Zongshen 450?

[Jay In Milpitas]

Originally Posted by Eco Mouse

The CB500X is already 471cc... proven design, world engine. A true 65 mpg, and 85 mph highway cruising speed. Plus, being a parallel twin, it will naturally be smoother than a larger displacement thumper.

Not to mention that it features the plastic guard under the front of the engine as well as those two downswept exhaust pipes to protect the frame when you bang over rocks and logs.

If you stay with the black version (non ABS) you can add the luggage to make just almost as well equipped as the RX3 for about $7700, plus destination charge and dealer expenses.

If CSC does decide to include the RX4 and go forward with the emissions certification, it will be interesting to see the price.

[Lee R]

Originally Posted by Eco Mouse

The CB500X is already 471cc... proven design, world engine. A true 65 mpg, and 85 mph highway cruising speed. Plus, being a parallel twin, it will naturally be smoother than a larger displacement thumper.

True but with the price difference similarly equipped you could probably get and RX4 and and bonus RC3 lol.

The CB500's are great bikes but I wouldn't use one like I'm using the RX3.

[Louis Angel]

Originally Posted by Jay In Milpitas

............... If you stay with the black version (non ABS) you can add the luggage to make just almost as well equipped as the RX3 for about $7700, plus destination charge and dealer expense................

WOW!!! I guess I live in the right part of the USA then, because they are selling all over the place for waaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy less than $7700 !!!!!
I looked at this very bike many months ago ( prior to buying my Vulcan 500 )
and was very impressed with ALMOST every bit of it. Except the once thing Honda SERIOUSLY screwed up on in my strong opinion, , , , the foot pegs
are set up more like a sport bike / street fighter than a dual sport. I hate, I LOATHE , , , I despise the " heel under your butt " foot peg arrangement
like what was on my CB300F.
Here is a link to where you can get a 2015 Honda CB500X for under $5500 out the door.
Clickythingy ----> http://www.cycletrader.com/dealers/C...500X-114908795
.
.
I have not sat on a RX3 yet, but can clearly see from photos the pegs are more like a dual sport.
IF the RX4 lands under $5k, it has my vote!
And a 450cc single "thumper" would actually be a better motor IMO because
of the gobs of low down torque. I prefer Honda's 300 over the Ninja's for this sole reason. ( that, and just that much less moving parts to cause a failure )
.
Looks like Zong has heard my plea!!!!!
.
.
EDIT: I totally missed the "you can ADD the luggage " part till I re read the post. LOL Still, , SURELY you can get paniers for less than $2700 off of e-bay or amazon.

[Eco Mouse]

Originally Posted by Louis Angel

SURELY you can get paniers for less than $2700 off of e-bay or amazon.

Duh, you can get black anodized, top loading aluminum 36l cases for $400 delivered.

And the CBX is only $6400 new 2016 model. Get the '15 model it's $4900 - $5400, and many dealers are still trying to get rid of any left over '14s for $4000. And that's not to mention the used market. And if you can't negotiate dealer fees, perhaps you should stick to ebay or craigslist.

I would suspect, that if CSC decided to also bring over the RX4, that the initial don't miss the boat price would make it totally worth it... but chances are, it'll retail closer to $5895 to keep it well under the KLR, at $6599. On paper it will look like a bargain, 6 speed, fuel injection AND luggage.

But if I'm going to be dropping $6-7k on anything, I'll be shopping around. And plastic luggage won't sway me one way or the other. Real world usage says that my wolfman soft bags are far better for extended trips anyway.

So I start looking at real world MPG, over all weight, torque, suspension travel, ease of repair, world-wide parts availability. Those alone, is why the KLR remains the Jack of All dual sports.

When I got the Cyclone, I seriously underestimated what a paltry 24hp actually means out anywhere but the city streets.

Clearly, I'm not brand loyal. I'm only loyal to the art of Adventuring and Dual Sporting. Whatever machine can get me there and back again, without much fuss, I'll back it!

