|  | Topic : Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer |  |
| | | davetac1 | | Thunderbird |  | | Reg. Date | : | 06/09/2010 | | Posts | : | 8,379 | | Location | : | Haverhill, Ma., United States |
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| | Posted : 02 Jun 2017 - 02:20 Post title : Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer | | | Well gang,as you may or may not know,and because the clock is tickin, ,I'm lookin for a new scooter to replace mine cause I want one more new machine before I croak.Now there's nothin really wrong with mine other then it's got a lot of miles [ over 113,000 showin on the clock right now],but she's still runnin as good as,if not better then,it did when it was new.So the other day I had an occasion to road test a brandy new 2017 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer as a possible replacement.Well let me tell ya,I've driven just about everything out there except the Guzzi,and what really,REALLY impressed me,was the ride.It was like riding on a cloud and I really mean that.It was well balanced, it weighs in at cool 742 lbs. ,has a low seat height, ample room in the saddle bags,an excellent ABS brake system,a comfortable saddle,and great wind protection.The motor is air cooled and has a shaft drive system which worked very well.However,the motor ran like shit.She stumbled until ya got up around the 3000 rpm mark,so ya had to wind it up to that rpm in every gear before ya shifted,meaning ya have to drive around in the lower gears [unless you're on the highway] which does nothin but suck up fuel.When I asked the salesman about it,I got the standard answer "THEY ALL DO THAT"!! Well if my Tbird did that when I road tested it,I wouldn't have bought it.The salesman claimed that the flywheel,because it wasn't very big,was what was causing the problem.Well I don't think so,but I let him talk, and after listening to his line of shit,I passed on the machine and thanked him for the road test.But to be truth full with ya,I was disappointed because it rode so fuckin good,but ran so fuckin BAD! 
Now I also like Triumphs' LT,except for the spoke wheels and tube type tires,hence the reason I won't touch it.So the search goes on.Now if I find somethin I like,maybe I'll buy it,and maybe I won't.But if I don't find anything that tickles my fantasy,I guess my current SE will be my final ride.Maybe the wife will even bury me sitting on it. Dave!!!
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| | | AZCactus | | Taranis | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 01/05/2013 | | Posts | : | 4,524 | | Location | : | AZ |
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| | Posted : 02 Jun 2017 - 03:06 Post title : Re: Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer (Re: davetac1) | | | between the Guzzi and BMW cruisers...about the same MSRP but totally different machines (check the specs). btw the Guzzi seat height is 29 and BMW is 30. Triumph SE is cool too! 
| 2009 Thunderbird 1700 Big Bore
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| | | Hornet | | Jupiter | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 05/05/2013 | | Posts | : | 1,294 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 02 Jun 2017 - 15:29 Post title : Re: Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer (Re: davetac1) | | | The Guzzis power band is at a higher RPM than the Tbird. The Guzzi has less torque and less horsepower,
Out of curiosity, at what RPM are you shifting the Bird ?
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2014 Commander
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| | | davetac1 | | Thunderbird | | | Reg. Date | : | 06/09/2010 | | Posts | : | 8,379 | | Location | : | Haverhill, Ma., United States |
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| | Posted : 02 Jun 2017 - 15:49 Post title : Re: Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer (Re: Hornet) | | | After driving the Guzzi,the power band is pretty much the same as that of the Tbird.However, the HP "IS" the same as that of the Tbird,@96,but I forget just where the torque curve actually comes in or what the torque numbers are.  
Regarding my Bird: I generally change gears between 2000-2500 rpm,accelerating gradually,while cruising around in high gear around the 2000 rpm mark.And I hardly ever exceed the 3000 rpm mark in any gear or at any time because I don't drive it that hard or that fast,which,IMO,is the reason why the motor still runs as good as it does considering the mileage I have on it.
| | Post edited by davetac1 on 02 Jun 2017 - 15:56 |
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| | | Hornet | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 05/05/2013 | | Posts | : | 1,294 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 03 Jun 2017 - 00:42 Post title : Re: Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer (Re: davetac1) | | | Not beating you up here but is it safe to say that bird has never been to 80 mph?
| You'll never be first but you might be next
2014 Commander
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| | | davetac1 | | Thunderbird | | | Reg. Date | : | 06/09/2010 | | Posts | : | 8,379 | | Location | : | Haverhill, Ma., United States |
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| | Posted : 03 Jun 2017 - 03:32 Post title : Re: Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer (Re: Hornet) | | | Believe it or not,my Bird has seen 100mph on several occasions,"BUT" brought up to that speed gradually.And it has seen the 80 mark on a number of occasions,but again,only to pass slower moving traffic on the highway,then returning to the speed limit or alittle above.Age and experience has taught me to be conservative,  and being conservative has brought me good luck with all my motorcycles over the 55 years I've been drivin two wheeler,not to mention holding on to my drivers' license!!
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| | | daz | | Zeus | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,686 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 05 Jun 2017 - 05:38 Post title : Re: Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer (Re: davetac1) | | | Geez Dave, i dunno why you can;t see the obvious. With your riding habits and disdain for bad tire mileage and belt drives, i think theres really only one answer for you. Go for it, It's absolutly YOU !!!!!
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| | | davetac1 | | Thunderbird | | | Reg. Date | : | 06/09/2010 | | Posts | : | 8,379 | | Location | : | Haverhill, Ma., United States |
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| | Posted : 05 Jun 2017 - 12:25 Post title : Re: Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer (Re: daz) | | |
daz wrote:
Geez Dave, i dunno why you can;t see the obvious. With your riding habits and disdain for bad tire mileage and belt drives, i think theres really only one answer for you. Go for it, It's absolutly YOU !!!!!
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I think you might be right Dale!! I even like the color!!! Smart ass!!! 
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| | | AZCactus | | Taranis | | | | Reg. Date | : | 01/05/2013 | | Posts | : | 4,524 | | Location | : | AZ |
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| | Posted : 15 Oct 2017 - 15:05 Post title : Re: Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer (Re: davetac1) | | |
davetac1 wrote:
Well gang,as you may or may not know,and because the clock is tickin, ,I'm lookin for a new scooter to replace mine cause I want one more new machine before I croak.... |
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What are friends for...I found the ultimate riding machine for you!
If you require a ton of niceties like supreme comfort, power, cruise and traction control, panniers, audio system, shaft drive, wind tunnel tested, 649 lbs (dry weight), on and on...then here it is! Or you ain't lookin.
Link
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| | | PES | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 03/01/2009 | | Posts | : | 927 | | Location | : | Tulsa, OK, United States |
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| | Posted : 15 Oct 2017 - 16:47 Post title : Re: Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer (Re: AZCactus) | | | What? 2018 Trophy. I thought they were discontinued along w the Thunderbirds?
| "Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul."-author unknown
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| | | davetac1 | | Thunderbird | | | Reg. Date | : | 06/09/2010 | | Posts | : | 8,379 | | Location | : | Haverhill, Ma., United States |
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| | Posted : 15 Oct 2017 - 18:12 Post title : Re: Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer (Re: AZCactus) | | | Thanks Rich,but I don't think so. I looked at that machine awhile back,but it just sets too high!!
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| | | AZCactus | | Taranis | | | | Reg. Date | : | 01/05/2013 | | Posts | : | 4,524 | | Location | : | AZ |
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| | Posted : 15 Oct 2017 - 20:59 Post title : Re: Moto Guzzi California 1400 Tourer (Re: davetac1) | | | right, Thunderbird is hard to beat.
| 2009 Thunderbird 1700 Big Bore
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