2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom ABS Review

2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom ABS
Its seating position
and adjustable suspension make the Guzzi the sportiest machine here.

You immediately realize there’s something different about this bike when you notice its more aggressive, almost sporty stance. At 708 pounds, it’s the lightest in our test and it’s also the only one of these machines that was based upon a sportier touring bike—an Italian machine designed for use in the Alps and environs rather than America’s more wide-open roads. Its 90-degree, air/oil-cooled V-twin motor is mounted across the frame rather than in line with it, and its massive heads protrude from the fuel tank like bulging muscles. At “only” 1,380cc (84 cubic inches) it offers the least displacement here, yet it generates the greatest horsepower. Start it and notice how, with its orientation, the grips pulse side-to-side with the motor idling.

The bike’s throttle-by-wire system offers three riding modes. In Veloce (Fast) mode, throttle response is instantaneous and the bike feels sprightly and quick. Turismo (Touring) mode provides the same power output, but softens throttle response. Pioggia (Rain) mode is positively somnolent, and when we tested the touring version of this bike in last September’s issue, horsepower and torque dropped from 87.7 and 78.5 lb-ft in Veloce to 67.2 and 70.4 in Pioggia mode.

The seat is wide and has a cushiony feel, the bar is wide and its twin rear shocks offer more than 20 rebound damping settings. The settings are useful, but shock action is harsh and I was unable to dial in a luxury ride as offered by the other bikes.

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2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom ABS
2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom ABS

Where I really noticed the Custom’s true nature was coming down my favorite twisty road. Its 87.7 peak horsepower is generated at 6,500 rpm, considerably higher in the rev range than the other bikes, and the motor feels lively all the way through in the Veloce mode. Adequate cornering clearance is a bonus.

Its powerful anti-lock braking system with a pair of 320mm front discs and four-piston calipers is a comforting backup. Consider that it generates the most horsepower of any bike here and weighs the least, and you’ve got a potent package. The price paid, however, is that its 37.2 mpg fuel mileage was the lowest in our group, partly because it invites the rider to tweak the throttle. However, on the highway, the Guzzi provides cruise control for sailing along. The California 1400 Custom offers unique styling and approach with Italian flair and a more sporting ride.

2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom ABS
Base Price: $15,490
Website: motoguzzi-us.com
Engine Type: Air/oil-cooled,
longitudinal 90-degree V-twin, SOHC, 4 valves per cyl.
Bore x Stroke: 104.0 x 81.2mm
Displacement: 1,380cc
Transmission: 6-speed,
hydraulically actuated wet clutch
Final Drive: Shaft, 3.6:1
Wheelbase: 66.3 in.
Rake/Trail: 38 degrees/6.1 in.
Seat Height: 29.3 in.
Wet Weight: 708 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 5.4 gals.
Average MPG: 37.2

* NOTE: This review was part of a four-motorcycle comparison titled Cutting-Edge Cruisers: Function Meets Form Head-On, which was published in the September 2014 issue of Rider magazine. To read the main article, CLICK HERE. To read the sidebars on the other three cruisers, follow the links below:

 

2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom ABS
The California’s large gauge includes a speedometer, tachometer and large LCD display with fuel gauge.
2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom ABS
That flexed muscle of a motor offers the least displacement here yet pumps out the most horsepower.

 

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