The Zongshen TT 250 is Coming

[oddthought]

Well, I decided to finally take care of insuring and plating the bike today. I called Progressive and talked to them, and they were able to quote me for liability... but that's all. Turns out, since it's not listed on Kelley Blue Book or NADA (more on that in a moment) they can't price out coverage for parts, theft, or collisions. Lame, eh? I know a lot of folks prefer liability-only, but I'm not one. I especially like the option of having someone pay for towing and a rental if I'm out on a road trip when a breakdown occurs.

Just out of curiosity, I checked NADA and found that they had the suggested retail but no used value or average retail price, and KBB says they don't have any pricing at all, despite an email CSC sent out with the bike from KBB with the suggested retail price information.

Ah well, at least it's an inexpensive bike, so replacement parts aren't too bad. Medical coverage would sure be nice though.

In any case, the registration was just fine. Had to pay sales tax and the registration fee, and the only thing left for me to do is the VIN inspection. Now I have a temp tag I can (legally) ride it up to the DMV and get the VIN inspected. I could also have a police officer do it, but why waste a chance to ride?

Rojo, I just read that same post this morning! I would love to know more about how it went! I haven't heard anything about that adventure here, on ADVRider, or the CSC owner's group on Facebook. Hopefully someone will write up a report about it! Looks like they had a blast though.

[kohburn]

try nationwide. they have been out pricing progressive for motorcycles for years and they had no problem figuring out coverage.

[oddthought]

Originally Posted by kohburn

try nationwide. they have been out pricing progressive for motorcycles for years and they had no problem figuring out coverage.

I'll give them a call. The nicest thing about progressive is that I get a discount for being a USAA member since USAA (who insures everything else I own) doesn't do motorcycles, at least here in Utah. I'll try Nationwide and see what they can do for me. Progressive certainly hasn't done anything to gain or lose my loyalty, so if someone else can give me better coverage... well, that's where I'd go.

[BlackBike]

Rg... thanks for posting csc link. That is everyone's ideal of riding on these bikes.

2LZ wow... good post... tell us what you really think

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by rojo_grande

A timely blog post on the CSC blog. I'd be interested to hear more from these guys on how the bike performed and any issues that may have popped up along the way.

http://californiascooterco.com/blog/?p=22516

Rojo

LOL! Just thought of something....
I wonder how many of those guys on that trip had the 15 tooth sprocket?

<WWWWAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!>

[oddthought]

Originally Posted by kohburn

try nationwide. they have been out pricing progressive for motorcycles for years and they had no problem figuring out coverage.

Just checked their website and that was easy. Not only was their liability-only insurance cheaper than Progressive's (even with a discount) they had no problem at all, even online. Nationwide it is!

[simonjester]

Originally Posted by oddthought

Just checked their website and that was easy. Not only was their liability-only insurance cheaper than Progressive's (even with a discount) they had no problem at all, even online. Nationwide it is!

I had no problem at all with GEICO. They offered the additional coverage over and above just liability too. They might be worth checking out.

[simonjester]

Originally Posted by rojo_grande

A timely blog post on the CSC blog. I'd be interested to hear more from these guys on how the bike performed and any issues that may have popped up along the way.

http://californiascooterco.com/blog/?p=22516

Rojo

Very cool!

[kohburn]

Originally Posted by oddthought

Just checked their website and that was easy. Not only was their liability-only insurance cheaper than Progressive's (even with a discount) they had no problem at all, even online. Nationwide it is!

exactly why i ensure my bikes through them instead of USAA

[oddthought]

Originally Posted by kohburn

exactly why i ensure my bikes through them instead of USAA

For the record, if USAA offered motorcycle insurance here, I'd do it. Even if it cost more, USAA has saved me so much time, money, and hassle that it'd be worth it. Progressive, on the other hand, didn't do much either good or bad, so I don't feel any particular loyalty.

[DanKearney]

Years ago USAA did offer MC insurance. I used to cancel it every Winter and sign up again in the Spring. That is til the sad year I went to sign back up and they told me they no longer offered it. :(

Oh, well. . .

Cheers,

Dan K.

[culcune]

Originally Posted by rojo_grande

A timely blog post on the CSC blog. I'd be interested to hear more from these guys on how the bike performed and any issues that may have popped up along the way.

http://californiascooterco.com/blog/?p=22516

Rojo

This bike will open up the budget adventure bike market like what I have seen on Horizonsunlimited (S. America) and what 'Wolftrax' is intending to do with his Hawk. In other words, for those starting off in N. America (i.e. from Europe) intending to go south of the US/Mexico border, these will offer a slightly more reliable way to do so as compared to the Hawk (taking into account the stuff one has to do to get it running more reliably compared to straight out of the box). On Horizonsunlimited, people are ALWAYS asking for advice on where to buy a used bike, or the best way to ship one over, in order to go on an adventure ride. This would offer one a far better deal than renting a bike (assuming one wanted to spend months riding vs. a few days), shipping one's own bike over and back again, or buying a used bike and making sure it is ready for such a long ride. Like what 'Wolftrax' is calling his trip--a 'ride and dump.' If worse comes to worse, just give it to someone!

[SeerAtlas]

sorry in advance culcune, but i'm going to disagree.
If I didn't need californias certification, I would work the best deal I could on a Hawk before I set off to build a waaay south of the border adv bike.
First, the hawk is(or should be) waay cheaper than the tt250, the engine is stronger ( I have both). Put on mjstef's instruments, a mikune w appropriate jet selection, aftermarket exhaust if you want(not really necessary but will save a few pounds, take a 17t sprocket for the first relatively good road part and switch back to the 15, then maybe even the 14 if you are going into the andes, change out the spokes for good stainless, maybe upgrade the tubes keeping the originals for spares,thro on sealed bearings while you r at it, ziptie and put the wiring sheaths on everywhere u can, put a good quality metal or ceramic fuel filter in line and a very very fine screen in the tank inlet(for baad gas) change out your grips to feel comfortable to your gloved hands,run an extra clutch cable, dot4 in the brakes, grease the hell out everything that moves, replace the stock chain, install your bar end/lever/hand protectors, change out the fork oil to something that fits your loaded weight. maybe buy a more adjustable or resprung rear shock.
attach up one of the aftermarket oil coolers and re do the front fender. add a good bash plate, and call Wolftrax and ask if you can go with him outfit yourself and gear carrying bags to suit, and learn some spanish

[hertz9753]

The Hawk 250 and the TT 250 are pretty much the same bikes and both will need mods and adjustments to suit the rider if you are like me.

Hawk engine and TT 250 engine. The Chinese make me confused and I did drink the punch tonight.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/282092157984...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291817884478...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[SeerAtlas]

Originally Posted by hertz9753

The Hawk 250 and the TT 250 are pretty much the same bikes and both will need mods and adjustments to suit the rider if you are like me.

Hawk engine and TT 250 engine. The Chinese make me confused and I did drink the punch tonight.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/282092157984...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291817884478...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Thats an overhead cam zong motor, the Hawk and tt250 have the pushrod motors, the major diff being the counterbalancer and lower compression on the zong. Like I said, I have both. The zong is in fact smoother, the hawk clearly has more low end grunt. both appear to be good motors. One thing, the zong clutch is VERY smooth and 2 finger light. The Hawks is stiffer. Zong tranny seems free'er running so far, Hawk's feels just plain industrial which for me is a good thing. Zong is happier in the high revs/ Hawk in the low/mids, like a tractor-think smaller KLr like.
You are going to change the same things to get either ready for adv work, the Hawk just saves you more money.