CSC San Gabriel (SG250).
 

Looks like they are starting deposits for pre-orders on the latest new release.
http://www.cscmotorcycles.com/2018-S...sg250-2018.htm

Styling and design wise it looks to me like a late model CG125 with a "cafe racer" inspired seat and a rear frame hoop. I personally think it would look better with a flat seat, but that's just personal preference. I think I would delete or trim that rear fender and just run a suspended license plate frame like I did with my Goldwing.

What amazed me was the seat height at 26 inches. This would be a good alternative to the Magician for shorter people looking for a street bike. It might cost more, but it would be worth it.

The 4 gallon fuel tank is impressive. It will definitely have range!

Honestly, the only thing that boggles my mind is the rear drum brake. Why oh why do they still use them. Yes, I know it's perfectly fine on such a small bike, but from a buyers perspective it will be a little bit of a turn off.

I highly doubt that I would fit very comfortably on this bike, which is a little disappointing. It would make a good alternative to a Grom for people that want a slightly bigger bike though. It would definitely make an excellent commuter bike, and I bet that 68mph top speed could be easily bumped upwith a rear sprocket change, meaning it could probably cruise along at 70mph all day long, making it decently highway capable.

Around these parts your drum brakes will catch fire if your not careful riding down the 7,000 foot change in altitude within in a short period of time... mountain riding/driving can be hell on even the best braking systems...

Please CSC... NO DRUM BRAKES! Get rid of that junk and you will have (at least) one more sale :hehe:

Finally a realistic selling price?
 

Great to see that CSC is offering the San Gabriel Cafe Racer for sale for $1995.00.
A better price than the original guess-ti-mated price of $2495.00!
I love this price! It’s just where I thought it should be priced! :tup:
And Megadan, your correct about the low 26” seat height. I’m 6’2” and sat on and maneuvered the bike around the show room, and found the seating, reach, and leg room very restrictive! I don’t know how far, distance-wise, I’d be able to pilot this bike. But if the price actually remains attractive, I’ll purchase one and give it a try.
And I do LIKE THE LOOKS of the bike and the COLORS available.:yay:
Good luck CSC with your marketing!:clap:
Time will tell if this is a fair and attractive selling price. I sure hope it is!

Yeah, the mountain roads add a whole new dimension to it. I live in the relatively flat great plains, so for around town and commuting duty will put a lot less demand on the brakes. They would be adequate in those roles. I just think they could have found a way to offer a basic 1 pot caliper rear disc setup without jacking up the price too much.

Price wise, after all of their fees and delivery, the total price seems to be right around $2400 to get one to your door. That puts it squarely in the price range of the TT250, so it isn't too bad of a price.

It is a shame about the cramped seating position for a taller rider, because I was seriously considering swapping out my Hawk for one of these. I mainly ride on the road anyway, and I love the styling of this bike. Toss on some 80/20 tires and you would have a quick and easy Brat tracker lol.

Dan, I think you're spot on with the brat look. I'd promptly dump the tank, side panels and seat and go with the Born Moto look.

I think it's cool. Slightly Norton-ish, especially the exhaust. The four gallon gas tank is a plus........and of course, C.A.R.B. approval is HUGE.

I actually don't mind the tank's styling. Plus, it would be hard to give up 4 gallons of capacity lol.

Yeah, if you took a late model CG125, mixed it with a few styling ques from a Norton Commando, you pretty much end up with this bike. The CARB approval is definitely a big deal. This is probably the cheapest "full size" street bike on the market right now.

Looks pretty cool. pretty light should be fun.

I like the bike and concept.

But I don't know if I would call that a Cafe Racer???

It's more like a standard bike, in my view anyways.

I would keep the tank in place. It has the indentions on the sides for the rider to tuck their knees tight.

I really like this setup. If I can convince Mrs. Emerikol that I need to have one of these in my stable "For Testing Purposes Only" :lmao:, I think I'd like to pick one up. My little sister and her family are in Germany right now, and she's looking to pick one of these up to replace her bike. She's got a Honda 600 VLX that's too big for her, but too small for her husband. Maybe I'll be able to pick one of these up and ride it for a bit, then sell it to her when they get back stateside. Thanks Dan, now the wheels are turning on how I can get another bike... I swear, it would be cheaper to have a drug habit rather than a motorcycle habit... Even with as cheap as some of these China bikes are.

I agree. I like the stock tank that it comes with.

