CSC Blog

I had a bit of fun loading the photos in this video….some of them go back more than 40 years!  

The more recent military ones are just a couple of years old – I grabbed them on a quick visit to Fort Knox, Kentucky.   The earlier ones go all the way back to the late ’60s and early ’70s at Fort Benning, home of the US Army Airborne School (or as we used to call it, the Benning School for Boys).   Yeah, I’m in one of ’em.  Bet you can’t find me…

And the most recent photos of our new Military Series bikes…well, take a look…some of these are less than a day old…

We’re off to the International Sportsmen’s Expo in Sacramento this weekend, so please stop by and say hello if you are in the area.  We’ll have our new Military Series bikes with us, and we’d sure like you to see them!

I think I’m gonna watch that video again…I like the music!

Whoa, yet another visually arresting 2011 CSC motorcycle…our Military Series in Desert Camo!  This is hot off the line, folks – Tony just finished tightening the bolts when we grabbed this shot!

The CSC-150 in Desert Camo (M-1 Garand not included)

The treatment on this bike is awesome…desert camouflage paint on the tank, fenders, chain guard, and airbox covers, flat black paint on the wheels, gas cap, and rack, rubber fork gators, and military stenciling on the fuel tank!  The entire package as you see it here is just $4995 (not including the M-1 Garand).   Even though the M-1 doesn’t come with this bike, it sure fits…two classic designs side by side.   As you can tell, I had a lot of fun shooting these photos today.  Lupe helped me with the photos, and as always, she looks great!

Go behind the lines...with a California Scooter!

We are offering our Military Series in desert camouflage, OD green, and camouflage green, and they will all include fork gators and a flat black rack like you see in the photo above.  If you want to “go behind the lines” and see these bikes (trust me, you want to do this), please be sure to stop by our booth at the Sacramento International Sportsmen’s Expo this week (it runs from Thursday through Sunday).  We’ll be in Booths 2401-2405.  And if you’re  a  dealer, look for us next month at the Indianapolis Dealer Expo!

Folks, these are stunning motorcycles.   I think that desert camo CSC motorcycle is the best looking bike I’ve ever seen.  Ever.  I used the term “visually arresting” above, and that’s what these bikes are.   The bike literally stopped me in my tracks. 

You know the coolest part about all of this?   These are not one-off, you-can’t-have one bikes.   These are regular production models.  And they are under $5K.   So, if you want a unique machine, see your nearest California Scooter dealer or give us a call.  

Oh, one other note…I just turned 60, so I guess I am officially a geezer.  I’ve got a lot of friends my age who used to ride.   Whenever they tell me that, I alway ask:  Hey, what’s this “used to ride” stuff?  I’m having more fun than I ever have, and motorcycling has a lot to do with that.  If you’ve been away from riding for a while, well, a California Scooter is the perfect way to get back into it.  Boys, it’s time to re-up!

Alan Spears is the cool guy who organized the recent Motor Scooter International Land Speed Federation speed trials (you know, that’s when Sylvain Binau set the land speed record for the 150cc Hybrid Class on a specially-modified California Scooter).   David Harrington of Just Gotta Scoot recently interviewed Alan during a 30-minute radio show, and Alan was kind enough to mention California Scooter.  David and Alan talk about California Scooter Company and the Mustang motorcycle quite a bit, so you might be interested in listening to this interview.   You can hear it on this link.  I’m listening to it now, and it’s pretty cool.

Our good friend Alan Spears on a rainy southern California day!

Sylvain Binau at speed on a California Scooter during the MSILSF time trials

Thanks for the mention, Alan.  We’re looking forward to seeing you again at the Salton Sea Rally in March.   We’ll be there on our California Scooters!

Devil's Tower in Wyoming

We’re very happy to announce that Garry and Tara Yake’s Yellowstone Scooters in Casper, Wyoming is our newest California Scooter dealer!

