CSC Blog

Actually, it’s not just for September.   Starting today, when you buy a new RX3 motorcycle from us, we’re going to pay for your first year’s membership in the world’s premier adventure touring society, Horizons Unlimited!

This is a pretty cool deal, folks.   We had toyed with the idea of starting an RX3 owners group, and then we realized that a big part of our approach to market is that we’re not just selling motorcycles…we’re selling the adventure riding experience.   That’s obvious with the adventure rides we do…the CSC Inaugural Baja Run, the Western America Adventure Ride, and many more we are planning for the future.

There just isn’t any better way to combine these two concepts (an RX3 owners group and the adventure riding experience) than to include membership in Horizons Unlimited with your new RX3!

Horizons Unlimited grew out of Grant and Susan Johnson’s 11-year ride around the world on a BMW motorcycle.  It was originally a bulletin board (it was at first called the HUBB, or the Horizons Unlimited Bulletin Board), and it took off from there.   I’ve been following it from the beginning, and it’s awesome.   Stories, tech tips, travel tips, adventure touring events all over the world, and more.  It’s a great thing.

We’re going to be at the Horizons Unlimited gathering in Yosemite from 24-27 September, and we’re listed on their site along with the other exhibitors and presenters for that event.  I’m giving a presentation there about the RX3, the Baja trip, and our most recent Western America Adventure Ride.   There will be some real motorcycle royalty there, too, including folks like Carla King and Clement Salvadori.    More good news…we’ll be offering RX3 test rides at this event!

We invite you to view the Horizons Unlimited page for the upcoming Yosemite event (you can see it here).   Even better, why not plan to attend?

We hope to see you there!

I am probably the dumbest guy who ever owned a smart phone.   I resisted getting one for a long time mostly because I didn’t want to become an iPhone zombie like all the folks I see whenever I go to a restaurant, the mall, or anywhere you see people.  You’ll see people playing on their cellphones when they’re on a date…young couples seated at a dinner table in a nice restaurant, both absorbed in their phones, tapping away with their thumbs on those tiny keyboards.   Hey, wake up!  You’re on a date.   Put the phones down!

Okay, enough old-guy-not-liking-new-technology stuff.   A few years I bought an iPhone and I was okay with it, until I noticed how terribly slow it was when accessing the Internet.   I finally did something about that the other night.  I didn’t want to get another Apple product.  I can’t say why.   I just didn’t want any more of my money flowing to those guys.   I went with the Droid.

Now I have a 90-degree vertical learning curve in front of me.  What had become intuitive on the iPhone doesn’t work on the Droid.   Fortunately for me, Patty and Matt here in the office are pretty good with the Droid’s evil approach for doing things.  Unfortunately for them, I have a lot of questions.

But the Droid is way, way faster on the Internet.   So much so that the first night I had it I accessed my email, and what do you, there was a email from B&H Photo telling me about a lens sale they were having on an 8mm wide angle lens.  I started scrolling through the screens, and before I knew it, I had purchased the thing, online, using only my Droid…and it arrived just two days later!

I took the lens to the plant today and I had a lot of fun with it.   This is a lens that is designed for the smaller digital camera sensors (what they call the APS-C format, I think), which is what the D3300 Nikon has.   You can use it on cameras with the full size sensors (like the D810), but it vignettes the outer areas of the image (it obscures these areas).   That isn’t entirely a bad thing, as it creates kind of a cool effect.  And if you don’t want to see the vignetted black edges (did I just create a new verb?), you can crop them out.

I first tried it in the shop on a monster Yamaha V-twin Gerry is servicing….

The lens has 180 degrees of coverage.  That means it can see everything in front of it, from stuff directly on the left to stuff directly on the right, and everything in between.   It’s cool.

I next went into the showroom in front of the plant, and I took another photo..the first shot is as it came from the camera, and the second one has the dark borders cropped.

