MOTO GUZZI CALIFORNIA II

948cc Petrol Class 2

#2639 of 5426 overall #55 of 69 MOTO GUZZIs #1659 of 2787 other bikes

84.4%

first-time pass rate

8.3%

failed outright

30,272

median miles at test

750

MOT tests, 2005–2025

Pass rate over time

first-time pass rate by test year · 2006–2021

The CALIFORNIA II's first-time pass rate has fallen 5.1 points since 2006, 88.0% to 82.9%.

Pass rate by mileage

how the CALIFORNIA II's first-time pass rate falls with the odometer · class average 84.9%

A low-mileage CALIFORNIA II passes first time 82.1% of the time; by 50k that's 79.2%.

First-time pass rate by odometer reading at test, 10,000-mile bands for this model. Mileage is the strongest reliability signal. See the full curve.

What fails on a CALIFORNIA II

failure defects by component group · advisories excluded

Component group	Defects	% of defects	vs all bikes
brakes	37	34.9	0.9×
lighting and signalling	30	28.3	0.7×
steering and suspension	12	11.3	0.5×
tyres and wheels	12	11.3	0.7×
suspension	5	4.7	0.5×
fuel and exhaust	3	2.8	0.5×
body and structure	3	2.8	0.8×
audible warning (Horn)	2	1.9	1.5×
lamps and reflectors	1	0.9	0.1×
Identification of the vehicle	1	0.9	0.6×

Defects recorded against failed normal tests, 2005–2025, grouped by DVSA inspection section. One test can record multiple defects. "vs all bikes" is how often this model's tests record a defect in the group, as a multiple of the all-bike rate.

How rivals compare

same type, similar capacity, high test volume

On first-time pass rate the CALIFORNIA II beats 1 of its 4 closest rivals (BMW R1200, BMW R1150, TRIUMPH SPRINT).

BMW R1200 92.9% pass · 299k tests BMW R1150 88.5% pass · 171k tests TRIUMPH SPRINT 85.6% pass · 133k tests SUZUKI GSF1200 82.4% pass · 97.6k tests

Rivals share this bike's type and sit within ±30% of its engine capacity, ≥ 5,000 tests. Card colour = better/worse first-time pass rate than the CALIFORNIA II.

Pass rate by registration year

how each model-year cohort fares · registration year from first use date

Best year to buy used: 1995 (92.0% pass). Weakest: 1989 (77.8%).

First-time pass rate by the year each bike was first registered (cohorts with ≥ 50 tests). Older cohorts are survivors: the worst examples have already left the road, which tends to lift the earliest years.

MOTO GUZZI CALIFORNIA II FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Is the MOTO GUZZI CALIFORNIA II reliable?

The MOTO GUZZI CALIFORNIA II is about average for its class: 84.4% of its 750 MOT tests (2005–2025) passed first time, against a class average of 84.9%. That ranks it #2639 of 5426 models.

What does a CALIFORNIA II fail its MOT on most?

brakes — 35% of all defects recorded against failed CALIFORNIA II tests.

What is the best year of CALIFORNIA II to buy used?

By first-time pass rate, 1995-registered examples do best (92.0%) and 1989 worst (77.8%). Condition and history still trump the year.

How many miles will a CALIFORNIA II last?

The median CALIFORNIA II shows 30,272 miles at test, and examples around 50k miles still pass 79.2% of the time — mileage alone rarely kills one.