[dpl096]

The CBX is a good looking bike however I recall a few years ago running across photos and a few articles on their XRE300 series and really liking it, only to be disappointed that Honda neglected the North American market. . . turned out to be a good thing because it, in my opinion, left the gate wide open for Zongshen via CSC to begin carving out a sweet piece of the pie with what is looking to be a superior and extremely popular product. When I first saw the RX3 I thought of the XRE..... Doesn't really matter....the RX3 was sexy and it was coming to North America and I started making my plans to get one if at all possible. I for one am glad to see new competition and innovation being plugged into the market. I'm anxious to see where Zongshen and CSC take us on this journey!

[RedHawk47]

Originally Posted by detours

Here are the dimensions of the NC250 vs the NC450:

• The NC450 is 40mm (1.5") taller than the NC250.
• In overall length the NC450 is 4.3mm (.2") shorter
• The front and bottom two mounting holes are dimensionally identical
• On the NC450, the CS sprocket is 9mm (.35") higher than the NC250.

So, in terms of a drop-in replacement, I'm not sure there's an extra 1.5" under the gas tank to accommodate the NC450 height, without some modification. And we would have to make sure the chain would clear the frame. There may be other frame fitment issues too.

The rear mounting hole is also in the same location relative to the other mounting holes.
The top mounting holes are in completely different locations; on top of the 250 head and behind the 450 head.
I found the 450 sprocket to be about 2mm higher and about 13mm rear-ward of the 250's.

[Jay In Milpitas]

Here, build your own. You may not want the Honda luggage. Besides, they're not offering a top box, just a rack for it.

https://powersports.honda.com/2016/cb500x/build.aspx

[BlackBike]

Any guesses on what the horsepower will be?

Weight?

Price?

Will CSC even import this RX4 ?

Of course this would be purely speculative but I would like to know what some of you think.

[detours]

Originally Posted by BlackBike

Any guesses on what the horsepower will be?

Here's a HP/torque graph ... 44 HP, 29 ft-lbs of torque.

[Eco Mouse]

Those figures are on par with the CB500X

43/32 respectively.

[Sport Rider]

That would be perfect power for my needs but then it will become a question of price points. I can get a used klr for a comparable price. Hmmmm...

[Wolftrax]

The CB500X can be set up fairly inexpensively to be a very good 50/50 machine. I got my 2014 new in 2015 for $5000. The Rally Raid conversion set me back another $2800. So for $7800 I have a 470cc PT with a premium suspension capable of going just about anywhere while delivering an honest 60 mpg and a very comfortable cruising speed of 75mph. That being said I still would give the RX4 a serious look if the price was right.

[Sport Rider]

I'm thinking more like half that price.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Sport Rider

I'm thinking more like half that price.

Indeed, that's why I bought a Zongshen RX3 for $2,895, which included all the following standard equipment.

U.S. Delphi Fuel Injected Engine
Water Cooled Engine with 2 Radiators, and 2 Radiator Fans
6-Speed Transmission
Superb Clutch
Excellent Headlight (with H4 bulb)
Full Engine Guards
Tall, Effective Windshield
Siemens Digital Dashboard
LED Turn Signals and Brake Light
4.2-Gallon (16-Liter) Fuel Tank
Locking Gas Cap
Integrated Luggage with Locks
Perimeter Engine Frame
Strong Sub-frame to Support Heavy Loads
Stainless Steel Exhaust Header
37mm USD Forks
Shock Absorber with Spring Preload Adjustment and Rebound Damping Adjustment
Progressive Lower Shock Linkage
1-1/8 inch, Fat Aluminum Handlebars
Skid Plate
Black Anodized Hubs
17-inch Rear Wheel with an Excellent Cushion Hub
Disc Brakes on Both Wheels
Braided Stainless Steel Brake Lines
Hydraulic Brake Light Switch on Rear Wheel
110-Link, Size 520, O-Ring Drive Chain
Wide, Serrated Foot Pegs with Rubber Inserts for both Rider and Passenger
300-watt Stator Output
Deluxe Wiring Harness with two Fused, Switched, Auxillary Power Connections
2-Year Warranty for Parts
1-Year Warranty for Parts and Labor

Both warranties include unlimited mileage, and are backed by the exceptional customer support from CSC, in Azusa, California.

[BlackBike]

I don't see there will be any less on the upcoming rx4, except the higher pricetag. Assuming csc wants to import it. Any noises on certification applications out there, I know it takes a long time to get anything upon our shores.