No problem! Being a severe addict myself, I like to reinforce it in others so I don't feel alone in this world. :hehe:

I seriously would love to sit on one of these to see how well my enormous self fits on it. I would consider it as a replacement for my Hawk, and if I can get my TIG welder setup to sell I could likely just squeak by on the price. I just like having an Enduro though. It's a nice alternative to a road bike to ride around.

I had a chance to check this bike out when I picked up my TT250. It is very good looking in person. The seat height is nice for me as I am vertically challenged at 5'6" with a 28" inseam. It's a 1/2" shorter than my Sportster 883low.

The thing I wonder about is CSC's research and development. Why don't they survey their past, present and potential future customers for free invaluable input?
Just wondering if they went with the drum brake for "customer appeal" or "cost"?

It's a pretty cool little bike. I see power upgrades. The compression is only 8.7:1. Megadan, I bet you can get a good bump in power with a reworked head. The bike maybe a little small for you with a 26 inch seat height. You may have to mount it while on your knees. LOL

Is this bike only available in the USA? Has anyone successfully shipped to Canadaand riding it?

When I was living in Yuma, and see you guys from Canada inquiring about bikes not available up there, I often wondered if one or a few of the numerous snowbirds that 'wintered' in Yuma could throw a bike on the back of their RV on their way back up north every spring to 'sneak' them in to you guys!

but I would want to drive it on the street though..

I would have to register it, buy insurance and stuff so "sneak" them in does not work ;)

Preordered
 

I have a Matte Black SG250 on preorder right should be arriving by the end of the month if not early July I will post picks as soon as I get it so you guys can check it out for yourselfs.

I greatly await your pictures and possible owner/ride review of it. Maybe a little opinion on how cramped or open the riding position is relative to your height so people out there have a good idea if it will fit them well or not.

Will you be riding it back to 29 Palms?

If I lived near 29 Palms, I would want to have a dual sport bike. It is near the starting point of the old Barstow to Vegas desert race.

Well to be honest if they deliver it to 29 for free I will have them deliver it here but if it costs anymore money I will just go pick it up myself.

Mega I will be more than happy to throw some pics up when the bike arrives and I am 5’10” so I don’t see it being too cramped with the low seat height but I be sure let you all know if there are any issues.

Backordered!
 

So just to let everyone know I have been following CSC’s blog and it appears that the first order of SG250’s will not arrive until early July plus they still have to clear customs so I will not be posting any pictures/reviews until probably Late July/Early August but I’ll will have them up as soon as the bike arrives. Ciao!

I haven't heard if CSC is trying to get Canadian approval or not for the San Gabriel. The RX3 was a year late to the party by the time it was approved in Canada. I ordered my TT250 in the original "off the boat" deal and got it by end of June 2016. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the TT250 was selling in USA in spring of 2016, so Canada was a few months behind. So if CSC is trying to get the San Gabriel approved in Canada it could take a few months before we see one up here.

I personally like the retro look of the drum brake. I also don't see why everyone is complaining. If they are sized properly to stop the bike then why should it matter? I understand if your in the mountains that drum brakes can overheat under heavy brakeing and "fade". There are also advantages to having drum brakes like simplicity, lower maintenance, longer life & less likely catastrophic failure.

My drums on my 1976 Honda still work great with the ORIGINAL pads!

SG250’s arrive next week
 

I’ve been following CSC’s Blog and it looks like the SG250’s will be arrive from China next week with the first shipment going out soon after. Wanted to post a couple pics from their blog as well including a mostly stripped down version of the SG250 which gives a decent picture of what is under the side panels and gas tank. Can’t until I finally get mine from CSC.:tup:
Attachment 13578

Attachment 13579

If CSC holds true to form, they will thoroughly inspect a few batches of them before sending them off to customers. What is the final price? Last I checked they were taking deposits with final price TBD.

Should be right around $2500 with registration paperwork for CA residents like myself. You can check out CSC’s website if you are not from Cali but the bike is listed as $1,995 before taxes and paperwork.

San Gabriel nearly here!
 

Hi. I’m new here.
My first Chinese motorcycle, a CSC San Gabriel is due to arrive on Wednesday, 8/15/18.
I am excited!

Welcome! Please show us pics of your new bike when it arrives.

Sg250
 

Greetings everyone!

To rub it in!
My SG250 was delivered Friday very late in the day, was occupied for Saturday, finally Sunday started the unpacking. Impressive steel frame for the shipping. As of this moment have ten whole miles. Far enough to make it to the gas station to fill the tank. Tags and insurance done today, and since I am in Virginia a state inspection in the next day or so.
The impression so far is this will work for me. The seat seems a bit hard or under padded. Time will tell. Then again maybe I am over padded?
So far for the price I am very impressed.
The color is the Mocha, will keep you informed as the miles accumulate.

