An Italian custom bike for the US police. Thirty-five years have gone by, but the Moto Guzzi California continues to play a leading role in the collective imagination of motorcyclists throughout the world. In 1971 when the first model was introduced, the custom market was divided into the original US models and their imitations from the East. Moto Guzzi introduced a motorcycle with a strong personality based on the tried and tested frame of the V7 Special and the legendary 90° V-Twin engine with a capacity of 757cc. A winning combination which won international success, not least because it proposed a new way of motorcycling, in contrast to the exaggerated quest for performance. On a Guzzi California, you travelled - and you travel - in total relaxation. The seat, as comfortable as an armchair, enables you to enjoy the landscape protected from the wind in the shelter of the large windshield, fitted as standard together with the panniers, a clear sign of its vocation for travel. These qualities enabled the V7 California to triumphantly cross the ocean where it was adopted first by the L.A.P.D. (Los Angeles Police Department) and subsequently by other US states. The rest is history - and legend. A familiar presence in films and advertisements, the California has every right to be considered as one of those industrial design objects which have left their mark on our history. Its two legendary wheels have never stopped - and neither has its evolution. Year after year, the look and technology has been updated, without altering its original personality and spirit. Now, 35 years after its birth, Moto Guzzi has decided to pay tribute to this extraordinary model by creating an exclusive Vintage version, dedicated to those who want to go on dreaming.
The discreet charm of tradition.
Technology and tradition have inspired the numerous changes defining the character of the California Vintage, a cult object even before its market launch. The reference to the past is obvious in the delightful spoked wheels, in the newly-designed steel mudguards, in the new Brembo front callipers with black finish and in the supplementary fog lights, controlled by a switch on the right block.
In this model, attention is paid to the smallest detail - the windshield is decorated with a stainless steel strip and both the handlebar and two-tone seat are exclusive to the model. The classic engine is protected by chromed steel tubes with integrated. The special bags are fixed, made from rotational nylon, waterproof, lined and again protected with chromed steel tubes. The luggage rack is also chromed for a high-class touring look. The California Vintage is a precious object to be looked after with love and attention. Moto Guzzi has therefore also designed a special bike cover for this motorcycle where luxury is standard.
An all-new ride.
While externally the California Vintage retains the same unmistakable look which brought it success throughout the world, technically it has been profoundly changed over the years, with significant improvements on the most recent version. The heads, cylinders, conrods, pistons, sintered valve seats and guides and Nymonic exhaust valves come from the Mandello del Lario naked and inherit its power characteristics. The alternator has also been improved and the flywheel is new. Combustion is more efficient thanks to the twin spark cylinder heads, while the timing system is entrusted to the well-proven mechanical tappets. Other minor technical modifications include the new throttle body guards and cableways between the cylinders and tank. As far as the mechanics are concerned, the braking pressure distributor has been modified to improve efficiency. More powerful, easier to ride and safer, the look of the California Vintage has also been radically changed. An exclusive and well deserved tribute to a motorcycle which has become a symbol.
SPECIFICATIONS USA - 2008 Moto Guzzi California Vintage: