$5895 for RX4

[1cylinderwonder]

NzB,
If you visit the CSC Home and check the specs of the RX4, you’ll see the the 2019 RX4 comes standard with painted black anodized aluminum spoked rims, NOT STEEL spoked rims. The alloy mention is if you want to UPGRADE to Alloy wheels from the stock aluminum spoked wheels.
Visit the site and read the specifications.
1CW

Originally Posted by NzBrakelathes

GULP!
Still only wire/steel wheels!
They can or should by now have alloy wheels and common tyre sizes for these, the RX3 has alloys but a 15 inch rear being odd ball outside China

[NzBrakelathes]

Originally Posted by 1cylinderwonder

NzB,
If you visit the CSC Home and check the specs of the RX4, you’ll see the the 2019 RX4 comes standard with painted black anodized aluminum spoked rims, NOT STEEL spoked rims. The alloy mention is if you want to UPGRADE to Alloy wheels from the stock aluminum spoked wheels.
Visit the site and read the specifications.
1CW

If you visit Zongshen dealer locally (China) You wont find a steel/alloy rim and was only only the very early bikes. Alloy/Mag wheel is standard and seen as the upgrade to the old version.

Like USB is standard and NOT $99 to have the parts to fit.

Looks like ( I might be wrong) they are stripping bikes or specs to make you buy more etc.

I can't find RX3S or RX4 steel rims as they are not what they intend to sell with as standard in country of origin, the price difference wouldn't be much either like the RX3 from steel to alloy/mags in China isn't a big price change. (Yet here we get 18 inch front and 15 inch rear and not well suited to outside of China markets for the rear wheel/tyre)

I am pretty well up on what gets sold standard (in China and other places) and a bit shocked at what CSC offers as an off the floor model etc.

I have only seen 1 RX4 with steel spoked wheels, all others are alloy standard.

[Sullybiker]

Originally Posted by NzBrakelathes

If you visit Zongshen dealer locally (China) You wont find a steel/alloy rim and was only only the very early bikes. Alloy/Mag wheel is standard and seen as the upgrade to the old version.

Like USB is standard and NOT $99 to have the parts to fit.

Looks like ( I might be wrong) they are stripping bikes or specs to make you buy more etc.

I can't find RX3S or RX4 steel rims as they are not what they intend to sell with as standard in country of origin, the price difference wouldn't be much either like the RX3 from steel to alloy/mags in China isn't a big price change. (Yet here we get 18 inch front and 15 inch rear and not well suited to outside of China markets for the rear wheel/tyre)

I am pretty well up on what gets sold standard (in China and other places) and a bit shocked at what CSC offers as an off the floor model etc.

I have only seen 1 RX4 with steel spoked wheels, all others are alloy standard.

You didn't read what he wrote.

[NzBrakelathes]

Quick pic of my local dealers RX4 - Haven't seen in the flesh yet but tomorrow is another day

[sqwert]

Nice looking wheels, simple and elegant. If I do a 450 it will be pavement only since Roxy is about all the weight I want on dirt. She'll keep her spokes.

CSC says 110/80-19 front, 150/70-17 rear. Off to see what is available in those sizes.

[pyoungbl]

Maybe there is some confusion over terminology. My RX3 has steel rims and steel spokes. I'll call this setup a 'wire wheel'. The RX4 that CSC will be selling will come standard with aluminum rims and steel spokes. The rims will be lighter but not as strong as steel rims....always a trade off. CSC is offering optional cast aluminum alloy wheels. The cast wheels can be fitted with tubeless tires. There is a strong debate over the choice between 'wire wheels' (with tubes) vs cast wheels due to the relative ease of fixing a flat on tubeless tires but the greater strength of wire wheels when hitting a pothole. Notice that some manufacturers, like Triumph, will offer two versions of a bike. One version is aimed at more street use and has cast wheels, another version has wire wheels and is set up for off road use. Makes sense to me. I do not see where CSC is setting up the bike for lower cost, just trying to meet what the US market wants to buy.

