CSC Blog

Boy oh boy, it’s been a whirlwind month…lots of things happening and it is intensifying this week.   Susie and I are hopping in the Subaru and we’re headed north at 0:Dark:30 tomorrow to get up the San Mateo International Motorcycle Show, where CSC is displaying both the new RX-3 Cyclone and our CSC-250 Mustang motorcycle.   It’s going to be fun.  It always is when I get away with my girlfriend, and going to a motorcycle show is going to make it even better!

See the RX-3 at the San Mateo IMS Show this weekend!

The Tangerine (my Subie Cross Trek). That’s Susie and me on the left, and our good friend Greg on the right. This photo is from a recent photo safari in Death Valley. The Subie will be our ride on the run up to San Mateo.

It’s been busy.   I already told you the story about our good buddy Paul visiting from ADV Moto magazine…

Our good buddy Paul from ADV Moto capturing Cyclone photos.

The reaction from the press has been overwhelming…everyone loves the new Cyclone and everyone is telling us what we already know:  At $3495, the Cyclone is one hell of a deal.

A day or two ago, our new good buddy Juddy stopped by (our good buddy Juddy…I know, I’m a poet and don’t know it…but my feet show it…they’re Longfellows, you see).

Good buddy Juddy has his name on the Cyclone list and he drove up to see the bike in person.   Juddy’s reaction was the same as everyone’s who sees the bike…it’s love at first sight!

Juddy told me he’s planning to join us on the Baja ride.   I’ve already started planning that adventure, and it will be great.   We’re going to stick to less than 250 miles a day and keep a fairly relaxed pace with lots of photo ops (and believe me, folks, the photo ops match the riding in Baja…they’re both awesome).   The first day will be the exception…we’ll do about 350 miles that first day.   That’s okay, though, because the first 150 miles will be from Azusa (our location) to the Mexican border.  It’s all freeway and it will go fast.   Once we’re in Mexico, where we stop will be governed mostly by where there are places to stay.   It gets pretty remote real fast.   That’s what makes it fun.

I’ll be posting more about that trip soon, but in the meantime, I thought I would share a few photos of what we’ll see on our inaugural Baja Cyclone run…

No kidding…we don’t need no stinkin’ gas stations!

The boulder fields in Catavina, about 360 miles south of the border…this is one of the most scenic areas I’ve ever ridden through.

Ah, dinner time!

Bahia San Quintin at sunrise…

Chilequiles con pollo…it doesn’t get any better than this, boys and girls!

The real deal…and yes, you’ll get to see the whales on this trip!

That’s it for now, folks.   Like always, ride safe and stay tuned!

I had a great time at the Pomona race track last week with Susie and our buddies Al, Mark, Robbie, and Con…a large draft Bud Lite, good racing, and one iPhone video later…

Good stuff and good times.   We had a late night dinner at Norm’s (I ate way too much), and then it was back to work the next week.   It’s been an interesting week, too.   If you’ve been following the blog, you know things are proceeding smoothly with the CSC Cyclone certification effort.    We wrapped up the week with a real nice visit from our good buddy Paul.   Paul is the Senior Editor over at ADV Moto (that’s at www.AdventureMotorcycle.com, and you can also subscribe to get a print version with lots more good stuff in it).

Paul just returned from a trip up to (get this) the Arctic Circle on his V-Strom, and his bike sure looks like it was rode hard and put away wet…

I like that look.  It’s the way an ADV bike is supposed to look.   It’s the way my Cyclone will look after the inaugural Baja ride (keep an eye on the blog; there’s lots more info coming up on that).

Paul was all over the Cyclone, and I think he liked what he saw…

I’m going to start planning the Baja trip, and you might want to start thinking about coming along.   The Cyclone was made for Baja, and I’m the guy who can show you a good time down there.  We’ll have a great time, the photo ops are incredible, and the riding is beyond awesome.   I’m going to post some of my favorite photos from past trips right here on the CSC blog, so jump on the list for a new Cyclone and join us on the next adventure!

Take it from a couple of old Goats:  Missing the CSC Baja run would be baaaaaaaad…

Keep an eye on us, folks.   We’re looking forward to San Mateo (the IMS show next weekend), and all the good times that lie ahead…

We’ll be at the San Mateo IMS show from 31 Oct to 2 Nov (Friday night through Sunday).   See our new CSC Cyclone in the Retail Pavilion’s Booth 824, right across from Ducati!

And just in case you were wondering…the answer is yes.   We will be taking pre-orders for this exciting new motorcycle at $3495.   I’ll be there, too, in case you want to hear more about our inaugural Baja trip!   We’re looking forward to seeing all of our fans and future CSC Cyclone riders in San Mateo!

The CSC Cyclone continues toward its 9000 kilometers on the dyno as part of the US EPA and CARB (California Air Resources Board) certification process.    All systems are go and the bike is performing flawlessly.

