16 MAY 2011 l MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER NEWS

MOTO GUZZI IS the world’s third oldest continuously oper-ating motorcycle brand, behind Royal Enfield andHarley-Davidson. Guzzi built its first motorcycle in

1920, but like Harley’s 45° V-twin, Guzzi’s signature longitudi-nally mounted 90° V-twin engine didn’t appear until long after thecompany had been in the motorcycle business. Debuting in 1960in a 3x3 military vehicle called the Mulo Meccanico, it displaced754cc and used a single Weber carburetor. In 1967, a 703cc version was used in the first Moto Guzzi V7 two-wheeler, and itquickly earned its reputation as a Guzzi hallmark.

Naturally, the same basic architecture also appeared in the firstMoto Guzzi California, a customized spin-off of the Eldoradopolice motorcycle, in 1971. The California started as a 750 butgrew in displacement to 850cc, 950cc, and finally 1100cc. Whilea significantly updated, four-valve SOHC version of the 90°engine powers Moto Guzzi’s contemporary offerings, such asthe Griso, Norge and Stelvio, the two-valve engine lives on in the Classic and Custom model line-up, which includes the California Vintage and the new-for-2011 Black Eagle.

Engine & TransmissionAfter purchasing Moto Guzzi in 2000, Aprilia used consider-

able technical and financial resources to revamp the entire MotoGuzzi line. The effort included a re-engineered air/oil-cooled1100cc motor and transmission for its modern sporting machines.Numerous improvements were made, such as revised cylinderheads, shorter and lighter pistons with coated skirts to minimizefriction, oil jets to cool the undersides of the pistons and aredesigned oiling system. Surprisingly, the Black Eagle carriesnone of these updates.

Just as with its Milwaukee-based V-twin rival, changes to theCalifornia powertrain have been evolutionary and not revolu-tionary. It still features the same 90° longitudinal layout of itsearliest ancestors, it’s still air-cooled, and it still shares more incommon with American V-8 automobile engines than most V-twins on the market. For instance, its camshaft is located in thevee between the cylinders, and its dual-sparkplug heads featurehemispherical-style combustion chambers such as the ones popularized on Chrysler’s legendary line of Hemi V-8s.

Weber fuel injection first appeared on the California III in1990, but the Black Eagle uses Magneti-Marelli sequential portfuel injection with 40mm throttle bodies. The Black Eagle’s valvetrain uses old-fashioned (for a cruiser) solid lifters andscrew-and-locknut-style valve adjusters. But, in fact, Moto Guzzi

switched to hydraulic lifters in 2003, howeverthe results were disastrous to reliability. So thesolid lifters returned in 2006, creating an audi-ble tick-tick-tick from the valvetrain that raised afew eyebrows among our test crew. Also, theBlack Eagle proved to be extremely cold-bloodedat initial start-up, refusing to idle properly unlessthe handlebar-mounted enrichener lever wassqueezed for several minutes.

Once warmed, the Black Eagle’s oversquare(92.0mm x 80.0mm bore and stroke) engine pro-duces decent hp and torque with a surprisinglystrong top end lunge, but the dyno revealed a bigflat spot in its torque curve: The Guzzi made 67.8rwhp @ 6750 rpm and 52.34 lb.-ft. of torque asearly as 2500 rpm, but then it tailed off, failing tomake that much torque again until 4500 rpm.From there, the torque rose again before peakingat 58.44 lb.-ft. @ 5250 rpm. The more modernGriso 1200 8V we tested in May 2009 basicallydid the same thing, but the difference is that it’s a

more forgivable flaw in an four-valve overhead cam engine likethe Griso’s, which can be both lugged or revved, depending onwhether the rider is cruising or sport-riding. The Black Eagle maybe intended for sport-minded cruiser customers, but it’s a cruisernonetheless, and it wouldn’t be our Goose of choice for high-speed hot-rodding around canyon curves. It should have a broadertorque curve, even if that means giving up some top-end power.

Its top speed and acceleration numbers aren’t overwhelming.Our test bike rumbled past our radar gun at 112.8 mph, acceler-ated from 0–60 mph at a leisurely 5.17 sec., and lumbered throughthe quarter-mile in 13.35 sec. @ 99.91 mph. Put into perspec-tive, however, the Black Eagle’s performance numbers place it inthe upper mid-pack with the majority of its heavier but moretorque-rich Milwaukee foes, and it can out-accelerate most1100cc–1300cc Japanese cruisers.

