Rx3s

Goshawk · 04-16-2018, 07:17 AM

has anyone on this forum had any experience with the new RX3S twin? I saw a YouTube video by a guy who lived in China and he seemed to rate the RX3S better than the RX4. Just curious, as CSC seem to be very quiet on this subject, obviously because they need to sell their remaining stock of RX3 bikes. Their guy, Joe Berk, is at a bike show in China at the moment and it will be interesting to see what he posts from there on his blog. So far very little of interest, mostly odd looking customs. early days though.

2LZ · 04-16-2018, 02:22 PM

A twin RX3? I haven't heard of it till now. Sounds interesting. Is it still a 250??? I wonder if they'll beef it to 300 or so to go head to head with the Kawalski?

Juanro · 04-16-2018, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2LZ

A twin RX3? I haven't heard of it till now. Sounds interesting. Is it still a 250??? I wonder if they'll beef it to 300 or so to go head to head with the Kawalski?

The RX3s is a 380cc twin.
Very much along the lines of the RX3 and the (upcoming?) RX4 450cc single, but not entirely the same.

You can take a look here (longish video ...)

Regards,
Juanro

pyoungbl · 04-16-2018, 02:35 PM

The RX3s has been discussed by Joe and Steve at CSC. They are not going to bring the twin in to the US. Remember, CSC had to spend big bucks to get the 250cc single through the EPA/DOT certification process. That cost must be spread out over a lot of RX3 sales in order to make any sense. CSC does plan to bring in the RX4 (450cc) so that's another chunk of change already committed. It is not reasonable to expect them to eat another certification in order to cannibalize RX3 sales....where they already have the sunk cost of spare parts and such.

Peter Y.

Juanro · 04-16-2018, 02:33 PM

Also,

http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=19967

ben2go · 04-16-2018, 02:55 PM

The RX3S is similar to the CB400X that is mainly an Asian bike. We didn't get it over here.

Goshawk · 04-16-2018, 09:20 PM

thanks for the links. The English guy testing both bikes for ten days seems to prefer the RX3S for various reasons, whilst admitting the RX4 was obviously more powerful. The conundrum will be if the prices butt up too close to the Jap bikes eg Versys300X, will the CSC business model hold up? Until the quality issue, real or just perceived, is overcome they are reliant on value as the major selling point. I hope they bring in the RX4, and sooner rather than later (I am too old to wait for very long) as I would be interested in it. I am more interested in a sixth gear and a more relaxed 70mph than I am about ultimate speed. Here's hoping.

Roronoa Zoro · 04-16-2018, 11:31 PM

unfortunately Peter is right, and due to whatever certification/registration/approval matrix required we will never keep up with the latest to come from Zongshen.
Wanted so much to be leaving in 8 weeks on a new RX4 but that isn't happening,
Having buried a RX3 into the earth as hard as one could and handing her off (sold at loss) to someone hopeful of a rebirth I
moved on to bigger and better things
Like a 20 + yr design air and oil cooled single with 5 measley gears that is know for RTW travel with nominal issues, a DR650
Total cost is a bit more than the RX4, with the mods, but not by a LOT, as I got the DR used with less than 1K miles for <$4K
So...while I embrace what CSC is doing(and won't forget the break-downs that Gerry and Steve helped me out of) , IMO it's not the best timing for what I need.
Merry ( my beloved RX3) will be sorely missed...she was a great bike and a LOT of fun.
I hope Sunny (the DR's name) will be up to the challenge the RX3 left

