Moto Guzzi California 1100EV (1997-current)

It's got loads of what is usually referred to as 'character', mostly the good sort. The engine shudders and shakes at low revs and the big V-twin pulls the bike over to the left when you rev it. It will say it's in neutral but it's actually still in first gear (so be careful when you let the clutch out at a standstill). The tacho on mine has bust (but you don't really need it anyway). Unfortunately the paint is somewhat thin and some of the chrome is of absolutely appalling quality. Also, Moto Guzzi seem to have gone out of their way to make this weigh almost as much as the Isle of Wight ferry. Aside from this quirky 'character' the Cali's a wonderful bike. The seat is all day comfy, it takes all your luggage with ease, the handling is truly exceptional for a bike of this sort, all the switchgear is laid out perfectly, and it's also surprisingly quick - breezing past 100 even two up with luggage. If you have a good sense of humour and like a bit of 'character' you'll love this bike.

This is undoubtedly the most comfortable bike I have ridden. Having travelled 600 miles in one day, with pillion with no aches or pains. Brakes are powerful and the overall feel is one of safe. That said, could do with a few more HP at the rear wheel for ultimate sense of security. Finish is fine at the moment but I have taken the time to wax/polish all the shiny bits but am not sure if I would ride it through the winter. Sounds fantastic and you can pack a surprising amount of kit into the panniers. Lighter than many of its rivals but the wide seat etc means sub 5'8" riders struggle while at standstill (like me). I usually achieve 50mpg while touring fully loaded & 2 up. My only gripe is the gear change and have only just mastered it. What would set it off would be a back rest but cannot find one for love not money.

I bought this bike 3 years ago with just 1554 miles on the clock for £2950!!Granted, it was just the Stone basic model with no equipment at all but it was an absolute steal.Maintennace is easy peasy and it's dead easy to work on. Design is antiquated, but that's because they got it right first time 26 years ago! Tuning is easy - although claiming 70bhp, actual power at the wheel is about 61bhp - aftermarket silencers,junked catalyst,air box mod and k&n installed saw 67bhp and more midrange grunt than you could shake a shitty stick at!Then came a power commander and a custom map with an output of 72bhp and an addictive grunty delivery.Economy is 50mpg round town and 60mpg cruising at 60mph.Blasts upto the ton with ease but from there its bit of a struggle. PROBLEMS? Did an 8000 mile trip round europe last summer taking in 17 countries and never missed a beat.Engine and gearbox will last you forever so long as you change the oil and check valve clearances regularly (dead easy job despite oil filter located inside the oil sump). Odd gearchange not for everybody. Quality of paintwork is appalling. Every 1500 miles you need to do a walk around and tighten ALL the bolts or replace with nylocs.Wheels and steel fenders rust easily. Basic models - Stone and Jackal - came with a single disc upfront,which when the bike weighs 1/4 of a metric ton and you're doing a magic ton can seem rather disconcerting.Oh yeah, if you get a pre-2004 the fuel caps have a plastic seal that can warp and get stuck.Quality of aftermarket screens,pannier racks,rear luggage carriers and centre stands are crap yet hideously expensive! PLUS POINTS-indestructible!Will outlast your dads volvo!CHARACTER!love the transverse vibes.Handling.sound!go.stop(ish).Rarity.A brilliant enthusiast following and club support.Aftermarket tuning and customisation is rife despite the rarity.Comfortable.Economical.Rode a Harley and this put a much bigger grin on my face (and I bought this bike when I was 21, definately not over the hill yet!)

I have had this bike for just over three years. When I had just under 3000 KMS on the clock (staying within all break in procedures) I headed out with my wife for a ride from the west coast to the east coast of Canada. Two weeks into the ride I was in Barrie Ontario in the fast lane of a four lane highway doing 110 KPH when the engine sputtered and died! Miraculously I was able to navigate the bike to the shoulder without being hit by the surrounding rush hour traffic. I called my mechanic in BC and he knew right away the issue was the feed line had blown off the fuel pump in the tank (known issue)! I pulled the pump and found the line was crimped on and replaced with a proper clamp, one issue resolved. Another issue I had was a catastrophic clutch failure on the return leg about 200 KMS west of Ottawa (in the middle of nowhere)! I had been adjusting the clutch for slipping problems every 4-5000 KMS throughout the trip, something I had never encountered in 40 years of riding. To my amazement once I was towed 500 KMS to the closest dealer in Montreal I found out there was a recall on the clutch! The factory clutch is a single plate that cannot handle the torque of the engine (poor plate material choice?). After a week of me/dealer/factory discussion, they agreed to replace the clutch under warranty. It took another week to get the recall replacement parts from Italy and four days to have the clutch installed. Fortunately I have a fried in Almonte Ontario so I had a place to sleep (and wait). Unfortunately my wife ran out of time and had to fly back to BC to return to work (school break). In the end I had to leave my bike in Almonte Ontario and fly home to wait out the winter (you don't ride the Rockies in the winter). In the spring my wife and I flew back and finished our ride of a lifetime. I have since put another 15,000 KMS on the bike without a hiccup.

A fantastic cruiser with Italian style and loads of character. Great value for money, handles and performs well for a cruiser and looks great too.