This week, folks!

Yep, our first shipment of the exciting new RC3 sportbike has landed, and we’re due to get them in another day or two!

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We’ll be open on Saturday!

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Our latest press release…

Hot off the presses, folks…our latest press release on the new CSC RZ3, and you can read it here!

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The new CSC RZ3!

It’s our next move forward, folks:  The new CSC RZ3!

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Wow, talk about a proven engine and drive train…I’ve ridden the RX3 all over the western US (see the book to the right), up and down Baja (see the book to the right), through Colombia’s Andes Mountains (see the book to the right), and most recently, across China (see the upcoming book to the right).   The CSC RX3 engine is a proven power plant.  It will take you there and back, whether your destination is around the corner or around the world!  And now, it’s available in a naked bike (what we used to just call a motorcycle), and the styling is stunning!   I saw the RZ3 firsthand on my recent China expedition, and it is an exciting bike.   The ergonomics are perfect, the bike just feels right, and it’s a very cool motorcycle.

These RZ3 is coming to America as our latest offering.     You can preorder yours now for just $3495, and for a limited time only, we’re including free shipping and free setup!    Give us a call now at 909 445 0900 to get your oar in the water!

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Homeward!

The deed is done…one last video this morning, a visit to the Qingdao dealer, and we rode the bikes to the freight forwarder.  The Zongs are being crated this afternoon and they will be on their way to Chongqing…

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We did a bit of shopping in downtown Qingdao this afternoon.   I grabbed a few more food photos…

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We’re flying home tomorrow.  It’s a late afternoon flight to Guangzhou and then a long one to LAX, and we’re hoping the typhoon blowing into that part of the world won’t impact our schedule.   The CSC blog will go dark for a few days while I’m airborne and after I catch up on my sleep.

Later, my friends.  It’s been grand!

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A last ride in China…

We had a relaxed day today riding the bikes to the very edge of the Yellow Sea in Qingdao. It was amazing, and it was a good last day to ride in China. The skies were overcast and that took the edge off the heat. We literally rode the bikes right onto the beach and into the waves, and then most of us played in the water for a good hour. Imagine that…going for a swim in the Yellow Sea!  I felt like a little kid today.  It was fun.

Riding along the Yellow Sea!

Riding along the Yellow Sea!

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At the edge of the Yellow Sea. 40 years ago, I was stationed in South Korea on the other side of that ocean as a HAWK platoon leader. My missiles’ Primary Target Line was the very spot from which I took this photograph!

On the beach.

On the beach.

Dong digging in the rear wheel to park his RX1.

Dong digging in the rear wheel to park his RX1.

Lu, the most graceful man I've ever seen on a motorcycle, grabs a selfie!

Lu, the most graceful man I’ve ever seen on a motorcycle, grabs a selfie!

Ma, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Ma, thoroughly enjoying himself.

My good buddy and moto maestro extraordinaire, Ma.

My good buddy and moto maestro extraordinaire, Ma.

We were going to wash the bikes after their dip in the salt water, but it was unnecessary. We were caught in a downpour on the way back and nature took care of that for us. We got soaked, too, but hey, that’s riding in China!

On a very sad note, my good buddy Art passed last night after fighting the good fight against a rare form of cancer. I knew Art for about 15 years. I bought my KLR from him in 2006 and we both enjoyed telling the story about that sale. Art was the Events Manager (and more) at Bert’s in Azusa and he loved working there. He thoroughly enjoyed working for Ron Seidner (he told me that several times).   Art was a devoted family man and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

We will all miss you, Art...

We will all miss you, Art…

Godspeed, Art.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

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Qingdao!

Our destination city, and we made it here!   We’ve ridden to the last city on our incredible journey!   We are on the eastern side of China!

Here are just a few photos on the ride in, including a ferry ride across the bay.   A motorcycle adventure is always better with a ferry ride thrown into the mix…

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The good ship Whatever…in all the excitement, I didn’t get her name!

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Riding on to the Whatever.

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My good buddy Qi.