Goshawk · 04-17-2018, 07:36 AM

a nice bike and I wish you success with your venture, whatever it is. Last year I sold my 2013 KLR650, which was very well kitted out for travel. I did this because the bike weighed too much and was too top heavy for me when riding anything "knarly" off road. My riding buddy dumped his similarly equipped KLR spectacularly, fortunately sustaining only sprains and bruises. With my help he was able to ride the bike out to paved roads, but only just. We are both in our seventies and neither could pick our bikes up in an adverse camber situation without help. So I decided to sell and bought a 2015 Hawk 250 for $700, thinking it was 200lbs lighter and that I didn't worry so much if it got scarred or even mutilated should I dump it.
That strategy worked very well for exploring the local by-ways and single track roads but the Hawk is not a comfortable highway cruiser and getting to places further away to ride, involves trailering the bike to a suitable starting point and then riding. This isn't bad but it would be so much easier to just get on a bike and ride to wherever.
I have looked at a Versys 300X (my local and very friendly Kawasaki dealer has one) but I have never liked the small Kawasaki engine as it is too dependent on stratospheric revs to get any power. I think Kawasaki will bring the new 400cc engine to the Versys, it is just a case of when, and how much compared to the RX4. I have ridden an RX3 and liked the low seat height but it really needed a tall 6th gear and just a little more power. 5000miles at 8000rpm is not my idea of a relaxed ride. 8000rpm is frenetic in any ones book. Will it do it is beyond doubt. Do you want to? Hmmm, at 70 odd years old, not if I don't have to. Hence my interest in the RX3S and the RX4.
This is, BTW, an excellent forum and has been a great help to me in my initial foray into Chinese bikes. Thanks to all.

Emerikol · 04-17-2018, 09:44 AM

Having both a Hawk and a DR, I can honestly say that they're both amazing bikes, but each in their own right. The Hawk is actually my go-to bike when I'm just running errands around town (I was on it yesterday to go to the post office and mail out a housewarming gift, then to the bank, then the long way home). The DR is my long distance cruiser when I want to go somewhere and [I]maybe[I] get off the beaten path. My DR is set up for a ride on the Trans-America Trail, but that fell through when my little sister moved from Spokane Washington to Ramstein Germany. Personally, I think the price-point and ease of ownership for the Hawk are huge selling points. Suzuki parts are expensive to replace, and while there's a cult following for the DR, as well as tons of aftermarket parts, they aren't much cheaper, if cheaper at all. I haven't had to replace anything on the Hawk in the 2000-odd miles I've got on it, but I've already looked into parts and even if everything goes bang at once, it's not like the wife and I will need to eat mac and cheese for a month to fix it. I think that even though they're technically in the same "class," they're different bikes for different purposes. Just my morning thoughts on the matter...

pyoungbl · 04-17-2018, 09:51 AM

Goshawk, I'm in your age range and sold my Stelvio for exactly the same reason. About a month ago I got to ride a new Ninja 400 while at Daytona bike week. That engine was delightfully smooth and quick. As with any small displacement engine, you do not find any torque in the lower rev range. When I asked if the 400 twin might be used in the Versay the answer was evasive...like they wanted to say 'yes' but could not make an announcement. With that said, I'm not sure that engine would be my choice for crawling through rough terrain because it really needs to spin in order to have the torque required. On the highway the 400 was fantastic.

Goshawk · 04-17-2018, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pyoungbl

Goshawk, I'm in your age range and sold my Stelvio for exactly the same reason. About a month ago I got to ride a new Ninja 400 while at Daytona bike week. That engine was delightfully smooth and quick. As with any small displacement engine, you do not find any torque in the lower rev range. When I asked if the 400 twin might be used in the Versay the answer was evasive...like they wanted to say 'yes' but could not make an announcement. With that said, I'm not sure that engine would be my choice for crawling through rough terrain because it really needs to spin in order to have the torque required. On the highway the 400 was fantastic.

I read somewhere that Kawasaki had ceased production of the 250/300cc engine, so it would seem inevitable that the new 400cc unit will find its way into the Versys300X chassis. A critical point being whether Kawasaki do, as they did with the 300cc Ninja and retain the old price for the new bike.

Emerikol, I have nothing against either the DR650 or the KLR650. It is just a case of getting less able to handle them confidently, not to mention surviving any "get offs". I have seemingly lost that "bounce factor".

