First street ride, 200cc Zong, <<PICS UPDATE 6/23>&
 

For the last year I have been riding a "jonway" 50cc scooter back and forth to college, and with the hills around here it always sucked uphill... So, long story short I traded my scoot and some cash to a guy for a 200cc Zongshen dual sport motorcycle, might as well call it a dirtbike....

I got the tag on it yesterday, and today was my first chance to go out and ride just to get to know it.

Alot of the stoplights downtown are facing very sharply uphill, so I stalled it out a few times, it was a fine line between a wheelie I didn't want to do and getting going.

I went downtown on purpose with the idea that I would either make it or break it, and I'm alive and the bike is in one piece so I guess I made it.

Let me add these words, My bike is a total piece of crap, everything but the engine is scuffed and dinged. The guy I got it from had been using it as a dirtbike for several years, (it's a 2005) and it has been beat all to hell, but mechanically the thing is top notch. He changed the oil every 100 miles and maintained the hell out of it mechanicaly, all the seals and cables are less than six months old, the tires are brand new and the brakes might as well be new.

Best part; I have $780 in it, plus $75 to register it, and $90 for 12 months of insurance,

Wow! Sounds like a good score. Please show us a pic.

Welcome to these forums, and welcome to The Cult of The Zong, Ben! :) The stock Zong has a 15T countershaft sprocket, which gears the bike too high. ;) If you bike has the 15T CS sprocket, that would explain the difficulty pulling away from stop lights, and I suggest you replace the 15T sprocket with something smaller. :) I really like the torque I get from the 13T CS sprocket. However, if you are riding mostly on the street, you might prefer a 14T CS sprocket. Your Zong employs the same coutnershaft sprockets as the Yamaha TW200 motorcycle.

http://chinariders.net/modules.php?n...ewtopic&t=7565
http://chinariders.net/modules.php?n...ewtopic&t=7727
http://chinariders.net/modules.php?n...ewtopic&t=9240

Spud :)

Here's some pics, $945 to get it and get it legal, and $5 bucks in gas,, yesterday I added a crazy big trunk I got from a guy on craigslist for $20,,, the trunk is dorky as heck and makes the bike look weird, but my helmet and 20-odd pounds of textbooks fits in it with ease.
Two days of wearing a loaded backpack when it was 98-99 degrees convinced me that it was well worth it. That and not having to carry my helmet around everywhere.
I can't see it when I'm on the bike, so I can still pretend like it's a cool dirtbike, and not a grocery getter,, :D

The last pic of the right grip makes me wonder what the hell happened to the guy riding it when that got like that.

And the last pic is a Delorean I pulled up next to at the stoplight by the end of my road, don't know the story but I see it two or three times a week, kind of puts my $780 POS motorcycle in perspective,,,, If I can get on the road for less than $1000 with insurance and all, and log about 75-80 MPG, I feel like I am ahead of the guy with the kooky stainless steel car,, and I passed him in our minivan after the light changed, so unless it was Charlie Sheen, he's not winning in any regard,, hahahahahaaa....

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...nsites/015.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...nsites/013.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ites/008-2.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ites/010-1.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ites/007-1.jpg
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...nsites/012.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...nsites/014.jpg

Really $90 to insure for a year? Covers fires, floods, and aliens...right? That's what it cost me to keep my GS750 under full coverage.

Thanks for posting the photos of your bike! :) Please disregard my previous advice regarding sprockets. :roll: When you said you had acquired a Zongshen, dual sport motorcycle, I assumed you had acquired a Zongshen 200GY-2. :oops: I now see you have the Honda clone, a Zongshen 200GY-A. ;)

I have two large travel trunks for both my motorcycles, and I love them! :D As you said, you can't see them when you are riding, so who cares what they look like! ;)

Regarding the handlebar damage, it appears the previous owner dropped the bike hard, perhaps several times, perhaps on pavement. ;) As long as your throttle works properly, it's not a big deal. :)

Spud :)

Everything works great, as far as the internal combustion goes, :D

The left side isn't shown too well in the pics, but the rear plastic is gone, and the piece that covers the gas tank is snapped off on that side about halfway down, it rattles like crazy when I really get it moving.

Hey, I told you all it was a beat up POS, but I really dig it. I am kind of putting it around while I get used to it but it's been fun.

I am thinking of taking the gas tank cover off and riding it bare, or cutting the right side back a bit,

You guys will probably think I'm sick when I paint the whole thing flat black,

You look a little young to be riding on the street... :wink:

Looks like a cool bike, have fun. My bike is entirely flat black, so I don't think you are sick at all.

Several of us here have the same sickness. Think of us as a support group. Bring on the flat black.

Other approved colours include desert tan and olive drab, both of which are available in Krylon Fusion. :D

Trunk looks good. Definately a good price.

I was considering painting my Zong a military, khaki color for a while, but I decided to stick with the KTM orange. ;) Has anyone here painted his chinabike with a military theme?

Spud :)

Nothing wrong with Flat Black - go for it.

X2! :)

Spud :)

Awesome! I think I'm going to gut the headlight (it's really dim for some reason) and mount two bright round lights in place of it,

I'm kind of worried about staying visible with the black paint on, does anybody know if it's legal to mount a green or red LED strip on the bottom to throw some colored light down in the dark?

It's either going to be flat black or bright lime green,,,,,,,,,,,

Tough choice for me, I love that green :)

Please do keep us updated regarding your headlight modifications. We love photos! :) Have you considered upgrading to an H4 bulb? I love my H4 bulb upgrade, and others have done the H4 upgrade with your style headlight. ;)
I would imagine it's legal. However, the best way to know for sure is to send an email to your state police, and ask them if it's legal. ;)
I like the green, also! :)

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...akiGreen-1.jpg

Krylon Fusion paint covers the Chinese plastic well, and comes in the green color shown in the photo above. ;)

http://chinariders.net/modules.php?n...er=asc&start=0

Spud :)