New Zongshen RX3 (ZS250GY-3) Dual Sport
 

The new, Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) is the successor to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2.

http://www.chinamotorworld.com/files...ongsheng/1.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHEwl7iCWwI

The new Zong is very heavy at 175 kg (385 pounds).

http://en.zongshenmotor.com/?q=node/892

However, in their defense, Zongshen bikes are built like the proverbial 'brick outhouses,' and are built to carry heavy loads. :tup:

http://www.motorcycles-china.com/Mot...x01o3w8w1vV7v1

Don't expect this bike to be exported to North America. :ohno: Indeed, Zongshen America seems to be closing down its operations in the United States.

The Minsk TRX300, which is being sold in the Belarus, is merely a rebadged Zongshen RX3 (ZS250GY-3).

http://www.minsk-moto.com/pub/produc...2/color1_1.png

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shw1x0p-bLg

http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/y...5a3af83d52.jpg

The Standard Edition of the Zongshen RX3 does not include the luggage, and has an MSRP of 19,800 Chinese Yuan, which at current exchange rates is $3,267.44.

The Deluxe Editon of the Zongshen RX3 includes the luggage, and has an MSRP of 20,800 Chinese Yuan, which at current exchange rates is $3,432.56 USD.

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...id=36625595542

http://en.zongshenmotor.com/sites/de...n/cp/RX3yw.jpg

I hope this bike proves to be reliable, and sells well for Zongshen. For an MSRP of $3,267.44 USD, the bike has a lot of standard features. :tup:

Fuel Injected Engine
Water Cooled Engine
6-Speed Transmission
Crash Bars
Windshield
Digital Dashboard
LED Turn Signals and Brake Light
16-Liter Fuel Tank
Integrated luggage
Stainless Steel Muffler
USD Forks
1-inch, Fat Handlebars

The ZS250GY-3 also appears to have anodized alloy rims and a skid plate.

http://f.ptcdn.info/905/011/000/1383925083-img71-o.jpg

http://content.onliner.by/forum/1bd/...7df2a6bdd5.jpg

http://f.ptcdn.info/906/011/000/1383925192-img6-o.jpg

http://f.ptcdn.info/906/011/000/1383925210-img2-o.jpg

http://f.ptcdn.info/906/011/000/1383925234-img1-o.jpg

http://f.ptcdn.info/906/011/000/1383925264-moto11-o.jpg

http://f.ptcdn.info/906/011/000/1383925289-moto2-o.jpg

Zongshen makes good engines. I have ridden my ZS200GY-2 for almost 61,000 miles, and it still runs superbly. :tup:

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...hofjuly058.jpg

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...hofjuly061.jpg

The fuel injected, ZS177MM Zongshen engine installed in the Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) has been in production for several years, and I have not heard any bad reports concerning it. :)

http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/y...dbb2ec276b.jpg

http://attachments.motorfans.com.cn/...eY2ht45357.jpg

http://attachments.motorfans.com.cn/...mwNXl64729.jpg

http://attachments.motorfans.com.cn/...skBYAE8306.jpg

Among other places, the Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) is currently being sold in the Philippines, Thailand, England, and Russia.

http://svaomoto.ru/newspict/minsk1.jpg

That new 250 is sikk! The only thing I would change is the fork guards.

I like this bike a lot. :) It's too bad Zongshen America seems to be closing shop. :ohno: The only thing I would change is the weight. I wish this bike were about 50 pounds lighter. ;)

It is a little porky. As far as them closing shop in the states, I don't blame them. Politics on paperwork from state to state and the EPA, I would run too!

Here are a some more photographs of the new Zong. :)

http://images.ua.prom.st/64403245_w6...GE_ID=64403245

http://images.ua.prom.st/64403271_w6...GE_ID=64403271

http://images.ua.prom.st/64403301_w6...GE_ID=64403301

http://images.ua.prom.st/64403324_w6...GE_ID=64403324

http://images.ua.prom.st/64403361_w6...GE_ID=64403361

http://images.ua.prom.st/64403552_w6...GE_ID=64403552

It also appears the new Zong has 1-inch handlebars. :tup:

That black one trips my trigger!

I believe all the RX3 bikes look black from the front. ;) The bike is officially available in red, white, blue, and orange. :tup:

http://onroad.hu/wp-content/uploads/...insk_trx_4.jpg

http://motoprobeg.by/wp-content/them...t/moto/red.jpg

Here's a link to a review of the Minsk TRX300 at Adventure Touring Motorcycle.

http://adventuretouringmotorcycle.com/tag/adv-pulse/

For right now, the closest we'll get to this bike is via SSR and their full-size dirtbike:



At least the water-cooled 250cc Zongshen engine...

