Big, tough and beautiful – what a
visual impact
this bruiser makes! Moto Guzzi, the oldest continually operating
European motorcycle manufacturer, thoroughly revamped the California for
2013. It’s now a big beefy
classically styled motorcycle that packs a surprising wallop from beneath its 1950s
muscle car looks. This is modern retro design done right.
Speaking of retro, let’s go retro with
Moto Guzzi history for a moment. It’ll help give us some background on this 1400.
With five different parent companies over its history, Moto Guzzi has
had some uncertain times. In the early 2000s, two big things happened
to put Moto Guzzi firmly on solid
financial and design footing – Miguel Galluzzi and Piaggio.
Aprilia purchased Moto Guzzi in 2000. Piaggio then purchased Moto Guzzi and Aprilia in 2004. Piaggio owns seven
Italian companies,
one of which is now its designated halo company: Moto Guzzi. Miguel
Galluzzi (the original Ducati Monster designer) went to work for Piaggio
in 2006. In 2009, Piaggio invested
big money into modernizing and updating plants and supporting future Guzzi
model development.
One of the resulting models, the Galluzzi styled California, was
previewed to dealers in 2011, and is now hand-built in the newly updated
plant in
Mandello del Lario.
With the Piaggio
money invested, the California 1400 is
thoroughly modern and
high tech.
Moto Guzzi says the California has “the best of the most modern and
advanced technology with the classic feel and elegance of the Moto Guzzi
brand.” Not only is there an entirely new engine, new chassis cool
Galluzzi-designed external design, but the bike also features
ride-by-wire, multi-
map engine control, cruise control, MGCT traction control and twin channel ABS.
From stem to stern there is a look of “oneness,” quality and muscular imposition implied in this
California. Cool details abound. The headlight and taillights are a complex set of curves and different
lighting technologies.
The iconic engine cylinders integrate into a smoothly styled and
sculpted seat/tank junction. The rims are airy and architectural with
cool red Moto Guzzi badging. The high quality twin remote shocks hang
their reservoirs out for all to see.
A cruiser with Brembo brakes. You gotta love Italian design and engineering.
Everywhere you look it’s obvious that Moto Guzzi was aiming for
excellence in its build quality. Hop on and thumb the starter and you
feel as much as you hear the
new air-
and oil-cooled 1400cc, eight-valve engine come to life. No doubt there
is some serious metal spinning beneath you, but the bike quickly
settles into a loping V-twin idle that shakes the handlebars and mirrors
at rest. Crack the throttle and it lurches to the right with its
longitudinal crankshaft. Nevertheless, all that power spins up quick and
makes the bike very responsive compared to other big V-twin cruiser
engines.
Want a bark to match the bite? The California’s big, nicely styled
exhaust cans ensure noise is kept in check. I think if I owned this
Goose, I’d be
checking the aftermarket or the Guzzi accessories page for more volume.
Settling into the seat reveals well-cushioned support and comfort. Surveying the
instrument cluster
gives you a plethora of easily readable information for speed, mileage,
mpg, engine mapping and more. The assembly is mounted up high where
it’s easily seen, thank you Moto Guzzi! Mirrors are great and the riding
position is comfortable and relatively neutral by cruiser standards, if
not just a little foot forward for my (non-cruiser) taste.
Pull in the clutch, toe the heel-toe shifter and off you go. Engine
vibration instantly disappears with the “elastokinematic” mounting of
the engine. Clutch engagement is broad and easy to use. Launching hard
on the Cali will surprise you – ROARING off of a stop with a forceful
gut punch of torque that pulls hard all the way to redline via its
four-valve heads.
To be certain, the new California 1400 doesn’t have that wheeze
typical of a big cruiser engine. This thing lunges off the block and
has no problem sprinting up in speed in a quick-revving nature atypical
of a cruiser. It’s huge fun and is accompanied by the coolest gear
whine I’ve heard since I last hopped off of a gear-driven cam Honda V4.
Character? Yeah, the California 1400 has LOADS of it.
You have three engine maps to choose from: Veloce (Sport), Turismo
(Touring) and Pioggia (Rain). While each has quite an impact on
character, they’re not to the degree of the changes in the Dorsoduro 750
we just tested. Similar to that
bike,
Veloce is highly responsive and adds even more torque down low; Turismo
moves that torque up the range a little and smooths out the bottom end;
and Pioggia is pretty soft, but totally rideable for its intended
purpose. In Turismo, you still have full power and it seems to really
fit the character of the bike without the abruptness in the Veloce mode.
