No experience? No problem!

How did I get into adventure biking with no experience and no friends who ride motorcycles? Three letters: CSC.

Hi, my name is Jack and I am a college student at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Two years ago I took the Oregon Basic Rider Training two-day course to learn how to ride a motorcycle so I could get my license.  I have always wanted a motorcycle, but was not quite  sure how to acquire one with limited money and no experience or contacts to go to for advice.

After saving up some money to buy a bike, I began researching and I came upon CSC – the perfect company for a beginner rider interested in adventure style riding.  I saw the RX3 and fell in love.  I picked up my orange RX3 ( The fastest color) and I managed to ride it home  for an hour ride on the freeway without ever having gone over 15 mph on a motorcycle before.  It was a little scary!

I began riding my RX3 to and from work to get the hang of it.  I knew I would be heading home to Portland, Oregon soon so I wanted to get comfortable riding my motorcycle beforehand.  I road it up and down the Malibu Canyons at sunset daily.

A week before my ride up the coast I headed over to CSC in Azusa and they hooked it up.  I got my oil changed, my chain tightened and lubed and I bought tire tubes, a tire patch kit, an extra headlight and got a ton of advice! I had only had my motorcycle for a month and the furthest I had ridden was to San Diego, so I needed all the help I could get.

7 days later I started the 1400-mile trip of a lifetime up to Portland, Oregon via Highway 1.

I got up early the first day and began the ride north a little nervous.  Soon I was riding through the picturesque hills of Ventura. My nerves were calmed as I was lulled into the melody of twists and turns of forested landscape. After exiting Ventura and riding through some wine country, I quickly found myself in the Danish town of Solvang.  I felt like I had been transported to a small European town right here in the middle of Southern California. I was gladly able to gorge myself on some delectable polish pancakes before continuing on.

After my breakfast stop I hopped back on my bike and road North for Big Sur.  As I made my way, I was constantly amazed by the views of both the coastal mountain ranges on my right and the crashing waves on my left.  I went all the way up to the elephant seals in Cambria before I hit a roadblock.

I had to loop back around due to the highway 1 closure and get back on the 101 for a brief stint to find some trucking roads to take me into the heart of Big Sur.  I made it into the park just as the sun was setting.  I was able to take my RX3 off the trail to find a beautiful spot at the edge of a campground.  At the end of the first day, I was full of excitement and glad to be alive.  I couldn’t believe that my dream to make this ride had finally come true.

The following morning I got up at 6:00 and started the ride along the steep cliffs.  It was a breathtaking morning winding my way along this extreme landscape.

Just north of Big Sur, the wind made my journey a little treacherous.  I was constantly being blown from side to side so I had to slow down a bit in order to stay safe.  I made my way up to San Francisco and was able to grab lunch with my sister before continuing on through Muir Woods up the 1.

I sped up the 1 for as many hours as I could muster before I hopped over to the 101 so that I was able to end my second day in the Redwoods National Forest, completing the first half of my journey to Portland.

I made it into the Redwoods National Forest just as the sun was setting on my second night of the journey.  I came into the park just as it was getting dark and I was a little frantic, trying to find a campsite before it was pitch black.  I hadn’t booked a site beforehand and there was no one to check in with, so I took my bike off-roading into the trees and found a spot to set up my hammock next to a river.  It was a campsite from heaven thanks to my adventure bike.

The following day I got up early to explore this ancient forest.  After spending the morning zooming through the colossal giants that are redwood trees, I whipped my way into Oregon.  It felt good to be back in my home state again.

After I got into Oregon I decided to head east so I could check out Crater Lake.  I made my way along some beautifully forested highways.  It felt so freeing to be zipping at 85 miles an hour through these secluded forests with no one else in sight.  Eventually, I rounded a bend and came upon this cobalt wonder.

 

After enjoying the majesty of Crater Lake, I continued upward into central Oregon, arriving in Bend.  It was cool to watch as the forests turned dryer and the trees changed from Douglas firs into Ponderosa pines.  Finally, I ended the third day in Sisters, Oregon spending the night with a good friend.  The following morning I finished my ride with the final 2 and a half hours into the city of Portland.

 

I was greeted by my family, excited that I had completed the first of many epic journeys on my RX3.

Jack,

Thank you for sharing your first big adventure on your RX3, I am sure there will be many more.

Remember CSC will be making our annual trip to Baja in March, I hope you can join us .