CSC Blog

My good buddy Joe Gresh’s Motorcyclist story about the 5000-mile Western America Adventure Ride is online now, and you can read it here.   The lead photo is this one Joe shot as we were riding through the American Southwest…

The scenery and the experiences we had were amazing, and Joe’s story captures it well.

As you might imagine, the trolls, the naysayers, and other online disinhibited miscreants are already posting their venom.  I’d encourage you to add your comments to the Motorcyclist magazine story and force these twits back under their bridges (it’s where they belong).

Later, my friends.

There are only three left, folks…two in orange and one in red.  They are the last ones, they each have about 5400 miles on them, and they are in perfect running order.   These bikes have been fully serviced, everything is adjusted to perfection, they come with all the accessories you see in the photos below, and they carry a 1-year, parts only, unlimited mileage warranty.   And here’s what you wanted to know:   They are only $2795!

There’s a $35 documentation fee, and if we have to ship the bike, there’s a $150 crating fee (and that’s it).   Tempus fugit, my friends….don’t let these get away!

A day off!  CSC is closed on Mondays, Cal Poly was closed for MLK Day, and I spent the day tapping out more of the Moto Colombia story and riding the motorcycles.   I had not ridden the KLR in a long time, so I fired the Kawi up first and rode over to you-know-where for a cup of coffee.   I think my KLR thinks it is a GS…

When I returned home, it was the RX3’s turn to get on the road, and we headed up to Mt. Baldy…

As I was snapping away, a guy asked me if I wanted him to take a picture of me with the bike.  Hey, why not?

It’s always interesting to ride a KLR and an RX3 back to back.   I’m keeping both motorcycles, but the RX3 is my preferred ride.

The days are brisk out here in So Cal (we are not experiencing cold weather like the rest of the country, but it’s still cold for us).  There’s nothing like a motorcycle ride (or two, as I had today) and a cup of Starbuck’s to get wired!   Ah, well, back to Moto Colombia!

Later, my friends!

Yep, the blog was down for about 24 hours.    Our apologies, folks, but sometimes these things happen.  We appreciate all the emails to let us know.   It seems there was a problem with our server, but all’s well that ends well and we’re back in the saddle again.

Other that that blog problem, it was a great weekend.   My good buddy Mike B was in town…you’ve seen him here on the blog before and you might remember that Mike and I go all the way back to the 7th grade.  Yep, we grew up together.

Mike has a real interest in the RX3-P police motorcycle, as he’s a retired chief of police of a major east coast city.    Mike and I stopped by the plant yesterday so he could get a good look at our latest motorcycle…

We had a good time.

Hey, you know what?   I’m getting out on my RX3 tomorrow for a run up in the mountains.   There’s snow up there and I might get a few photos.

Later, folks!

This is a quick maintenance tutorial, folks, on our new quick change oil kit.  This tutorial covers installation of our new $59.95 Cap Systems quick change oil drain plug kit.   This new accessory includes three components:  The oil drain plug, the hose, and the drain plug cap (as shown below).

This is the new drain plug with copper washer.

Here’s the drain hose.

And this is the drain plug cap.

Installation is simple.  First, put a pan under the bike and drain the oil by removing the stock drain plug.

Install the new Cap Systems drain plug.  It will take a 1-inch (or 26mm) socket.  Tighten it to 30 ft-lbs.  Install the drain plug cap and hand tighten it.

When you are ready to drain the oil at your next oil change, remove the brass drain plug cap and thread the hose fitting onto the drain plug.

As you tighten the hose fitting on to the drain plug, it will push the valve in the drain plug open.  When that happens, the oil will drain out through the hose.   You don’t need to remove the drain plug (it stays installed on the engine).   The photo below shows what happens when the hose is threaded on to the drain plug.  It pushes the valve open so the oil can drain.

After the oil has drained through the hose, remove the hose by unscrewing it from the drain plug (this will close the drain plug valve).   Reinstall the brass cap, and replace the engine oil.

Here’s a short video of Gerry using the new system…

Folks, that’s it!   If you’d like more information on this system or you would like to order it, please check our website or give us a call at 909 445 0900.

Things are moving along sharply on the TT250 motorcycles, folks.   Zongshen has the bikes slotted for production in early March.   We’re pushing to get that date moved forward, and we will of course keep you posted as we move closer.