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Deng, our videographer/photographer.

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Joe G.

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Sean, our intrepid ride organizer. He did a great job.

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Joe G in the Number “San” spot.

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Riding through downtown Qingdao, a city of 9 milion people.

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The lightest traffic spot in the city.

After checking into the hotel, we had dinner last night and as you might imagine, we had a great time!

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Deng, Ma, Tracy, and Wong (the local Zongshen dealer).

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Furem, Zuo, Wong, Lin, and He (the drone pilot).

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Lu and Dong.

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Dinner last night in Qingdao.

We’re going to ride about 60 clicks today on a publicity ride in and around Qingdao, and then we turn in the bikes tomorrow.   Woohoo!

It’s been quite a ride.  5000 miles, heat, humidity, lots and lots of rain, and not a single motorcycle problem.   One flat tire (that was on my bike a day or two ago), but the good guys in Jinin had that fixed lickety-split!  (I guess I was due for a flat…in 52 years of riding, it’s only the third one I have ever had.)  These Zongshen motorcycles are bulletproof (both the RX1 and the RX3), and once again, they’ve proven their reliability.

It’s difficult to say what I’ve enjoyed more…the riding, the bikes, the camaraderie, the cuisine, the scenery, the Chinese people, meeting the members of the RX3 clubs in all of the cities we visited, the adventure, being famous in China as part of the Arjiu and Dajiu show, or the enormous feeling of accomplishment we are all feeling today.    What a ride!

As you might imagine, it feels good to be here, and it feels just a bit sad to know the ride of a lifetime is nearly at an end.   There’s so much more to tell about this grandest of all adventures, and I am going to do just that.  Riding China, folks…it’s in work and it’s going to be epic!  Preorder your copy now!

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Wow!

I woke up at 5:00 a.m. this morning, wide awake, still tired, but too wired to sleep.   We make Qingdao today, our last stop on this 5,000+ mile ride through China!

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We’ve got a full day of riding today (close to 500 kilometers), and we’re leaving at 7:00 this morning to see the changing of the Confucian guards.   It’s a ceremony of some sort; I’ll know more later.  If my lenses don’t fog over, I’ll get some photos.

More tonight, folks.  Or not.   I may just kick back at dinner.   My guess is there will be more than a few toasts this evening.

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Jinin and Qufu…

Imagine the hottest and most humid place you’ve ever been, add about 30% to that, drop the air quality significantly, and you’ll pretty much have the kind of weather we rode 440 kilometers in yesterday.  Add bee swarms (no kidding, actual swarms of bees) during segments of the ride and you’ll have yesterday’s trot down a Chinese freeway pretty much dialed in.  Our destination was Jinin (it’s pronounced “Jee Nahn”) and we made it, but boy oh boy, it was rough riding.

Our first stop in Jinin was the local Zongshen dealer, who also had a clubhouse for the Jinin RX3 owners group. I grabbed a few photos there…

Lu in the Jinan RX3 Owners Clubhouse. His look pretty much captures how we felt after the day's ride. Check out the artwork behind Lu.

Lu in the Jinin RX3 Owners Clubhouse. His look pretty much captures how we felt after the day’s ride. Check out the artwork behind Lu.

Ah, the Wild Angels, starring Peter Fonda and Nancy Sinatra. I remember seeing that when it was first released. The Chinese love American pop culture.

Ah, the Wild Angels, starring Peter Fonda and Nancy Sinatra. I remember seeing that movie when it was first released. The Chinese love American pop culture.

Dong, the Chinese version of Peter Fonda, in front of a Dave Mann painting in Jinan, China.

Dong, the Chinese version of Peter Fonda, in front of a Dave Mann poster in Jinin, China.

Jinin is a city of 6 million people and the capital of Shandong province, and we had another awesome dinner there last night.  The email I’ve been getting keeps asking for more food photos. We are eating our way through China.  It’s a healthy diet, though, and I am thoroughly enjoying it.   So, about those food photos…here we go!

A tofu, pork, and assorted vegetable mix, with rolls.

