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Cali III vs Cali Vintage
Really interesting Joe. I covered about 24,000 miles on my Cali III, a mixture of touring and commuting. The Cali III had the advantage of hard givi panniers as standard luggage, and they were practical and looked good too. I owned a bergundy and cream painted model, looked stunning and performed well. However, ten years after I sold it, the Vintage came along, and I have to say there's a world of difference, in particular the looks and performance have improved significantly. What Guzzi need to do is mirror what various niche businesses have done for Harleys (accessorize everything) and Touratech done for BMW (ditto). The Cali could be the European Harley, but hasn't got the accessory catalogue to pull it off. Where's the loud pipes, chrome / stainless gizzmo's, replacement steering damper (because the standard one is pants), ease of getting white wall tyres in Cali sizes. I'm not knocking the bike, I'm just frustrated that Guzzi haven't grasped the opportunity to make more of it.
Posted:
Mar 3 2008, 3:34 PM EST by
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California
Fantastic write up Joe, both informative and interesting. I had the opertunity to buy a Cali in about 2004 off a friend of a friend who was moving abroad. I can't remember how much he wanted but it was well under what the Parkers guide suggested. At the time I had an R6 and was in my sports bike phase (It didn't last long) and I wouldn't have touched anything Italian due to the outdated reputation of unreliability. Since I saw the light and got my Griso I've built up a lot of respect for the Cali. I think the new Vintage looks fantastic and would look even better in my garage next to the Griso! I think all Guzzisti have a lot to thank the Cali for. Had it not been a success and Guzzi had gone to the wall my Griso would never have been born. Thank you Cali!
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Mar 3 2008, 9:36 AM EST by
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California 850 t3 vs California EV 1100
I had two California in my life, a 850 T3 and EV 1100. From the first exit fully satisfied as he did 350,000 km and never leave me lying is more, she toured part of Europe.
The EV gave me great satisfaciones, travel throughout Europe, had plenty of power to bring my wife and my over all baggage for one month while camping. But when it came to 50,000 km some strange electrical breakdowns that never were made to fix the selling stopped.
Today I have a Breva 1100 while waiting for the new California
Posted:
Mar 5 2008, 5:12 AM EST by
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California Dreaming
A potted history of the Moto Guzzi California Up to 1997 more than 50,000 Californias had been built. Since then? ...I have no idea, perhaps...
Last updated:
Jun 4 2008, 12:19 PM EDT by
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Italian Bike Night at the Ace Cafe
The Ace Cafe needs no introduction for most people...certainly motorcycling people! It has been here since the 1930s and began life as a stop ...
Last updated:
Sep 30 2008, 9:23 AM EDT by
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 November
Keith's 850T3 in Wales
Albums:
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Added:
Jul 8 2008, 4:47 AM EDT by
Last updated:
Aug 28 2008, 3:41 PM EDT by
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Origins of the California name
Mike Harper has some information as to the possible origins of the California model name. I add below the details from a post he made on Wild Guzzi...cheers for the info Mike. :-) If anyone else has any further details to add to this article go for it and add a thread! :-)
"I believe that they have their wires crossed as to the origination of the use of the name "California".
I was told by Dave Hewitt who was the Berliner road rep back then. The name "California" along with the names "Ambassador" and "Eldorado" were all the brain work of Michael Berliner.
He renamed the bikes coming into the US Ambassador and Eldorado . They are not called that in Europe .
The California name as I was told came about because of a large order of Eldorado LAPD models that had been ordered in late 73 or early 74 and while they were being built and shipped to the US the Lapd and CHP cancelled their order leaving Berliner with an overabundance of police models that he was going to have some problem selling.
Somewhere in the time frame of the bikes being ordered and arriving in the US or possibly after they arrived in the US Berliner changed the fenders to chrome, changed the seat and had decals made saying "California" The name caught on and the factory started using the name on some of the later models.
The original bikes with the "California" name had fuel tanks with no chrome panels and different decals."
Posted:
Jun 4 2008, 12:18 PM EDT by
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The Ghezzi-Brian "Furia"
I've just received an e-mail from a nice fella called Harley who tells me the stunning orange Ghezzi-Brian "Furia" above is his!
Nice one Harley...you should join Squadra and we can do a feature on it! :-)
Posted:
May 27 2008, 1:28 PM EDT by
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