Of course, all this is made possible with the ride-by-wire technology.
Connected to the California 1400’s engine is a cruiser chassis that
really knows how to dance. This big Goose is Brooklyn Bridge-stable in a
straight line or while carving through a corner. The bike feels like
nothing will push it off line. Nevertheless, it’s surprising how willing
it is to corner – turning in and carving as nicely as a 700-lb. cruiser
can.
In fact, Moto Guzzi must already know how it handles as they included
replaceable sliders on the floorboards! Suspension is plush and well
damped with a stout 46mm fork and the aforementioned remote reservoir
shocks out back. Both are preload and rebound adjustable and do an
excellent job of smoothing the bumps.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the braking system on the
California 1400. Remember that this big cruiser likes to hustle. As a
result, it needs good binders. Thankfully the brakes are more than up to
the task of converting kinetic energy to heat with a set of genuine
radial-mounted Brembos clamping down on 320mm discs with steel braided
lines up front and another Brembo caliper and disc mated with a
steel-braided line in back. The brakes are forceful and controllable at
all times and the ABS is unobtrusive and works well, ultimately adding
to the safety of the rider.
Hopping off the California 1400 for the last time and reflecting on
my experience brought a smile to my face. For its intended purpose, Moto
Guzzi nailed it with this thing. Forceful, tech savvy and
sophisticated, they created a muscle cruiser that does it all well.
Buon lavoro Moto Guzzi!
There is a huge hooligan factor with this bike. It makes you want to do bad things. Very bad things.
I love Italy. Actually, I love things that come from Italy. It’s hard
to dispute that this wonderful country produces some of the best food,
wine, cars and motorcycles anywhere on the planet. Now there’s one more
to appreciate: the Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 ABS.
If you think the Dorsoduro looks familiar, you need only look at its
sibling, the Shiver. We road tested the Shiver a few years back and I
absolutely loved that bike. But is the Amore still there?
Both bikes share a hybrid steel trellis/cast frame section and the
same, wonderful 749.9cc liquid-cooled 90° v-twin. Featuring
fuel-injection, double overhead cams, with four valves per cylinder, and
a compression ratio of 11:1, the Dorsoduro’s flavor is good for 92hp at
the crank and 60.4 lb.-ft. of torque, a slightly different figure from
the Shiver’s 95/59.7 offering.
Unlike the Shiver, the Dorsoduro’s styling is more aggressive.
Jumping on the popular Supermoto bandwagon, the seat is high and flat –
as are the bars – the front fender is high, there’s a small (but
effective) headlight up front and not much behind the rider, save for a
single taillight tucked in between the twin, underseat stainless steel
exhaust mufflers.
Climbing aboard and settling onto the seat, you’ll find your tush
roughly 34 inches from the ground. Now, owning two bikes with taller
saddles, I’ve grown accustomed to not flat-footing. Plus, the view from
this saddle is a nice one. The instrument
cluster looks great, featuring a large tachometer, multi-function LCD screen and the usual host of indicator lights. Time to ride!
Thumb the starter and listen to the whump-whump-whump as the bike
idles. The tach does its sweep and lights flash on and off. Modern
fuel-injection ensures a quick start and no stumbling off the line.
Clutch pull is light and the bike snicks effortlessly into gear. The
front brake can easily be modulated with one or two fingers. The sound
of the 749cc V-twin is intoxication and just gets better as the revs
climb.
Now moving, you’ll feel the 43mm male-slider forks and 17-inch
aluminum wheel wrapped with 120/70 ZR 17 rubber. In the rear, the beefy,
cast swing arm hugs a 6 X 17-inch aluminum hoop, wrapped with an
impressive 180/55 ZR 17. Single rear shock has adjustment for both
preload and rebound. Dual 320mm discs with Brembo four-piston radial
calipers up front and a single 240mm disc/single-piston caliper, in
back, handle stopping duties. Twin-channel ABS insures perfect braking.
There are three different modes for engine management: Touring, Sport
and Rain. Touring is obviously the most-rounded and I found it perfect
for commuting and general riding. I did run Rain mode, after picking the
bike up in the rain, and everything definitely settled down a bit. Rain
mode also makes the bike a little harder to launch and engine braking
is reduced. Sport mode is just an animal, with the fly-by-wire throttle
offering instant feedback. I switched to Sport on a commute home and it
just wanted to loft the front tire every time I left a stoplight. They
should just refer to it as Lose Your License mode.
Still, regardless of which mode you choose, the bike is a delight to
ride (OK, maybe not in Rain) and begs to be pushed farther than my
abilities would allow.
