CSC Blog

My good buddy Richard Backus, editor over at Motorcycle Classics magazine (the best motorcycle magazine out there in my opinion), has a great video from a Barber Vintage Festival race in 2008.   If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth a view!

For our Corvette fans (and I am certainly one of those), the Wall Street Journal had an interesting article on the Vette’s 60 year history.   I thought I’d share a link to that article with our blog readers.    The article is a bit flowery, but the photos are pretty cool and you might enjoy reading it.

That would be my question if I took a seat at either of these bars…and in case you’re wondering, the title of this blog lists the three best beers in the world…

My good buddy Marilyn over at Mustang Seats posted the above photo…it’s pretty cool!  I think those have to be some of the most expensive bar stools ever made!

Here’s one I grabbed at the Olympia Bar in Portland, Oregon, a few years ago while on a secret mission for Motorcycle Classics magazine…

The Olympia bar in downtown Portland was a real treat…it had some fascinating bikes on display.   The Olympia’s owners collect antique motorcycles, and they felt there was no better place to display them than in their very own bar.  Folks, this is cool stuff.

In case you’re wondering, Singha is a Thai beer.  On a warm Thai evening (it’s hot and humid over there, folks!) it’s just perfect, especially when it’s on tap.  

Banks is the beer of Barbados.  It’s awesome, too.   It instantly became one of my favorites on the last secret mission.  I’ll have to check here in So Cal to see if it’s available.

And Tecate is one of Mexico’s best.  I believe it is the best of a bunch of outstanding Mexican brands.   I like it in a can, with sea salt around the rim, and a squeeze of fresh lime!  

Wow, I’m barbequeing chicken tonight, and I think I just decided what we’re having with dinner!

Well, not quite…but take a look at this cool photo Jimbo sent to us:

Hi Steve!

I couldn’t stop thinking of you when I ran across this brochure of the RM Auctions, October 11 & 12th 2012 in Hershey, Pennsylvania.   I had to photograph it on my monitor to capure the photo…

I have no idea what it sold for!…If you can bring up this site, there are some fabulous photos of antique bikes for auction.

Fact:  Mustang did not make any military models…this has to be a private project entry..

Cheers!

Jimbo

Jim, thanks for sending that to us!  As you know, we also have our Military Series, the first one of which was Steve’s personal CSC, the Sarge…

I didn’t know if Mustang ever actually made bikes for the military or not, so thanks for clearing that up.  I do know that Cushman actually made a bike designed to be air-dropped with US Army paratroopers…

That’s a military Cushman in the photo above that I grabbed when my good buddy Carl and I visited the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles last year.   Cool stuff, folks.

That’s it for now, my friends.   Ride safe!

Wow, take a look at Arizona Bill’s new bike!

The City of Phoenix will never be the same, boys and girls, when Bill’s new 250 hits the streets.   Bill had us set this one up with lots of chrome, apehanger bars, wire wheels, a rack, engine guards, spotlights, and lots more!  This is one very sleek motorcycle, and those apehangers really set it apart from most of the bikes we make here.  It’s awesome!

Bill, you’re going to have a lot of fun with your new ride!

Yep, we’re going to be adding a page to the CSC website featuring free classified ads…anything you have that’s motorcycle related and want to sell!  Bikes, accessories, clothing, parts…you name it!  Just send us a short description, a price (we have to have a price), your state of residence (we have to have that, too), and a phone number or email, and we’ll post it on our new CSC ad space page.  You can email photos and the above information to me at jberk@californiascooterco.com.   We’ll run your ad for free for 30 days!

It sure felt good to back at the plant today…and like always, lots of things are happening, folks.   We picked up a new dealer while I was out, TK and Steve have been selling lots of bikes, preparations for our upcoming move are continuing, and it turns out that none other than our very own Steve Seidner is setting the pace for engineering creativity across all industries (more on that in a bit).  Oh, and before I forget, we’re probably going to do a ride based out of the plant this Saturday or Sunday up in the mountains.  It’s Spring, and Glendora Ridge Road will be beautiful (it’s one of the primo spots in the country for wild flowers, and this time of year it’s in full bloom).  I gotta get up there to grab a few photos for everyone.