Arthur

Arthur, we're gonna need pics!

:lol: :hehe: :lmao: I resemble that remark!

Arthur,
You are correct about the SG250 seat. It’s like sitting on a wooden plank covered with a vinyl non-padded cover. I tried it out at CSC.:doh:

CSC Cafe Racer
 

hello everyone

Here it is! A couple pictures of the mocha cafe racer. Odometer shows 85 miles.
Will give updates as they happen.
For now still going slow for the "break in period"
Will admit that with a little sitting the seat is not quite as uncomfortable as during the first ride. Not quite the Gold Wing either.
The intake seems to be as loud as the exhaust for this riders ears when at speed.
The headlight runs from the stator and is only on when engine is running. Something to be aware of. Dammed impressive headlight for such a small motorcycle, especially the high beam.
So far with limited engine speed (5000 RPM) seems very smooth for a single.

All for now

Arthur

Nice looking bike
 

Art,
Nice looking bike. I’m going to be watching your evaluation and opinions regarding your new SG250. Sorry to hear that you find the seat “not very comfortable”, just like me. Hopefully CSC will get Zongshen to install a new seat, more padding-more comfortable, on the next new SG’s being imported! I hate having to create a new, comfortable seat on the new bikes I purchase.
I’ll be watching for your updates and opinions.
Good luck,
PCG

Nice looking bike! That would a fun little back-road tosser. I love the throw back headlight, bars and rubber accordions on the forks. The seat may not be luxurious but it's shaped just right for the style of bike. Of course, hard to go wrong with a Norton-ish exhaust.
Very cool. Glad to see one on the road. Look forward to further reviews and also, reactions from the public.

Hello again everyone.
Today (Friday) had some time and put on a few miles in search of lunch. Instead of thinking of the CSC SG 250 as a Café Racer, I am inclined to think of it as the Café Rider. The racing days are behind me. today the SG 250 had been taking me from local café to the next Cafe. The adventure has been a little more that the hundred miles. With the 5000 RPM limit during the breaking in period was passed a lot.
Something I noticed today was with time on the seat and subtle shifting of position could find the comfortable position. For me the middle of the foot or somewhat towards the ball of the foot on the pegs seemed to be the more comfortable position. Not quite ready for the length of the USA type of trip but a couple hours with a break is quite comfortable. Looking forward to discovering what seat options CSC comes up with, which may be the answer to my dreams.
The bar end mirrors that came with the motorcycle work great for me. Not likely to want to change them for something else. Do not know the miles per gallon, in that have yet to need to add gas. The fuel gauge seemed to read full for quite a while and is only now starting to come off the full mark. Of all the motorcycles I own this has the largest tank and quite possibly the best gas mileage. The speedometer seems to read faster than I am going. Either that or there are some dammed fast car drivers out there. My speed was limited by engine break in RPMs. So far the SG has been performing far beyond what you might expect for such the “small” motorcycle.
A bit of the disclaimer, these are my observations and experiences and your impressions may differ. Your terrain and style of riding may be different than mine. I have no real complaints. What is mentioned above are the small problems nothing that would be the deal breaker. I am on the crowded East Coast and on the secondary back roads this may be the one of the better options. CSC has done the great job of providing an extremely enjoyable motorcycle. If I was in my twenties or even thirties again would not hesitate to load up and do the multi state back-roads ride on the SG 250. At sixty plus years I am thinking about this may still be possible.
All for now, more adventures as they happen.

Arthur

CSC San Gabriel issues
 

Hi,
Received my SG250 several days ago.
I am 66 years old, am 5 ft 11 inches in height, with an inseam of 31 inches. I have found the bike comfortable for the 15 minutes at a time that I have managed to ride it.
The odometer is not bad, it is awful. It records a 10 mile ride as being 15 miles. I assume the speedometer is similarly off. I spoke to a person at CSC who told me that they find a 39 percent error in it.
In the owner’s manual the text and the specification chart disagree on recommended tire pressure. A CSC rep told me that the correct pressures are 40 front, 36 rear.
The manual shows the choke on the left handlebar. It is actually located under the gas tank, near the fuel petlock.
According to the manual, you remove the seat by taking off 2 bolts and sliding the seat to the rear. It is actually more complicated than that.
Gotta go ride now.

Chinglish owners manuals have always been more for entertainment value than actual usefulness. It's one of the many awesome reasons why we are all here! :-)