Between its cruiser ergonomics, giant fuel tank, and 251-kilo [553.3-pound] dry weight, the early-2000s Moto Guzzi California is hardly café racer material. But that didn’t stop Eastern Spirit Garage from taking a crack at it.
Based in Poland, just outside Warsaw, the workshop is renowned for building unconventional custom motorcycles that often ride the line between rustic and refined. Applying their signature approach to the gawky California, they produced an enigmatic café racer with art deco underpinnings.
Eastern Spirit kicked things off with a 2002-model Moto Guzzi California 1100, which was promptly stripped down to its bones. Fabricating a new subframe is standard procedure on most custom builds, but the California’s cruiser-biased geometry called for a more severe solution.
Shop boss Sylwester Mateusiak not only redesigned the rear half of the bike but also remodeled the engine mounts, effectively tweaking the bike’s rake and improving the angle of the driveshaft. With new YSS shocks propping up the tail, the California’s stance is worlds apart from what it was. A subtle kick in the subframe finishes things off stylishly, with a small perforated section hiding an LED taillight.
All of the California’s OEM bodywork was binned in the process, leaving a blank canvas for Sylwester and co. Leaning into the bike’s inherent length, they fabricated a new fuel tank, tail cowl, headlight, fenders, and lower fairing.
Each part complements the next beautifully, with myriad details hiding in plain sight. The fairing sits elegantly against the motor, sporting a pair of ducts that direct air from the mesh grill to the cylinder heads. Handmade fender stays and brass headlight brackets add a delicate touch to the otherwise brutish café racer.
These decorative elements are repeated elsewhere, in everything from the custom foot controls to the swingarm-mounted license plate bracket. Eastern Spirit left the bodywork raw to show off their craftsmanship, adorning it with hand-pressed tank badges and pin-striped flutes.
The California’s 1,064cc air-cooled V-twin didn’t go untreated either. Sylwester rebuilt it with fresh sundries, making extensive changes to the crankshaft and piston assembly, intake and exhaust ports, and oil cooling system.
He also installed a modern fuel pump and adjustable pressure regulator, tuning the engine for a balance of performance and reliability. The bike was rewired too, and fitted with a Lithium-ion battery to shave more weight. Finishing touches include bespoke air filters and exhausts, and a coat of heat-, oil-, and petrol-resistant paint.
“The heavy cruiser’s engine turned into a lively toy,” says Sylwester. “I didn’t expect that this motor would have such potential. Throttle response, torque curve, and solid power blend perfectly with the racing motorcycle character I aimed for.”
“Functionality always matters on my bikes. Even if the huge work on the engine or handling isn’t visible, the new owner not only gets a beautiful toy, but an exciting, safe ride—this Moto Guzzi performs well over 200 km/h [124 mph].”
The cockpit is standard café racer fare: low-slung clip-ons with custom switches and controls, and a Daytona speedo. Other highlights include a smorgasbord of weight-saving changes, a unique powder-coat hue on the frame and wheels, and brown leather on the seat. Eastern Spirit pulled no punches with this one-of-a-kind California, and it shows.
“I can’t count the man-hours on this bike, but there were many,” Sylwester tells us. “Things often fail the first, or even fifth try, so I restart when I’m unhappy with the result. Concepts change mid-process; sometimes I don’t know how to make it both beautiful and functional.”
Eastern Spirit Garage | Instagram
