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2015–2019 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
Low-Slung Torque With Soul
The Audace is the California 1400 platform stripped down to its most aggressive form. Moto Guzzi mounts its 1380 cc air/oil-cooled 90° V-twin across the frame, and the figures tell you what it's about: 89 lb-ft (121 Nm) at just 2,750 rpm and 96 hp at 6,500 rpm. That's a cruiser engine built around low-rpm muscle. It drives the rear wheel through a six-speed gearbox and a shaft, and it sits in a steel double-cradle frame on a fat 200/60-16 rear tire. ABS, traction control, ride modes and cruise control all come standard. Old-school metal, modern safety net. Pure Guzzi.
Its siblings lean toward touring comfort. The Audace goes the other way: drag bar, forward controls, solo seat, megaphone exhausts and blacked-out parts instead of chrome. It weighs 659 lb (299 kg) wet, rides on a 66.3 in (1684 mm) wheelbase and puts the seat at 29.1 in (740 mm). On paper that's a long, low, heavy cruiser built for open highway and sweeping back roads, not tight city traffic. Its strongest suits are design with real attitude and a chassis made for stability at speed. If you pick character over spec-sheet bragging rights, this one speaks your language. A deliberate choice!
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 96 hp (71 kW) @ 6,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 89 lb-ft (121 Nm) @ 2,750 rpm |
| Displacement | 1380 cc |
| Engine | 90° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air/oil-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Shaft |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 130/70-18 |
| Rear tire | 200/60-16 |
| Wheelbase | 66.3 in (1684 mm) |
| Seat height | 29.1 in (740 mm) |
| Wet weight | 659 lb (299 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.4 gal (20.5 L) |
| Top speed | 130 mph (209 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 32 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Safety
What follows comes from years of listening to Audace owners at paddock gatherings, over coffee at club nights, and in the messages riders send me after a season or two with one. Their feedback lines up well. Owners like how the bike pulls and how it covers distance, and their complaints are about finish and sound rather than about how it rides.
The praise riders mention most is the engine. Owners say it pulls cleanly from as low as 2,000 rpm and has so much torque that relaxed cruising takes no effort. Many also say it's comfortable on long days. The stretched-out position suits riders of average height, and people come back from long trips without complaints. Several owners are surprised how confidently such a big bike corners, and they say it handles better than its cruiser image suggests. Riders also value the electronics as something they use every day, not just a line on the spec sheet.
The most common gripe is build quality. Owners mention loose fasteners, oil weeping, and plastic parts that feel cheap, and several say quality control seems to vary from bike to bike. The other complaint that keeps coming up is the sound. Many riders find the stock exhaust too quiet and say it holds back the character they expect from a big Italian twin.
Front brake master cylinder recall (19V561)
Insufficient ineffective lever stroke can cause the front brake to drag or apply spontaneously, leading to unexpected slowing or stopping. Dealers inspect and replace the master cylinder free of charge.
Exhaust crossover breakage
The crossover pipe between the left and right header can crack or break loose, typically reported around 6,200 mi (10,000 km). Repair requires welding or header replacement.
Oil weep at cylinder/block junction
Some owners notice a minor oil weep between the right cylinder and the engine block, usually not enough to drip but requiring seal attention.
Where this Moto Guzzi California 1400 Audace pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the California 1400 Audace is actually built for.
The best fit here. You want a bike with presence and an identity of its own when you roll into Sturgis or Daytona, and a blacked-out Italian V-twin with 89 lb-ft gives you exactly that.
Made for Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
A good match if you like historic routes at an unhurried pace. Low-rpm torque and cruise control suit that rhythm, though the Audace leans more toward muscle than classic charm.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
A partial fit. Cruise control and shaft drive help on long days, but the solo seat and lack of a factory luggage system make two-up, fully loaded touring a stretch on this trim.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Moto Guzzi California 1400 Audace. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
