CSC Blog

Boy oh boy, do we have a lot going on right now!  What a week this is turning out to be, and it’s only Tuesday!

Tom Hanks in Larry Crowne

How about none other than Mr. Tom Hanks checking out a California Scooter!  Hey, I’m as anxious to learn more about this as you are.  Seems that our good buddy Arlene Battishill of the Go Go Gear company (she’s logged more California Scooter miles than anyone on the planet) actually rode with Mr. Hanks last night to see a premiere showing of Larry Crowne, a new movie featuring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts (two of my favorite actors), and of course, a whole bunch of motor scooters. 

Arlene told me that Mr. Hanks was real interested in your favorite motorcycle, and she had quite a conversation with him about her bike.  Arlene promised more info on this, and I can’t wait! 

California Scooters didn’t make it into Larry Crowne, but hey, we ain’t done yet!  The script for Larry Crowne was complete and the shooting was well underway when we were just entering production, so we didn’t get into the movie, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be a star in another movie someday.  Mark my words, folks…it’s gonna happen!

Hey, let’s shift gears for a moment…check out the photo below…

Learning the ropes at the Westside Motorcycle Academy

It’s from our favorite motorcycle school, the Westside Motorcycle Academy.  We see a lot of people who fall in love with our bikes, but in many cases these good folks don’t know how to ride a motorcycle yet.   Well, this morning, Steve and I took a ride out to the west side of LA and we met with Erika and Amanda, two very nice women who run the Westside Motorcycle Academy.  The good news is we now have a relationship with this fine training group, and we intend to send lots of people who want to enter our world to them!  And if you’re wondering how good they are….well, they trained none other than my good buddy Arlene Battishill, who has become a motorcyclist extraordinaire! 

A bit more good news….that photo above?  Yep, the next time they take that shot you’ll see California Scooters in the line up!  Erika and Amanda had the same reaction we all have…they fell in love with your favorite motorcycle the first time they saw it, and they instantly recognized its ideal suitability for someone just entering our magnificent sport.

And my good buddy TK?  You guys all know him…but did you know he is now selling California Scooters three at a time?  Yep, that’s quite a story…and we’ll have the details for you right here in an upcoming blog.

Stay tuned, boys and girls…more good stuff is coming your way!

Patty, our CSC Controller

Every once in awhile I remember something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time, but haven’t.   One of those actions is to show you all a photo of (and introduce you to) my good buddy, Patty.

Patty is our CSC controller.   That’s a fancy way of saying she’s the official bean counter…she’s the one who manages our finances­.   She’s got a great sense of humor (unusual for a financial type), and a great personality.   You can kind of get a hint of that in the photo. 

Patty has a lot of other responsibilities, too.  We’re a small company, and chances are that if you called us to talk about registering your motorcycle (or any of the paperwork that’s involved in getting your bike on the street), you’ve spoken with Patty.

Patty’s been with California Scooter Company since way before the start…she’s worked with our owners at Pro-One Performance Manufacturing for 28 years.   Take a look at that photo…and I know what you’re thinking.  I checked the official files, and yep, Patty started working when she was 2 years old!

Matt Leide's CSC show stopper!

Our buddy Matt’s comment on Facebook…

First day riding my new scooter. Two different people randomly walked up to me in parking lots (hardware store and gas station) to ask about the bike. Literally stopped traffic twice as people tried to get closer looks. Many smiles, long looks, waves and thumbs up gestures. I know you guys warned me, but the attention is crazy. Oh yeah, I was having so much fun I ran out of gas. Luckily I was right near a gas station.

Matt, we’re glad you’re having fun!  With nearly 50 years of riding experience under my belt, no other bike has ever drawn the kind of attention I get on my California Scooter.   It’s all part of the CSC experience.  Ride safe and have fun!

Quite a few folks sent emails to us on the Speeedway video we posted from our night at the races, and we sure appreciate the input. TK found another interesting one. Ever have a day when the world just seems to be getting away from you? Check this out, folks…

Speedway racing is a big thing here in So Cal, and the action’s on every Wednesday night at the Industry Hills track during the summer.  The Industry Hills track is only about 10 miles from the CSC plant, and our good buddy Kevin scored tickets for all of us.   Once a month they have a Harley night (more on that in a moment), and that’s what we went to see yesterday. Full dress Harleys sliding around a 1/4-mile dirt oval is not something you ordinarily encounter in the motorcycle world, and that kind of action (along with serious Speedway racing by the real race bikes) is something I sure don’t want to miss!

We had a grand time…a nice summer day, a cool evening, and a great ride to the track.   Steve, Josh, Tony, Kevin, and yours truly rode over, and when we arrived, the reaction was one we’ve come to expect.   Everyone was all over the California Scooters.  The Industry Hills track folks let us park right up front with the show bikes and cars…it was a cool event.

