I spend a lot of time on the Internet.  Less now than I used to, but still a lot of time.   One of the things I thoroughly enjoy is reading blogs, especially if they involve travel on motorcycles. And if the travel is across an international border, I’m in.  But you guys already know that, because I told you all about Dave Barr and Simon Gandolfi several months ago in this blog.   I’ve struck up friendships with both guys through the Internet.  In Dave Barr’s case, I actually rode out to his home in Bodfish, California, and rode around Lake Isabella with him.   Dave was on his round-the-world ’72 Harley, and it was a cool ride.  In Simon’s case, I struck up an Internet friendship that resulted in his flying to Los Angeles and riding a California Scooter all the way down to Cabo San Lucas and back.

Lois Pryce and a matching CSC motorcycle!

What impressed me mightily about Simon and Dave is that they essentially did their world motorcycle travels on their own.   You may remember a few years ago that a couple of rich English dudes went around the world on BMWs, but that didn’t impress me too much.  Those dudes had an army of support staff and vehicles traveling with them, and it just didn’t seem like much of an adventure to me.   They even did a TV show about it.  I think they called it The Expensive, Well Supported, Zero Risk Way Down or something.  Whatever. 

Doing it on your own, however, is much more of an adventure.  Doing it on a small bike (Simon used a 125cc Honda pizza delivery bike) or a beater (Dave Barr did it on an old Harley Superglide that had 100,000 miles on the clock when he started his trip) made those trips even more special to me.   These are guys I call adventurers.

This is a great story

Maybe I’m sexist.   I just think it takes enormous courage to do this…and even more if you’re a woman.   Alone.   Wow!  I bought her book (Lois on the Loose), and it was Wow! all over again.    Lois on the Loose is a great read.  I sent Lois an e-mail after I read it, telling her how much I enjoyed it.  She sent an e-mail thanking me.

So, my good friend J Brandon of American Sahara fame called me the other day and said he had just met Lois Pryce, she was going to be in Los Angeles, and she was interested in seeing the California Scooter Company.  One thing led to another, and sure enough, Lois stopped in to say hi.   She just left a few minutes ago.  Lois looks and sounds just like I imagined she would, and after exchanging introductions, I told her “first things first…”   I asked her to sign my copy of Lois on the Loose.   This was really cool stuff.  Lois checked out our bikes, talked to the folks in the factory, and rode one of our new burgundy CSC motorcycles around the plant (I should have told her we painted it to match her hair!).   What a fun morning!

My own signed copy of Lois On The Loose!

Arlene's Go Go Gear Bike in Baja's Vizcaino Desert

Arlene’s bike has one of our corporate custom paint jobs on it to match the Go Go Gear logo, and it’s a real honey.   Arlene will post a comprehensive trip report on her Go Go Gear blog this weekend, so keep your eye on it…I guarantee you her blog will be great!  

Arlene, John, and Desiree made it all the way down to Catavina on their first night (that’s a long haul!), and she grabbed this great shot of her CSC motorcycle parked among a few other bikes…

Parked among the Harleys in Catavina...

One of my Vizcaino Desert buddies

Susie and I are having dinner with Arlene and Desiree at our favorite Italian restaurant tonight (it’s Di Pilla’s in Rosemead), so I’ll learn more about this latest adventure over my angel hair pasta with pesto sauce and mushrooms.  But I’ve already heard a great story from Arlene and John… 

When we did the first big CSC Baja trip, it was the first time Arlene was going deep into the heart of Baja.  She sent an email to me asking about snakes, spiders, and other creepy crawley critters.   Not wishing to miss an opportunity, I sent Arlene a long email about how dangerous it was down there because (I told her) the rattlesnakes, the tarantulas, and other venomous desert demons are everywhere.  I told her that every time you stop your motorcycle in Baja, you better make sure you look where you put your foot down, because there’s no telling what kind of critter might be waiting to strike.  I was laying it on pretty thick, but it was all baloney.  Arlene realized that and we had a good laugh about it. 

So what happend on this trip?  When the crew arrived at John’s place in Bahia de los Angeles on the Sea of Cortez, they looked under a tire by John’s house and…you guessed it…there was a very nervous rattlesnake staring back at them!   Ah, if only I’d been there with my Nikon!

Building the In-N-Out bike was a blast!