There’s a lot to the certification process, and its all about essentially two tests:

• The first test is the emissions test.   During that test, the bike runs at various speeds while the exhaust emissions are monitored.   It goes for 9000 kilometers, and the test includes oil changes and other maintenance activities.   We need to demonstrate that the emission system does its job on an extended mileage basis.
• The second test is the shed test.   It gets its name from the fact that right after the bike has been run hard on the dyno, it moves to a shed (literally within a minute).   That shed is sealed and then heated.  While all of this is going on, sniffers do their thing and, well, they sniff.   They are looking for volatile emissions outgassing from the bike.   It’s the reason EPA-compliant and CARB-compliant vehicles have charcoal canisters and sealed fuel systems.  The charcoal canisters capture any fumes escaping from the fuel tank and fuel delivery system, and prevent them from entering the atmosphere.

You know, the EPA and CARB catch a lot of heat from uninformed people who think that these agencies are unnecessary.   I don’t see it that way.   When I first moved to California 35 years ago, the air quality here in  So Cal was atrocious.  Those mountains you see from the plant…the San Gabriels I brag about right here on the blog?   Well, 35 years ago the air was so dirty you couldn’t see the mountains.    No kidding…they disappeared into a big brown cloud.   Today that problem doesn’t exist.    The magnificent views of the mountains you see in our blog photos didn’t happen by accident.   That’s a direct result of the CARB and EPA motor vehicle requirements.

I’ve ridden other bikes (not ours) where the owners had removed all of the emissions equipment, and I could not tell the difference…the bikes ran just as well (from a performance perspective) with the emissions equipment as without it.  I’ve not removed any of the emissions stuff from any of my motorcycles.   It’s just a meaningless thing to do.

We’ll keep you posted on the Cyclone certification effort.   The bottom line is that we’re on schedule and everything is progressing smoothly.

Ride safe, folks.   We’ve got another magazine visiting us tomorrow for another feature story on the Cyclone.   More to follow…

One of the really cool things about being a part of the CSC Motorcycles team is that we get to see some really cool vehicles.   The latest (which I photographed earlier today) was this ultra-sleek 356 Speedster…

Built from a kit, this Vintage Speedster complements the RX-3 nicely.   Here’s a shot of just the automobile…courtesy of my old Nikon and the Tokina 12-24 lens…

The owner explained to me that power comes from a modified VW engine, and when I asked to see it, he was happy to show it to me…

I asked about the engine-turned bulkheads, and those are custom fabricated from stainless steel.   Folks, I’m impressed!

That’s it for now…tomorrow I get to visit the Upland Police Department for a facility tour.   Good times, and I may get to see my good buddy Motor Officer Jimbo.   You’ve seen him on the blog before on a CSC-150P…

In case you are wondering, I’m not in any trouble…Sue is running for City Council in Upland and the police chief is offering tours to all of the candidates.   Politics…now there’s a game that requires a stiff backbone and a thick skin.   You can see Sue’s website here (www.SusanBerk.com), and if you want some real interesting reading, take a look at the Follow the Money page.   What some of these politicos have been up to is absolutely amazing.

But I digress….back to the RX-3.    Things are moving along sharply on all fronts.   I’m going to get out on the blue Cyclone again this week (we can only take short test runs on public streets) to give it more of a workout in the twisties, and I may take it off road to check out the handling there, too.   It’s going to be fun, folks!

Oh, and one more thing…the San Mateo International Motorcycle Show is right around the corner, and we’ll be there.  If you’re in Nor Cal and you want to see the RX-3, please stop by.   I’ll provide more info (booth and building numbers, etc.) tomorrow.

Ride safe, everyone.

After spending most of my day in the office, the Boss wasn’t around and the keys to the blue Cyclone were.   You can guess where this story is going.  I suddenly had an urge to evaluate the Cyclone’s performance running into the San Gabriel Mountains, and that’s just what I did…

You’re probably thinking it looks like it was a glorious day for evaluating a motorcycle in the mountains.

You bloggies are sharp…nothing gets by you!

I only went a few miles up because I was on the clock…I had to get back to Cal Poly for a 4:00 p.m. class.   But I had to do it.   I knew you guys would want the results of the handling test, and here they are:  It’s superb…solid, planted, and confident.   It’s awesome.  Those of you on the list are going to love it.

I stopped at a turnout to grab a few beauty shots with my 12-24 Tokina lens…and with the San Gabriel Mountains’ vivid blue sky as a backdrop, I think I did okay…

That blue really works on the RX-3.   My bike will be orange (more like a yellow, actually), but the blue sure is pretty.   We’re going to get lots of shots like the ones above on the upcoming Baja trip, and I really hope you can join us.   If you want to put yourself in these photos, just give us a call.

You know, I was only stopped at that turnout for a few minutes when a drop-dead gorgeous ’96 Vette pulled in.  I didn’t yet know my new good friends Froy (like Roy, but with an F) and Lorraine, but they recognized that the bike was something new and special, and they wanted to see it.