But its shift quality suffers by comparison to most bikes in thecruiser genre, and that isn’t surprising because the Black Eagle’s 5-speed transmission has basically been unchanged for 40 years! WhenAprilia engineered the new 6-speed gearbox for the Breva and Griso,it went to great pains to improve on the original design, incorporatinghelically cut gears and dog-clutch shifters that contributed to its slick,effortless shifting. The Black Eagle’s gearbox is still the originaldesign, and why Guzzi didn’t upgrade or replace the existing 5-speedis a real mystery. The transmission imparts a tractor-like shift quality—harsh and clunky—and requires a healthy boot on the heel portion ofthe heel-and-toe shifter. Even the slightest laziness by the rider resultsin missed shifts. It is also infuriatingly difficult to find neutral whenat a standstill with the engine running, a problem compounded by thefact that the neutral light on our test bike’s instrument panel didn’talways come on, even when we did manage to get it out of gear.

The Black Eagle’s cable-operated, twin-plate dry clutch andCardan shaft drive are equally old-school, but at least their performance is more tolerable. While the clutch pull isn’t thelightest around and the clutch tends to heat up and become balkyunder the abuse of multiple drag race-style launches, its action issatisfactory for around-town and highway use. In the name oftradition, the Black Eagle’s shaft drive also doesn’t benefit fromthe addition of Moto Guzzi’s excellent CARC (Cardano ReattivoCompatto) torque arm system, so the suspension lifts and squatsunder acceleration just like old Guzzis do.

Chassis & SuspensionThe Black Eagle has a rather sporty feel when the going gets

twisty, and Guzzi fans can thank legendary Chief Designer Lino

Moto Guzzi Black EagleMoto Guzzi Black Eagleby Scott Rousseau

Model Evaluation

Guzzi’s latest California: Classic Cruiser or Archaic Appliance?

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Tonti for that. Tonti originally created the duplex cradle steelchassis used on the Black Eagle for the 850 LeMans in the mid-1970s, and we were pleasantly surprised to find that what passedas an exceptional-handling sportbike chassis 35 years ago alsoworks reasonably well in cruiser trim. The Black Eagle’s 61.4"wheelbase, 29.0° rake and 4.5" of trail imparts a pleasing char-acter when heeled over in turns, and its 7.5" of ground clearanceis also exceptional. If you should find yourself scraping thefloorboards regularly while riding a Black Eagle, it may be timeto head to the racetrack. Steering is more deliberate than itshould be, but the chassis remains neutral, and the Black Eaglecan be pitched from corner to corner ata spirited pace.

But the Black Eagle’s straight-line sta-bility is less than stellar on the freeway,and that’s undoubtedly why it’s equippedwith a hydraulic steering damper. How-ever, the damper doesn’t completelyeradicate the Black Eagle’s nervousnature when negotiating freeway raingrooves, as even the slightest wobblethrough the bars sends a shock wavethrough the chassis. The steering damperalso limits the Eagle’s turning radiuswhen trying to negotiate a low-speed U-turn, such as in a parking lot or on anarrow two-lane backroad.

MCN prefers motorcycles with adjustable suspension, and theBlack Eagle’s 45mm Marzocchi conventional telescopic forksoffer adjustable compression and rebound damping, with 5.5" offront wheel travel. The adjustability features are divided betweenthe two fork legs, the left controlling the rebound damping whilethe right controls compression damping, and each adjuster isclaimed to have 15 positions—although we counted 18. The BlackEagle’s twin rear shocks are also adjustable, featuring five preloadoptions and 11 clicker positions for rebound damping. But theyprovide just 3.8" of rear wheel travel.

Our test bike’s shocks had the rear preload on the lightest set-ting and the rebound damping adjusters set on position #5. We setthe forks four positions from full rebound damping and six posi-tions from full compression damping. Overall, we were satisfiedwith the suspension’s compliance, although sharp, square-edgedbumps tended to test the stubby shocks’ ability to compensate.