Peter Y.

[sqwert]

Nice looking wheels, simple and elegant. If I do a 450 it will be pavement only since Roxy is about all the weight I want on dirt. She'll keep her spokes.

CSC says 110/80-19 front, 150/70-17 rear. Off to see what is available in those size!


Hmmmm? Dunlop D404? Not really our sizes, but 110/90-19 and 150/80-18 are close enough, no?


I've run D404s for years on several bikes. Round, ride smooth, no squirrely on grooved pavement, good traction wet and dry, can be run tube or tubeless, handle weight well, last a long time, and don't cost too much because they are nothing new or fancy. Sounds perfect for a bike that's going to stick to pavement just for getting down the interstate and secondary highways in the boonies. Cost about $40 more a set than Kenda or Shinko, but will probably save a like amount because they probably will last longer, and no tubes or rim strips every tire change. Anybody see a problem with D404s on a RX4 that never sees dirt?


Roxy will probably get something along the line of Big Blocks and see more dirt and gravel roads. Maybe Trak Master IIs. Too much traction on dirt roads just might be enough. I have other adventure bikes for really nasty stuff, as in passing stuck side-by-sides and 4x4s in mud holes. Put an ATV tire on the back of a 25hp motorcycle with the right gears and let her rip. Heck, her front tire is 3cm wider than a rear tire on an RX4. Roxy won't be doing that.

[sqwert]

pyoungbl, I agree with you. I've ruined way to many rides chasing parts for people whose bikes were improperly prepared for group rides. Steel rims may bend, but can usually still be ridden to civilization. Aluminum cracks, and it is all over. Adventure tires are designed to go at insane speeds from Paris to Dakar. Those tires simply suck everywhere else. My experience has been hauling broken bikes and riders from remote places because adventure tires are really nothing more than heavy bodied road race tires for wet tracks with harder treads. They work Paris to Dakar, suck for everywhere else.

[NzBrakelathes]

Originally Posted by pyoungbl

Maybe there is some confusion over terminology. My RX3 has steel rims and steel spokes. I'll call this setup a 'wire wheel'. The RX4 that CSC will be selling will come standard with aluminum rims and steel spokes. The rims will be lighter but not as strong as steel rims....always a trade off. CSC is offering optional cast aluminum alloy wheels. The cast wheels can be fitted with tubeless tires. There is a strong debate over the choice between 'wire wheels' (with tubes) vs cast wheels due to the relative ease of fixing a flat on tubeless tires but the greater strength of wire wheels when hitting a pothole. Notice that some manufacturers, like Triumph, will offer two versions of a bike. One version is aimed at more street use and has cast wheels, another version has wire wheels and is set up for off road use. Makes sense to me. I do not see where CSC is setting up the bike for lower cost, just trying to meet what the US market wants to buy.

Peter Y.

I can agree mostly with you on that, the wheel options wouldn't impact the bike retail much at all - either full alloy or wires wheel the prices do not change by very much not accounting for tyre costs.

Aluminium rims and strength, is steel always stronger then aluminium? or does it depend on the grade of aluminium?

SQWERT maybe the rims from the RX4 will suit your Roxy RX3 and the size is I think more what you are looking for etc (I know I can get some aluminium rims this size but I just don't know if the quality is right!)

Retail difference for wire or mag wheels is maybe $50 - $100 different and that mostly is the tyre choices Zongshen offer - I do not believe you should be forced to buy 2 sets to get the wheels you want, easily sold with that option open.

[sqwert]

Originally Posted by NzBrakelathes

I can agree mostly with you on that, the wheel options wouldn't impact the bike retail much at all - either full alloy or wires wheel the prices do not change by very much not accounting for tyre costs.

Aluminium rims and strength, is steel always stronger then aluminium? or does it depend on the grade of aluminium?

SQWERT maybe the rims from the RX4 will suit your Roxy RX3 and the size is I think more what you are looking for etc (I know I can get some aluminium rims this size but I just don't know if the quality is right!)