Nestled in the heart of downtown Casper at the corner of a busy intersection (Ash and Yellowstone), Yellowstone Scooters is exactly the kind of dealership we love…Garry and Tara are enthusiasts, and they are enthusiastic about joining the California Scooter team.   Tara heard about us from a friend, and when Garry and Tara saw us on the Internet, they were hooked.   Garry said he and Tara fell in love with the California Scooters as soon as they saw them, and the fact that they are U.S.-engineered and assembled makes them even more appealing.   We’re happy to have such a great dealership become part of the CSC team!

It’s cold in Wyoming this time of year, but when I spoke to Garry a few minutes ago, he told me that they’re having a heat wave with temperatures in the mid-40s.  Garry said he can’t wait to get his California Scooters so that he can take one out for a ride, and he and Tara are really excited about being able to offer our bikes to the good folks in Wyoming.  Garry and Tara, you are going to have a good time, and so are your riding buddies!

Imagine seeing Mt. Rushmore from the seat of a California Scooter with the crew from Yellowstone Scooters!

And when it gets warmer, that part of our great country has some of the best riding in the world.   Casper is about 160 miles from Wyoming’s Devil’s Tower, and only 230 miles from South Dakota’s Black Hills, and the riding there is beyond magnificent.  I’ve ridden those roads through Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota…the scenery and the people are magnificent.   

South Dakota's Badlands would make for a fun California Scooter overnight trip from Casper!

Hmmm, seems to me we ought to be organizing a group ride out of Yellowstone Scooters on California Scooters when Spring rolls around this year…what do you think?

A World War II Harley 45

Military bikes.  We all love them.  From World War II Harley flatheads to the current USMC diesel-powered Kawasaki, there’s just something magical about a military motorcycle.   We tapped into that sentiment last year when we built the Sarge, a one-off custom we did in a military theme.  The reaction was overwhelming everywhere we went with that bike…everyone wanted a Sarge.  Well, the Sarge had a lot of custom work (we had to treat a lot of chrome parts to allow that OD green powder coat to stick, and that actually made it one of the most expensive customs we’ve ever done).   The demand for a military-themed California Scooter has been so great, though, we started to wonder…what if?

What if, indeed.   Step One was to PhotoShop a military California Scooter concept, and it came out well.  Really well.   The bike Steve had in mind looked great on paper.  All we did was PhotoShop the tank, wheels, and fenders OD green, and we stuck a white star on the tank.  We left everything else just like it would be on a standard Classic. 

Steve showed the PhotoShopped picture to me, and I stared at it for a good minute before I realized it wasn’t the Sarge. All of us had the same reaction…which led to Step Two…

Wow...a Military Series California Scooter!

Go behind the lines...with a California Scooter!

Isn’t it cool? I’ll tell you, I’ve got the same problem all over again…every time I see Steve’s latest creation, I want it. This is a very, very cool bike, and it’s the first in our new Military Series. People say the military thing is in this year from a style perspective, but I don’t care about that (and I’ll bet you don’t, either). I just like the look, and I have ever since the late ‘60s and early ‘70s (when all my clothes matched this bike).

During 2011, we’re going to have a Military Series in our California Scooter line. In a few more days, we’ll have a camo version. Yep, a camo CSC 150. I can’t wait to photograph it and show it to you.

Wanna see ’em up close?

Would you like to see both of our new Military Series bikes in person? Well, you can either stop by the factory, or if you are in the Sacramento area, mosey on over to the International Sportsmens Exposition. We’ll be there from January 20th to the 23rd (Thursday through Sunday) with both of our new Military Series bikes and several others. Look for us in Booths 2401 to 2405 – we’ll be in the hall with all the fishing gear, which is entirely appropriate…you may well want to hook one of these great new California Scooters and reel it in.

Oh, one other thing….if your clothes match this bike (or if they used to) for the same reasons mine did back in the day, give us a call and ask about our “those who serve” incentive programs. We recognize the sacrifices you’re making (or have made) for us, and we want to make a few for you.