Emerikol · 04-17-2018, 03:35 PM

I certainly didn't think you had a beef, and I took no offense. Just another voice piping up in the babble, as it were. I agree 100% about being able to confidently handle a bike. You can go to any track anywhere in the world and instantly pick out the novices, the ones who are scared of the machine (which everyone should be to some degree), and those who are WAY overbiked. The gear is the same, the colors are just as flashy, the difference is always in how confidently they ride. When a rider is tense, it always translates into the riding style. I'm pushing 40 now, and with a newborn and wife back at the house, I'm much more concerned with the bad things that can happen when the rubber side doesn't stay down. I'm searching out more technical stuff lately, and a lot less full throttle, hair on fire type of riding. I find that slower speeds and more technical terrain mean things just bruise during a fall, instead of break. Who'd of thought?

MalcolmReynolds · 04-21-2018, 06:57 PM

I am sitting on the fence trying to decide if I buy the RX3 or go with the Kawasaki twins. When I heard that there might be a RX3S with 380cc twin I thought OK, maybe hang on for that. But from the sounds of it that bike won't be coming here. If that is the case that there are no plans to bring it then I will probably just pinch my pennies a little longer and wait for that 400cc Versys. I think it is all but a forgone conclusion that the 400 is coming to the Versys and everything I am reading on the 400 Ninja makes it sound like a great power plant for a small ADV bike.

So I keep looking and thinking about the RX3. I guess if the price were right maybe I could be nudged to buy one, but without a too good to pass up deal I can wait for the 400cc twin to land in a Versys. I have a bike to ride while I am patiently waiting so no pressure to do something rash. :-)

pyoungbl · 04-21-2018, 07:43 PM

Malcom, a high spinning twin is certainly delightful while you are on it in the upper part of the power band. I loved the Ninja 400 for that. If you want to plunk along on a fire trail at much slower speed the torque of a thumper is much more desirable. The RX3 benefits from being a thumper even though the maximum torque is absent until about 4K. You can still thump along at walking speed in 1st gear. I have done exactly that. Somewhere in this mix of offering you will find the combination that fits your needs. Ain't it great to have so many choices!

Peter Y.

04-16-2018, 07:17 AM	#1
Goshawk Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: New England Posts: 43	Rx3s has anyone on this forum had any experience with the new RX3S twin? I saw a YouTube video by a guy who lived in China and he seemed to rate the RX3S better than the RX4. Just curious, as CSC seem to be very quiet on this subject, obviously because they need to sell their remaining stock of RX3 bikes. Their guy, Joe Berk, is at a bike show in China at the moment and it will be interesting to see what he posts from there on his blog. So far very little of interest, mostly odd looking customs. early days though.
	0

04-16-2018, 02:22 PM	#2
2LZ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Volcano, Ca Posts: 7,112	A twin RX3? I haven't heard of it till now. Sounds interesting. Is it still a 250??? I wonder if they'll beef it to 300 or so to go head to head with the Kawalski? __________________ "Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350
	0

04-16-2018, 11:31 PM	#8
Roronoa Zoro Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 18	unfortunately Peter is right, and due to whatever certification/registration/approval matrix required we will never keep up with the latest to come from Zongshen. Wanted so much to be leaving in 8 weeks on a new RX4 but that isn't happening, Having buried a RX3 into the earth as hard as one could and handing her off (sold at loss) to someone hopeful of a rebirth I moved on to bigger and better things Like a 20 + yr design air and oil cooled single with 5 measley gears that is know for RTW travel with nominal issues, a DR650 Total cost is a bit more than the RX4, with the mods, but not by a LOT, as I got the DR used with less than 1K miles for <$4K So...while I embrace what CSC is doing(and won't forget the break-downs that Gerry and Steve helped me out of) , IMO it's not the best timing for what I need. Merry ( my beloved RX3) will be sorely missed...she was a great bike and a LOT of fun. I hope Sunny (the DR's name) will be up to the challenge the RX3 left __________________ There is someone that I must meet again. And until that day…not even Death itself can take my life away!
	2

