Initial impression of RX3 for a trail bike rider

[Jay In Milpitas]

Originally Posted by vickytulla

no I actually do not know much about chain... I will have to learn a bit about it I must say...

Here is a good place to start to learn. There are more videos but this one shows a chain in very early wear, but it will damage sprockets.

There is more to this video, I just started where I thought it will help you most.

[sqwert]

Jay's video shows good info. Chains generally are heat treated parts, so the plates don't typically stretch. The pins and rollers wear. Lots of pins and rollers, and rollers wear on both sides, so 440 wear spots, each with a tiny bit of wear, adds up to a lot of grief. Probably your only effective solution will be to replace both sprockets and chain. No excuses.

Another way to check chains for wear is a good cleaning, then stretch out on a flat surface, plates perpendicular to the surface and pins parallel. Finger tips at the ends on the side away from you, thumbs on the side towards you, then try to curve the chain along the plates. If the chain curves, it is trash. How much curve? Check the curve on broken chains in the trash bin at any shop. That's too much. When you get a chance, check the curves of new chains. Not much there, eh? Doesn't take many chains to learn from experience to worry. After gaining a bit of experience, you'll be able to pick up a chain, turn the pins vertical, look at the curve of the plates induced by gravity, and pronounce it's condition accurately in about 0.2 seconds. It really is that easy, once you get a little grease under your nails.

What sprockets? Sprockets from proven sources made by proven brands. Too many fraudsters these days to do anything less, you've paid that price.

The bigger the sprockets, the longer they last. Less stress per contact point, less friction and wear from less movement, lower operating temperatures, ... . It adds up. A smaller countershaft sprocket is not the cheap way to lower final drive ratio, as you've found out. Now, since you need to replace both sprockets and chain, invest in good stuff. The better way to lower final drive ratio is a bigger wheel sprocket and longer chain.

However, seems the sprocket sizes available are extremely limited.

Here's how it works. Stock on my old, stock TW is 14/50, or ~3.571:1, and a junk open chain that wore out after 6000 miles with twice weekly adjustments, cleanings, and lube. Now I run 15/54, or 3.6:1, and an aftermarket ringed chain on sale. Not enough difference to even notice, until time for chain maintenance. Once a month or so, and after dirt rides, the chain gets a spray of Deep Creep. Deep Creep flows off the dirt, then dries, making a water proof and rust preventative layer. Takes about 2 minutes.

Even though the ringed chain cost twice the stock open chain, I save more money in cleaning and lubing products with the o-ring chain to more than make up the difference. Toss in the price of sprockets and hardware every 6000 miles the cheap chain would have cost about 5 times as much as doing it right, and the o-ring set up is still going strong.

STOCK
9 CS Sprocket
28 W Sprocket
21 open chain
9 sprocket hardware
19 2 cans Deep Creep
16 2 cans chain lube
102 dollars every 6000 miles

15 CS sprocket
28 w sprocket
60 ringed chain
9 sprocket hardware
19 2cans Deep Creep
131 dollars every 30,000 miles

You're worth the best, and should not have anything less considering the remoteness of your riding. Considering the best is not really that much an investment, that's the better way to go. Even lots cheaper.

Oh, I forgot, add $60 to 30,000 miles with the cheap parts for oil--on a TW it has to be changed when accessing the countershaft sprocket. In real life, the o-ring on bigger sprockets is only 16 more to invest.

[vickytulla]

hmmm very very interesting... they way this guy checked the "play" in old chain the losings which is in old chain that can be checked rather quite quickly...

Thanks Jay

Originally Posted by Jay In Milpitas

Here is a good place to start to learn. There are more videos but this one shows a chain in very early wear, but it will damage sprockets.

There is more to this video, I just started where I thought it will help you most.

[pyoungbl]

The chains that come on the RX3 are "O" ring type but, as Joe has written in his book 5,000 miles at 8,000 rpm they tend to only last about 5,000 miles. That's why I installed a high quality aftermarket chain almost immediately after getting my bike. Now, at almost 6K miles, my chain and sprockets look like new.

[Jay In Milpitas]

Vickytulla, there are many other videos that show how to check for chain wear, many are not good ways but will give you some understanding.

I chose that video because I felt it showed very clearly the wear or looseness in a piece of chain.

The chain is one of the most simple things to check on a bike and also one of the most important, along with engine oil, tire pressure, and spoke condition.

The best quality, most expensive chain still needs the same attention that a cheap chain does, cleaning+inspection+lubrication+adjustment. The quality one just lasts longer.

As others have said, chain and sprockets should be replaced as a set. I hope this helps.

[vickytulla]

A close friend and a die hard rider after getting influenced by my RX3 went to test more bikes from Zong people...
Recently they launched RX1 which is kind of a even more slimmer and kind of a mini version of (already minified version of grand tourers AKA RX3)



Feedback#

Pro#
RX1 has exceptionally excellent low end torque with only 198cc to jiuce out...
RX1 has tighter turning radius, more agile, light, easy to manuver...
RX1 has a large boot you can actully put helmet inside
RX1 has center stand factory fitted
RX1 has factory fitted charger lighters
RX1 has exceptionally good front Flood light (i means it)
RX1 has tubeless tires and alloys

As by far its clear the factory has learned alot from there RX3 and digested feedback and put every thing "as factory default" in there new RX1 which is THUMBS up!!!

Bike is excellent partner for skinny and short height people...

CONS#
- Bike pukes out all its power what so ever just reaching 100kmh ( so highway cruising is no go... you will be riding on the yellow line one the side...)
- It also has a low ground clearance and a chubby guy or little over loading will make it even worse
- Front Wheel is 17' it should have been atleast 18'
- Front shocks travel ( also RX3) has less travel then what we really need in adventure sports
- Rear suspension is not atjustable have to live with it..

Let see what we find out more...

All mountains have turned white and we are just warming up wings to take both legend of Zongs to bang em up in white matter out there on the peaks...

...

[vickytulla]

I hate my self for over loading and end up over loading it on every damn single tour...

I wonder whats the best way to brace the camp, Sleeping mat and bag as they cant fit in trunks...

this time I had more out side the trunks then actually in trunks..

[vickytulla]

Need to look for suggestions as in wintor badly need warm sleeping stuff to carry with then others...

I do love a lot that after RX3 my "maintaince", parts and tools carriage has shrinked to almost none... now I hardly carry a plyer and basic tool kit other then spare plug and throtle/clutch ccable + livers. .. they also come back on every tour un wanted..