That lens was a super deal…it was on sale for only $169.  It’s a strictly manual focus, manual shooting arrangement, but for the money, it’s pretty cool.  One more arrow in the quiver, as they say.   You can bet you’ll be seeing more photos on the blog with this lens.

Joe Gresh and Baja John at Isabelle’s in Newcastle, Wyoming

I had a nice email from my good buddy John last night…

Joe,

I’ve been preparing my bike for a ride to Alaska next spring, so it’s been sitting in my cousin’s garage since my return from CA.  This morning my bike was finally ready to hit the road again, so I took off with a simple plan of a day ride through Skull Valley and back to Chino. 

I left the house and pointed the bike towards Prescott to run a couple of errands, one of those being the local Target store.  When I was exiting the parking lot, I saw a weathered Moto Guzzi with two gas cans on a homemade rack and the rider standing beside it drinking some water.  I pulled up figuring this guy had a story, and sure enough I was right.  His name is Brad, and he had just completed 22,000 miles on his 1984 Guzzi.  He and two friends had just returned to the states after their ride to Prudhoe Bay. 

I enjoyed listening to some of their adventures, and I plied him with questions about Alaska and the Yukon.  He said that he needed the two gas cans to give him a range of 250 miles, and he had to use both of them on more than one occasion.  One of the many things that I’m going to do to prepare for my trip will be to run my bike out of gas to see what kind of range it has. 

Anyway,  these guys came from New Jersey, but Brad split off from the group upon returning to the states since he decided to relocate to San Francisco in the coming months.  You can read about their trip at www.fullrideadventure.com.  Select ‘Tales from the Road’ to read their blog. 

Have you heard of a guy named, “Panhead Billy Burrows?”  I guess he’s a motorcyclist that’s lived on the road for over 30 years.  Sounds like an interesting guy.  They mention him in their blog.

After leaving Prescott, I took a shortcut to Iron Springs Road via Forest Road 47.  It looked to me more like Forest “Trail” 47 since it didn’t look like anyone had been on it in ages.  As you know, I don’t have a lot of experience in dirt, and it hurts when I fall.  It hurt when I was young, too, but now it hurts for two weeks instead of two days.  Anyway, there were a couple of spots where I was a little nervous due to ruts on a steep hill, but I felt confident that if I couldn’t ride it up, I would be able to walk it up.  That’s one thing that I love about the RX3.  It inspires confidence; partly because I can sit on it flat footed, partly because it’s lightweight, and partly because it accelerates so smoothly.  There’s no power band to contend with if you panic.  There are no surprises.  The bike not only accelerates smoothly, but the suspension firmly dampens bumps, ruts, and whatever else you throw at it.  At least it does for my rookie riding style.  Before I knew it, Forest Road 47 was behind me.  It was a piece of cake.

So far I love Arizona, and I may wind up relocating here.  We’ll see what the future holds. I will be riding a lot over the coming months, so if you can make it over sometime, I will be able to show you some great roads. 

Baja John 

That sounds like a plan, John.  Thanks  for the note.  Alaska sounds like it would be a hoot.   Ryan made that trek on his KLR.   I’m more of a Baja guy myself…I’d rather contend with fictitious banditos than real bears, but who knows….a ride to Alaska may be in my future, too!  And I checked out the site you mentioned (very briefly so far)…it looks great!  I’ll view it in more detail a bit later.

It’s another exclusive, folks…a Barnett Kevlar clutch specifically (and exclusively) designed for the RX3!

The friction plate kit (which works with the stock RX3 clutch springs) is only $89.95, and you can order it now.  If you’d also like the heavy duty spring kit, that’s only $19.95!

This latest custom CSC upgrade will be here next week, and they’re going to go fast (just like the Performance Concepts seats; the first shipment of those is almost gone).   Give us a call at 909 445 0900, ask for Ryan, and we’ll take care of you!

