I'd like to know if anyone will be at the big MG event in Mandello del Lario next september. I'll be there saturday 5th and it would be really nice to meet us there!

After our posts on the Eldorado and the Audace, the next in our Guzzi 1400 overview series is the California 1400 Touring; the original flagship transcontinental of the platform, and likely its best selling variant. Built for higher-speed, longer-distance multi-day runs, it debuted as the launch model for the entire 1400 generation.

Production Run & Evolution

Production Years: 2013 – 2020 (Introduced globally at EICMA 2012 for the 2013 model year, with Euro 4 updates arriving in 2017).

The SE (Special Edition) Variant (2015–2017): Added factory passenger backrest/grab-rail assemblies, two-tone paint schemes, supplementary lower deflectors, and chrome handlebar controls.

What Makes the Touring Unique Amongst the 1400s?

1. Wheels, Tires & Stance

Wheel Sizes: Cast alloy 18" front (3.50 \times 18) and a massive 16" rear (6.00 \times 16).

Rubber: Wears a 130/70 R18 up front and a fat 200/60 R16 in the rear.

Chassis Angles: Set up with a 32° steering head angle and 152 mm of trail on a 1,685 mm (66.3") wheelbase. This aggressive rake gives it solid tracking in crosswinds, yet the headstock geometry keeps low-speed parking lot maneuvers surprisingly light for a 740+ lb bike.

2. Cockpit, Bars & Mirrors

Swept Pull-Back Handlebars: Unlike the wide, flat drag bar on the Audace or the straighter bar on the Custom, the Touring features a wider, high-rise swept-back handlebar setup (915 mm width) designed for upright, tension-free shoulder positioning.

Chrome Oval Touring Mirrors: Features high-mount, heavy-stemmed chrome mirrors shaped specifically to extend outward past the wide windshield airflow.

The Shield: Polycarbonate touring screen with secondary lower air deflectors flanking the 46 mm forks.

3. Saddles & Pannier Architecture

The Touring Seat: Features a dished 740 mm (29.1 in) saddle with dual-density foam. It has a distinct raised lumbar bolster for the rider and a widened rear cushion for passengers compared to the sleek, flat bench of the Custom.

35-Liter Hard Bags: Factory color-matched, top-loading 35L sidebags. Unlike aftermarket bolt-ons, these bags are mounted on a dedicated subframe that keeps the luggage tucked tight against the rear fender to preserve ground clearance through deep lean angles.

Technical Specs (Similar to All 1400s)

Engine: 1380cc 90° transverse V-twin (4 valves per cylinder).

Output: 96 HP @ 6,500 rpm / 89 lb-ft (121 Nm) of torque @ 2,750 rpm.

Weight: ~743 lbs (337 kg) dry / ~765 lbs wet with full panniers, crash bars, and shield.

Gearbox: 6-speed with heel-and-toe shifter and low-maintenance shaft drive.

Fuel Capacity: 5.4 US gallons (20.5 Liters) providing ~200+ miles of highway range.

The Electronics Package

Also similar to all 1400 variants, it is powered by the Magneti Marelli 7SM ECU with full Ride-by-Wire control:

1. Turismo (Touring): Smooth, progressive throttle map tuned specifically for highway cruising.

2. Veloce (Fast): Direct, instantaneous throttle response and maximum engine braking for twisty passes.

3. Pioggia (Rain): Softens engine output and cranks up traction control sensitivity.

Standard Electronics: Electronic Cruise Control, 3-level Moto Guzzi Traction Control (MGCT), and dual-channel Brembo ABS.

Touring-Specific Buyer & Maintenance Checklist

When scouting or maintaining a Touring model, keep these points in mind alongside our 1400 Used Buyer's Guide:

Pannier Latch Realignment: The top-loading latches can become stubborn over time if overstuffed. Inspect the rubber gaskets and hinge alignment.

Wind Buffeting / Lip Add-ons: Riders over 6'0" often experience helmet buffeting over the stock tall screen; check if the previous owner installed an aftermarket lip (e.g., Laminar Lip or MRA) or upgraded to a taller shield.

Steering Head Bearings: Because of the heavy front-end load (windshield, light bar, 46mm forks), check for notchiness in the steering head bearings when the front wheel is elevated.

Remote Rear Preload Adjustment: Ensure the hydraulic preload knob for the rear shocks turns smoothly and doesn't leak fluid.

Roll Call & Discussion
Who is logging major miles (or kms) on their California 1400 Touring?

Since we all know how hard it is to find accessories for these things (not to mention how expensive they are), I went to a couple shops out here in SoCal to make a custom one. The only input I did was making templates, locating holes, and adding in some finishing touches like corrosion resistance here and there.
Fabrication done by: E.R. Iron Fabricators 7350 N. Atoll Ave. Unit 15, North Hollywood, CA, 91605.
Chrome plating by: Astro Powder Coating and Polishing 8136 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA, 91605.
All told, this Job came out to $450 so I’d say that’s a pretty killer deal. Remember to look around at small companies!