A few years back, Johnny Pag offered a 250cc police motorcycle which, at the time, was a perfect tool for some police forces. It was not meant for all out pursuits, obviously, but rather for putting around quietly to run up unexpectedly on people doing illegal activities, such as when police forces use bicycles. A few police forces put them into use, which at $4k or so at the time (recession time) was a lot easier to swallow than $15k+ for pursuit and patrol bikes.

An entrepreneur could probably find a niche for the RX3 which already come made as police bikes--my guess is they are probably a lot more reliable than the Johnny Pag bikes were in 2009 or 2010.

A good source (insider) told me he thought the person who started Zongshen America was laundering money--so there was no real intention to actually service the brand forever.

As far as hope for this bike coming to the US, perhaps their joint venture with someone could get us this bike in a few years? Zongshen and Piaggio have a joint venture, and Piaggio have an established presence in the US, as well as Piaggio Group's Aprilia. If the bike is tested as reliable, perhaps, if not as a Zongshen, we could see it as one of the above?

Holy BMW GS styling! I love it!

I can see that I'm going to have to watch Taobao for the luggage to appear.

Thanks Heavens that Zong is smart enough to continue producing orange bikes. :D

Maybe we can get them to the table. Set up shop in Missouri and service the entire United States. I'm ready and able.

Here you go! ;)

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...id=36451152880

You get all 3 luggage boxes, including the mounting brackets, for only 780 CNY. :tup:

If you are ready to pay the shipping from China, then deal with customs, customs fees, taxes, et cetera, you can order a bike from China. The Deluxe Version, with luggage, costs 20800 Chinese Yuan ($3,431.38 USD). ;)

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...id=36173529491

http://img01.taobaocdn.com/imgextra/...1702457330.jpg

http://img03.taobaocdn.com/imgextra/...1702457330.jpg

http://img04.taobaocdn.com/imgextra/...1702457330.jpg

http://img01.taobaocdn.com/imgextra/...1702457330.jpg

http://img04.taobaocdn.com/imgextra/...1702457330.jpg

Thanks, Spud! I just placed a Taobao order this morning, so this will likely be my next order. :)

The problem with any of the Chinese companies since I have followed the Chinese motorcycle industry for a bit longer than this site has been in existence is that none of the companies seem to want to actually invest here (or any other market). They rely on importers/distributors.

It works out in other countries because the price of bikes across the board are so high, it is worth it for importers. Even in Canada, there are many tariffs and whatnot across the board, so a $4500 Honda XR250 in the US would add much more in Canada. So, enterprising Canadians can offer Chinese bikes far cheaper there where they make more sense pricewise, even with the tariffs, taxes, etc. Here, the profit margin is low, so many importers have come and gone.

It would take an investor (well funded one at that) to properly fund bringing Zongshen to the US again. Spud mentioned the bikes costing $3300 or so, which wouldn't necessarily be the case since that is retail price (even in China). But, I am doubtful Zongshen will invest several million of its own dollars to open up for business, unfortunately.

Then, what price would it be worth to purchase a Zongshen vs. the Honda dual sport? Even with the quality improvement over the years, and the extras thrown into the deal, could someone realistically charge more than $3000 in the US? $3500, and you are only a grand away from Honda's MSRP, which doesn't make a big difference if you need to finance either one, as far as monthly payments go.

I could see if Piaggio brought these in to sell alongside their scooters under the Piaggio name, or Aprilia. Kind of like how M1nsk sells them under their name (M1nsk does still have a cult following in many countries, and their domestically produced bikes were terrible as far as quality is concerned, so this bike is a big, huge improvement for them, ironically). A Piaggio warranty and dealer network would help seal some deals, and with the proven quality and reliability once these bikes have a few years of being sold worldwide by the time they even got here.

SSR's dirtbike, for now, is the closest we will get to these, and if the engine is bulletproof, or close to it, at least that part of the research and quality tracking is taken care of here in the US. But that bike is obviously used for far different purposes than the RX3...

