Comments on: 2013 California 1400 tested in magazines

By: John

John — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 16:59:19 +0000

In reply to Hawkboy. Hawkboy, many thanks, and congratulations on your new 1400 Custom! I have been wondering how the extra weight and size would feel to someone that has been riding the the previous generation California for a long time. It's great to hear that it still feels right, enjoy! John

By: Hawkboy

Hawkboy — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 04:27:24 +0000

John,
Truly enjoy reading the articles on your website here. Keep it up. I’ve owned a 2003 California Stone touring since new and it now has 130,000 miles on it. I’ve replaced the footpegs on it 4 times as i keep grinding them off. The bike is an unbelievably stable with great lean angle….I had to laugh to myself when I read that you don’t like grinding floorboards. I can see your point, but take it from me and others…the California was made to corner.. Anyhow, I just bought a 1400 Custom which I take delivery of tomorrow. I actually was thinking about a Griso because of the listed weight on the new California being 100+ above my Cal Stone. However one test ride changed that, and I fell in love with it. It’s like the old California on steriods…they did an amazing job keeping the same neutral steering feel of the California lineage..just amazing. I hope to spend 10+ years on this bike as well. Cheers and keep up the good work. -Hawkboy

By: Roy

Roy — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 17:01:26 +0000

Got it, and rode it for 200 miles so far. I have the first of this kind on the East Coast they (Vespa Brooklyn) told me. And I can tell you: It's very different from the good old one. I say different - better or not? Anybody's call! Amazing how you can cruise in 5th gear at 40-50 mph up a significant mountain road, just on torque at 2700 rpm! Yet, the engine likes to rev. Fascinating. Not possible with the old one. And the handling is stunning for this size of bike. Cheers. Roy

By: Roy

Roy — Fri, 31 May 2013 13:22:33 +0000

John – I just bought a new AGV K3 Dreamtime, mostly white (doesn’t heat up) and very well vented. Not Snell approved (I don’t do racing), but full face.
Will send picture of my bike when I have it (got VIN number, but no bike yet) – it’s the white Touring version.
I am very excited – will send you picture once I have it.

Safe riding!

By: John

John — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:23:44 +0000

In reply to Roy. Roy, I appreciate your view on full face helmets and am also excited for you that you are getting a new California. I actually wear a Snell approved full face helmet for 90% of the riding I do. The hottest summer days in the Carolinas are when I wear an open face helmet due to becoming sick from overheating in my full face (I need one with better vents), but I limit it to that. Please send in a photo of you with your new bike and helmet when you get it, looking forward to that and for you to be back in the saddle! John

By: Roy

Roy — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 04:35:33 +0000

BTW – I did see on several photos on this site (but also on many other sites of course) that folks seem to be riding their Californias with open face helmets.

Allow me to share one piece of advice: I did have three accidents by now in my over 28 years of riding experience – and without a full face helmet, I would surely be dead by now and not be writing you these lines. One of my full face helmets that I keep (as a lucky charm and haunting reminder I suppose) from one of these accidents has a fist-sized hole right about where the left ear is. Without a full face helmet, as the police officer handling that accident those days had later put it, my head would have been “like a tomato on the street”!

Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I do strongly believe that you are seriously playing with your lives if you ride with an open face helmets.

Apologies for the solicitation – but I felt I had to share something valuable here.

Be safe.

PS: Also for my new California 1400 Eldorado I will buy a new full faced helmet, and nothing less.