I'm pretty sure I don't know all the factors that go into my bike choices.
I've lived all my life in California and I've wanted a California Masi for over 45 years now. Each time I think I can splurge on one I discover they've gone up in price again. Maybe part of my desire is because they were made in California. But I think my main motivations are aesthetic and personal. On the aesthetic side, I think they're beautiful bikes that perform well. On the personal side, my cycling coach in the mid seventies had raced in Italy and knew Mario Confente, so he bought one of the first California Masis. Being an impressionable young man at the time I too wanted one of those bikes. I guess it depends on where you draw the line between personal and cultural.
Brent (who will one day own a beat up California Masi.)