CA vehicle code is written in such a way that if you were to walk into a DMV office, A CHP office, or talk with the local PD and ask the same question you will get different interpretations from each and usually different within the same office. Just as everyone here is giving different info. Weights and lengths are about the only black and white info you will find. Everything else you can find and exception within the language to contradict the original language.
If you want to completely frustrate yourself just do a search on this or any other forum and you can find someone that will prove you legal and then the next will prove you illegal.