04-17-2018, 09:44 AM	#10
Emerikol Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Carrollton, GA Posts: 1,467	Having both a Hawk and a DR, I can honestly say that they're both amazing bikes, but each in their own right. The Hawk is actually my go-to bike when I'm just running errands around town (I was on it yesterday to go to the post office and mail out a housewarming gift, then to the bank, then the long way home). The DR is my long distance cruiser when I want to go somewhere and [I]maybe[I] get off the beaten path. My DR is set up for a ride on the Trans-America Trail, but that fell through when my little sister moved from Spokane Washington to Ramstein Germany. Personally, I think the price-point and ease of ownership for the Hawk are huge selling points. Suzuki parts are expensive to replace, and while there's a cult following for the DR, as well as tons of aftermarket parts, they aren't much cheaper, if cheaper at all. I haven't had to replace anything on the Hawk in the 2000-odd miles I've got on it, but I've already looked into parts and even if everything goes bang at once, it's not like the wife and I will need to eat mac and cheese for a month to fix it. I think that even though they're technically in the same "class," they're different bikes for different purposes. Just my morning thoughts on the matter... __________________ First Rule of Aviation: -Never Pass Up The Opportunity to Pee I was struggling to get my wife's attention; I sat down on the couch and looked comfortable. That did the trick! My wife says I only have two faults. I don't listen and something else... If at first you don't succeed, try doing it the way I told you to... The Stable: 2005 Yamaha V-Star 650 - SOLD 2015 Suzuki DR 650 2015 RPS Hawk 250 - SOLD 2016 Ural Gear Up
	1

04-17-2018, 03:35 PM	#13
Emerikol Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Carrollton, GA Posts: 1,467	I certainly didn't think you had a beef, and I took no offense. Just another voice piping up in the babble, as it were. I agree 100% about being able to confidently handle a bike. You can go to any track anywhere in the world and instantly pick out the novices, the ones who are scared of the machine (which everyone should be to some degree), and those who are WAY overbiked. The gear is the same, the colors are just as flashy, the difference is always in how confidently they ride. When a rider is tense, it always translates into the riding style. I'm pushing 40 now, and with a newborn and wife back at the house, I'm much more concerned with the bad things that can happen when the rubber side doesn't stay down. I'm searching out more technical stuff lately, and a lot less full throttle, hair on fire type of riding. I find that slower speeds and more technical terrain mean things just bruise during a fall, instead of break. Who'd of thought? __________________ First Rule of Aviation: -Never Pass Up The Opportunity to Pee I was struggling to get my wife's attention; I sat down on the couch and looked comfortable. That did the trick! My wife says I only have two faults. I don't listen and something else... If at first you don't succeed, try doing it the way I told you to... The Stable: 2005 Yamaha V-Star 650 - SOLD 2015 Suzuki DR 650 2015 RPS Hawk 250 - SOLD 2016 Ural Gear Up
	1

04-16-2018, 02:35 PM	#4
pyoungbl Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Portsmouth, Virginia, USA Posts: 632	The RX3s has been discussed by Joe and Steve at CSC. They are not going to bring the twin in to the US. Remember, CSC had to spend big bucks to get the 250cc single through the EPA/DOT certification process. That cost must be spread out over a lot of RX3 sales in order to make any sense. CSC does plan to bring in the RX4 (450cc) so that's another chunk of change already committed. It is not reasonable to expect them to eat another certification in order to cannibalize RX3 sales....where they already have the sunk cost of spare parts and such. Peter Y.
	1

04-16-2018, 02:33 PM	#5
Juanro Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 321	Also, http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=19967
	0

04-16-2018, 02:55 PM	#6
ben2go Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 1,335	The RX3S is similar to the CB400X that is mainly an Asian bike. We didn't get it over here.
	0

04-16-2018, 09:20 PM	#7
Goshawk Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: New England Posts: 43	thanks for the links. The English guy testing both bikes for ten days seems to prefer the RX3S for various reasons, whilst admitting the RX4 was obviously more powerful. The conundrum will be if the prices butt up too close to the Jap bikes eg Versys300X, will the CSC business model hold up? Until the quality issue, real or just perceived, is overcome they are reliant on value as the major selling point. I hope they bring in the RX4, and sooner rather than later (I am too old to wait for very long) as I would be interested in it. I am more interested in a sixth gear and a more relaxed 70mph than I am about ultimate speed. Here's hoping.
	0

