Back in 1947, a California company built and sold its first 122-cc, two-stroke scooters with twelve-inch wheels modeled after the post-war, customized military surplus street rods of the day. Those motorcycles had become popular amongst returning veterans, but were often priced out of the range of others who wanted a commuter bike with a cool tough guy look. The Mustang, as the original was called, filled the bill and more than twenty thousand of the small bikes were sold before the company stopped making them.
Today, there is still a call for that and for the 2011 model year, the California Scooter Co released three scooters based on the same platform as the 1947 original Mustang, but with a more powerful, modern engine and safety equipment. Of those three releases, the Greaser is the bar brawler, sporting a classic Marlon Brando appeal. It retains the twelve-inch wheels of the original and the spring front and rear suspension, but uses a larger (149-cc) four-stroke engine that gets about twice the fuel economy of the original while putting out more power and lower emissions.
The Greaser comes in flat black with white wall tires as standard. Several accessory options can be added to customize the bike as well. Riders will find it responsive and fun due to the unusually low to the ground stance it gives. Top speed on the Greaser is about 55 miles per hour, depending on rider weight, and most will appreciate small details such as the flanged tailpipe to give a more throaty exhaust note and the soft-grip chrome handlebars for comfortable handling. The spring-loaded saddle seat harkens back to the days of simple riding styles and comfort.