Brakes, Wheels & TiresThe Black Eagle’s Brembo brakes—dual 320mm front discs

with four-piston, dual-action calipers and a single 282mmrear disc with a two-piston, dual-action caliper—incorporateMoto Guzzi’s version of linked brakes. The system, whichuses proportioning and delay valves, links the left front discwith the rear disc, and the two are activated simultaneously bydepressing the rear brake lever. The right front disc is acti-vated independently by the brake lever on the handlebar. TheBlack Eagle certainly showed its talons by going from 60–0mph in just 117.1', but the brakes have a very awkward feelcreated by the high-placed brake pedal, which makes it diffi-cult to modulate them. The rear brake is also touchy, lockingthe rear wheel too easily. Used by itself, the front brake leverhas sufficient power, but trail-braking tends to make the chassis stand up when cornering.

Metzeler Lasertec bias-ply tires (110/90-B18 front and 140/80-B17 rear) and spoked wheels (2.50" x 18" up front and 3.50" x 17"out back) add to the vintage look, and the tires apparently haveadequate grip for braking, but the narrow sizes made us wary thatthey lacked enough contact patch for hard cornering.

Ergonomics, Instruments & ControlsThe Black Eagle’s cockpit isn’t as roomy as it looks, and even

smaller riders may feel hunched over and forced a tad too far for-ward because of its narrow handlebar, which robs the rider ofsteering leverage. Also, while its seat looks plush, its paddinglacks sufficient cushioning for longer rides.

An even bigger gripe is that the Black Eagle’s floorboards aretoo small and its heel/toe shifter isn’t spacious enough to allow asize-10 boot between its levers. The toe lever is also too low toallow a rider to upshift with the toe of his or her boot, and yet theheel shifter is awkwardly placed. We’d prefer good old-fash-

ioned footpegs, like the ones found onthe old Jackal and Stone models.

On the plus side, the Guzzi’s enginelayout leaves its cylinders exposed to thewind, making for much more effectivecooling than a V-twin in which the cylin-ders are placed in-line from front to rear.The Black Eagle caused no discomfortdue to excess engine heat, somethingwe’re used to suffering while astridemost of the air-cooled, American-madeV-twins we test.

Riding ImpressionRiding any motorcycle is still more

fun than driving in a cage, but the Black Eagle’s old-school char-acter isn’t as appealing as some of the other neo-classics we’veridden, perhaps because it’s one of the most genuine classicsmoney can buy. Besides its cranky cold-starting nature, theGuzzi’s closed-loop fuel injection isn’t very crisp. When cruis-ing at partial throttle openings with little or no engine load, itruns too lean and the fuel injection hunts for the proper mixture.On/off throttle transitions also reveal a lack of refinement as theengine lurches whenever the throttle is cracked.

Even so, the Guzzi’s soothing exhaust note is perhaps oneof the most beautiful sounds in all of motorcycling. Riding ata steady 2500 rpm in fifth gear at an indicated 65 mph, theBlack Eagle feels right at home. The engine will vibrate atthis speed, but not to such a degree that it will put your handsor feet to sleep. Our test bike also produced respectable fuelmileage, yielding a 45.3 mpg average for an estimated rangeof 226.5 miles.

Attention To DetailThe Black Eagle’s Coal Black Matte paint complements its

tastefully appointed chrome bits, such as the rocker covers,alternator cover, exhaust pipes and rear seat loop, and MotoGuzzi’s trademark eagle emblem is stamped on both the handle-bar clamp and the left side of the transmission case for a bitmore panache. Its reverse megaphone mufflers also add to thevintage vibe. In contrast, the matting on the its cylinder headheat guards looks as if it was peeled off a surfboard, and its bulbous cylindrical taillight screams “Railroad Crossing.”

Final ThoughtsMoto Guzzi’s California model family has been around for

decades, and we have no reason to doubt that it will continue tolive on as long as Moto Guzzi remains viable. The Black Eagle’sperformance will probably endear it to ardent California fans,and its powerful brakes are about the only components to trulyreveal that the Black Eagle was made in 2011 and not in the ’70sor ’80s—well, the brakes and its $13,490 MSRP. Whether youconsider it an icon or anachronism will say as much about yourtastes as it does about the bike.

