Menus

• The stripped down version of the Calif ‘for 3000 euros less
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• Contact
• In the city
• Highway
• National
• Departmental
• Braking
• Comfort
• Consumption
• Convenient.
• Conclusion

The stripped down version of the Calif ‘for 3000 euros less

If for you the California evokes the motorcycles of the American police, you will be surprised to discover here a stripped version, devoid of saddlebags and windshield, thus justifying a difference of 3000 € with the superb “vintage” which you undoubtedly had in. head. Moto Guzzi icon, California is playing its part of the eternal comeback here with a "new version" called Aquila Nera (Black Eagle). The opportunity to look at a myth that is as compelling as it is sympathetic ….

Discovery

Coated in a matte black paint in "Ducati Dark" style, the caliph does not ignore a bit of luxury. Under the Roman sun, its chrome shines with a thousand lights. Dashboard, silencer, cylinder head covers, foot steps, handlebars, mirrors, grab handle and other injection masking covers are there to dazzle your eyes. Evil tongues will say that this is not luxury on a € 13,400 machine with ancestral technology to say the least…. yes, but that’s exactly why we love it, a bit like a Harley. Moreover, its technology is not ancestral, it is simply immutable, it is different.

Created in 1921 Moto Guzzi will be 90 spring next year. The historic firm of Mandello del Lario now declines its range around a unique architecture: the air-cooled V-engine positioned longitudinally with a shaft transmission. This framework which constitutes "the common trunk" is the fruit of the imagination of the emblematic engineer Cesare Carcano known as "Jules Cesars" Creator of the famous Guzzi V8 in 1956, it is also he who imagined the Famous V7 in 1967 43 years later, it is still a standard for the Italian brand and probably for a very long time to come. It should be noted that the term longitudinal refers to the axis of the crankshaft and therefore that paradoxically, it is the Ducatis which have a transverse engine Thanks to a longitudinal box outlet, the choice of this positioning goes very logically with a secondary transmission by shaft. , since this avoids the use of an angle transmission, unlike a BMW K series with its 4 transverse in-line cylinders for example. If all Guzzi have a shaft transmission, the solutions offered on the range are different. The California has the most rustic with a rigid rear axle.

In the saddle

Low in the saddle (780 mm), the California immediately puts its rider at ease. Even those under 1.70m will easily put their feet on the ground and the low weight does not make maneuvering too painful. The size is not imposing and the proportions of the machine have nothing in common with a GoldWing and other large streamlined GTs. The only problem when leaving is to remove the side stand…. This is when you will regret not standing over 1.70m, because you have to be a contortionist to catch it ….

On the handlebars, no surprise, the instrumentation is classic as one can imagine on such a model. Needle counter and tachometer, reserve indicators and two small digital displays indicating the kilometers and the outside temperature, which was very mild on the day of our test. The tachometer does not have a red zone, but we will quickly see that it is totally out of place on this machine. The position is natural, we sit like a pasha, the mirrors are effective, the controls fall well under the hands…. But less well under the feet. The running boards are fine, but the brake pedal is too high. To access it, you either have to raise your foot or place it on a small lug on the pedal, which reduces the value of the steps. Left side, same surprise with the double branch selector which imposes a particular handling, even if it is quite intuitive. It is indeed necessary to up the reports by acting with the heel on the rear branch. Not easy, but we got used to it very quickly, especially as gear changes are rare.

Contact

The engine makes its longitudinal position felt as soon as it is started. The slightest blow of gas causes the motorcycle to tilt a little because of the overturning torque, but again nothing annoying. Equipped with dual-ignition cylinder heads and a movable Breva crew, it is more alert than one imagined and its tone is both low and pleasant. It’s time to go.

In the city

With its low center of gravity the bike has a good natural balance which makes you quickly forget the weight, once you have managed to remove the stand. The very supple engine purrs and getting around the city in this 1100 is nothing short of an ordeal. The large handlebars offer a large lever which ensures a very correct handling. A real joy. Sometimes it is a bit difficult to find a neutral point, but with the usual we anticipate and pass it just before the stop, which is very easy. A pleasant test, especially as the engine responds with sympathetic vigor when the light turns green.