Okay, so, back to more good stuff, and in particular, our corporate customs.  You may remember that we build these special bikes from time to time.  Our guys can build and paint a bike to showcase any organization’s logo, theme, colors, etc., and we’re really good at it.  We love doing it, mostly because we love building bikes and we especially love doing customs.  It’s just plain fun.  

One of the most exciting ones we’ve ever done is the In-N-Out burger bike.   That was an enormously fun project, and the resulting bike was magnificent.  Well, as I mentioned a few blog entries ago, we’re doing another project bike for In-N-Out, and the excitement around the plant is incredible.   

Going once...Going twice....Sold! For over $8K! All going to the In-N-Out Charitable Foundation!

Many of you who live in the southwestern US already know about In-N-Out, but some of you who do not may not know the story of this fine organization.   In a word, they make the best burgers on the planet.  That’s not hyperbole; it’s fact.  In-N-Out is an organization that lives the words “quality” and “service,” and if you’ve ever been there, you know what I’m talking about.  They’re small (they are not a giant chain), they don’t franchise, and they are fanatics about treating their guests right, keeping their quality ultra high, and having the cleanest restaurants in the world.  And the burgers…wow…they are delightfully delicious.  I just can’t say enough about how good they are.   Going there is always a treat, and it always makes me feel like a kid again.  It’s the Epicurean equivalent of riding a California Scooter!

Only yesterday there was a big story in the LA Times about a new burger chain that the Times thought might challenge In-N-Out’s top rankings in the restaurant business.   The LA Times gets things wrong a lot, and this was a story that was clearly in that category…no one can approach In-N-Out’s position in the industry.  Just last night my daughter told me she tried the other chain, and I asked her how it compared to In-N-Out.  “It’s no contest, Dad.  In-N-Out is hands down the best!” 

So, keep your eyes peeled on this blog, boys and girls, and we’ll keep you updated on the next In-N-Out bike as it comes together.  Oh boy…this is gonna be fun!

Okay, one more bit of info before I sign off for today.   From time to time we get questions about how we ship the bikes…so here ya go.   Here’s a photo I grabbed yesterday of a bike just before we put the cardboard cover over it…

A Grabber Orange CSC, headed east...

Boxed up, and snug as a bug in a rug...

If only all commercials were this good (and from a bank, no less…).

I had mixed emotions about posting this one, but it was so good, I thought I had to…please post a comment and tell us what you think.

And we need more like her…check out this YouTube from Gabrielle Giffords my good friend Robyn just posted on Facebook…

The CSC booth in Del Mar before the show opened...

TK chatting with a Good Guy...check out the burgundy bike in the foreground!

A very cool '57 Chevy...

Some very cool cars show up at the Good Guys show...this one is awesome!

A very interesting custom...we want to do a police CSC bike!

Our new vintage green color...it looks great with wire wheels!

The new burgundy looks super, too!

A Willys...these make awesome rods!

A '59 Chevy with a very attractive young lady...

The Babydoll...these are selling well!

We have a lot of exciting things going on, folks, so keep an eye on the blog for new developments.  We’re going to be starting on our second In-N-Out bike for their charitable foundation (we donated one last year that brought over $8,000 at auction, all of which went the In-N-Out Foundation).   Steve’s designing it right now, and I can tell you it’s gonna really be something special.  It should be…In-N-Out is a very special company, and their Foundation does great things.  Wow, it happened again…I’m thinking about that iconic organization, and now I’m hungry for an animal style In-N-Out burger…the best burger on the planet!

My good friends Arlene, Desiree, and John are down in Baja, and they’re due back in the next couple of days.  I couldn’t go with them on this trip, but I sure wanted to.  I can’t wait to hear about it and see their photos, and you can be sure I’ll share them with you.

That’s it for now…I’m off for that In-N-Out burger!

TK received a nice note from Bill Brunton, who just took delivery of his new California Scooter in North Dakota…

Hey TK,

Here is a picture of my shiny new Scooter (aka “Mustang” reincarnation) with my front yard snow bank as a backdrop. The date of the photo is April 1, 2011, and it is NOT an April Fools gag; we still have this much snow on the ground here in Fargo, North Dakota. And there is a snow storm predicted to arrive in two days!