Visit us at WWW.MCNEWS.COM l MAY 2011 17

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Model Evaluation

18 MAY 2011 l MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER NEWS

Riding the Black Eagle is like stepping into a time warp. Aroundevery corner, I almost expected to see a vibrant Austin Powers-like scene with mod dudes in suede jackets and hip chicks in mini-skirts and go-go boots. But before waxing too nostalgic, formerCalifornia owners who yearn for the “good old days” might dowell to take the Black Eagle around the block for a reality check.If they did, I suspect they’d realize it was the moment and notnecessarily the motorcycle that they remember most. In thenew millennium, the Black Eagle strikes me as a crude, unrefinedmotorcycle. Its transmission action is simply awful, and what lit-tle new-fangled technology the engine has doesn’t really help itscase, either, as its fuel injection does little to improve its drive-ability. Worst of all, its ergonomics are too cramped. I disliked itshandlebars, its seat padding was too thin, and its floorboardsand foot controls left my feet feeling out of place. I’m still a hugefan of the brand, but I’d prefer listening to that groovy MotoGuzzi exhaust note while aboard a newer model.

—Scott Rousseau

The first California model I rode nearly a dozen years did noth-ing to make me a Moto Guzzi fan. Its agricultural gearbox, flimsychassis, awkward ergonomics, crudely linked brakes, powerfulsideways torque when given the throttle and heavy vibrationmade it seem badly behind the times.

And yet, here we are today, with Moto Guzzi now producingsome truly nice motorcycles, and the Californian is still in themodel line, missing most of its family updates. With its alterna-tor spinning at the end of the crankshaft, the motor still makesa massive counter-torque; its vibration is so clear, you can justabout count the power pulses; the seating is just as awkward asI remembered, your knees high, your back bent to reach the han-dlebars, and every stop requires a real effort at smoothness.

Still, I know why it survives. The motor sounds good, has enoughtop end to dispatch a big air-cooled Harley, and it gathers peo-ple around it, to quiz you about it, when you park. It’s a quirky bikefor quirky people, and I, for one, wouldn’t want the world to be anyless quirky than it already is. —Dave Searle

TESTERS’ LOG

Right: The Black Eagle’s buckhorn-style bars exude a cruiser vibe, butthey are surprisingly narrow, ham-pering leverage in turns, and they

don’t offer enough setback forlong-distance comfort. Its mirrorsare well-placed, however, allow-ing an acceptably wide rear view.

Above: Moto Guzzi’s longitudinally mount-ed, air-cooled 90° two-valve V-twin iscapable of making excellent power, butunrefined fuel injection makes cold start-ups a hassle, and a dip in its mid-rangetorque hamper its driveability. Whenrevved hard, the engine also exhibits aheavy flywheel effect that keeps the bikelunging forward after the throttle is closed.

Right: Like other California models we’vetested, the Black Eagle’s shifter does not

offer enough distance between its toe andheel levers. The resulting limited footspaceon the left floorboard hinders comfort. Thetoe lever is also too low to allow a rider to

upshift using the toe of his or her boot.

Left: Instrumentation is “age appropriate,”although not exactly accurate, with the 140mph speedometer and 11,000 rpmtachometer suggesting engine performancethat simply doesn’t exist in the Black Eagle.The degree of speedometer error was alsoquite significant. The odometer and singletripmeter are old-school as well, the latterusing a rolling knob to reset it to zero.

Below: The Black Eagle’s 45mm conven-tional telescopic forks are anotherCalifornia staple, offering adjustability forrebound damping in the left fork leg andcompression damping adjustability in theright. The left front disc is activated via therear brake pedal, not the brake lever.

Left: The Black Eagle’s twinrear shocks feature 5-positionpreload and 11-positionrebound damping adjustability.We had no issues with theirperformance despite theirrather stubby 3.8" of travel.While the Guzzi’s wide seatlooks plush, its padding is waytoo thin for long rides. A

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ENGINE

Type: ..............air-cooled, longitudinal90° V-twin

Valvetrain: ......SOHC, 2 valves per cyl.screw and locknut valve

adjustmentDisplacement: ........................1064ccBore/stroke: ................92.0 x 80.0mmComp. ratio: ..............................9.8:1Fueling: ..............Magneti Marelli IAW,

40mm throttle bodiesExhaust: ...........2-into-2 w/ crossover

DRIVE TRAIN

Transmission: ......................5-speedFinal drive: ................................ShaftRPM @ 65 mph*/rev limiter: 2965/7400*actual, not indicated

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: ................................61.4"Rake/trail:............................29.0°/4.5"Ground clearance: ........................7.5"Seat height: ................................30.5"GVWR: ................................1036 lbs.Wet weight: ........................589.0 lbs.Carrying capacity: ..................447 lbs.

