Like always, it’s been an interesting couple of days, boys and girls.
For starters, we found out that our good buddy Arlene Battishill of Go Go Gear fame is going to be on the TV show Shark Tank!
Trust me on this, boys and girls, this is a show you want to see! You might even see….
Well, wait a minute, that would be jumping the gun…and I promised not to mention that…well, uh…hey, folks…just watch the show!
Arlene had her custom CSC Classic in for servicing, and I grabbed that shot you see above. It is one of our prettiest bikes ever. Like I said, you’ll want to watch Shark Tank on 23 March (that’s a week from Friday). 8:00 p.m. on ABC. You might even see…
Nope, there I go again, and I made a promise…
When I stopped in at the plant today, I saw our good buddy Bruce. You’ll remember that when we had that killer sale on demo bikes a few months ago, Bruce bought the Rock Star. It’s one of the pre-production bikes we had with us on the Baja run. Bruce had the bike powder coated, and it’s awesome! Take a look at Bruce on his freshly-painted Rock Star…
Bruce’s new paint is very, very cool. It’s a metalflake deal that changes colors depending on how you view it…from one side, it looks like a root beer brown, and the from the other side, it looks like emerald green…it changes colors as the light hits it differently!
See what I mean?
More cool stuff…you’ll remember our good buddy Simon Gandolfi, the British writer, philosopher, motorcyclist, and world’s most interesting man. Simon rode the Rock Star (the bike that now belongs to Bruce) on the Baja run…
Simon is not a man who sits still. He just turned 80, and he’s going strong. He recently sent his newest book to me, Old Men Can’t Wait, about his ride from the southernmost tip of South America to New York. The book is just awesome, but think about that title. If you ever sit around and think you’re too old to do this or you’re too old to do that, you need to consider Simon Gandolfi and what he’s doing with his life. You need to buy this book. (You need to buy a California Scooter, too, but if you’re reading this blog you’re already thinking about it, or you’ve already pulled the trigger.) Folks, I’m at the tender young age of 61, and Simon Gandolfi is my hero. I want to be like him when I grow up.
I’m about three chapters into Simon’s new book, and folks, it’s great. Simon has a writing style that literally puts you in the picture. It’s funny…when I write (for stuff like the blog, and some of the other things I do), I sit down and bang it out. Simon will ponder a single sentence all day long, and when he writes…well, it sings. On the Baja run, I was still hurting big time from the busted hip I gave to myself several months earlier. I explained to Simon about all the hardware the doctors had wrapped around my hip bone, and he listened carefully. After watching me ride for a couple of days, his sentence on his blog about me was “Joe Berk is mostly metal…” I thought it was extraordinarily cool.
And speaking of things mostly made of metal, let me go off topic and I’ll wrap up today’s blog entry with something a little different. In my observations, I’ve seen that motorcycle riders (guys and gals like you and me) tend to have many of the same hobbies. Photography is a common theme, as is shooting. I’m guilty on both counts. Boys and their toys, I guess. Anyway, a few weeks ago I noticed a very cool old Marlin with dynamite wood on the used gun rack in a local gun store. Last night was the first chance I had to get out to the range and wring it out. I grabbed a few old reloads, and here’s the photo I put together showing the results…
You know, the funny thing is I don’t even remember the recipe I used when I loaded those rounds, but they sure seem to answer the mail.
So that’s it for now….Shark Tank…23 March…be there!
We’re going to be at the Mecum Auto Auction with a CSC Motorcycles display in Houston, Texas, on the 13th and 14th of April. What’s more significant is this: We’re bringing 10 bikes with us to the event! We’re not auctioning the bikes, but we will sell them! If you want a new CSC motorcycle, it’s a perfect opportunity to save several hundred bucks in freight!
In the meantime, check out this Camaro, which sold at auction for a cool $76K!
That’s Mecum’s Auction on 13/14 April in Houston, Texas! We hope to see you there, and if you want to make sure we have your color, give us a call at 800 884 4173!
Folks, we’re not going all Wall Street on you…we’d just like you to consider this…
The ad above shows what a new Mustang DeliverCycle cost back in the day. It’s from original Mustang artwork.
The DeliverCycle. Wow. It sure makes me wish I would have bought one back then. And check out these other photos I found on the Internet…
So what’s a clean Mustang DeliverCycle worth today?
Well, consider this..I spent a few minutes Googling “DeliverCycle” and I found a site describing Al Simmons, a very serious Mustang collector. Al is the guy who heads up Mustang Motorcycle Products (they’re the guys who make aftermarket Mustang cruiser seats). Here’s what that site had about Mr. Simmons and what a good condition Mustang DeliverCycle would bring…
Not surprisingly, vintage Mustangs have gone up in value. “An inexpensive one is about $5,000. The most I paid for one is $12,500,” said Simmons, reporting that one was a wood-paneled DeliverCycle-model trike.
Wow! From $657 back in the ’50s to over $12,500 today. Wow, again!
You know where I’m going with this: Are there any investment opportunities like that available today?
Hehehehehe….
Behold, boys and girls….tomorrow’s collectible today…and your next investment opportunity!
Keep an eye on us, boys and girls…..we’re not done with the new CSC Trike yet, and there’s lots more coming!
No, folks, the CSC Trike is real, and it’s coming together quite quickly. We can’t share all the details yet, but it’s gonna be good!!!! And it’s gonna be fast!
No, we’re not making a Terminator model with liquid metal technology like that dude in Arnold’s movie…the liquefaction effects you see above are PhotoShop induced, and trust me, they’re covering up the good stuff!
