I am trying to figure out the difference between my CA model 1999 1200c and every other one. Can anyone enlighten me?
Californian models have to comply with stricter regulations than others, so there are various differences. The hardware you can see on-line here, including the canister mentioned above. One feature is that the vehicle must ingest all it's own fumes, from the gas tank as well as the engine, so the airbox and breathers may be different. It's possible the cams and EFI settings are also different, to help reduce emissions. A factory service manual should identify all changes.
I have a 2000 1200XLH California special that came with the canister. It was removed immediately with extreme prejudice and discarded. I don't live in California.