Finally, it’s the Moto Guzzi California 1400

The first all-new product of a recently reinvigorated Moto Guzzi, this California cruiser represents the future of the once great brand. These are the first official, high-res pictures of the Moto Guzzi California 1400.

Speaking to Piaggio’s VP of Design, Miguel Galluzzi, at Guzzi’s 90th birthday bash in Mandello del Lario last year, we learned that it’s the first bike to receive Guzzi’s all new, “big block” engine. A 1,400cc v-twin that’ll be rolled out across other models based on the California over the next few years.

“The new California will have a 1,400cc engine,” said Galluzzi. “The Guzzi engine doesn’t need a big displacement to have very high torque, so we are going to have a lot of fun with this bike. It’s like having a big block Chevy in a motorcycle. Production of the California will begin around the end of 2012.”

“We are going to have the small displacement (750cc) as we always have, we are going to have something in the middle that is going to be 1,200 or 1,300 and we are going to have the big block,” he continued. “From these three lines of engines, we are going to work to develop new models. The middle is going to be a big middle. Guzzi is about big torque engines.”

So what we can see here, in these quality photos, is the detailing that Galluzzi defines as a hallmark of the Guzzi brand. Witness the organic shape of the headlight and its LED position lights, the bronze-sheathed shocks with braided steel lines running to color-matched remote reservoirs and the polished black valve covers. This might be a cruiser, but it’s still an amazing looking motorcycle. Something all future Guzzis are going to be too.

Word from Piaggio Group's annual dealer conference, which took place in Florida earlier this week, is that the new California will be arriving on American shores this fall.