March 21 Ride in Idaho

[SpudRider]

I took the Zong for a ride on Wednesday, and explored the gravel roads south of my home.









The spring melt is in full swing. Perhaps all the gravel roads will be free of snow in a week or two! Some of the gravel roads are washed out with the rushing water created by the melting snow. I needed to turn around when I encountered a 3-foot trench created by water crossing the road! 8O Some of these roads will need to be bulldozed before they become passable, even with a dirt bike. However, the riding season is arriving early in Idaho!

Spud

[Weldangrind]

It looks like a great day after a long winter. I hope that I'll be able to post DS ride reports like yours soon.

[dmmcd]

LOVE the red barn photo. Sharp contrast to the tan landscape. Also love the shadows dancing across the mountains. I've said it before, but you have some beautiful places to ride out there, and are quite lucky to have the time to enjoy it!

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

It looks like a great day after a long winter. I hope that I'll be able to post DS ride reports like yours soon.

Thank you, Weld. I wish you good luck, and speedy progress with your TW200 restoration!

Spud

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by dmmcd

LOVE the red barn photo. Sharp contrast to the tan landscape. Also love the shadows dancing across the mountains. I've said it before, but you have some beautiful places to ride out there, and are quite lucky to have the time to enjoy it!

Thank you, DM. I consider myself blessed to live in such natural beauty.

Spud

[FastDoc]

Spudland, as beautiful as it is in Spud-O-Graphs really will take your breath away in person. As far a free time, being a full time Chinarider moderator it an 18 hour a day 7 day a week vocation. :wink:

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

Spudland, as beautiful as it is in Spud-O-Graphs really will take your breath away in person. As far a free time, being a full time Chinarider moderator it an 18 hour a day 7 day a week vocation. :wink:

Thank you, Brother Bill. Today was the nicest day of the year, so I went for another ride. The melting snow has done a lot of damage to the gravel roads. Although my clutch cable snapped 1/3 of the way through this 100-mile ride, my Zong still overcame all obstacles.

It gets muddy this time of year in Idaho.



My rear, TrakMaster tire is worn down pretty good, but it still negotiated all the mud. Nevertheless, I think I will mount another rear tire on the Zong tomorrow.



This washout in the road was six feet wide. My trusty Zong negotiated the route through the sagebrush to the left of this obstacle.



Spud

[SpudRider]

Incidentally, I installed a spare clutch cable when I got back home. I also hosed off my trusty Zong with 42,500 miles on the odometer.

Spud

[FastDoc]

That's mud a pig would love! Glad you had a new cable. If you can ride a Zong in mud like that you can ride a KDX on the sand! :P

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

That's mud a pig would love! Glad you had a new cable. If you can ride a Zong in mud like that you can ride a KDX on the sand! :P

I have never checked. Are clutch cables generic? Can I buy any clutch cable which is the proper length? I ordered spare clutch, throttle, and speedometer cables from Zongshen America many months ago. Therefore, I had the clutch cable handy when I needed it today.

Spud

[SpudRider]

My goodness! I'm pretty sure a TW200 clutch cable would work! Nevertheless, my question remains. Are clutch cables fairly generic, except for length? :?:

Spud

[SpudRider]

I guess it doesn't matter if clutch cables are generic, or not. I can buy a Motion Pro, TW200/XT225 clutch cable from eBay for $13.99, delivered.

Spud

[SpudRider]

The TW200 speedometer cable also appears to be the same as the Zongshen speedometer cable. Who would have thunk?

However, I'm sure the throttle cables are different, since the Zong employs a single throttle cable, and the TW200 employs a dual throttle cable.

Spud

[SpudRider]

I forgot to mention this. Yesterday I lost the second bolt which has ever dropped off my Zongshen 200GY-2. One of the stock bolts which holds the luggage rack dropped off my bike the first year I owned it. I replaced all those button head bolts with socket head bolts, and I have never lost another one. Yesterday one of the two bolts that holds the serrated foot on the front of the rear brake pedal dropped off. I replaced both of those rear bolts, and applied red locktite to them.

The Zongshen 200GY-2 is very well manufactured. My bike has never dropped bolts as has been reported with some other chinabikes.

Spud

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

The TW200 speedometer cable also appears to be the same as the Zongshen speedometer cable. Who would have thunk?

However, I'm sure the throttle cables are different, since the Zong employs a single throttle cable, and the TW200 employs a dual throttle cable.

Spud

Spud, please tell me what size the speedometer end of the cable is. If it's 12mm (or roughly 1/2"), I'll be able to use a speedometer I found on eBay.