Even in this harsh environment, I could not resist taking a ride right after I shot this picture–albeit a short one. It was enjoyable and I look forward to that lull in winter we call summer up here when the days are long and warm and I will be able to putt around on the scooter, enjoying a green world lit by a golden evening sun. That’s a part of the good life!

I want to add that I am very impressed with the quality of the build on this bike and on the obvious concern and enthusiasm you guys have about your handiwork. Thank you for a very positive purchase experience.

Bill Brunton

Trevor’s Travels is a very cool column written by a very cool guy.  We read Trevor Summons’ column for the first time a few months ago, and we’ve been hooked on it since.   We shot an email to Trevor the first time we read his work, and he visited us a few weeks ago.  One thing led to another, and Trevor’s story on your favorite motorcycle company appeared in five newspapers today (the Daily Bulletin, the San Bernardino Sun, the Pasadena Star News, the Whittier Daily News, and the San Gabriel Valley Tribune).   This is definitely cool stuff.   Here’s what Trevor wrote…

Zoom to La Verne, home of California Scooters

Trevor Summons, Correspondent

Posted: 04/02/2011 06:50:50 PM PDT

I was fortunate to spend the first 10 years of my working life visiting factories, where things were actually produced. I saw automobiles, glass bottles, cookies, wire and even perfume made. Mostly the places were noisy, dirty and sometimes dangerous. Then I changed course and went into the computer industry where the vista never changed. It was artificially lit, hummed with air-conditioning and the only surroundings were usually large, pale blue boxes.

I’ve often missed the days where people worked to make things, and so it was a pleasure going along to visit California Scooters where I could combine another love, that of motorcycles.

“Back in the days when motorcycles were really just beginning, they were always called `Scooters,”‘ said Joe Berk, in charge of PR for the firm. “Perhaps today we might call the company something different, as it can cause some confusion.”

Steve Seidner and a CSC Classic

Scooters in fact are now becoming popular and the two-wheeled machines this company produces are not to be confused with the step-through, sometimes automatic little commuter bikes that are coming into the country.

“But if you line up our machine with say a Vespa (one of Europe’s most popular scooter models) you will see that there is a similarity in size,” he said.

But that’s where the comparison ends, as these are very much motorcycles.

Granted they are small, and single-engined, but one glance will tell you immediately that these would grace any motorcycle enthusiast’s garage.

The factory is located at Brackett Airfield, La Verne, which is right opposite the Pomona Fairgrounds and everything is assembled there.

“We love people to come visit us, when we’re open during the week from eight to five,” said Steve Seidner, the CEO and founder. His original company, Pro One, built street bikes and accessories, but he turned his attention toward making a replacement for the famous Mustang motorcycle built in Glendale from 1947 until the 1960s.

One of these older bikes is in a corner of the showroom and you can see the similarity. However, Seidner has taken his newer machines to a much higher level. They have a kick start as well as an electric start. “People love to kick them over,” he said. “They mostly have no experience of that, so they like to do it.”

With big sprung saddles like the bikes of old, they are very comfortable and, of course, lightweight. Joe Berk led a group of riders on these adaptable little machines all the way down the Baja Peninsula to Cabo San Lucas and back last September; a distance of 2,200 miles completely without mechanical failure.

On display is a bright emerald green and black machine. “We call it the LSR bike,” Berk said. “That stands for land speed record.” The record was set for a 150 cc machine at 78 miles per hour. “But a lot of the course was uphill,” he added.

Privately the company would like to have another go and see if they could go as fast as 98 mph – ninety-eight being a rather special number in their minds. Berk explained: “It costs $98 a month to buy one, Geico insures them for $98 a year, and they will give you 98 miles to the gallon.”

Being small, the machines appeal very much to women, who find them a lot easier to move around, and they are a joy to make U-turns on. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the cost, as you can buy one of these great little rides for $4,295. I have to say I am very tempted.

To hear Trevor Summons discuss this and other columns visit www.sbsun.com/trevorstravels. Check out his blog at www.trevorsummons.blogspot.com. And visit his website, www.trevorsummons.com.

Read more: http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_17760874?IADID=Search-www.sgvtribune.com-www.sgvtribune.com#ixzz1IU6attGM

Yep, it’s that time again.  The Good Guys show is in Del Mar (just north of San Diego) this weekend, and we’ll be there with a bunch of very cool CSC motorcycles for you to see! 