Another fun day, and another fun project…California Scooter Company lent a bike to Morgan and Phillips (a premier automotive clothing company) for one of their photo shoots. It was beyond cool, and watching Michael Satterfield and his crew capture photos was a hoot.

Steve and I borrowed Josh’s bike (Mike asked for one with apehanger handle bars), and it fit perfectly with the cars Michael had his friends bring over. The Greaser’s custom flame paint really meshed well with the ultra cool Merc you see below.

Bad Bob's super cool Merc

Michael Satterfield’s friend, Johnny, wasn’t a model, but his clothes worked so well with Josh’s Greaser that I grabbed a photo of him with the bike…

Purple Johnny and the Greaser

I had my Flip camera with me, too, and here’s a video we assembled…

As if the Morgan and Phillips photo shoot wasn’t a big enough treat, on the way home I saw something that at first I thought I was imagining. 

Check this out, boys and girls…

Robert, who rode his 1938 flathead BMW all the way down from the Pacific Northwest!

Yep, that’s a 1938 750cc flathead BMW (manufactured the same year as the Model A Ford I’ll be posting in the Morgan and Phillips video a bit later today) complete with a vintage sidecar! This bike is not driveway jewelry, either! My new friend Robert rode it down to southern California when he recently moved here from the Pacific Northwest!

Wow!

Robert is an actor and a writer (actually, not everybody in southern California is), and he’s obviously an outstanding mechanic as well. Robert told me he didn’t want a concours bike, because he intended to ride it, and he met his intent. Listen to this…this bike is Robert’s daily driver! Robert even custom-engineered an electric starter for this magnificent old motorcycle (it’s tucked up on top of the engine).

Folks, I’ve never seen one of these as a daily driver. Robert, a tip of our helmets to you!

Hey, guys, check out some of our favorite photos from last year!

Yep, they’re in!

We’ve had lots of requests for our new wire wheels since we first displayed our custom Beach Cruiser here on this blog and in the many shows we’ve attended.  The demand has been so great that we decided to offer these wire wheels as a factory option, and they’re here!

A red Classic California Scooter with wire wheels!

Folks, these new wire wheels are magnificent.  They are 12 x 3-inch wheels (same as the stock wheels), and they’re tubeless.   The chrome plating on these puppies is deep, and they look great.  The spokes and the nipples are chromed, as are the billet hubs (and of course, the rims).

36 spokes and lots of chrome!

Tony put a set of our new wire wheels on a red Classic (along with a rack), and the effect is stunning.   When I saw the bike you see here it literally stopped me in my tracks.  I made a quick run back to my car to grab the Nikon and shoot these photos.   After a few quick clicks, I wanted to see how these wheels felt with the bike in motion.  In a word, it was wonderful.  I ran around the airport and life was good again (it always feels great to get on a motorcycle, especially the latest California Scooter).  I don’t know what these new wheels weigh, but they definitely make the bike feel quicker.

There’s nothing that makes a bike look more like a classic motorcycle than wire wheels.  It’s what most of us grew up with.   Yeah, I know, billet wheels are easier to clean (and we also offer some mighty fancy billet wheels), but wire wheels just look right on a California Scooter.  When you combine these new rims with the California Scooter’s teardrop tank and the rest of our styling, the effect is beyond cool.   The wheels just flat work with the California Scooter look.

You’re probably wondering…so here it is:  The new California Scooter wire wheels are $359.95 each (and that includes all necessary hardware).

Sometimes it feels that way, but I like the feeling, and I sure enjoyed this video…I’m betting you will, too!

I just saw this on YouTube…the fellow who shot this did the photography, the editing, and the online posting in less than a day…all this on December 26th.  Check out the guy on the bike, too.   It’s not a California Scooter, but if I can get some video from any of you with your Scooter in the snow I’ll post it!

I grew up back in that area, and I feel for the guys and gals who are fighting the snow.   One of my friends in New Jersey saw 32 inches of snow this week.  Yikes!