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I saw a well-used Moto Guzzi sitting at rest, all by itself, in a small, gravel parking lot. I could see it was a large bike—a cruiser. As I walked up to it, I wondered what the make was. The fact that it had a V-twin motor, yet mounted side-to-side—not fore-and-aft—fascinated me. When I looked closer, I saw the make—Moto Guzzi. It was obvious that this iron horse from Italy had put many miles under its wheels. It didn’t have the spit-and-polish look of a coddled, middle-aged owner’s “Sunday cruiser.” Some of the metal parts were pitted; a spot of surface rust showed here and there; and the paint was less than gleaming. But, the whole package was holding up well and looked in fine fettle for a cross-country trip. I even remember thinking what it might cost me to buy it from its owner, though I suspect he’d be loath to part with his faithful steed.
The packaging of this image of the California 1100i, from Maisto, doesn’t specify a year, though I suspect it’s of recent vintage, say the ‘90s, maybe later. It’s obvious, by looking at it, that the bike was designed to appeal to the “cruiser cult” in America, hence the “California” designation along with the cc motor displacement numbers. Maisto has done an excellent job of making the image look great. In fact, that was the reason I picked it up. That said, there’s a great deal of chromed (and painted) plastic on this image. The handlebars, kickstands, roll bars, and exhausts are all plastic, along with all the small parts. The frame, forks, tanks, motor blocks, and heads all appear to be die cast metal, however. The seat and saddlebags are done in soft plastic. The paint job is up to spec and the detailing on the gauges is good. All appropriate wires and cables are in evidence. Working parts are limited to the suspensions, wheels, and steering. The spoke wheels are molded plastic, but the spokes aren’t clunky looking and, overall, they don’t look that bad. The low $35.00 price is the reason for all the plastic, but, as I said, the image looks good as a display piece—well worth the price, and then some.
Because of the 90-degree, V-twin’s position, and the fact this cruiser is shaft-driven, the ride must be smooth. The 1100cc displacement should provide more than adequate power. But, on looks alone, the bike’s an eye-catcher. If you’re looking for a different sort of bike for your 1:10 scale collection, this one’s a good choice. On the street, or in your collection, this cruiser will stand out among all that Harley hardware—yet not look intimidated.
(05/14/2004)
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