SUSPENSION

Front: ......45mm telescopic forks, adj.compression and rebound, 5.5" travel

Rear: .... Dual shocks, adj. preload andrebound damping, 5.8" travel

BRAKES

Front:........ dual 320mm semi-floatingdiscs, 4-piston, double-action calipersRear:....282mm disc, 2-piston, single-

action caliper

TIRES & WHEELS

Front: ..110/90-B18 Metzeler Lasertecon 2.50" x 17" spoked wheel

Rear:....140/80-B17 Metzeler Lasertecon 3.50" x 17" spoked wheel

ELECTRICS

Battery: ..............................12V, 16AhIgnition: ......Magenti Marelli inductiveAlternator Output: ........350W @ 5000Headlight: ..............................60/55W

FUEL

Tank capacity: ........................5.0 gal.Fuel grade:.......................... 89 octaneHigh/low/avg. mpg: ......46.5/43.8/45.3

MISCELLANEOUS

Instruments: ....Analog speedo, analogtach, analog odometer, single tripmeterIndicators: ............hi-beam, t/s, neutral,

low fuel, oil pressureMSRP: ..................................$13,490Routine service interval:........6000 mi. Valve adj. interval: ..............12,000 miWarranty: ......2 years, unlimited milesColors: ......................Coal Black Matte

PERFORMANCE

Measured top speed ......112.8 mph0–1/4 mile ..................13.35 sec.............................@ 99.91 mph0–60 mph ....................5.17 sec.0–100 mph ..........................n/a60–0 mph ........................117.1'Power to Weight Ratio ........1:5.46Speed @ 65 mph indicated ....57.0

STANDARD MAINTENANCEItem Time Parts LaborOil & Filter ................1.0................$35.80 + $24.22 $80.00Air Filter ....................0.5 ..........$31.03 ..........$40.00Valve Adjust..............0.75 ........$11.82 ..........$60.00Battery Access ..........0.25 ..........MF ..............$20.00Final Drive ................0.5 ................................$40.00R/R Rear Whl. ..........0.5 ................................$40.00Change Plugs............0.5 ..........$35.88 ..........$40.00Synch EFI..................0.5 ................................$40.00Totals 4.5 $138.75 $360.00

Low end :::..

Mid-range :::..

Top end :::..

The Guzzi’s longitudinal90° V-twin makes decenthorsepower well into its7400 rpm rev range, but itstorque peaks at 5500 rpmand it vibrates excessivelyat higher revs. Keeping theengine steadily between2500-3000 rpm yields amore comfortable ride.

TEST NOTESPICKS

: Excellent handling when ridden at an honest cruising pace: Fully adjustable suspension with sporty yet comfortable action: Chassis offers surprising lean angle for a cruiser

PANS:: Extremely cold-blooded for a fuel-injected engine:: Linked brakes are powerful, but braking feel is awkward:: Uncomfortable ergos, especially the seat and foot controls

ERGONOMICS TEMPLATE

SAE CORRECTED REAR-WHEEL TORQUE, LB. FT.

SAE CORRECTED REAR-WHEEL HORSEPOW

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RPM, THOUSANDS

67.81 hp

58.44 lb.-ft.

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DYNAMOMETER DATA

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MC RATING SYSTEMEXCELLENTVERY GOODGOODFAIRPOOR :::::

–Heavyweight Cruiser––Engine :::..

Transmission :....

Suspension ::::.

Brakes :::..

Handling ::::.

Ergonomics ::;..

Riding Impression :::..

Instruments/Controls ::...

Attention to Detail ::::.

Value ::;..

OVERALL RATING :::..

2011 Moto Guzzi California Black EagleSPECIFICATIONS AND PERFORMANCE DATA

* MCN has changed the estimated labor rate to $80 starting March 2007

AB

70.0"

40

.0"

D

14

.5"

30

.5"

33

.25

"

E

13.5

"

44.25"

C58.9"

38.25"

57.75"

F G HI J

Horizontal (nose to)A: Passenger seat(middle). B: Riderseat (middle). C:Handgrip (center).D: Passenger foot-peg (center). E: Riderfootpeg (center).

Vertical (ground to)F: Handlebar (cen-ter). G: Rider foot-peg (top). H: Riderseat (lowest point).I : Passenger peg(top). J: Passengerseat (middle).