Our CSC parking spot, right next to the stands at Industry Hills Speedway

The video dudes wasted no time in filming the California Scooters

The reason they call it Harley night is that the Harleys get out onto the ¼-mile dirt oval.  The first pass around was just for show (and sound, as the Harleys were pretty loud).

Harleys parading around the Industry Hills 1/4-mile dirt oval...I can't make this stuff up, folks!

A cool custom paint job on a full dress dirt tracker

Later in the evening, the track actually ran real races with some of the Harley street bikes.   They ran just like the real dirt trackers…four at a time…

A Harley heat...check out the Road King on the left!

And speaking of Harleys, I grabbed a shot of this Harley show bike parked near our Scooters…

An interesting paint job...it would look awesome on a California Scooter!

After the Harley action, it was time for serious racing.   Speedway bikes are cool…they run 250cc and 500cc bikes.  They’re real torque monsters, designed to do one thing only – race around a 1/4-mile dirt track, sliding sideways most of the time.   One speed, no neutral, bump-start only.  Purpose-built racebikes.   Cool stuff.

Here are a few shots of the racing…this is exciting motor sport, with lots of action…

Sideways is a way of life for these guys!

Coming into Turn 1

Awesome racing action...the dirt spray actually hit me while I was shooting these photos!

And if you wonder how these boys manage to keep the bikes up in this wild racing action…well, sometimes they don’t…

Oops

Oops II

I brought my Flip video camera along, and I captured several cool heats.  This is the one I like the best…watch the bike at the head of the pack after they complete the first lap!

That was an awesome display of either incredible luck or incredible skill (or maybe both)!  The fellow riding that 500cc Jawa motorcycle probably would make a heck of a rodeo rider.  He literally was standing on one peg on one side of the motorcycle, with the bike pointing straight up, and he managed to bring it back.  Awesome stuff.

After the races, the ride home was great.  A cool California evening, open roads, and California Scooters ingesting lots of cold, dense air.  The bikes ran great (just like they always do), and it was a spirited sprint back to the plant.  Lots of fun, boys and girls…just another fun day with our CSC motorcycles!

We recently sold a beautiful maroon CSC Classic to John and Shelba Merritt, who live in one of the most beautiful states in this great country (that would be Georgia, of course).   The Merritts sent a very nice note to us letting us know how much they like their new California Scooter.   John and Shelba know their stuff, as they also own a beautiful 1959 Mustang Stallion.  These are folks who appreciate style, value, and quality!

Check out these super photos John and Shelba sent to us…

John and his two motorcycles...a 1959 Mustang and a 2011 CSC!

Shelba with the Merritt motorcycles...the CSC complements the Mustang nicely!

Here’s the nice note we received from the Merritts…

Hi TK:

To CSC, thanks ever so much for your efforts to produce an awesome motorcycle.  

This bike is good for the economy in several ways.  It’s good on fuel, easy to afford, and should prompt folks to spend a few bucks.

To everyone at CSC starting  with Steve and going right to the hard working people on the assembly line and to the people that crate them:  Words cannot describe how thrilled and excited I am with my new Classic.  The quality is far above what you would expect for under $5K.  I don’t think my heart would stand it if I saw what you guys could do on a $40K bike! 

The pics are of “Roon,” my new bike’s name, and my 1959 Mustang Stallion.   It makes me think of a dishwashing liquid commercial (original and new and improved). 

While wiping Roon down after my first ride a song came to mind (the Gatlin Brothers’ “All the Gold in California”).  I changed one verse a little to say “if you’re dreaming about California, it don’t matter at all what you’ve rode before, CSC is a brand new game.”  

I hope you sell many thousands of these and I’d like to sell a couple of truck loads through the Affiliate Program. 

Keep up the good work.

Totally satisfied and overwhelmed with the quality,

John Merritt
Atlanta, Georgia

John and Shelba, thanks very much for taking the time to write to us.  We always enjoy hearing from all of our riders.   You guys ride safe, and enjoy your new California Scooter!

Seeing you on your bike makes me want to ride, John…and that’s what I’m gonna do.   I’m going to fire up my bright red Classic, and the boys and I are off to the races tonight.   Speedway 1/4-mile racing here in So Cal is on the menu for this evening.  It’s wild stuff.  Watch the blog for the photos (and maybe even a video) tomorrow!

I took a ride over to Bert’s Mega Mall yesterday to grab a few photos showing the California Scooters on the showroom floor (Bert’s is one of the biggest dealers in the world).   Our good buddies Ron, Art, Scott, and Harley over at Bert’s had their new CSC motorcycles parked right next to the Victory bikes, and it sure made for an impressive display.  The California Scooters fit right in with the Victory line.

California Scooters at Bert's Mega Mall

The Victory motorcycles (they are the other American V-twins) are nice bikes.   Scott told me to feel free to move the bikes around for my photos.   I guess I’ve been spoiled wheeling my California Scooter around.    A CSC motorcycle only weighs 240 pounds, and even a geezer like me can wheel it around with one hand.   When I moved a couple of the Victory bikes a few inches, though, it was an eye-opening experience.  I guess I forgot just how much a big V-twin street bike can weigh.  The Victory motorcycles are in the same weight range as a Harley-Davidson or any of the big Japanese cruisers, which is to say they weigh about three times what a California Scooter weighs.

