CSC San Gabriel (SG250). - Page 3

jacaquarie · 08-14-2018, 04:16 PM

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

Weldangrind · 08-15-2018, 11:50 AM

Arthur, we're gonna need pics!

Essayons · 08-15-2018, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacaquarie

Greetings everyone!

The seat seems a bit hard or under padded. Time will tell. Then again maybe I am over padded?

Arthur

I resemble that remark!

1cylinderwonder · 08-15-2018, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacaquarie

Greetings everyone]
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,
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.

jacaquarie · 08-16-2018, 02:53 PM

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

1cylinderwonder · 08-16-2018, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacaquarie

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

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

2LZ · 08-17-2018, 01:19 PM

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.

jacaquarie · 08-17-2018, 04:26 PM

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

Mikeewanus · 08-20-2018, 10:53 AM

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.

2LZ · 08-20-2018, 12:45 PM

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! :-)

Mikeewanus · 08-20-2018, 02:40 PM

I believe the manual, which is on a cd data disk, was written by people at CSC.

david3921 · 08-20-2018, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikeewanus

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.

Looks as though the speedometer and odometer are reading in KPH rather than MPH.

culcune · 08-21-2018, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david3921

Looks as though the speedometer and odometer are reading in KPH rather than MPH.

That is quite common for analog speedos on Chinese bikes...right before they break

Sometimes the speedo is in KPH (even though it reads as MPH--like someone just threw on a 'MPH' face) while the odometer is in miles??!!

1cylinderwonder · 08-21-2018, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikeewanus

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.
Gotta go ride now.

The CSC recommended tire pressures seem to be the REVERSE of most motorcycles. Usually the rear tire has a higher tire pressure than the front tire?
Must be Chinese special tires?

Biker_Andy · 08-21-2018, 04:04 PM

Oh my, I figured after egg on their face with the TT250 speedo & odometer in KPH they would be checking all new bikes for that. I assume they will have a fix for it soon and hopefully it will be corrected for subsequent shipments.

08-14-2018, 04:16 PM	#31
jacaquarie Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 20	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
	5

08-15-2018, 11:50 AM	#32
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	Arthur, we're gonna need pics! __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
	1

08-17-2018, 01:19 PM	#37
2LZ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Volcano, Ca Posts: 7,112	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. __________________ "Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350
	0

08-20-2018, 10:53 AM	#39
Mikeewanus Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 6	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.
	4

08-20-2018, 12:45 PM	#40
2LZ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Volcano, Ca Posts: 7,112	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! :-) __________________ "Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350
	1

08-17-2018, 04:26 PM	#38
jacaquarie Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 20	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
	7

08-20-2018, 02:40 PM	#41
Mikeewanus Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 6	CSC San Gabriel manual I believe the manual, which is on a cd data disk, was written by people at CSC.
	0

08-21-2018, 04:04 PM	#45
Biker_Andy Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 347	Oh my, I figured after egg on their face with the TT250 speedo & odometer in KPH they would be checking all new bikes for that. I assume they will have a fix for it soon and hopefully it will be corrected for subsequent shipments.
	1