I recently changed my transmission oil on my 1400 California Custom. Pretty easy procedure. Generally I do this every 10k kms, along with the final drive oil in the rear every other time.

Perhaps this is obvious to most of you, but admittedly I missed it last time around, and my mechanic missed this once before too, so I thought I’d share it here.

Your 1400 wants an 80w-90 GL4 oil in the transmission. Note the GL4 spec. It’s a bit less common, most oils in this weight category are a GL5 spec.

So what’s the difference? A quick internet search will explain it to you, and it will talk about yellow metals and the corrosive nature of GL5 on those metals; things relatively unrelated to our 1400s.

From what I’ve read, the GL4 really just provides the right amount of stickiness for our transmissions, and avoids excess clunkiness that can come with the wrong spec, or in more extreme cases dropping out of gear, or reluctant to click into gear.

Anyway, all in a days learning. GL4 for the 1400s. I used a nice Red Line MT90 Synthetic GL4. Same spec for my Stelvio too.

Pulling some 1400 posts in other subs over to their new home …

Thinking of a few mods on your 1400? Here’s some eye candy to demonstrate what’s possible on the outer edges of reality with this beast.

Spot any other examples out there?

Welcome to the second instalment of The Big-Block Breakdown, where we are profiling each distinct flavor of Mandello’s legendary 1380cc powerhouse to help seed this new 1400 subreddit community.

If the California is the luxury cruiser and the Eldorado is the classic retro, the Audace is the brawler of the 1400 family. Designed by Miguel Galluzzi, it strips away the heritage chrome and replaces it with a pure, blacked-out urban muscle stance. The Audace ditches the chrome inserts, replaces massive floorboards with aggressive footpegs, and swaps the pulled-back handlebars for a wide, flat drag bar. It forces the rider into a commanding, forward-leaning stance.

Technical Specs

Engine: 1380cc 90° transverse V-twin.

Output: 96 HP @ 6,500 rpm / 87 lb-ft of torque @ 2,750 rpm.

Weight: ~660 lbs dry (roughly 30 lbs lighter than its touring siblings).

Gearbox: 6-speed with a standard foot peg toe-shifter.

Signature Engineering Tweaks
Guzzi changed more than just the paint to make the Audace handle the way it does:

More Lean Angle: By swapping floorboards for higher pegs and adding slightly longer rear shocks, Guzzi unlocked an extra 3 degrees of lean angle for aggressive cornering.

Sharper Steering: Unique triple clamps subtly sharpen front-end feedback, removing low-speed cruiser vagueness.

Slash-Cut Exhaust: Short, minimalist matte-black silencers provide a raw, aggressive bark and end right at the rear axle.

Carbon & Wheels: It rolls on multi-spoke cast aluminum wheels with bright red accents, capped off with a real carbon fiber front fender.

The Electronics
Driven by the 7SM ECU, the full ride-by-wire system features three distinct engine maps, consistent to all the 1400s:

1. Veloce (Fast): Instant throttle response and heavy engine braking—where this bike layout belongs.
2. Turismo (Touring): Smooth, progressive power delivery for long distances.
3. Pioggia (Rain): Muted power and maximum traction control intervention for slick roads.

Includes: 3-level Traction Control, Cruise Control, and dual-channel Brembo ABS.

What to Check on a Used One
When scouting a used Audace, keep these model-specific quirks in mind alongside our main 1400 Used Buyer's Guide:

The Ergonomic Stretch: 2016 models feature a completely straight drag bar. If you’re under 6'0", it's a long reach. (Note: 2017+ "Carbon" models received slight pullback bars).

Exhaust Crossover Crack: Look closely at the H-crossover pipe under the engine. The factory welds are prone to cracking from engine vibration.

Low-RPM Chug: The Euro 4 factory mapping can feel lean and choppy under 2,500 RPM. A fueling module or ECU flash smooths this out completely.

The Saddle: The contrast-stitched seat looks brilliant but is firmly on the stiff side. Plan on aftermarket pads or a new saddle for longer stints.

Roll Call & Discussion
Are you running the stock 2016 straight bars, or did you upgrade to the later pullback versions? Anyone here thrashed both an Eldorado and an Audace to compare peg vs. floorboard clearance?

Drop your photos, mods, and mileage updates below!

Bringing some good 1400 posts and discussions from other subs over to their new home :)

Bringing over some older 1400 posts from other subs to their new home here :)

Day trip across the mighty Kootenay Lake, June 2026

Anyone got any tips for maintenance? I think I spent close to 3 hours with some fairly aggressive Met-All aircraft polish and wet sanding. They’re good now, but maaaan what a chore!