very very different motorcycles just because you like the V7 and it comes out of the same factory doesn't mean you'll like the 1400.

[lucian]

Obviously the 1400's are not a performance orientated mc, although compared to other cruiser bikes of similar displacement they perform extremely well. As for being a respectable  mount for two up touring, they certainly are. No one can expect a custom to out handle a griso, but  if your thinking about doing 400 mile days for two weeks straight with a passenger, there is no comparison to be made.The 14 is much roomier and  the 1400 motor does not seem to care if the bike is loaded with two people and 150 lbs of luggage, it pulls just the same as it does solo. Try that on a 1200 and you will soon notice where the difference in performance lies. If the op can have both the 7 and the 14 he will have two beautiful motorcycles which were never meant to compete with each other, but instead will complement each other, and will fill two completely different roles. I'd say ride other similarly priced cruisers and ride that custom and you'll find that the 14 is  a lot of bike for the buck. What originally attracted me to the custom was the fact that it really looks closer to a standard than most of the other cruisers out there. After ridding a hopped up road king, the choice was easy. 

[Tom]

 :1:

[LowRyter]

I stepped off a clapped out 22 year old 1100 sport i.e. the bar is not very high for a new bike to stagger over now admittedly I think the 1100 sport is pretty pedestrian in its performance, the 1400 is at best the same but I suspect worse all just my impressions here I don't have side by side direct comparison yes the stupid thing was in Veloce, btw its so docile I have no idea what marketing clown thought it needed other riding modes. I was more than happy to return the demo and get my bike back.

What I was trying to convey to the OP is basing his purchase on the V7 experience i.e. if you think the V7 is good then the 1400 should be better, they are two very very different motorcycles just because you like the V7 and it comes out of the same factory doesn't mean you'll like the 1400.

I wouldn't compare the 1400 to an 1100 Sport (or the V7, actually that was my point).  But I know the 1400 is much faster than my '98 EV and I couldn't say for sure that my V11 Sport would take in a straight line to 100 mph (but I bet it might not if both bikes were two up).

I think if you compared it to any touring cruiser, it would out perform all of them as a total package just like my EV did back in the day.

It's really a very nice motorcycle but not in a sports package.

[Tom]

True.  The Eldo 1400 handles better.

[mjptexas]

Thanks all!

Another thought, do they need a map update like most of the first V7s? I'm asking because I believe that my dealer doesn't yet have a PADS system for those. On the other hand it seems supported be Rexxer though, and given that I already have one of their units I'm not too concerned with that but still, good to know.

They fixed the factory map last year.  I test rode an Elodrado while I had my Custom in for service and remarked about how much better the low rpm behavior was.  Dealer said 'yeah, they re-worked the map, and by the way, we put the update on your bike.'  Mid-2015 factory map is darned near perfect.

[mjptexas]

What I was trying to convey to the OP is basing his purchase on the V7 experience i.e. if you think the V7 is good then the 1400 should be better, they are two very very different motorcycles just because you like the V7 and it comes out of the same factory doesn't mean you'll like the 1400.

Well.....
The Custom will outperform the V7 in all riding circumstances, excepting the gas pump and the parking lot.  My opinion is based on putting serious miles on both bikes.

The extra 300 lbs the Custom carries will be a issue for some riders, so I'd tell any prospective rider who has never owned a cruiser to not take weight difference lightly.

[Piglet]

I spoke with the owner of a 2014 California 1400 the other day.  We both liked it! 

[Lcarlson]

If you want a heavyweight cruiser, and many do, I believe it is the current gold standard. And it's not nearly as heavy as many of its competitors  The motor is amazing, and the handling puts most bikes its size to shame. Great ride.

[keener]

I spoke with the owner of a 2014 California 1400 the other day.  We both liked it!

i did the same and then rode one , i will have one next year... they are that good  IMO....
BTW  comparing the 1400 to any other bike is folly they are their own class ..

[Kev m]

Rode the Alduace a little while ago and thought it was the biggest POS I had ridden in a very very long time. It is a big heavy bike turns like a boat and stops like a train.

I never get it when people who don't like a style of bike (say cruiser) then compare it to something completely different (sport touring, adventure touring, sport etc.), it's like saying "I drove this pickup truck the other day and it was the biggest POS I've driven in a very very long time. It is a big heavy truck and turns like a boat and stops like a train, nothing like my Corvette."