Wait. Did I write “delight”? Well, almost. The seat is brick-like
and, during even a normal commute, my derriere became uncomfortable. I’d
consider re-doing the seat for serious commuters or for the occasional
day trip. But, since fuel capacity is a meager 3.7-gallons, this is
obviously not the first choice for a touring bike. Although, more
frequent gas stops would welcome a chance to get off the seat. That
being said, the Dorsoduro is a little more purposeful. Track days are
more its thing. The ride isn’t too firm and the ergonomics are great,
with wonderful, upright bars and pegs ever-so-slightly to the rear. Like
most Supermotos, there’s almost zero wind protection save for the
handguards. The front fender wasn’t much for keeping water from flying
everywhere during rain, including spitting it up in front of the
headlight.
Look, it’s smiling as it pulls away from you.
The transmission is among the best I’ve experienced, with solid
shifts that remain smooth as silk. I never missed a shift and I found
neutral with no effort at all. Twist the throttle more and watch the
tach climb to 10,000rpm, after which a red light on the dash flashes
angrily, as if yelling “Shift! Shift!” Snap off the gas, there’s a
little crackling from the exhaust. This just adds to the grin factor.
There is so much win to this bike:
Overall, the bike is stable and capable in pretty much every
situation that I subjected it to. Commuting was a blast, I took it on
the freeway a lot, and now I’m torn whether a Dual Sport or a Supermoto
is more fun to ride in city. On one hand, a true Dual Sport thumper is
generally built like a brick, sports a 21-inch front wheel (great for
potholes, unlike delicate 17-inch cast rims) and long travel suspension
for tackling some of the … er, “less than ideal” roads here in the Twin
Cities. On the other hand, stump barkin’, freakin’ Italian V-twin, FTW! I
think I can actually hear my DR350 weep a little from that declaration.
But it has a dark side. No surprise, there is a huge hooligan factor
with this bike. It makes you want to do bad things. Very bad things.
Every stoplight becomes a challenge. It’s really hard to restrain
yourself from leaving a light, front wheel hoisted towards the sky for
all of the world to see – or, at least the people on Lyndale Avenue S. I
can see myself as Bart, in the opening sequence of The Simpsons
writing, repeatedly, on the blackboard “SW Minneapolis is not my
personal Fun Zone.”
So, bottom line: the Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 ABS is, in general, a hoot
– extremely fun to ride and stunning to look at. When I get to review a
bike, there are those that I love, those that I hate and couldn’t wait
to return and those that I could easily justify owning. Despite having a
seat that feels like an upholstered brick, and a paltry fuel range,
those are things that I can either change or live with. I could easily
see myself dancing with this Italian lady. After all, some of the best
things come from Italy.
Who says racing doesn’t improve the breed? It does, and now the same also holds true in the cruiser category.
The Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom punches way above its general
class, sporting high-level superbike technology in a cruiser form.
Ride-by-wire, multiple engine map modes, ABS and traction control are
about as trick as things get right now at the pointy end of the
motorcycle stick.
Many bikes look really good from one or two angles. Not the
California 1400, which has many good viewing angles that draw you in,
eliciting further contemplation of the fine work of designers.
Thankfully, fanatical Italian attention to style is apparent from every
angle, with stylistic details abounding from tank/cylinder
junction to red lettering on the rims and sparing cockpit presence.
The California 1400 actually comes in two styles – the power cruiser
Custom version ($14,990) and the Touring version ($17,990). The achingly
beautiful Touring model offers, among other features, stylish hard bags
and a plex fairing evoking the best elements of the 1970s Moto Guzzi
Ambassador model.
Swing a leg over the 701-lb. California 1400 Custom and you’ll find
Moto Guzzi appears to have spent a great deal of energy on the
ergonomics of this bike. Yes it has the typical cruiser seating position
– in that there is only one place to reside, with no movement available
fore or aft – but it’s a sporty position (for my 5’8” frame) and
control placement and design feel great and prove to be an extension of
your body. Flick around your fingers and you’ll find all controls feel
light and precise, like on a sportbike.
Fire the bike up and at idle there is a left/right rocking couple
similar to the Harley-Davidsons fore and aft rock. All big twins are
visceral, but the longitudinal crank transverse cylinder layout always
seems super alive. Maybe because I can see it moving left and right
beneath me.
Once underway, the flattish drag style bar keeps weight fore enough
to tip the balance significantly toward handling rather than posing.
