RX3 now available in Mexico - Page 2

jbfla · 01-08-2017, 12:17 PM

Italika, eh!

Must be an Italian bike, maybe like a Ducati or Moto Guzzi?

Another lost opportunity to promote the Zongshen brand.

jb

AdventureDad · 01-08-2017, 12:32 PM

I dont claim to understand global economy or marketing, or string theory, etc.... but I am really baffled why they choose not to use one worldwide name for their product. It seems like such a poor marketing decision, as well as searching for global aftermarket products.

pyoungbl · 01-08-2017, 12:55 PM

I'm not a marketing guy either. Note that Zongshen appears to want NOT to be a name brand like Honda. They want to manufacture motorcycles (and motors) and let the local distributor assume all the responsibility beyond actual production. Thus, you see CSC on the outer engine cover and elsewhere, not Zongshen. On one hand this is a pretty smart approach since the local distributor is closer to the customer and should have a better idea of what the market wants. The 15" rear wheel is a good example. In the US the customers want a 17" wheel in order to get more tire choices. Other markets are OK with 15". Although fuel injection is well proven and in many ways superior, carbs are cheap and easy to work on in a third world situation. The KTMs of the world want to build a 'world bike' so when Europe mandates ABS you see all of their bikes saddled with ABS and its associated cost. Zongshen might be foretelling the future of vehicle manufacturing, we'll see.

rojo_grande · 01-08-2017, 01:18 PM

Italika is a fairly well known brand in Mexico. They sell scooters, atv's (driven on the street in a lot of areas instead of a car), and smaller motorcycles. The small bikes and scooters are used in many places for delivery bikes.

At least for the Mexican market, the Italika brand has more name recognition than Zongshen. Similar to the AKT brand in Columbia. There's also not the CB bias in these countries (most countries for that matter except the U.S.)

It would appear that Zongshen has made at strategic decision to partner with established brand or existing importers in other countries rather than spend millions of marketing dollars in each geography to market and establish the Zongshen brand in each location. I'm sure there are also some efficiency from a legal and regulatory standpoint as well. They do not have to create legal entities in each country they want to import their bikes into. Their partner has already done that. This approach allows Zongshen to enter markets more quickly and cost effectively.

Rojo

AdventureDad · 01-08-2017, 01:32 PM

Rojo....good answer. Now that you bring up that point, I remember Toyota building the cars that were sold here as Geo's. Also, Isuzu built the (older model) Honda Passport as well.

Jay In Milpitas · 01-08-2017, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdventureDad

I dont claim to understand global economy or marketing, or string theory, etc.... but I am really baffled why they choose not to use one worldwide name for their product. It seems like such a poor marketing decision, as well as searching for global aftermarket products.

While Zongshen may be well established in China and other Asian countries, it's possible that the same "makers" that gave the bad reputation for Made In China here, also tainted the name in other countries. So you reach out to start fresh with somebody that the populace in a country will have confidence in.

General Motors learned the "Name" lesson in the late 1960's -early 70's with their bread & butter model the Chevy Nova. They started to export to Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries in Central & South America, but sales were dismal compared to other models. It was finally noted that Nova was phonetically identical to "No Va", which in Spanish means "No go."

BlackBike · 01-08-2017, 07:37 PM

Jay, I was also thinking of the Nova analogy

On the flip side...Datsun migrated back to mothership name Nissan here in norte amerkanski. We know the rest of that story.

Perhaps it will one day be so for zong.

Seems like I saw a report that there was talk about bringing back a line called Datsun.

Member that ill hustler, great runner

Traveling Turtle · 01-11-2017, 09:44 PM

Hola a todos los colegas moteros de este foro.....er...sorry no español here!
Let me start again!

Hello to all the interesting riders in this forum!
I'd been following the development of the RX3 since I bumped into the CSC blog and got very exited to se a model that I could use as a daily conmuter, weekend explorer or world tourer.
Heck, I got so pumped about this bike I even wrote Mr. Berk about they selling them in Mexico.
Now that It has finally been brought to Mexico by Italika I'm looking forward to do a significant down payment to enjoy throught all over ny beautiful(and troubled) country.

Diferences between both the north american model and the mexican one are that the later is more similar to the Colombian m odel, the AKT Adventour 250.
It keeps the 15" wheel and carburetor.

I'm not aware of extra conectors like the ones found in the US vesion.

