Impressions of the 97 California 75th Anniversary
Impressions of the 97 California 75th Anniversary:
I bought my 1997 75th Anniversary California 1100i used from a Moto Guzzi
dealer in the early summer of 2001. The bike had 18,000 miles on it and
looked brand new. Upon making arrangements to drive 3 hours to see the
bike, the Guzzi dealer quickly made talk like we were old friends and soon
asked me "So, you want to take it for a ride?" Got to like that about the
Guzzi dealers.
Anyway, right after the test ride I bought the California.
I could not believe how comfortable the bike was, it's awesome acceleration,
and incredible brakes (I used to ride a few Hondas and always had nothing
but a throbbing back and saddle sore, poor performance, etc). I'm 5'9" and
this bike fits me very well. It has both floorboards and highway pegs on it,
so I switch back n' forth between them to get a good ergonomically friendly
balance on my body parts. My wife also really loves the Guzzi. She rarely
complains about not being comfortable, which is great because her back is
worse than mine! It took her a few hours of riding to get used to the low
backrest, however, when compared to the higher sissy bar she was used to,
she actually found it more comfortable and easier on the shoulders and neck.
When it comes down to reliability I can't complain. From June to November
last year I put just over 7,000 miles on my Guzzi. It never left me
stranded, or left anything puddling up underneath when parked. I must admit
though, I did let the three year old battery in it get far too down once,
and therefore had to have the wife push start me once. Yup, you can say she
was less than thrilled but really proud of herself! Of course on the ride
home I had to buy her chocolate ice cream. I'm looking forward to many
rides and rallies this year where I can be confident I will make it there
and back w/o any major disasters. With the rallies/events I have planned to
attend this season I imagine I'll double the miles I put on last season.
Power. You all know what I'm talking about if you've been on an 1100 Guzzi.
It's fun to have people stare at your taillight when you take off from a
dead stop. There is plenty of power available to keep a steady speed on the
long hauls up and down hills, as well as enough power ( and clearance ) to
"goose it" with the sporty bikes around those curvy back roads!
Styling. I have to admit, I get a lot of positive comments about the styling
of my California. In addition, it's common to get folks that don't know
much about Guzzi's to ask an ample amount of questions about the brand in
general.
People seem to like the big headlight, the fenders, and the way
the motor sits on the frame. It's always funny when somebody asks me "how'd
you get that motor in there sideways like that?" Most people walk away with
a grin on their face and a better understanding of Guzzi's, no matter what
brand of bike or four wheels they are proud of riding/owning.
All in all I must say I will never look back and think "I wonder if I should
have bought an _____ instead?" My wife and I love our California and hope
to purchase a couple other Guzzi models in the future (after she gets her
dream house of course). I advise people looking to purchase a motorcycle to
check out Moto Guzzi often, and will never hesitate to keep giving that sort
of advise. I have met some of the best people at Moto Guzzi rallies, rides
sponsored by other groups or brands, and randomly at other places. So many
good things can come from a common bond that people have between them
because of a similar interest in Moto Guzzis.
Cheers,
Aron Larson
St. Paul, Minnesota
1997 California 75th Anniversary
moto-guzzi@attbi.com