Considering the potency of the torque laden motor under full-twist
acceleration, this forward body cant is important, as it gives you the
purchase you need to keep from rag-dolling foolishly off the back of the
bike.
The big Guzzi’s light action clutch isn’t a Lobsterclaw™, and some
amount of skill and interaction with the machine will be necessary, but
the transmission is generally slick and precise as you click up through
the six gears.
One attribute I did find was that the heel/toe shifter is almost
necessary to guarantee solid engagement on full throttle upshifts.
Luckily, the shifter’s location doesn’t limit your range of available
foot positions as much as it normally does on a floorboard-equipped
cruiser.
Which brings us to the California 1400’s three pre-programmed engine
output options: Veloce (Fast), Turismo (Touring) and Pioggia (Rain).
The Cali never strays far from its powerband in any of the three modes.
In fact, most cruiser riders could ride with the Pioggia map forever and never think the bike is underpowered.
Clicking into Veloce really wakes the bike up, delivering the
California 1400’s full 96hp and 87 ft-lb and changing the engine’s
character from adequately powerful to something much more
responsive
… like riding flat-slide carbed race bike – abrupt on/off and best
suited to riding like you are on a mission. A serious and very focused
mission.
As a result, the Veloce mode demands a very sensitive throttle hand
and is definitely not conducive to a beginner’s hamfist. And herein lies
the beauty of the MG engine experience – the slightest amount of
throttle movement creates a pronounced throttle steer effect. Roll on
and it drives the line wider, roll off and it decreases your line. In
linked, high speed, gentle curves, throttle steering is almost all you
need to guide the bike.
Moto Guzzi riders out of necessity need to be smooth. You just can’t
slap that much reciprocating engine mass around without it having
effects in other areas of handling. The big slugs changing direction in
there bores don’t suffer fools kindly. Chopping the throttle abruptly
echoes loudly in the bikes handling. In Turismo this effect is less
noticeable and in Pioggia it is much less noticeable.
Sportily sprung via its adjustable dual remote-reservoir rear
suspension, the California 1400 is agile and provides taught, balanced
handling instead of a disappointing boatish/wallowy float. Even with the
18-inch front wheel and 200mm big rear rubber, ease of turn in is very
acceptable.
The floorboards fold and have plastic replaceable bottoms that
chatter noticeably to warn you of the impending lack of lean angle.
Unless you are not very smart, when the floorboards do finally touch,
they touch at an angle that will be questioning the validity of what you
are trying to do on the street with a cruiser.
The front brakes – 320 mm dual Brembo radials – are a welcome
addition from the sportbike world and totally necessary on a machine
with this much mass. As heavy as cruisers are, all cruisers should have
brakes this good. Triggering the ABS keeps the entire package in place.
Finally, I found fuel consumption from the 5.4-gallon tank was vigorous at around 32mpg or about 130-140 miles per tank.
Moto Guzzi has been fighting motorcycle mundanity since it started making motorcycles. Yet, while the
company
has for the past few years quietly churned out interesting, competent,
practical and stylish machines, it seems the Italians have found there
are many ways, now, to skin a cat.
Looking at the big picture, the difference in technology (traction
control, power modes, ABS) between the current Moto Guzzi line and the
company’s past endeavors is mind-boggling. The way I see it, the
refreshing design of this new entry into the big-bore cruiser market
should be fueling worry in the established V-twin Establishment.
The 2013 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom sells for about $15,000.
Backed by a two-year unlimited mileage warranty with one-year free
roadside assistance, this is an amazing amount of bike for the money.
By David Soderholm
Aprilia’s 750cc Giggle Factory
In smiles per miles, the Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 ABS ($9,999) is off
the charts. Welcome to the Italian giggle factory! If having fun while
maintaining usability on the street is your goal on a motorcycle, you
would have a hard time doing better than this Aprilia. Never have I
smiled and chuckled so much while riding a motorcycle for MMM.
The first things you’ll notice when walking up to the smaller of
Aprilia’s two Dorsoduro models are the appearance and apparent quality.
From the scowling headlight and sexy front end to the beautifully done
exhaust and swingarm, the ‘Priller is a home run all the way. In the
Fluo Red color scheme, it looks aggressive and ready to do business.
Excellent job Noale!
Another thing you immediately notice is the bike’s height. With a
34-inch seat height, this sucker is tall! The great thing resulting from
that is how open and spacious the riding triangle is. You have a ton of
legroom and a commanding, comfortable and alert riding position. It
really helps your situational awareness in traffic and helps contribute
to your safety.