I grabbed a few photos after chatting up Lupe for a bit…one of our police motors was in and I had to grab a photo of it, and then another quick one in the shop showing our original ’53 Mustang, our Land Speed Record bike, and Steve’s Sarge.   We’re moving stuff around getting ready for the move to our new plant and showroom a few miles up the road, and things I hadn’t seen in a while are bubbling up…

So what’s this about creativity?   Well, as it turns out, the guy who brought you the CSC concept, the P-51 250cc CSC, the Land Speed Record bike, and a host of factory customs is being noticed by other engineering and manufacturing companies.   They want to know the secret behind Steve’s unbridled creativity, and…well, see for yourself…check out this interview!

That’s it for now, folks.   Come ride with us this weekend!

I’m back in California, folks, and glad to be home…and by the way, happy Easter Sunday to everyone.  

School starts on Tuesday at Cal Poly, so today I’m busy finalizing the courses I’m teaching this quarter.  

I don’t know what directed my thinking in this direction, but for whatever reason the Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1 locomotive popped into my mind last night.  I dug around on the Internet just a bit and there was actually quite a bit of information out there about these magnificent old beasts.   Take a look at this YouTube video put together from a railroad piece back in the 1950s…

I was a railroad fan when I was a kid, I had a Lionel train set, and we lived just a half mile from the Pennsylvania Railroad mainline in New Jersey.  I remember going through the woods to watch these old trains smoke on by.   The old GG-1 locomotives were awesome.  They were a deep burgundy with five gold stripes running down their entire length.   Very classy.  I always wanted the Lionel version, but I never got one.   I found out that there were less then 200 of the real ones, and they last rolled down the tracks in the 1980s.  They first started running in the 1930s.  Cool stuff.

It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve been on my Scooter, and I’m going to go for a ride later this morning. I’ll try to remember to grab a photo or two for the blog when I do.

Ride safe, my friends…

Whoa, another note from one of our good buddies in the Midwest USA!

Hey, Joe:

We could have literally passed in the night north of K.C. as my wife and I were headed to K.C. from Iowa at exactly the time you were down the road with snow and half asleep!!  Hard to tell exactly which “small” town you visited as in this neck of the woods most towns are small, tho, having a DQ means you were not in a really small town, just smaller than L.A.?  We love your reporting of these very secret meetings around the world and know you have our best interests at heart. 

Your scooter buddy…

Russ

Yep, I saw you, Russ…didn’t you see me waving? 

No, I really didn’t (just kidding), but you are right…I was pretty tired.  Thank the good Lord for 24-hour McDonald’s and their senior citizen coffee!  I sure drank a bunch of it that night!

So, my work on this latest secret mission is done, and after a great Thai dinner tonight (and my requisite follow-on cherry-dipped DQ for dessert), I saw this nice note from my good buddy Ralph…

Joe:

I see from the CSC blog that you got a little taste of Missouri in the spring!  You never know, last year at this time trees were budding and grass was growing.  This year it’s still snowing. 

I traveled for five years for my job.  I certainly have empathy for your exhausting trip!

I can only  assume you were at the engine plant.  Hope all went well there for you. USA made, maybe?  (I know, I know, it’s a secret!)   As usual, if you find yourself too tired for another trip, motorcycle, plane, or otherwise, I’m your guy!!  

Later,

Ralph

Well, Ralph, exactly where I was is, of course, Top Secret.  I will tell you, however, that I did indeed let the good times roll…

Letting the good times roll in northwestern Missouri...

That’s it for now, folks.   I’m wheels up at O:Dark:30 tomorrow, and it’s back to good ol’ California for me.

Can’t wait to get to warmer weather and a ride on my CSC!