As I mentioned last month, we’re incorporating quite a few upgrades on our TT250 bikes.   There’s always a chance some of these features (above and beyond the standard configuration) won’t make it into the final version, but here’s where we are right now on the upgrades beyond what we’ve already described:

• Our TT250 will have adjustable damping front forks.
• The frame color will be satin (rather than gloss) black.
• Our bike will incorporate the same left and right handlebar switchgear as the RX3 (these are higher quality switches than those usually provided on these bikes).
• Our bikes will have a satin silver finish on the handlebars.
• Our bikes will have the RX3 rear view mirrors.
• Our bikes will have braided stainless steel brake lines for both the front and rear brakes.
• Our bikes will have anodized fork caps.
• Our bikes will have wheels dynamically balanced from the factory.
• Our bikes will include several quality improvements that most folks will never see (that’s because of minor issues we saw on the four prototypes we’ve been testing; we’re addressing these things so you won’t have to).

It’s taken us a bit of back-and-forth with the factory to get to the above changes and we’re pleased with where we are.  The Internet being what it is, I have no doubt some folks will say, “can’t you get this?” or “can’t you get that?”    If it’s not on that list (along with the other features we’ve previously mentioned on this bike, like the inverted forks, the 300-watt stator, and the handle-bar-mounted accessories switches), the short answer is no.    The TT250 is available in red, black, and white, as previously described.   For $1895, it is a lot of motorcycle.

We’ll continue posting maintenance tutorials next week, and we are deep in the accessories development effort now.   We’ll be posting more on that between now and the time the bikes arrive.

On that accessories note, several folks have been asking about a couple of the cool accessories I showed you on the Colombian versions of the RX3 (and in particular, the headlight guard).   We’re not ignoring that; we’re having accessories sent to us as you read this, and I’ll be posting more in the next two or three weeks.  I know where the first one of those Colombian headlight guards is going (I was talking to that guy in the mirror this morning while I was shaving).

On the Colombian note, Moto Colombia is one of the most fun books I’ve ever written.   I’m reliving the ride as I write about it, and that’s a hoot.   You’ll get to read all about it.

Speaking of international moto travel, more than a few of you will get to make your own story on the Baja ride.  That’s coming up.  Watch for info on it right here on the CSC blog.

That’s it for now.   Ride safe and stay tuned.

Entry Level Motorcycle Technician. We’re growing and we want people with TIPH (Talent, Integrity, Passion, and Honesty).   You’ll get to train under a Zong Master on the hottest new motorcycles in America with one of the best teams in the world – CSC Motorcycles!  If you love motorcycles, if customer focus is your passion, if you want to take your talent to the next level, and if you want to join a great organization, please send your resume to us at info@cscmotorcycles.com!

Or, as I like to call it, the case against lunacy…and you can read it here.

This is a good read, folks…I just came across it today on a Facebook post.  Here’s the link:

The US Specials: Triumph’s Competition 650s

We’re off to the movies this afternoon.  Di Caprio’s Revenant is showing, and I want to see that one.  The coming attractions advertising it did their job when we saw two other movies recently, the latest Star Wars show (save your money; I was not impressed) and The Big Short (better, but still not a bell-ringer in my opinion).

I’m riding my RX3 tomorrow if it doesn’t rain.   If it does rain, I’ll continue to plug ahead on Moto Colombia.   I’m wrapping up the chapter on what the riding was like in Colombia.  Woo hoo, that was fun!

I’m working on my newest book, Moto Colombia, and I am having an incredibly good time remembering and reliving an absolutely awesome adventure ride.    You know, when you’re a guy who’s a guest (as I was on this ride), it’s easy to get intellectually lazy and just kick back, lean waaaay over navigating the most amazing twisties I’ve ever ridden, make the chicken strips tinier and tinier, and not think about where you are and what you are doing.   It was incredible fun.

Now I’m doing what I didn’t have to do on the ride…I’m looking at the maps on Google to see which ranges of the Andes Mountains Juan guided us through, which routes we took, and all the rest that goes with defining the adventure so I can capture it in print.   I am even more amazed as I do this, looking at what we did and where we rode, than I was when we were actually doing it.   My good buddy Juan did a marvelous job planning and organizing this ride.

That’s Juan in the photo up top, on the right, shooting a photo of Carlos on the edge of a cliff somewhere west of Barichara.   That spot all by itself was worth the trip.  I was getting vertigo just standing 20 feet away from the edge.   Juan and Carlos rode their bikes right up to the edge and parked them at that precipice as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do.    Not me.   I was scared.   I don’t like heights, even though I found out a long time ago when jumping out of airplanes being afraid of heights is silly.   So is a fear of falling.   Now, that sudden stop at the end…that’s worth fearing.   I was thinking all of these things as I watched these two mountain goats wheeling their bikes right up to the edge, and then dancing around to get the best photo.  Wowee!

My entire time in Colombia was incredible.   It was a wonderful experience and it was one of the best rides of my life.

Ah, back to Moto Colombia.  Reliving that adventure is its own reward.   Writing this book is fun!