Lots of good stuff happening here, folks.   For starters, our Dual Sports and Donuts Days on Saturdays will run from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from now on.  Yep, it was so busy last weekend we’re starting an hour earlier.  If you need work done any motorcycle, swing on by and please remember our $19.95 oil change special (not including parts and fluids) on any motorcycle.  I’ll be here next Saturday.   We’re hoping to see you.

I mentioned in the last blog that Eric Hall of the XLADV and ThumperTalk sites stopped by on Saturday for an oil change on his KTM. Eric did a real nice writeup on us on the XLADV site, and you can get to it here. Eric included a photo of himself on the RX3, too…

Eric is involved with two sites…one is the XLADV.com site and the other is the ThumperTalk.com site.   Both are cool forums.

Another cool development…on the Facebook Cyclone RX3 owners page, a guy named Robert Cooper asked for rider inputs on the RX3.   Take a look at what others posted…

We are becoming something of an unofficial KLR center.   Gerry is very knowledgeable on the Kawasaki KLR 650.  He just finished a thorough service on mine, and it’s never run as well as it does now.   The guys even washed it for me (that bike was still carrying bits of Baja from trips I did down there years ago).  If you ride a KLR and need it serviced, we’re your guys…

Our latest bike, the TT Special, is now officially in for CARB and EPA testing.  The process takes about 3 months.  I’m excited.   I’m getting the first one when they are approved.  I’m thinking either the black one with lime green letters, or maybe I’ll have mine custom painted in RX3 orange.  Or maybe we’ll specify that as a standard color.

5000 Miles at 8000 RPM is coming along nicely.   I stopped at the California Grill for dinner on the way home from the plant last night and I worked on the book while I was waiting for my breakfast burrito.   Folks, this is not your typical McDonald’s burrito…

Oh, and more good stuff…our new custom RX3 seats are here.   I grabbed a few photos showing some of the things we can do.  We have a carbon-fiber-pattern material and a gripper material, and we can have these stitched to match your RX3…

Here’s a close up shot of the carbon-fiber-pattern material…

Here’s one showing the gripper material and the carbon fiber material with yellow stitching…

And here’s the same thing, but with red stitching…

There are lots of possibilities and combinations available.  We can do tall seats and short seats, and we can do matching rear seats.  It’s all good stuff.  One with the yellow stitching is going on my RX3 in the near future, and I’ll post a report on it as soon as I’ve ridden it.

That’s all for now, folks.   Back to work on 5000 Miles at 8000 RPM as I sit here watching Lupe detail the KLR.    That bike didn’t look as good as it does now even when it was brand new 10 years ago.  I may own the cleanest KLR in California.  Maybe the world.  Time to get it dirty.  But the book comes first.

We had a great time at our first Dual Sports and Donuts weekend, folks.   I met several people I had only known online.  A bunch of folks showed up for maintenance, to see the RX3 and the TT Special, for test rides, and of course, for coffee and donuts.  We’re doing this every Saturday, so if you didn’t make it this week, swing on by this Saturday.

My good buddy Tuan, a former student of mine and an RX3 rider, stopped by just to say hi.  It was good to see him again.  Duane and Twin Peaks Steve, both RX3 riders and good friends whom I’ve personally ridden with, were there.  Flip and Dorie from Horizons Unlimited visited with us.   Eric from the XLADV and Thumper Talk forums stopped in with his awesome KTM for an oil change.  Here’s a shot of Eric…

Eric’s KTM has a custom topographical map wrap that I think is stunning…

Hmmm.   That theme with a light green and brown background (just like a 1:50,000 artillery topo map) on an RX3….the wheels are turning, folks.

I mostly stayed in yesterday and today, working on 5000 Miles at 8000 RPM.   It’s a blast…I’m reliving the ride as I am writing the book.  During the ride, it was tiring and sometimes frustrating.   Writing about it, given that a couple of weeks or more have elapsed since we got home, I am remembering it as a lot of fun.

