#california

Remember the previous generation Moto Guzzi California? The Italian take on an all-American genre of motorcycling didn’t quite lure the typical cruiser set away from Harley-Davidson, Victory or even Japanese cruisers in the way the company had hoped. But that didn’t stop Guzzi from trying (and doing a much better job with the current iteration of the California). In this week’s Church feature, we go back to 2003 and Jason Roberts review of the Moto Guzzi California Titanium. Long story short: he wasn’t a big fan. However, that didn’t stop him from noticing its appeal. Read Jason’s thoughts below, and be sure to visit the photo gallery for more hi-res pics.

Our man Yossef is at it again. This time, our protagonist plops himself aboard a trio of Moto Guzzis – the 850 Griso, Breva and lastly, the California. The year is 2006, Guzzi’s parent company, Piaggio, had just acquired the Aprilia brand and many, including Yossef, wondered what impact that would have on the future of Moto Guzzi. As we know today, the two brands coexist just fine, and this 2006 launch of a slew of Guzzi models, including the then-new Griso and Breva, reaffirmed Guzzi’s place in Yossef’s mind as well. Read on to see what he thought of the three bikes, and the unique transverse V-Twins in each of them.

Well it looks like I drew the short straw again. Most of the other MOites have young kids and/or needful spouses which all provide convenient excuses, so I was the guy who’d have to ride the BMW R1200RT (MO’s Sport-Tourer of 2014) up to Healdsburg, an hour north of San Francisco, for a chamber of commerce-sponsored junket where I’d have to spend several days riding around sampling the area’s finest wines and haute cuisine with a bunch of foodies and wine snobs. Why me, Lord?

Any California motorcyclist who’s suffered a lane-splitting accident in the last few months should consider consulting an attorney regarding any legal standing you may have to sue Mr. Kenneth Mandler. Why? Because it was him and his sanctimonious indignation that forced the CHP to retract its Lane-Splitting Guidelines – a safe riding tip sheet that may have helped riders avoid crashing or minimize potential injuries while lane-splitting had it been available.

The mid-70 degree air swirled past the cop-style windshield and gently around the riders while grips pulsed pleasantly under leather gloves. With the heat of the inland valleys behind and the promise of cool, slightly humid air along the beach, the Moto Guzzi’s chrome reflected a brilliant blue sky and wispy clouds that movies and television would have us believe make up every day along America’s southwestern coastline.