Zongshen RX3: My First Excursion in the Dirt

[SpudRider]

Yesterday I took my new Zongshen RX3 for a 131-mile ride to experience it's first excursion in the dirt. It was a cloudy day which threatened to rain, but I made it home without getting wet.

The day started out fairly warm, but I knew it would be colder when I was returning. Therefore, I was going to carry my heated jacket on the luggage rack with bungee cords. However, I decided to install the stock trunk instead. The stock trunk is very light, and is great for carrying extra jackets, rain gear, cameras, et cetera, in a secure, waterproof enclosure. My jacket, as well as my camera and extra batteries were easily accessible, and my jacket was much more secure inside the travel trunk, rather than being attached to the luggage rack with bungee cords.















































The RX3 did a good job in the dirt. The bike was only limited in the dusty soil by the stock tires, which still performed adequately. The forks definitely need heavier oil for a stiffer rebound damping. I hope CSC will be stocking the upgraded forks, which feature rebound damping adjustment. In the meanwhile, I will be swapping the stock fork oil with ATF in the next few days.

Incidentally, the trucking company performed some cosmetic damage to the muffler heat shield and right passenger foot peg on my RX3 during its transit to Idaho. I reported the damage to the shipper and to Steve at CSC. Fortunately, the bike runs great, and I am content to await the settlement and replacement parts.