The title notwithstanding, 5000 Miles at 8000 RPM is about more than just the Western American Adventure Ride.  It includes CSC’s origins, the story behind the little Mustangs (the first CSC bikes), the relationship with Zongshen, what it was like bringing the RX3 to America, the Inaugural Baja run, the keyboard commandos and their nutty Internet rants, and more.

I finished all that stuff listed above and I’m writing about the Western America Adventure Ride now.  I just finished the chapter on Mt. Rushmore (there’s one chapter for each day of the ride).   It’s funny…when I start writing each chapter, I think it will only be a few paragraphs.  As I get into it though, with a map and the photos in front of me, I typically end up with about 3,000 words describing each day.   I’m at 163 pages now and I reckon the book will be about 250 to 275 pages when I’m done (and that will be in maybe another 10 days).   It’s good.  You’ll enjoy it.

Ah, the book beckons…back to work.

Wow, it’s busy already.   Ryan has a bunch of guys in the showroom looking at the Special Edition RX3s, and I’m back here in the service area doing my thing….

I was up super early this morning…too excited to sleep, I guess, thinking about the day.   I wrote another chapter of 5000 Miles at 8000 RPM, I had a cup of coffee at the house, and I pushed my RX3 out of the garage and rode in to the plant.

My RX3 is running like a Swiss watch.  No, I take that back…I have couple of Swiss watches, and the RX3 runs better.  Gerry serviced it after our Western America Adventure Ride, and it was so smooth on the 210 freeway this morning I wanted to get out and run another 5000 miles.

After we posted our blog on the new billet aluminum skid plate, one of the guys on the ChinaRiders.net rider forum asked if you had to remove the new skidplate to change the oil.  The answer is no.   You actually have better access to the oil drain plug with the new skidplate, and access to the oil screens and the oil filter remains the same.   You can see this in the photos below.

Here’s the oil screen plug on the left side of the bike…

Here’s the oil screen plug and the oil filter cover on the right side of the bike…

Here’s the oil drain plug (as you know, it’s magnetized, and on this particular bike, it’s actually picked up some iron dust outside the bike)…

It’s not necessary to remove either the stock skidplate or the new aluminum one when changing the oil.   I’ve changed the oil on my bike three times already, and I’ve never had the skidplate off the bike.   You will see some spillage from the screens that gets inside the standard skidplate (and you probably will on the new skidplate, too, if you opt not to remove it).   I use a shop rag to wipe up any oil that spills into this area.  It’s no big deal for me.   The way one person described it, though, you’d think the Exxon Valdez had run ashore in Alaska again (there’s a lot of drama on the Internet forums).  Here’s the bottom line:  The new aluminum skidplate is no different than the stock skidplate with regard to the need for removal when changing your oil, and if anything, it provides better access.     You don’t need to remove either to change your oil, but if you want to, you can.  It’s your call.

That’s it for now, folks.   Duty beckons…on to the pages describing our ride into Zion National Park last month…

It’s been a good Friday.  No, it’s not that Good Friday, but it’s been a good Friday nonetheless.  I was up with the roosters this morning to beat the heat, and I spent an hour on the rifle range before the temperatures climbed into the stratosphere.  I had my old but magnificent Mosin-Nagant out this morning, and I had a grand time…

I was in the plant this afternoon and folks, things are going well.   The Good Buddy program has been a success, and we’ve done well putting new motorcycles in the hands of new riders with this awesome offer.

The Good Buddy program runs through 1 September, so if you and one or more of your good buddies want us to pay the freight on your new RX3, don’t dilly dally on the deal of the decade!

We’re excited about Donuts and Dual Sports, which starts tomorrow.   It’s going to be another dynamite day.   You’ll get to see the dynamic duo on display (the RX3 and the new TT Special).

Whoa!  Don’t dilly dally on the deal of the decade…donuts and dual sports…a dynamite day…the dynamic duo on display…do we have a thing with alliteration based on the letter “d?”