Settling in to the cockpit, you notice a firm but fairly wide seat
that’s surprisingly comfortable. You grasp well-positioned grips on a
tapered aluminum bar and notice how well the mirrors are placed. Vibe
free and free of elbows, they give a great view of your six. Looking at
the instruments brings more positives. An analog tach is flanked by a
nicely backlit red LCD screen. It’s pleasing to look at, well placed and
full of useful information that’s easy to access. Have fun with that
adjustable shift light and lap timer.
The Dorsoduro 750 ABS is powered by a 749.9cc liquid-cooled
longitudinal 90° V-Twin. Key the starter button and you’ll be a little
surprised that there are stock cans under the seat. An intoxicating
beefy bark greet you from the beautifully crafted exhaust as you rap the
throttle, setting the mood for the ride to come. The volume is
surprising, and how Aprilia managed this sound and still met EPA is a
mystery. But, hey, I’m not complaining! It just adds to the personality
inherent in this mid-size giggle factory.
Speaking of personality, Aprilia gives you a choice of three very
different and distinct personalities on the Dorsoduro by way of its
Tri-Mode mapping. All three maps are easily accessed (even when rolling)
anytime the throttle is closed. In this case the maps are Rain, Touring
and Sport. Never have I ridden a muti engine map motorcycle that has a
more dramatic impact on a riding experience than this Aprilia.
In Rain mode, you have a very numb throttle and what feels like 20hp
knocked off everywhere – making it almost as compliant as a scooter.
Switching to Touring offers up max horsepower, but delivers it in a very
mundane manner.
In contrast to the rather docile first two setting we have Sport
mode. Clicking into that engine map shrouds the Aprilia in an angry red
MotoGP wanna-be mist along with a harder edged bark from the exhaust.
Amazingly thrilling, the bike in Sport mode pulls like it has more than
it’s claimed 92hp and 60.4 lb.-ft. of torque as it charges forward and
lifts the front end at every opportunity. For me, on this raucous
hooligan, it was Sport mode all day every day – let the giggling
commence!
Reigning the speed back in is the job of the excellent braking
system. Aprilia outfits the bike up front with a set of 320mm wave discs
clamped by a pair of radially mounted Aprilia branded calipers and fed
by stainless steel lines. A 240mm wave disc in back is mated to a
single-piston caliper and a braided line. This is really top shelf
braking hardware, and when you throw the anchors out you’ll be amazed at
how well it all works. It’s not just the power, but the feel that is
astounding. The front tire and road talk to you through the lever,
relaying the exact amount of braking traction available. That combined
with the seamless Continental-supplied dual-channel ABS lets you be
pretty aggressive with your braking. Endo Fantastico!
Moving onto the Dorsoduro’s suspension and chassis brings more good
news. The fully adjustable 43mm inverted fork and off-set lay-down
single shock absorber control the chassis well whether on smooth or
bumpy pavement or when diving into turns. The rake helps make the
steering light and communicative. While the somewhat short wheelbase
doesn’t allow the bike to track all that well at high speeds, it gets
the job done just fine. Wind protection at speed also is surprisingly
good, with that angry looking headlight shell and handguards keeping the
air moving away from all of your most important bits.
So it’s all smiles right? Well … no. The giggle factory does produce a
couple of frowns. One results from the limited range afforded by the
3.2-gallon fuel tank. Even with a decent mid 40mpg figure, you’ll be
looking for a gas station around every 100 miles. I know it’s on par for
the category, but unlike many competitors this Aprilia can tour and
commute really well. It really limits it in that role. Another frown
comes from the lack of storage and tie down hooks for bungies, luggage,
etc. Thankfully, after doing a little research I found that issue was
easily addressed through the aftermarket or Aprilia itself. A number of
options are available.
Otherwise the Dorsoduro 750 ABS is a super sub-$10,000 Italian.
Beautiful to look at and thrilling to ride, it’ll coax a smile and an
over-the-shoulder glance every time you walk away. I know it did for me.
There is only one Aprilia dealer in Minnesota, but the folks at Leo’s
South in Lakeville are excellent. Thanks for the help guys!
This month, two years after Polaris Industries’ purchase of the
Indian motorcycle brand, the Minnesota-based company plans to begin
deliveries of three all-new Indian models: the Chief Classic cruiser,
Chief Vintage soft bagger and Chieftain hard bagger.
Minnesota’s Classic Motorworks Ltd., based in Faribault, serves as
the exclusive U.S. importer & distributor of Royal Enfield
motorcycles – bikes made in 2013 that look like they came from 1955.