You can order in any color as long as it is Black/Red combo

The service Italika provides is fairly good but I'll love to see the customer service department responding as quickly as CSC and acomplish the same level of quality service.

Anyway as soon as I get mine, I let you know. It is going to be part of my 50th birthday project.

Keep in touch, Fellows

AdventureDad · 01-11-2017, 10:11 PM

Welcome! and with the purchase, you get to enjoy the help, assistance, and friendship we enjoy on this forum. You could always make a trip to California with yours, for parts, service, a 17 inch rear wheel, and join them on their Baja Ride.

BlackBike · 01-11-2017, 10:23 PM

Traveling turtle (TT)...Just a matter of time untill a community of Mexican rx3 riders pop up. Welcome to chinariders.net beinvedinedos amigo (can't spell but you get it

)

leovolador · 01-12-2017, 10:23 PM

Hi everyone,
Let me introduce myself, my name is Leonardo, I live in Mexico City and two weeks ago I bought online the italika vx250 as is called here. The vx250 is a zongshen zs250gy-3(carburetor). The vx250 documentation has an Italika vx250 user manual and also the zongshen motorcycle maintenance manual. In the italika webpage is a mistake because the real size of the rear wheel is 17'' In the user manual is corrected. The lightbulb is a hs1 12v 35w/35w led. Italika is a huge mexican company that import chinesse motorcycle parts and here they assemble all the parts to sell different kinds of motorcycles and atv's. In the last 10years Italika becomes in the No. 1 motorcycle seller with the 70percent of the national motorcycle market share. I think the success of Italika is based in low prices (adequate cost-benefit) a lot of credit options, more 3500 stores including walmart mexico bestbuy mexico, hundreds of service centers and cheap spare parts and from my own experience a great customer service.
I hope I have solved some doubts about the ''Mexican RX3'' If you have any question or doubt please ask me. Thank you for all your information shared in this forum. Maybe in a future you could come down here and drive our RX3's around teotihuacan pyramids.

Leonardo

BlackBike · 01-12-2017, 10:39 PM

OK, Leo. Still never sure there was any doubt about it.

Sounds like there will be a good support/parts network too.

AdventureDad · 01-13-2017, 08:17 AM

Welcome Leo... I had no idea Italkia was so big, and had so much market share. That is only going to help Zongshen and the RX3. There are some mistakes in our owners manual as well, and some bad translating. Yeah, since we all own RX3's on this site, you dont have to convince us

I'd love to ride MY RX3 to see just about anything in your beautiful country.

01-08-2017, 12:17 PM	#16
jbfla Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: FL, GA, NC Posts: 771	Italika, eh! Must be an Italian bike, maybe like a Ducati or Moto Guzzi? Another lost opportunity to promote the Zongshen brand. jb __________________ 2016 Honda CB500F......2017 Triumph Street Twin 2014 XT 250........
	1

01-08-2017, 01:18 PM	#19
rojo_grande Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Weston, CO & Sangre de Cristos Posts: 240	Italika is a fairly well known brand in Mexico. They sell scooters, atv's (driven on the street in a lot of areas instead of a car), and smaller motorcycles. The small bikes and scooters are used in many places for delivery bikes. At least for the Mexican market, the Italika brand has more name recognition than Zongshen. Similar to the AKT brand in Columbia. There's also not the CB bias in these countries (most countries for that matter except the U.S.) It would appear that Zongshen has made at strategic decision to partner with established brand or existing importers in other countries rather than spend millions of marketing dollars in each geography to market and establish the Zongshen brand in each location. I'm sure there are also some efficiency from a legal and regulatory standpoint as well. They do not have to create legal entities in each country they want to import their bikes into. Their partner has already done that. This approach allows Zongshen to enter markets more quickly and cost effectively. Rojo __________________ '15 RX3 (Rojo's) '15 RX3 (marzhere's) '16 TT250
	2

01-08-2017, 07:37 PM	#22
BlackBike Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: George West, Texas Posts: 4,097	Jay, I was also thinking of the Nova analogy On the flip side...Datsun migrated back to mothership name Nissan here in norte amerkanski. We know the rest of that story. Perhaps it will one day be so for zong. Seems like I saw a report that there was talk about bringing back a line called Datsun. Member that ill hustler, great runner __________________ ***************************************** 2015 Bashan"Blaze" BS250GY-31 (DB-07K-250) GONE 2017 Suzuki V Strom 650 XT "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~Benjamin Franklin~
	1