See our new colors at the Del Mar Good Guys Show!

We’ll have the new colors on display (Grabber Orange, Vintage Green, and Burgundy) along with several custom bikes.  You can see the new colors below, but you really need to see the bikes in person.   They’re gorgeous.  

Vintage Green...it rocks, especially with wire wheels!

A Burgundy CSC motorcycle...we got this color idea from a restored Mustang!

Grabber Orange, with billet wheels! Woo Hoo!!

The Del Mar show starts this Friday and it runs through Sunday.  Folks, the weather out here is awesome (it’s in the 90s here in So Cal today), and the Good Guys shows are always fun.   Stop by and see us!

Our good Army buddy Dan Harrigan just returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan, and he’s zeroing in on buying a California Scooter in the near future.  Dan’s been a fan of your favorite motorcycle company since Day One, and we sent decals and T-shirts to him over there on the Far Side.   Dan just sent this very cool photo of himself on an upgraded Afghan bike (no, it’s not a CSC new model).   Great to know the CSC name is making the rounds over there!

Our friend Dan Harrigan sporting the CSC logo in Afghanistan!

The boss (that would be Steve) is a pretty cool guy.  Like everyone here at CSC motorcycles, he’s a gearhead, and there’s just no telling what’s going to appear around the factory next.   In the last few months, Steve has been picking up some very interesting small vintage bikes, and I snuck around a bit this morning to grab a few photos.

The first is a vintage Tote Gote Blazer (not to be confused with the Chevy SUV of the same name).  Tote Gote made bikes from 1958 to 1970.  A guy named Ralph Bonham founded the company.   Tote Gotes are essentially big mini bikes designed for off road use, and they have dual range drive systems (one for low speed, and one for really low speed).  Steve’s is from the early 1960s, and it is unrestored.   It’s  pretty cool.    These bikes were made in very small numbers…this is the first one I’ve ever seen!

An original, unrestored Tote Gote...this is a big mini bike designed for off road use

Tote Gote engine details...rope starter and a dead short ignition shut down feature...lawn-mower-like simplicity!

Check out the Tote Gote's dual range drive system!

Steve’s next vintage bike is a 1960 Cushman Iron Eagle.   This is a magnificent motorcycle.  You’ve heard us talk about Cushmans here in the blog before.   Back in the day, Cushman was a major competitor to the Mustang.   Mustangs were considered a bit more high end, and they were a bit more exclusive (there were a lot more Cushmans running around compared to the total Mustang production run of approximately 20,000 motorcycles).  In looking at this one, it’s easy to see why the Cushman sold in such large numbers.   It’s beautiful!

Steve's 1960 Cushman Iron Eagle...a very cool motorcycle!

Deep red paint...this is a sleek motorcycle!

Engine details on the Iron Eagle...chrome seat springs...kick starter...it all works!

The third bike in this trilogy is one Steve picked up just a couple of weeks ago, and it’s a very rare animal.  Honda only imported a small number of these 1968 125cc twins, and this is a very clean and original example.  Take a look at this one, folks!

A 1968 Honda Super Sport 125 cc twin...wow!

Twin cylinders and a single carb...a very cool and well engineered product!

Yep, just 4015 original miles!

And of course, this discussion would not be complete without mentioning Steve’s 1953 Mustang Pony.  This is the bike that started it all…Steve bought it on Ebay intending to restore it for his dad, Ed.   After seeing his Pro-One customers’ reactions to the original Mustang and looking at its design, Steve decided to start the California Scooter Company and build the bike Mustang would be making today if they were still in business.   It’s a great story about the start of a great company…the California Scooter Company!

My good buddy Sully checking out the '53 Pony

One of my favorite photos...a new CSC and our 1953 Mustang Pony!

With the nice weather on us, and the oil companies doing what they love to do, we’ve sure been busy lately.  While I was shooting the above photos, a nice young lady named Sandy and her brother Chris popped into the showroom to check out our new CSC motorcycles.  Like a lot of people, Sandy was immediately drawn to Josh’s custom Greaser (the one with the purple flames and apehangers), and she was happy to let me grab a photo…

Sandy on Josh's custom Greaser

Okay, guys, enough photography of pretty girls and motorcycles….back to work!