MOTO GUZZI California EV (2003-2004) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 2003, the Italian bike maker released the Moto Guzzi California EV, a cruiser motorcycle that debuted in 1971 as a replacement model for the Moto Guzzi 850 GT and continued production until 2021.

The First Moto Guzzi California was developed jointly with the Los Angeles Police Department Traffic Division to change their Moto Guzzi V7 fleet. The bike was fitted with numerous police-oriented features and was also used by other departments, such as the California Highway Patrol.

In the aesthetic department, the bike had standard features, such as a two-piece dual seat with a passenger backrest, a luggage rack, a teardrop-styled fuel tank, a wide, pulled-back handlebar, a dual exhaust system with a silencer on each side, and wire-spoke wheels.

A 45 mm Marzocchi telescopic fork with 130 mm wheel travel handled the front suspension, while the rear end was controlled by twin side-mounted, preload-adjustable shock absorbers.

Braking-wide, the bike's wheels were equipped with two 320 mm discs on the front engaged by four-piston calipers and a 282 mm disc mounted on the rear wheel tied to a dual-piston caliper.

The 2003 Moto Guzzi California EV was powered by a 1,064cc air-cooled V-twin engine with a fuel injection system feeding the pistons. The engine boasted 74 hp with a peak force at 6,400 rpm and 95 Nm (70 lb-ft) torque at 5,000 rpm.