Quote:
Originally Posted by ben2go
I only have $6000 in my farkled CB500X that I bought new. I can't see giving that kind of money for an unproven Chinese bike.
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If this was four years ago, I might agree with you. However, it's not and I don't. Having owned a 2015 RX3 for the last three years and a TT250 for two, and not having a problem out of either, I think that the bikes, CSC and Zongshen have proven their bonafides. Like it or not, Chinese bikes are more than good enough to compete with Japanese and European low and mid-range motorcycles. I'll concede that they still have quite a ways to go for top end stuff, though.
As to being unproven, the RX4 has undergone the same testing that the RX1, RX3 and RX3S did and more (Zongshen used the NC450 in their Dakar bike); if there were any problems, I am confident that they were found and corrected. If something does crop up, I do not have any doubts in CSC's and Zongshen's ability and willingness to make it right. I also feel comfortable with their ability to support the bike with parts and service, if and when needed; having personally experienced it over the last three years with the two bikes that I already own.
Based on what CSC has said so far spec-wise, it's competitive with or bests anything similar on the market that you can buy right now, that being your CB500X, RE Himalayan and the Versy-X 300. It includes more farkles as standard equipment than any of those bikes while being priced similarly to their base models. It will be interesting to see what the Versys-X 400 brings to the table when it drops, but Kawasaki is probably 2 years behind Zongshen (again) on that bike. KTM's 390 Adventure will be interesting, too, but once again, it's not here (I've seen a tentative release date for December 2019, but that is for the Indian market) while the RX4 is or soon will be.