2021 CSC Monterey first look

If you're tired of waiting for Honda to finally build the electric Super Cub it first showed as a concept bike more than a decade ago, CSC has an alternative that you can buy now. And at a price that has to be lower than anything you'd find on a similar Honda.

CSC’s new scooter adds electric power to a very familiar silhouette. Spec-wise, the Monterey looks to be a short-range vehicle for missions around town. Top speed of 32 mph will just clear most urban speed limits, and that 20-to-65-mile range means you’ll be staying pretty local, which is the best use case for a small scooter, anyway. CSC claims a seven-hour charge time from dead to full.

Electrified as it may be, the Monterey packs some decidedly vintage features, like drum brakes, an analog speedometer, traditional twin-shock rear suspension, and spoked rims with tubed tires. Is it also retro to have a standard center stand? The Monterey weighs in at 178 pounds (including the 20-pound, 60V26Ah, lithium battery) and maximum load (passengers and/or cargo) is 300 pounds. The battery appears to hide behind body panels where a scooter’s engine would normally sit, sending power back to a brushless hub drive motor (two horsepower nominal and 3.2 horsepower peak) in the rear wheel. 

We’ve featured CSC models before on Common Tread, most notably the San Gabriel SG250 cafe racer and the RX4 adventure bike. These motorcycles are built in China by Zongshen, and the Monterey appears to be a rebadged Zongshen model called the Cineco E Classic. The good news here is that the Cineco has been available in other markets for at least two years, so they’ve probably worked out any major glitches by now. Zongshen also manufactures a nearly identical ICE variant, the Ryuka Cub Classic.

The split seat accommodates one-up or two-up seating (take notes here, Honda), with floorboards for the rider and pegs for the passenger. Other niceties include a USB charger, storage cups inside the leg shield, metal switchgear, LED lights all around, and a one year warranty.

Compared to the $7,499 Vespa Elettrica, the Monterey’s spec sheet looks very competitive. Despite showing several electric Super Cub prototypes, Honda has yet to offer one for sale in the United States, prompting a cottage industry of Super Cub EV conversion kits.

Small, inexpensive scooters are the perfect candidates for electric power, and CSC’s Monterey wins on style and price. Will that be enough to outweigh the low top speed and long charge time? Hopefully we’ll be able to review one and find out. This is the kind of electric two-wheeler I thought we’d see in droves by now, not the disposable kick scooters or countless vaporware/boutique creations we got instead. 

The CSC Monterey is available on CSC’s website in Piano Black, Frost White, and Sunshine Yellow. California customers can opt to sort out taxes and registration through CSC, while U.S. customers in other states will have to consult their local DMV for registration and inspection details.

2021 CSC Monterey
Price (MSRP)	$1,995 + $400 documentation/prep fee
Range	20-65 miles
Transmission, final drive	Hub drive, brushless
Claimed horsepower	2 nominal, 3.2 peak
Frame	Steel monocoque
Front suspension	Telescopic fork
Rear suspension	Twin shock
Front brake	Drum
Rear brake	Drum
Wheelbase	48 inches
Battery	Lithium, 60V26Ah, 7 hour charge time with included 4.5A charger
Tires	70/90R17 front, 80/90R17 rear
Claimed weight	178 pounds
Available	Now
Warranty	12 months
More info	cscmotorcycles.com/