Highway

This time to us the great outdoors. Once the fifth is hooked, the kilometers are threaded like pearls, well installed on the comfortable saddle, the feet placed flat on the steps. It’s happiness, we run with our noses in the wind because this "black eagle" does not have the windshield (nor the legs) of the real caliph. It’s a shame certainly, but as we said at the beginning, that’s why it’s cheaper. The vibrations are not felt and on its handlebars we would go to the end of the world. The 73 hp engine at 6400 rpm is enough to take you to 130 (and even a lot more), but never mind, you don’t care how much you ride, since on its handlebars, the pleasure, precisely, it’s to ride.

National

This is a playground where you will appreciate the California even more, because with the phases of acceleration and braking, it can highlight the qualities of its engine and its chassis. The pick-ups are excellent, the course holding is perfect and the braking is quite up to the task. It is only the gear changes that require a little care because the gearbox is slow.

Departmental

It is here that you will discover that the caliph ’is not a pachyderm…. only that. The one that one might have taken for a good fat mother turns out to be rather alert. Narrow tires are undoubtedly for a lot (110 FWD and 150 REV). In addition, its completely satisfactory ground clearance allows good speeds of passage in curves without apprehension. It is simply necessary not to rush the beast, because the kilos are there all the same. However, while the reactions are a bit slow, they are never vicious. It slows down, it holds on to the ground and, well done, it sustains a pace that will amaze more than one in perfect serenity. The only downside to this almost idyllic picture: the gearbox which admits its canonical age and turns into a meeting point of false dead spots when you try to make it pick up the pace. If you don’t want to understand that it is slow, it will remind you that it is not fast. It’s inescapable ….

Braking

This is undoubtedly one of the strengths of this bike, a quality you wouldn’t expect on an "old-fashioned GT". The pair of 320mm Brembos with gold series 4 piston calipers do a remarkable job, provided you operate the lever and the pedal simultaneously. Indeed, the right disc is controlled by the handle, while the left is coupled to the rear 282 mm disc (2 piston caliper). A very successful variant on the theme of integral braking dear to Moto Guzzi. When driving relaxed, you only brake at the foot, the bike remaining horizontal.

Comfort

Another highlight of the California with its welcoming saddle and its position as a senator. The adjustable 45mm front fork (compression on the left, rebound on the right) does its job very well, it is less obvious on the side of the rear shocks which are also adjustable in rebound and preload. They are a little dry on small shocks, but their short travel (96 mm) and the large unsprung mass (rigid bridge) are undoubtedly for a lot. Too bad, because the rest is perfect and the passenger well treated with a large and comfortable saddle, low footrests and a real grab bar. Another pleasant detail for him, the smooth and smooth engine combined with a smooth ride on this type of motorcycle..

Consumption

Little used, torquey, the engine is not greedy. Expect an average of 5.5 L / 100, or a range of just over 250 km before passing the reserve. The tank is 19 liters including 4 liters of reserve.

Convenient.

Without the saddlebags, the leg guards, the windshield, the Aquila Nera version is not really ready to take you on a long trip. You will have to type in the range of accessories or options to transform it into a real GT. A luggage rack with a top case for 2 helmets will solve the problem at a lower cost. Note in this regard that the optional bags for large that they are can not accommodate a full face helmet.

Conclusion

So Calif or not Calif? Qualif ’without hesitation! From the top of his saddle 40 years of history gaze at you. And it’s a safe bet that it will last longer. Indeed if Moto Guzzi is aware that the cube competition between 16 and 1800 cc, the firm does not have the means to develop a new engine. But in these days of "down sizing", isn’t the Calif ahead of its time? Casually, it also weighs a good 100 kilos less than its competitors. So what good is more displacement? Offered 3000 € cheaper than the Vintage, this "Aquila Nera" (like the "Classic") is a "real" Calif ‘: spoked wheels, super relaxed driving position, very nice engine, make you forget a gearbox from another age and a little stiff rear shocks. A particularly endearing and easy to swing "vintage" motorcycle … A real treat. To have once in your biker life, to be cool, but not soft on the knees.

Strong points

• the very friendly motor character
• healthy and efficient road behavior
• driving position and comfort

Weak points

• the rear shocks a little stiff
• the ergonomics of the foot controls (including the side stand that is difficult to fold up)
• the slow gearbox

Competitors: Kawasaki VN 1600.

Datasheet

Test conditions:

Itinerary: Around 150 km around Rome on small varied roads a bit of town in the center of Rome Mileage of the motorcycle: 650 km

Problem encountered: having fallen under the spell of this old Italian.

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