Moto Guzzi California 1400

[oldhippie1]

No Frank is NO ATTRACTION to me. I know him better than anyone else in the MGNOC. He's a PITA>

[rocker59]

Originally Posted by oldhippie1

No Frank is NO ATTRACTION to me. I know him better than anyone else in the MGNOC. He's a PITA>

[Lobby]

Some of the recent threads have a BMW flavor: airhead vs oil head.

[rocker59]

Originally Posted by Lobby

Some of the recent threads have a BMW flavor: airhead vs oil head.

Guzzi owners are segmented, not unlike BMW and HD owners.

1) Singles. Falcone, Airone, etc. 1921-1974.
2) Loop Frame. 1967 - 1975, Eldorado and Ambassador.
3) Tonti Frame. A large group. Pretty much every bike from the mid-'70s to the early '90s. And Californias through the '12 Cal 90.
4) Small Block. Late '70s to current. V35 to V7C.
5) Spine Frame. Daytona, Sport 1100, V11 Sport/LeMans, MGS-01.
6) CARC. The modern bikes from the Piaggio era, 2006 to present. Breva/Norge/Griso/Stelvio.

CARC. There are lots of new owners who have come into the fold since the 2004 Piaggio buyout. They are definitely more progressive than devotees of the earlier bikes. Many previous BMW and Asian owners in this group. However, the bikes are finally being enthusiastically adopted by the Tonti California crowd.

The Spine Frame fans tend to be sport/sport-touring oriented riders who would probably be on a Ducati if not for Guzzi's spine frame bikes. They are interested in Guzzi for its sporting/racing heritage, and are not happy that Piaggio killed the MGS-01. These guys tend to also be interested in Guzzi's other sporty bikes, the V7 Sport and Tonti Lemans series.

The small block fans are the Sportster owners of the Guzzi world. Smaller bikes that get little respect from the Tonti and Loop devotees. People who like lightweight all-arounders seem drawn to the small block. Lots of guys with vintage Britbike and dirtbike ownership history.

Tonti is the largest group, and includes everything from the V7 and Lemans sportsbikes to the 850T standards to the late model Californias. Generally, Tonti devotees like touring-oriented standards like the 850T, the 1000-G5 and most definitely the Tonti California derivatives. Not quite the luddites that the Loopers are, many of these guys adopted the fuel injected California EV in 1998 and helped make versions of that bike the best seller since the Eldo/Ambo copbikes of the '70s.

The Loop Frame nuts are luddites. Into vintage twins of all types. Carbs, points, tubes, drums. All old school. They eschew modern technology as much as possible and long for the day of The Loop's Resurection.

There is some overlap in the groups, but many owners will have multiples of similar bikes within a family. It's really kind of a trip.

I have to admit, that it's happened to me. I used to smuggly laugh to myself at the old d00ds and thier Loop Frames. But, I've ended up with two spineys, a Sport 1100 and a V11 LeMans. Also a Tonti LeMans. So, I fall into the category of sportsbike riders who are pissed that Piaggio killed the MGS-01 and doesn't have a proper sporty bike in the lineup.

[MZRider]

Originally Posted by rocker59

The Loop Frame nuts are luddites. Into vintage twins of all types. Carbs, points, tubes, drums. All old school. They eschew modern technology as much as possible and long for the day of The Loop's Resurection.

I have to admit, that it's happened to me. I used to smuggly laugh to myself at the old d00ds and thier Loop Frames.

Wow, just wow. You have us all figured out... Not!

[rocker59]

Originally Posted by MZRider

Wow, just wow. You have us all figured out...

As my spine frame illness has progressed, I have learned to empathise with you Loop Frame Nuts.

[Lobby]

What a wonderful post, Rocker! Thanks.

[rocker59]

Originally Posted by MZRider

Not!

Charlie, there was a healthy bit of satire built into that post.

Originally Posted by Lobby

What a wonderful post, Rocker! Thanks.

Lobby, though the post was supposed to be kind of funny, there is lots of truth to it. Each era's bikes have devoted followers who are resistant to change, and are always complaining about what is going on with the company now.

Not unlike what the Shovel guys were doing when the Evo came out in the mid-'80s.

Eventually, the new bikes are adopted by the faithful. The Breva 1100 and Norge are two good examples. They started off slow, mainly being bought by newcomers to the brand, but now after a few years have passed, have been enthusiastically adopted by the faithful Tonti California owners.

[Tinkerfreak]

Originally Posted by jon_l

It isn't even easy to find a dealer near me. The Guzzi Canada site has a "find a dealer" page, but there aren't any. Point of fact, there are of course, the Guzzi site just doesn't help find them. I know there is one in Guelph, because I rode past there one afternoon and stopped in to see what they had. For me to own a limited-volume brand, I would like to find a dealer that didn't just have a few bikes on the floor, but really knew their product and cared about the brand.

The 1400 is gorgeous, I hope enough are bought for me to find a used one in 2 years.

Try looking at these guys up on Steeles in between Keele and Dufferin, actually just west of Dufferin

http://www.corsameccanica.com/

George Ruffolo is the owner and really trying hard to please. Give them a try, I think you will like what you see!!

[jon_l]

Originally Posted by Tinkerfreak

Try looking at these guys up on Steeles in between Keele and Dufferin, actually just west of Dufferin

http://www.corsameccanica.com/

George Ruffolo is the owner and really trying hard to please. Give them a try, I think you will like what you see!!

Thanks! I passed the store a couple times, from the signage, I thought it was mostly an MV Agusta dealer. I'll have a look.

[Durangoman]

Originally Posted by Lobby

A few more pics:

Nice!! But the 1400 needs some color; black and white just too plain..

[Blakebird]

Originally Posted by Durangoman

Nice!! But the 1400 needs some color; black and white just too plain..

I like the black and white versions a lot....but I do think it would look good in Tenni colors as well

[apessino]

Full video review by Tor Sagen - what a cool bike!

[Lobby]

Boy, he was scraping floorboards in just about every curve.

[straightrod]

^ It looked like it was easy to scrape. Add a pillion and luggage and one might have to fit it with training wheels. Maybe he was leaning it over more than it showed.

Bike sure does have some presence. I like it as it is beautiful.