I've been quoting the wholesale price for these bikes. As I stated, one would also have to add shipping costs from China, import fees, taxes, et cetera. ;) I agree with Culcune. After all the costs are added, these bikes would not be competitive with the new Hondas being sold in the United States, let alone with the great deals available for used, Japanese motorcycles. ;)

Also, owning a Chinese motorcycle in North America is much more challenging than owning a European or Japanese motorcycle, since the Chinese don't have any support network for parts, repair, et cetera. :ohno: As always, whenever the price of a new Chinese motorcycle starts to approach $2,000, one is usually much better off to start looking for good deals on slightly used, Japanese motorcycles. ;)

Nevertheless, I still like this Zongshen ZS250GY-3 motorcycle. :tup: I think this bike will sell well in the Philippines, Thailand, Belarus, and many other countries. :) Although this bike probably won't be imported to North America in any quantity for several years, if ever, I am still interested to learn more about this motorcycle. Also, we must recognize these forums have an international membership, and many of our members around the world will consider this bike a very viable option in their countries. :)

not too cheap, but one could get convinced by a test ride. my dream is to buy one in china and go west via the silk road, it s been done, but it needs preparation to ride across the taklamakan desert. it may remain a dream because it needs a fair bit of preparation, some language skills and at least one other person to ride with. and of course it would be good to ride the bike here and work out its weaknesses and how to rectify them before we go on that trip.

Sounds like an awesome Long Way Round adventure.

That sounds like a great adventure. :tup: Based upon my experience with my ZS200GY-2, I think the RX3 would be fit for the trip. :)

This bike looks amazing! It really does look like something special!

This bike is definitely a heavyweight at 385 pounds. However, when you consider all the standard features I listed in post #4, this bike really does seem to be an excellent value. :)

Most definitely! With that list of extras, you're not giving up much in the way of equipment! I've seen more expensive main-stream bikes with less equipment than that with that price! That's Craigslist money right there! Very cool indeed! I hope you do get your hands on one, I'd love to hear a Ride Report from you about it! :)

I've got too many motorcycles now! :hehe: I doubt anyone in North America will acquire one of these bike soon, if ever. The Chinese correctly understand they can't compete with the Japanese in the U.S. market.

Here's a nice review of the Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) published at Chinamotoworld.com. :)

http://www.chinamotorworld.com/index...a=view&id=1793

http://www.chinamotorworld.com/ke/at...4250_29333.jpg

http://www.chinamotorworld.com/ke/at...5042_38218.jpg

http://www.chinamotorworld.com/ke/at...5212_72696.jpg

http://www.chinamotorworld.com/ke/at...5310_14287.jpg

I was alarmed to see this article lists the following tire sizes for the RX3. :wtf:

Tires:
(Front) 100/90-18
(Rear) 130/90-15

I thought, when will Zongshen learn not to put a 15-inch rear wheel on a dual sport motorcycle?! :crazy:

However, the Minski TRX300i sold in Eastern Europe lists the following tire sizes. :tup:

http://www.minsk-moto.com/en/enduro/trx-300i.html

Tires:
(Front) 100/90-18
(Rear) 130/70-17

Perhaps the Minsk TRX300i has different wheels from the Zongshen RX3? :hmm: I hope the RX3 review made a mistake, and both bikes have a 17-inch rear wheel. ;)

If they delivered this for $2k with a payment plan, they would hit a home run.

Are these available in Australia yet? I always like the 'romantic' ideal of riding a small displacement Chinese bike through China and other countries nearby, such as Vietnam. This would probably be most close to being a "Chinese Honda" for such as trip as far as reliability is concerned (I do believe there are actual Honda joint-ventures in China, so my statement is misleading, LOL)

If I were adventure riding in China, I would definitely choose the new, Zongshen RX3 as my vehicle. :) In the following ride report, the authors chose the older, Zongshen 200GY-2 because of its reasonable price, build quality, and manufacturer support. Their choice proved to be well justified. :tup:

http://www.danielmontejo.com/Picture...themachine.htm

http://www.danielmontejo.com/Picture...%20(Small).JPG

The riders in the following ride report also chose the Zongshen 200GY-2, and it faithfully transported them across China and Mongolia. :tup:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=371656

http://lh6.ggpht.com/sakkers/SOaMtG9...0/IMG_0826.JPG

The new, Zongshen ZS250GY-3 is more powerful, and even better equipped to support adventure riding. It has much greater range with its 16-liter fuel tank. The RX3 also has three large, integrated pieces of luggage to carry the equipment necessary to support an adventure ride. :) I think the Zongshen RX3 would sell well in the United States at the suggested MSRP of approximately $3,400.

http://svaomoto.ru/newspict/minsk1.jpg

However, Zongshen America appears to be closing shop, and I don't think Zongshen International wants to spend the time and money necessary to comply with the EPA and DOT requirements of the United States. :ohno:

I could almost see buying one at $3400. The weight may be an issue, but there is likely places to to cut some out.