I’m rolling into the plant on my RX3 and I’m hoping to see you tomorrow.  I’ll have the Nikon and I’ll get a few photos for the blog.

More good news…we’re going to be at the Horizons Unlimited gathering in northern California (24-27 September).  I’ll be there with Matt and Ryan.  We’ll give a presentation on the Baja and Western America Adventure Rides, we’ll have RX3s on display, and we’ll answer any questions you might have.   Horizons Unlimited is the original adventure riding forum and website, founded by Grant and Susan Johnson (a couple who have literally ridden around the world).   It’s the real deal.  If you have any thoughts at all about attending, trust me on this:  You want to go.  You can find out more about Horizons Unlimited event here!

Okay, enough blogging for now.   5000 Miles at 8000 RPM beckons…back to the book!

This is our new aluminum skid plate.   You can have one of these for $129.95, and they are in stock now.  The look is awesome, and so is this latest CSC accessory’s strength!

The new skid plate is fabricated from 0.200 inch thick billet aluminum and it’s one very tough customer.  The complete kit includes the skid plate, the upper skid plate mounting bracket, two 12mm nuts for securing the upper skid plate mounting bracket, and two 10mm bolts and nuts that are longer than the stock lower engine guard bolts.

This is our maintenance tutorial on how to install the skid plate on your RX3.

Start by removing the stock skid plate.  It’s secured by three 8-mm bolts.

We’ll be grinding off the attach points for the stock skid plate, so make sure there are no flammable items in the area.   You’ll want to drain the crankcase overflow drain line away from the area in which you’ll be working, and then replace the overflow drain line’s plug.

Another line that could contain flammable fumes is the gas tank overflow line.   It normally hangs down on the left side of the motorcycle beneath the side stand, as the photo below shows.

A good way to get the fuel overflow line out of the way is to route it back up through the motorcycle chassis such that it exits above the rear brake master cylinder (as you see below).

After you have removed the stock skid plate, you’ll see its mounting points.

Remove the 10mm bolts that secure the lower front engine guard on both sides of the motorcycle.

Loosen (but do not remove) the four 10mm U-bolt nuts that secure the lower engine guard to the frame.

Loosen (but do not remove) the two 12mm bolts that secure the exhaust header to the cylinder head.

Loosen (but do remove) the 10mm bolt that secures the rear of the exhaust header.

You’ll need a grinder for the next steps.   Make sure you wear suitable eye protection, and again, make sure there are no flammable materials in your work area.

Grind off the upper skid plate attach bracket.

 Grind off the two lower skid plate attach brackets.

When you are finished, you should have removed the one upper and two lower skid plate attach brackets.  Take care during the grinding operation not to grind into the frame; just remove the upper and lower skid plate attach brackets.

Paint the bare metal on the frame that was exposed by the grinding operation.

Position the new aluminum skid plate on the motorcycle, aligning the lower attach points with the lower engine guard mounting points.

Reinstall the bushing that fits behind the lower engine guard.  Do not reuse the 10mm bolts that secured the stock skid plate; instead, use the longer 10mm bolts supplied with the new aluminum skid plate.  Do this on both sides of the motorcycle.

Install the skid plate mounting bracket over the two studs protruding from the upper portion of the skid plate.  Install the two 12mm nuts provided with the skid plate on the studs and tighten.

Position the exhaust header such that it clears the aluminum skid plate, tighten the two 12mm header nuts on the cylinder head, and tighten the 10mm bolt at the rear of the exhaust header.  Tighten the four 10mm nuts that  secure the upper engine guard.  Tighten the two 10mm lower engine guard bolts.

That’s it, folks.  When you’re finished, your new skid plate will look like this:

 These new skid plates are in stock, and again, the price is 129.95.

Starting this weekend, folks!   $19.95 for an oil change and safety inspection on any motorcycle (not including parts and fluids).

Give us a call, or just swing on by, starting with our first Dual Sports and Donuts this Saturday!