Retail difference for wire or mag wheels is maybe $50 - $100 different and that mostly is the tyre choices Zongshen offer - I do not believe you should be forced to buy 2 sets to get the wheels you want, easily sold with that option open.

By weight, aluminum is stronger. By size, steel is stronger. Steels are alloys of iron, just like most all aluminum products are alloys of aluminum.

Steels tend to bend, aluminums tend to shatter. Steels can often be nursed home with minor damage. Aluminum may not even look damaged, then suffer a catastrophic failure on the way home. Steels generally are very resistant to wear. Aluminum generally is not. That is why engines with aluminum blocks often have steel bore liners, main and cam bearings, and valve guides.

Anywho, enough metallurgy class.

Please see if you can find out the details on the RX4 rims for the spoked wheels. Aluminum? 36 hole? 2.75-19 front? 4.00-17 rear? Can you get them? Could Roxy be so lucky?

I expect CSC will lean towards the dirt side, though: 2:15-19 front and 3.5-19 rear. They have surprised me several times listening to wishes people post, so nothing will surprise me. CSC will have a well thought decision for every choice they have. Since I will be running taller cross section tires, 3.00-19 front and 4.25-19 rear will be the big bike's ideal for highway.

Anywho, back in the 1970s with the first gas crunch, you could buy a very basic plain jane car for about $2000, new. Then, a passle of legislation limited the number of vehicles foreign builders can bring in. Dealers ordered everything with every option, and the lists prices doubled and tripled almost overnight because every car was loaded. The base cars were still $2000, but you couldn't buy one because they were no longer built.

Looks like CSC is doing something similar with the RX4. So, when comparing prices, look at the extras included from each importer. Seems to me rather stupid for people to be comparing CSC's products to other manufacturers that have a higher out-the-door price and significantly fewer extras on similar bikes. Kind of like the dummies criticizing the RX3 and RX4 advertised weights for being heavier than other bikes that did not have anywhere close to the same extras, like no bags or boxes, no skid plate, no windshield, etc., ad nauseum.

The Tourfella luggage upgrade alone on an RX3 is half the price difference between the RX3 and RX4. Throw in the triple disc brakes, bigger engine with significantly more power, bigger wheels and tires, etc., and the $5895 is very easy to justify.

[wheelbender6]

"Steels tend to bend, aluminum tend to shatter."


Cast aluminum will crack. Forged aluminum can bend a bit, but not as much as steel.

[NzBrakelathes]

Originally Posted by wheelbender6

"Steels tend to bend, aluminum tend to shatter."


Cast aluminum will crack. Forged aluminum can bend a bit, but not as much as steel.

Which is best from this bunch in your opinion?
Steel as in stock RX3
Ali 7075
Ali 7116 (this is my own upgrade/test wheel for big brakes)
All using steel spokes.
What about 304 stainless spokes?

My bike has cast rims - I never had issues nore heard of issues with them etc

so far these are my 3 options and more counting but no info as yet.
I just don't know what is enough and equal or a bit better then stock steel etc

[NzBrakelathes]

Quick look around

Here's my local dealers RX4

[NzBrakelathes]

Plain RX3S

Even the RX3S has 2 options
One all upspec with boxes n RX4 type headlight
Other no boxes no rack and older RX3 headlight and shield

[sqwert]

Originally Posted by wheelbender6

"Steels tend to bend, aluminum tend to shatter."


Cast aluminum will crack. Forged aluminum can bend a bit, but not as much as steel.

Cast aluminum alloys are what most pistons are made of. High performance pistons are generally forged aluminum alloy.

Cast steel also cracks pretty easy. Forged steel is much, much stronger. It can also be cracked. Different things under different circumstances. Nobody builds an engine with an aluminum alloy crank, but aluminum alloy connecting rods are pretty common in racing, but they are replaced on a regular basis because the don't hold shape well.

I can't advise on what aluminum alloys and steel alloys are best for rims. Go by cost and reputation. No since spending a fortune for most suitable if they cost a fortune.