01-11-2017, 09:44 PM	#23
Traveling Turtle Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Cancun Mexico. Paradise Posts: 8	Italika VX 250/Zongshen RX3 Hola a todos los colegas moteros de este foro.....er...sorry no español here! Let me start again! Hello to all the interesting riders in this forum! I'd been following the development of the RX3 since I bumped into the CSC blog and got very exited to se a model that I could use as a daily conmuter, weekend explorer or world tourer. Heck, I got so pumped about this bike I even wrote Mr. Berk about they selling them in Mexico. Now that It has finally been brought to Mexico by Italika I'm looking forward to do a significant down payment to enjoy throught all over ny beautiful(and troubled) country. Diferences between both the north american model and the mexican one are that the later is more similar to the Colombian m odel, the AKT Adventour 250. It keeps the 15" wheel and carburetor. I'm not aware of extra conectors like the ones found in the US vesion. You can order in any color as long as it is Black/Red combo The service Italika provides is fairly good but I'll love to see the customer service department responding as quickly as CSC and acomplish the same level of quality service. Anyway as soon as I get mine, I let you know. It is going to be part of my 50th birthday project. Keep in touch, Fellows __________________ Keep the rubber side down.
	4

01-11-2017, 10:23 PM	#25
BlackBike Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: George West, Texas Posts: 4,097	Traveling turtle (TT)...Just a matter of time untill a community of Mexican rx3 riders pop up. Welcome to chinariders.net beinvedinedos amigo (can't spell but you get it) __________________ ***************************************** 2015 Bashan"Blaze" BS250GY-31 (DB-07K-250) GONE 2017 Suzuki V Strom 650 XT "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~Benjamin Franklin~
	0

01-08-2017, 12:32 PM	#17
AdventureDad Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: South Mississippi Posts: 253	I dont claim to understand global economy or marketing, or string theory, etc.... but I am really baffled why they choose not to use one worldwide name for their product. It seems like such a poor marketing decision, as well as searching for global aftermarket products.
	0

01-08-2017, 12:55 PM	#18
pyoungbl Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Portsmouth, Virginia, USA Posts: 632	I'm not a marketing guy either. Note that Zongshen appears to want NOT to be a name brand like Honda. They want to manufacture motorcycles (and motors) and let the local distributor assume all the responsibility beyond actual production. Thus, you see CSC on the outer engine cover and elsewhere, not Zongshen. On one hand this is a pretty smart approach since the local distributor is closer to the customer and should have a better idea of what the market wants. The 15" rear wheel is a good example. In the US the customers want a 17" wheel in order to get more tire choices. Other markets are OK with 15". Although fuel injection is well proven and in many ways superior, carbs are cheap and easy to work on in a third world situation. The KTMs of the world want to build a 'world bike' so when Europe mandates ABS you see all of their bikes saddled with ABS and its associated cost. Zongshen might be foretelling the future of vehicle manufacturing, we'll see.
	2

01-08-2017, 01:32 PM	#20
AdventureDad Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: South Mississippi Posts: 253	Rojo....good answer. Now that you bring up that point, I remember Toyota building the cars that were sold here as Geo's. Also, Isuzu built the (older model) Honda Passport as well.
	0

01-11-2017, 10:11 PM	#24
AdventureDad Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: South Mississippi Posts: 253	Welcome! and with the purchase, you get to enjoy the help, assistance, and friendship we enjoy on this forum. You could always make a trip to California with yours, for parts, service, a 17 inch rear wheel, and join them on their Baja Ride.
	0

01-12-2017, 10:39 PM	#27
BlackBike Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: George West, Texas Posts: 4,097	OK, Leo. Still never sure there was any doubt about it. Sounds like there will be a good support/parts network too. __________________ ***************************************** 2015 Bashan"Blaze" BS250GY-31 (DB-07K-250) GONE 2017 Suzuki V Strom 650 XT "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~Benjamin Franklin~
	0

01-13-2017, 08:17 AM	#28
AdventureDad Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: South Mississippi Posts: 253	Welcome Leo... I had no idea Italkia was so big, and had so much market share. That is only going to help Zongshen and the RX3. There are some mistakes in our owners manual as well, and some bad translating. Yeah, since we all own RX3's on this site, you dont have to convince us I'd love to ride MY RX3 to see just about anything in your beautiful country.
	0