I was drawn to their pristine ’96 Vette; Froy and Lorraine were drawn to the Cyclone.   We were each having fun taking pictures of these high performance toys when I asked Froy to grab a shot of me with the bike.   Not so fast, said Lorraine…she wanted to be in the photo, too…

Like I’ve always said…being a blogmeister and chief test pilot for CSC is tough duty.

But hey, somebody has to do it…

We’re unconventional.   You already know that based on how we’re bringing the CSC Cyclone to you.   After long discussions and much thought, we’re taking a similarly unconventional path on the warranty and maintenance approach.  We’re betting that most of you either do your own wrenching already or, given the right support, you would like to do it yourself.

Consider this:  When was the last time you took your bike to a dealer for service and came away feeling good?   Were you confident that the work was performed to your satisfaction?   Did you pay a standard rate for a job that you knew didn’t take as much time as you paid for?   Did the dealer tack on other “standard” charges that just didn’t feel right (for example, the infamous “shop supplies” hit)?

Okay, you get the idea.   Our intent is not to badmouth dealers.   We just want two things:   To provide a great ADV bike and to save you money.    We know we’re already doing that with the Cyclone (it’s a quality motorcycle at a great price).   We want to do the same thing with the service approach.    To get to the bottom line, we want to empower you to do your own wrenching.

Think about it.  The Cyclone is a bike designed to go the distance.   It’s an adventure touring motorcycle.  If you need to fix something in Panama when facing the Darien Gap, or Baja somewhere south of Guerrero Negro, or even somewhere in the middle of the Mojave Desert here in the good old USA, is there going to be a dealer nearby?   Folks, the simple fact is that when a bike needs work (especially an ADV bike), we’re on our own.  That’s especially true for the places we’re going on our Cyclones.

So let’s get to the details.  Here’s how our program will be structured:

• We’re extending the Cyclone warranty to 2 years.  This is a quality motorcycle with a warranty to back it up.  The first year will be parts and labor; the second year will be parts only.  You tell us what parts you need, and we’ll shoot them out to you.
• When you buy a Cyclone, we’ll include a service manual.
• We’ll post detailed maintenance tutorials online.  These will include oil changes, valve adjustments, chain adjustments, changing the fork oil, suspension adjustments, lubricating the chain, adjusting the rear wheel for proper chain tension, adjusting the clutch, removing and reinstalling the wheels, changing tires, changing the air filter, using the electronic diagnostic system, and more.
• For any work requiring the Zongshen diagnostic test devices (needed for seldom-required adjustments to the fuel injection system or for evaluating the electronics), at your discretion we’ll either sell the electronic diagnostic equipment to you, or we’ll Fedex one to you on a low-cost rental basis.

Our intent is to empower you to keep your Cyclone in tip-top condition, to save you money, and to give you the skills you need to address any maintenance items when you’re out in the middle of nowhere.

We realize there may still be folks who absolutely don’t want to work on their bikes.   We’re betting that won’t happen too often.    But if you’re in that category, fear not.   We’ll find an independent shop in your area and arrange whatever maintenance your bike needs directly with them.

Hey, more good news:  We just received permission from the EPA to take the RX-3 on the road for limited testing, and I think I need to do some limited testing right now.   Time to get my knees in the breeze, boys and girls!   Watch for photos later!

The good folks from ADV Pulse visited us recently for a first-hand look at the new CSC Cyclone, and their feature story on the bike (and on us) is good.   No…I take that back.   It’s great!   Take a look by clicking here!

It’s sure nice when people recognize a good thing.   These bikes are selling themselves, and I’ll say it again…like all of you who signed up, I can’t wait to get my new RX-3.   Baja, here I come!

I’m going to the races at the Pomona Fairgrounds tomorrow night with my girlfriend Susie and my good buddy Al, so watch for some exciting photos here on the blog in another day or two, folks.

That’s it for now…ride safe, my friends!

We’ll be there!   If you want to get up close and personal with the CSC Cyclone, the IMS shows will be a great place to do so!

We’ve made plans to be at the next several shows, as outlined here:

• San Mateo (Oct 31 – Nov 2)
• Phoenix (Nov 7 – Nov 9)
• Long Beach (Nov 14 – Nov 16)
• Dallas (Jan 23 – Jan 25)

And more…these are the ones on our horizon today.    You folks up north, in Arizona, in Texas, and even here in So Cal, hey, pay us a visit when you go the show!    Watch for more info on our booth location and all the rest of the good information.   We’ll be posting it right here, so stay tuned!

We sure had a lot of fun at the Fairplex Off-Road Expo this weekend, and I have a few more photos I’d like to share with you…

Steve, Lupe, and Art

Hold my beer…and watch this

Lupe catching a ride in a Jeep

These young ladies were directly across the aisle from us…they like the CSC Cyclone!

A one-track mind…

That’s it for now, except a note to you to keep an eye on the blog.   We’re doing the IMS shows with the CSC Cyclone, and we’ll post the dates and locations here!