A tofu, pork, and assorted vegetable mix, with rolls.

An egg dish with pork and veggies. It was delicious.

An egg dish with pork and veggies. It was delicious.

A chicken dinner, with all the parts.

A chicken with all the parts.

Pork slices with rolls. Gresh said it was outstanding.

Pork slices with rolls. Gresh said it was outstanding.

Shrimp with tofu.

Shrimp with tofu.

Cucumbers with other veggies.

Cucumbers with other veggies, pork, and garlic.

Fried lotus with pork. It was incredible. We in Shandong Province, which has one of the four unique Chinese cuisines.

Fried lotus with pork. It was incredible. We are in Shandong Province, home of one of the four unique Chinese cuisines.   I could do a book about eating my way through China.

Fish with cornbread patties as a frame.

Fish with cornbread patties as a frame.

Fried pork. Shandong cuisine has a lot of fried foods.

Fried pork. Shandong cuisine has a lot of fried foods.

More pork, with other things included.

More pork, with other things included.

Veggies with pork.

String beans with pork, garlic, red peppers, and octopus.

Mixed veggies, with an egg cover. This was outstanding. It was all outstanding, but I really liked this one.

Mixed veggies, with an egg cover. This was outstanding. All of the dishes were outstanding, but I really liked this one.

A seafood selection, including a starfish. I'd never heard of eating a starfish before last night.

A seafood selection, including a starfish. I’d never heard of eating a starfish before last night.

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Sean showed me how to eat a starfish. I passed on the opportunity. He said it was just okay.

Deng, Joe, and Tracy on the walk back to the hotel after dinner last night.

Deng, Joe, and Tracy on the walk back to the hotel after dinner last night.  You can see the humidity hanging in the air. It’s worse during the day.

Today we only covered about 100 miles, but it’s because we visited four Zongshen dealers and two of them were in Jinin. We didn’t get out of Jinin until around noon.   At the dealers, it was more of the Dajiu and Arjiu show (lots of photos), and then we slugged it out on country roads through Taian to arrive in Qufu, which is where I am writing this blog. They tell me Qufu is the birthplace of Confucius. That’s nice, but to tell the truth, the only thing I care about tonight is that the air conditioner works (and it does).

At breakfast this morning. As soon as I took the camera out of the case, the lens fogged over.

At breakfast this morning. As soon as I took the camera out of the case, the lens fogged over.

The clocks in the hotel lobby this morning. What's wrong with this picture?

The clocks in the hotel lobby this morning. What’s wrong with this picture?

A "prizer" box. Some of the signs I've seen over here are pretty interesting. Still, their English is way better than my Chinese.

A “prizer” box. Some of the signs I’ve seen over here are pretty interesting. Still, their English is way better than my Chinese.

Yep, it was that hot in Jinan this morning.

Yep, it was that hot in Jinin this morning.

In front of one of the Zongshen dealers we visited today.

In front of one of the Zongshen dealers we visited today.

A 150cc motorcycle with a sidecar in front of the Taian Zongshen dealer.

A 150cc motorcycle with a sidecar in front of the Taian Zongshen dealer.

Tomorrow we make Qingdao, and folks, that’s our final destination. We’ll be there for two days.   It’s a short hop back to Guangzhou after that, and then a long haul back to Los Angeles.

That’s all for now, my friends.  Ride safe.   We sure are!

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The Forbidden City…

A long subway ride into Beijing proper today (this city has a magnificent subway system), and we visited Tien An Men Square and the Forbidden City.   Here are scenes from the Forbidden City….

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We’re back on the road again tomorrow morning.  Just three more riding days to Qingdao, folks, and then we’re heading home!

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Electric scoots in Beijing…

After visiting the Forbidden City earlier, we were standing on a corner for just a few moments when I noticed that virtually every scooter and trike rolling by was electric.  I snapped a few photos to share with you…

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Those last two photos of the bubble-top trike are especially cool.   That would be a lot of fun to roll around in.

Later, folks.

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