The Greaser by CSC and the Highball by Victory

I was really impressed with the Victory motorcycles’ fit and finish.  The folks at Polaris sure have it dialed.  One bike, in particular, really caught my eye…their Highball model.   It’s finished in satin black (just like our Greaser), and the bike looks great.   I wheeled a CSC Greaser next to it and grabbed a few shots…the two bikes make an impressive pair.

The guys and gals in the plant are busy, busy, busy…we’re into the next production lot of your favorite motorcycle, and things are humming right along.   As always, we’ll keep you posted.

Our ads are really cool. This latest one is running in the Houston Chronicle right now, and it really hits home. The Military Series bikes are my favorites, and this ad just seems to work for me (and apparently for a lot of other folks, too, as reported by our dealers and by our experience here in the plant). So, check this one out, boys and girls!

A great ad for The Sarge, by Cailfornia Scooter Company

Busy, busy, busy…things sure are hopping around here, but that didn’t prevent TK and Tony from manning the CSC booth at the LA Roadster show this weekend.   It’s an annual event, and it’s the ultimate event of its kind…incredible custom cars and craftsmanship.  We do real well with the custom car crowd, and it’s always a hoot to go to these events.   I couldn’t attend this year, but my good buddy TK grabbed a ton of good shots for you…

TK's friend, Jasmine, on a CSC Greaser

An ultra-cool roadster

A polished-aluminum-bodied Cobra

Another TK photo of that awesome Cobra

A Studebaker with twin turbos

Just awesome engineering

Check out the photo below, too...it's this rod

Very nice indeed!

A very cool Buick...see its engine below

LS6 Corvette power!

Another very cool rod...there were many, many more at the LA Roadster show

How about a V-12 Jaguar-powered dirt bike!

And one of my favorites...a Woody!

TK, thanks for grabbing these great photos!

No, I don’t twitter, but tweet has grown to have a new meaning.  I think it means letting people know what’s going on.  So here we go…my tweets for today…

Arlene's Odo...that's 6000 happy miles on a California Scooter!

Our first bit of cool news is that my good friend Arlene just turned 6000 miles on her California Scooter.  That’s a pretty respectable bit of riding on any bike.  Arlene’s accomplishment is even cooler when you consider that she did it on a 150cc motorcycle.  Then again, California Scooters aren’t just any 150…they’re the highest quality, coolest small motorcycles that have ever gone down the road!

It’s a cool bit of riding, Arlene, and you have our compliments, admiration, and yeah, a twinge of jealousy. You’ve got twice the miles on your bike as I have on mine, and you may very well be the CSC mileage record holder at this point.  How about it, boys and girls…has anybody out there racked up more miles than Ms. Battishill?

The next bit of news…I’m on another secret mission, and again, I’m up in the far north.  Yep, I rolled through Dawson Creek this afternoon, which is home to Mile Marker 0 on the Alaska Highway.  Haven’t seen any moose or bear yet, but boy oh boy, there sure are a lot of elk up here.  I saw a herd of 50 or 60 hunkered down in the rain (it’s raining today), and a hundred miles up the road from that herd, a little elk ran right in front of me.  To put things in perspective, a small elk is about the size of a mature mule deer, and that’s enough to get my attention.

Yours truly and a Triumph Daytona 1200 sharing an intimate moment with a mountain goat in the Canadian Rockies

I sure wish I was on my motorcycle, but my 1900-mile journey today consisted of three airplane rides and an Avis rental car.  Still, it’s beautiful country.  One of my interim stops was Calgary, and when we flew into it, I remembered the great Three Flags Rally my friend Marty and I rode a few years ago.  Canada really is a beautiful place, and it’s an especially nice motorcycle destination.

You know, we’re pretty close to being approved in Canada, and when we are, the boys up here will have a lot of fun.  I stopped in Gaudin Honda & Polaris in Beaver Lodge, BC, on my way north today, and Allen and his crew were sure excited when I showed them the CSC brochure.  How about them little Mustangs, eh?

So as I was having dinner tonight looking out the window, and on the ride up, I saw a steady string of dual sport bikes.  They weren’t riding in formation, and there were never more than one or two at a time, but every few minutes I’d spot another bike (or two).  I wondered what was going on until I realized, hey, I’m on the Alaska Highway!  These are all guys who made the trip to Alaska from the lower 48 and they’re on their way home.  What a ride!  Lucky dudes!  Maybe next year…

One more note…I talked to my good buddy J Brandon during my drive up here, and he’s starting to plan a 4-month motorcycle foray into South America, most likely in 2013. He wants to know if I wanna go.  What do you think, boys and girls?