Moto Guzzi California

2003 - Moto Guzzi California Aluminum

I had to replace the Vulcan 1500 I sold to a workmate with something worthy.  Its hard to beat watercooled, shaftdrive, comfortable like an easy-chair, and cool.
Sacrifice watercooled for exotic, and upgrade to GREAT handling and I discovered the Moto Guzzi California.

74 pound-feet of torque and 70 hp.

This machine attracts more attention than most bikes which cost many times more.
Got the Clutch Warranty done and the Camshaft Recall.  The hydraulic lifters seem to be behaving themselves (for the moment).  It ticks a little more than I like, but its running strong.

The sucessful warranty work is no thanks to Motor-Vation of Mechanicsburg.  They are complete and total idiots.  NEVER buy a motorcycle from them, and NEVER take anything there for service.  They kept it for 3 months arsing around, while they screwed up the camshaft re-work, set the lifters for a non-hydraulic bike.  It sounded like a bucket of bolts going thru a thrashing machine.  The left half the vacuum lines off so the engine wouldn't run right.  They forgot to tighten the clutch adjustment locknut, which almost made me crash when I lost the clutch.  Then as the ultimate sin they put the OLD oil BACK in the engine instead of replacing it.  I'm glad they aren't a Guzzi dealer any longer.
I had to fix it myself with the help of other dealers.

Thanks to Jason of Speaker Cycles of Ohio for tech support;
and to Harper's Moto Guzzi for the "Outsider" external oil filter kit.