I would think the OP would have the opportunity to ride it and find out if he likes it before a possible purchase. And certainly he's got eyes and can see that a 700#, 96" long, almost 67" wheelbase bike is not going to feel like a 443#, 86" long, 57" wheelbase bike.


Now to the OP - I just spent about 3 days putting on a good 900 or so miles on my V7. I love my V7, I enjoy trips on it almost as much as I love it around my home state. But I'll tell you this, if I had a Cali 1400, I would have made the trip on IT and I would have been a lot less sore yesterday after getting home. 

[Tom]

For 2 up touring,  I think it would be hard to debate against the bike. 

[solarsea]

OP here, I'm aware of the handling difference between bigger bikes and mine. I'm 6 ft tall and somewhat heavy so it should be alright and I'm sure as hell going to do a test drive before getting serious.

I'm mostly concerned with build quality though, given that I had a number of issues with the V7 II that is currently at 2500 miles total. (left cylinder hv terminal corrosion, rear drive leak, wtf). I'm not expecting my Rio's reliability here but I hope that with the 1400s being Guzzi's most expensive and premium line its quality is above that of the small blocks. The responses in this thread seem to indicate something along those lines.

[Kev m]

I'm mostly concerned with build quality though, given that I had a number of issues with the V7 II that is currently at 2500 miles total. (left cylinder hv terminal corrosion, rear drive leak, wtf). I'm not expecting my Rio's reliability here but I hope that with the 1400s being Guzzi's most expensive and premium line its quality is above that of the small blocks. The responses in this thread seem to indicate something along those lines.

Maybe, and maybe you don't want to hear this. But the truth of the matter is Guzzi built quality is, uh, sometimes spotty. That's the only explanation I can give.

I mean, my Breva 1100 was a really solid bike, but later in life it did have some problems it shouldn't have.

My V7 Stone has been fantastic. I've not had any problems like you've described. Granted I'm only at 12,500 miles now, but literally I've had to do nothing but maintenance which is what I would generally expect from a modern Guzzi.

Then again, you do hear the stories of the occasional warranty repair, which I think just means nothing's perfect.

The Cali should be a bit of a premium product and I've equally heard mostly stories of them being flawless, but that didn't stop our own Avvacatto from being stranded at 100 miles on his with a bad demand sensor. I suspect crap like that is going to happen once in a while, but I've also not heard of a single other problem from him since.

So if it were me, and I liked the Cali in question, I don't think I'd hesitate.

YMMV

[LowRyter]

It does appear that the quality of the 1400 series bikes has been pretty good.  There were some early bikes with crossover breaks and a few electrical glitches but otherwise they seem to be holding up pretty well.  It seems like they've been more reliable than the CARC and recent V7 series.

[Kev m]

It does appear that the quality of the 1400 series bikes has been pretty good.  There were some early bikes with crossover breaks and a few electrical glitches but otherwise they seem to be holding up pretty well.  It seems like they've been more reliable than the CARC and recent V7 series.

Hell between failing dashboards and valve trains I'd say CARCs have a bit of a black eye.

But I don't think the current V7 series has suffered much more than an occasional snafu, there don't seem to be any pattern problems other than a couple of cheap spark plug caps and MAYBE a few leaky rear seals. Oh and the sky was falling about some regulators.

[mjptexas]

OP here, I'm aware of the handling difference between bigger bikes and mine. I'm 6 ft tall and somewhat heavy so it should be alright and I'm sure as hell going to do a test drive before getting serious.

I'm mostly concerned with build quality though, given that I had a number of issues with the V7 II that is currently at 2500 miles total. (left cylinder hv terminal corrosion, rear drive leak, wtf). I'm not expecting my Rio's reliability here but I hope that with the 1400s being Guzzi's most expensive and premium line its quality is above that of the small blocks. The responses in this thread seem to indicate something along those lines.

IMHO the attention to detail and build quality is as good as you'll find on two wheels.  Fit & finish is flawless, and as said earlier, zero issues in 15,000 miles.

It has plenty of room for a big guy.

[bad Chad]

I don't think it's appropriate to classify all CARC bikes in the same pool.

Yes, there seems to have been a higher degree of failure of dash boards then would be expected.  (yet my 07 Breva continues to perform flawlessly after many years) 

The two valve CARC have been rock solid, its only the early 4valves that had the valve train issue.

[HDGoose]

If I was to buy a 1400, First thing would be to increase fuel capacity to obtain a 180-200 mile range.