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I caught a glimpse of this bike the other day and knew exactly what it was, a recreation of one of the more interesting small bikes from America’s past. Most remember Cushman, with its ‘Harley-esque’ styling. Well Mustang was its hopped up cousin, evidently banned from flat track racing many years ago because it was humbling some of its full grown rivals. Mustangs were minibike-looking vehicles with huge engines. They could hit 60 or 70 mph which given their size, made them a hoot to ride. Occasionally we get one in trade here at Barnett Harley-Davidson in El Paso and it usually ends up with some disciplining and mopping up of tire marks around the showroom paths. Adults can’t stay off these large toy-like vehicles.

The bikes shown here are pre-production prototypes made by CSC Motorcycles in La Verne, California. This company is owned and run by Steve and Maureen Seidner, the same folks who own Pro-One, the high end billet and V-twin motorcycle producing company. The Seidners have a very storied past and present in the Southern California motorcycle scene. Father Eddie got it all started with a bicycle shop called “Bert’s” which later took on Yamaha and expanded into one of the largest motorcycle dealerships in the country. That shop is currently run by Steve’s brother Ron Seidner. So what on earth got the idea of creating a line of scooters into the Big Boy Toy minds of the Seidners? Well it seems father Eddie had always wanted a Mustang many years back when he was young and couldn’t afford one. Steve found him one recently on eBay that he planned to rebuild and present to his father. I imagine, like everyone else around our shop, once it was running and in his presence, he probably couldn’t stay off it because they are stupid fun to ride.

The simplicity of the vehicle made Steve realize it would be a cinch to produce compared to the high end, $40K billet masterpieces he usually dealt with and scooters are starting to register on the charts in production numbers here in America finally. They seem to be hitting the streets on both coasts pretty heavily, offering a low price, good fuel economy, and a kinder, gentler face than motorcycling proper (meaning Mom won’t get too upset if you ride one). For all those guys who secretly would like a scooter but wouldn’t touch a step-through with a ten foot pole, here’s how you can run to the store in style without ridicule. You don’t have to put on a full face helmet and dark visor like you might consider on a step-through with friends watching.

These bikes will sell for $4,995 and meet CARB and EPA standards. They are powered by a modern 149cc engine with a 5-speed gearbox. This is enough to propel the 240 lb vehicles to around 60 mph with a matching fuel mileage of 60 mpg. I know I’ll want to take a spin on one when they become available nationwide. Scooters make a lot of sense. Why fire up the V-8 to run two miles up the road to return that late video? Even backing out the Harley for such a short chore is kind of a pain. This is what these CSC motorcycles will do best, let you zip around the neighborhood and turn work or honey-do’s into fun. Check them out at www.CaliforniaScooterCo.com or give the Seidners a call at 909-445-0900 if you’d like to carry them at your dealership. There are also some articles and photos on Joe Berk’s website www.motofoto.cc which show these bikes parked next to Vespas and old Mustangs to get an idea of their size.