Some stuff I can let you see…
And there’s gonna be a lot more in the near future!
I know, if I worked in a candy store I’d eat all the candy, too. Wow, this is fun!
We’re running a series of new print ads in several magazines (I’ll show you some of the new ones in another blog or two). One of the ads features folks in our factory, and the Boss had me grab photos of Lupe and Art a little earlier today. I really like this one…
Maybe I shouldn’t say that, since I’m the guy who took the above photo…but shoot, folks, this is good stuff!
After a quick stop at the grocery store on my way home (beer, sun-dried-tomato battered tilapia, and more great stuff for dinner tonight), I saw that my good buddy Bill had a new toy parked out front…
Yep, that’s an early ’60s Honda CA200, a 90cc version in their “Dream” series. They only made a few of these, and Bill just finished this restoration. It’s magnificent.
So, you’re wondering, who’s Bill?
Well, Bill is my good buddy and neighbor, and he lives just four doors down from me. And yes, he restores motorcycles. I’m not kidding when I say this: When Bill finishes a motorcycle, it looks better than it did when it left the factory. I think I’m in a position to know, too. See that bike above, the one just in front of Bill? That’s a 1971 CB 750 Honda, and it’s exactly the same as the one I rode in 1971. I had the same bike in the same color. Mine was $1559 out the door from Sherm Cooper’s Cycle Ranch back in 1971. Bill told me the one he’s restoring will go for about $15,000 when it’s finished!
Gotta go…the kitchen beckons, and dinner ain’t gonna cook itself!
Time for a confession, folks. Until today, I never rode a Mustang.
Until today, that is.
Yep, I talked the Boss into letting me ride that beautiful 1956 Mustang Pony…the one I showed you in the blog a day or two ago…
Our new '56 Pony and a CSC Classic, both in black...
It’s been a dream for me to do this ride ever since I first got involved with the California Scooter Company. I thought I was pretty cool dreaming up that “old and new” photo you’ve seen on the blog when Steve first started CSC. It’s the bike that inspired Steve and started the whole CSC dream. You’ve read all about it and the start of this company in our catalog and on the blog.
Steve's '53 Pony with a new CSC Classic
Steve always said that ’53 Pony was a rough-running bike, but the ’56 Mustang we just took in is immaculate. And today was the day! Woo hoo!!! A ride on an original Mustang!!!
Hey, that’s enough preparatory stuff…take a look!
I loved it!
The only thing I was a little disappointed in was the videography. I gave my Flip video to Steve and he filmed me riding the Mustang and the CSC Classic. I’ve got to teach him how to work that camera, though. He made me look bald and just a little bit porky. Ah, well, maybe he’ll get better with practice…
After the ride, I got busy with my Nikon and I grabbed a bunch of comparo shots. It was fun, and in putting these together, I was impressed all over again seeing how Steve and the guys stayed true to the original Mustang concept while improving it in subtle ways. Like the original Mustang, the CSC Classic truly is a magnificent motorcycle…unlike anything available today.
Okay, I know, I’m talking too much and taking too long to get to the point. Here we go…my comparo shots…the Mustang is on the left, and the CSC Classic is on the right in each photo…
Hey, tanks a lot…the fuel tank is perhaps one of the most iconic features on the Mustang, and the CSC closely followed its inspirational lines…
Another key Mustang styling component is the seat, with those big chrome springs. Ours looks just like the Mustang’s, but it’s definitely more comfortable…trust me on this one. I rode one of these all the way down to Cabo and back!
Lights, camera, and plenty of action!
And speaking of action…wow! The Mustang has a 300+ cc engine. Ours is a 150cc engine. Which is faster? Hey, no matter what I say, no one’s going to change their mind. But I know…
Two different approaches to solving the same problem…check out the carbs…one facing forward, and the other facing rearward…
Left and right side hand controls…there’s no front brake on the Mustang, and we’ve got all of the switchery required for turn signals, high beams, and electric starting…
Mufflers, both old and new…as you saw in the video above, the Mustang is definitely louder!
Rear brakes on display on both bikes. Our rear disk brake is on the right side of the bike and it’s hydraulically actuated. The Mustang’s drum is tucked in on the left…and it’s mechanically actuated.
The top triple tee and the risers. Our parts are machined from billet aluminum. The Mustang uses steel weldments…
Tail lights. Back in 1956, turn signals were not required…
Front ends, from the right…check out the suspension…
And the final comparo photo, the front end from the left. Yep, we have a hydraulic disk brake, and when you grab a handful, the bike stops right now. The Mustang didn’t have a front brake back in those days…
So that’s it, boys and girls. A dream realized…a day with rides on both the modern California Scooter and the classic Mustang Pony that inspired it. Both of these magnificent machines are true classics in every sense of the word!
When I stopped by the plant this morning, this brand new CSC motorcycle was waiting to ship out. It really caught my eye. The bike is stunning…take a look…
A custom Classic with all the goodies (Z06 Corvette not included...)
This CSC motorcycle is wildly equipped, yet it still looks like a conservative custom. It’s nicely optioned, and it just looks right. Apehanger handlebars, chrome upper and lower controls, chrome brake calipers, wire wheels, chrome fork lowers, chrome switch covers, chrome risers, chrome cups, chrome luggage rack, LED turn signals front and rear, and on it goes. The bike looks absolutely great, and it’s on its way to Springfield Larry in Minnesota.
RX1E Electric Motorcycle
TT250 Enduro
SG250 San Gabriel Cafe Racer