Zongshen builds good engines and good motorcycles. :) I have ridden almost 61,000 miles on my Zongshen 200GY-2, and it is still running very well. :tup:

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...gleride038.jpg

I'm confident the ZS250GY-3 will also prove to be reliable. The new RX3 has everything you could want in an adventure motorcycle as stock equipment, except for handguards. At a price of $3,400, I think it represents an excellent value. The RX3 is not a dirt bike, so I would be willing to deal with the additional weight. ;) The fuel injected, NC250 engine is reported to produce about 26 horsepower, which is about 60 percent more horsepower than the ZS200GY-2 engine produces. Therefore, I think this bike would be safe to travel on secondary roads, and perhaps make short sprints on limited access highways. :tup:

My main concern regarding this motorcycle is the lack of a good service manual written in English, and the lack of spare parts. However, if this bike sells as well as I anticipate, I think the parts will become readily available on Taobao. :tup: Nevertheless, you would still need to wait for the parts to arrive from China. ;)

I usually draw the line when the price of a new, Chinese motorcycle approaches $2,000. However, I think the Zongshen RX3 is an exception to this rule, since it has so many excellent features as stock equipment. :)

Fuel Injected Engine
Water Cooled Engine
6-Speed Transmission
Crash Bars
Windshield
Digital Dashboard
LED Turn Signals and Brake Light
16-Liter Fuel Tank
Integrated luggage
Stainless Steel Muffler
USD Forks
1-inch Fat Handlebars

The RX3 also appears to have fans on both radiators, and even the switchgear looks pretty nice! The only additional equipment I would add to the RX3 is a nice set of Tusk handguards for about $65. :tup: The RX3 is not a typical, Chinese motorcycle. I think this bike compares well to the Honda CRF250L, which currently sells for $5,000. Yet the CRF250L does not have all the adventure equipment of the ZS250GY-3. Indeed, you would spend a lot of money trying to add the same adventure equipment to the CRF250L, and it would still not work as well as the RX3, since the Honda was not designed to accommodate this equipment. ;)

Chinamotoworld had an interview months back with one of the main people at Zongshen (it might have been the founder, Zuo Zongshen himself), and he seemed willing to put his money where his mouth was in saying that the entire Chinese industry needed to concentrate on quality, and that Zongshen was going to do so (this interview was right before the international rollout of the RX3).

A few Chinese joint ventures (not necessarily Zongshen except for some Piaggios) produce several mainstream bikes, such as a few of the engines for BMW and I believe KTM, if not the majority of the bike.

I think a $3400 price in the US would be easily justified as pretty much the maximum for this bike once it has been proven as reliable. This could even be the strategy from Zongshen if they are planning a reintroduction to North America? Or a re-label from a joint venture? We will see--or it will be the best Chinese bike in the world that never comes this way?

I do think that Chinese bikes in general better do something soon if they ever want legitimacy in North America. It took years for Korea to produce reliable cars (part of the 'years' was convincing people to accept their cars once they already were reliable), and Chinese bikes have already left a lot of people with bad taste in their mouth (including people who have never even rode one, but were simply pundits of the proverbial "friend of a friend who had one and it broke down just from looking at it...") from the time period starting around 2005 or 2006 when these bikes were getting more popular.

Fancy accessories cost $, however, and this bike is testament to that. Spud, those rides from the past on the old Zongshens, were done easily by ex-pats in China when the price of the GY-2 was about $1k USD in China. These new ones have come a long way from that, including being over 3 x's the price in China!

Culcune,

I think you summarized the situation very well when you stated the Chinese are not currently interested in establishing a network of supporting dealers in the United States. ;) Until the Chinese change their mind in this regard, I don't foresee them returning in force to the North American market. :ohno:

Or, a set of Acerbis handguards from Taobao for $13.15 US. Not joking; those are the handguards that you saw on Son of Weldangrind's Lifan. http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=13150621412

:tup:

A Chinese bike deserves Chinese handguards. ;)

I suspect they are the very Acerbis handguards we'd buy at a local motorcycle shop. While most of the Acerbis stuff is made in Italy, I'm sure that some of it comes from China. I just bought two more pairs of those handguards.