04-17-2018, 07:36 AM	#9
Goshawk Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: New England Posts: 43	a nice bike and I wish you success with your venture, whatever it is. Last year I sold my 2013 KLR650, which was very well kitted out for travel. I did this because the bike weighed too much and was too top heavy for me when riding anything "knarly" off road. My riding buddy dumped his similarly equipped KLR spectacularly, fortunately sustaining only sprains and bruises. With my help he was able to ride the bike out to paved roads, but only just. We are both in our seventies and neither could pick our bikes up in an adverse camber situation without help. So I decided to sell and bought a 2015 Hawk 250 for $700, thinking it was 200lbs lighter and that I didn't worry so much if it got scarred or even mutilated should I dump it. That strategy worked very well for exploring the local by-ways and single track roads but the Hawk is not a comfortable highway cruiser and getting to places further away to ride, involves trailering the bike to a suitable starting point and then riding. This isn't bad but it would be so much easier to just get on a bike and ride to wherever. I have looked at a Versys 300X (my local and very friendly Kawasaki dealer has one) but I have never liked the small Kawasaki engine as it is too dependent on stratospheric revs to get any power. I think Kawasaki will bring the new 400cc engine to the Versys, it is just a case of when, and how much compared to the RX4. I have ridden an RX3 and liked the low seat height but it really needed a tall 6th gear and just a little more power. 5000miles at 8000rpm is not my idea of a relaxed ride. 8000rpm is frenetic in any ones book. Will it do it is beyond doubt. Do you want to? Hmmm, at 70 odd years old, not if I don't have to. Hence my interest in the RX3S and the RX4. This is, BTW, an excellent forum and has been a great help to me in my initial foray into Chinese bikes. Thanks to all.
	1

04-17-2018, 09:51 AM	#11
pyoungbl Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Portsmouth, Virginia, USA Posts: 632	Goshawk, I'm in your age range and sold my Stelvio for exactly the same reason. About a month ago I got to ride a new Ninja 400 while at Daytona bike week. That engine was delightfully smooth and quick. As with any small displacement engine, you do not find any torque in the lower rev range. When I asked if the 400 twin might be used in the Versay the answer was evasive...like they wanted to say 'yes' but could not make an announcement. With that said, I'm not sure that engine would be my choice for crawling through rough terrain because it really needs to spin in order to have the torque required. On the highway the 400 was fantastic.
	1

04-21-2018, 06:57 PM	#14
MalcolmReynolds Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Colorado Posts: 29	I am sitting on the fence trying to decide if I buy the RX3 or go with the Kawasaki twins. When I heard that there might be a RX3S with 380cc twin I thought OK, maybe hang on for that. But from the sounds of it that bike won't be coming here. If that is the case that there are no plans to bring it then I will probably just pinch my pennies a little longer and wait for that 400cc Versys. I think it is all but a forgone conclusion that the 400 is coming to the Versys and everything I am reading on the 400 Ninja makes it sound like a great power plant for a small ADV bike. So I keep looking and thinking about the RX3. I guess if the price were right maybe I could be nudged to buy one, but without a too good to pass up deal I can wait for the 400cc twin to land in a Versys. I have a bike to ride while I am patiently waiting so no pressure to do something rash. :-)
	0

04-21-2018, 07:43 PM	#15
pyoungbl Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Portsmouth, Virginia, USA Posts: 632	Malcom, a high spinning twin is certainly delightful while you are on it in the upper part of the power band. I loved the Ninja 400 for that. If you want to plunk along on a fire trail at much slower speed the torque of a thumper is much more desirable. The RX3 benefits from being a thumper even though the maximum torque is absent until about 4K. You can still thump along at walking speed in 1st gear. I have done exactly that. Somewhere in this mix of offering you will find the combination that fits your needs. Ain't it great to have so many choices! Peter Y.
	1