RX4 Trail Worthy?

DavidInMaine · 04-05-2021, 10:35 AM

Hi guys. I’m considering either a RX4 or a Himalayan. After watching several video reviews I’m leaning toward the Himalayan because it seems like a better choice for off road, but I’m wondering how well the CSC would do with knobbier tires and possibly some other mods. So does anyone know what mods might be available to make the RX4 more trail worthy?

Full disclosure: I’ve never ridden off road. It’s going to be all new to me. I’ve also considered one of the 250cc dual sports, but I’m leaning toward an ADV bike because I think it would be a better all-around bike.

tknj99 · 04-05-2021, 10:43 AM

I assume you mean RX4.. ZX4 sounds like a Ninja to me, more specifically the Ninja 400.

Anyway, i chose the RX4 and am anxiously awaiting delivery.. I also have a Brozz 250 that i modded with almost all performance mods.. its great offroad but not so great for long distance riding and sucks on the highway.. so i chose the RX4 as a one-stop-shop do it all bike.. and yes, with some 50/50 tires or even more aggressive tires i think that RX4 will do fine for offroad riding where things veer to the more difficult terrain..
Im sure if the tires were better when tested against the Hima it would have been much closer or won the shootout.. with 80/20 street tires they really asked too much of it in that test in my opinion.
Plus, to me, compared to the Hima, the RX4 looks much better and more modern and can handle highway riding and long distance touring without issue from everything i have read and watched, it can ride 80-85 all day long comfortably, and thats all i ask of any full-time motorcycle.. and it should handle most all gravel roads and light trail riding with the stock tires with ease..
There are several youtube videos that show it offroad as well as reviews. It does seem that since its on the newer end, there arent as many RX4 riders as there are RX3 riders but if you read up on the RX3 and its great reviews, the RX4 is an RX3 but better

DavidInMaine · 04-05-2021, 11:01 AM

Oops! Yes! RX4. Thanks for catching that!

DavidInMaine · 04-05-2021, 11:04 AM

So do you think it would be something as easy as a tire swap?

tknj99 · 04-05-2021, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidInMaine

So do you think it would be something as easy as a tire swap?

I cant comment on absolutes as i dont own it yet but id bet that 50/50 tires would make it a helluva lot better offroad.. hopefully others who have made the swap can comment

Sport Rider · 04-05-2021, 11:10 AM

this might help you a little.
https://www.revzilla.com/common-trea...yan-adv-review

DavidInMaine · 04-05-2021, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sport Rider

this might help you a little.
https://www.revzilla.com/common-trea...yan-adv-review

Yup. I watched their video comparison on YouTube.

Sport Rider · 04-05-2021, 11:46 AM

interesting that they said their preference for that type of riding was a used KLR over either of these two. I was surprised at the end that they leaned to the Himalayan.

DavidInMaine · 04-05-2021, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sport Rider

interesting that they said their preference for that type of riding was a used KLR over either of these two. I was surprised at the end that they leaned to the Himalayan.

Me too. They even talk about how it’s slow and the brakes suck, yet they still preferred it over the CSC.

As far as a KLR650 goes, I’d be down for one of those, too.

tknj99 · 04-05-2021, 12:02 PM

You have to be honest with yourself and determine what type of riding you will be doing.. if most of your riding will be offroad, single track, gravel, etc then you want a dual sport that can handle the job.. on the other hand if mostly street riding, touring with the option to explore gravel roads and light trails than something like an RX4 should be ideal..
You can look at it like this.. when sport utility vehicles became all the rage, of those owners, what percentage would you say actually took their vehicles offroad and if they did to what extent.. we all know the answer is very few as an overall percentage.
While that may not directly correlate to bikes, the premise is still the same..

DavidInMaine · 04-05-2021, 12:16 PM

I’ve been considering that, too. I watched a number of video reviews on YouTube about several bikes I’m considering. I enjoyed the ones from Dork in the Road about the Brozz Recon. I’d really like to do some riding like that. And I have a BMW K1200RS for highway riding, so I think the Brozz Recon would be a good choice, but I also don’t want to have to tow the bike if the trail I want to visit is an hour or so away. So I guess I’m just looking for a trail-capable bike that can also do time on the Highway. Sort of a do-it-all machine. (The seat height on a KLR650 probably puts it out of reach for me.)

tknj99 · 04-05-2021, 12:28 PM

Yea.. the Brozz Recon is a great option.. but it does suck on the highway, that is the biggest limiting factor.. with that said.. if you're ok with sticking with back roads and roads with speed limimits around 55mph, then its a great option as a second bike..
For me, its not up to the task of a primary do it all bike, and so the RX4 will fit that bill, and then i plan to give the Brozz to my son, sell his DBX1 and we can still ride local trails together

pyoungbl · 04-05-2021, 02:09 PM

There is a world of similarity and a world of difference between the Himma and the RX4.
Plus for the Himma...more aftermarket farkles, they do have SOME dealers if you are not mechanically inclined, long stroke engine gives low speed torque. Minus for the Himma....gonna cost at least $1K OTD with similar equipment, tube type tires, 24 hp., less fuel capacity, only OK brakes, 5 speed.
Plus for the RX4, TFT display, tire pressure monitor, 6 speed , 5+ gallon steel tank, tubeless tires, 40+ hp., parts readily available from CSC...not expensive.
Minus for RX4, short stroke engine = less torque under 3K rpm., no dealers, OEM seat not great...actually it is really bad. Truth be told, every new bike I have bought has had a similar seat issue.

In the US we usually have to get on 55mph + roads to get anywhere. The Himma will be at the upper part of its performance envelope on roads where most traffic is going 60-65 mph. That's not the case with the RX4. If you are going single track or even muddy dual track you'll find people who are there on anything from 125cc to 1250cc so it comes down to your skill level and how comfortable you are with the thought that you'll be picking up a 450 lb (or more) lump. Off road my RX3 was all I needed to get to the edge of my skill level. For sloppy mud or water crossing I wished for a 125 with knobbies.

My RX4 sports 50/50 Dunlop Trailmax Mission tires on the cast wheels so I can run tubeless tires. I changed the rear spring to get a softer ride. Now I can take a trip and consider a side adventure...best of both worlds for me.

I hope some small part of my musings will be useful.

Peter Y.

Working_ZS · 04-05-2021, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidInMaine

Hi guys. I’m considering either a RX4 or a Himalayan. After watching several video reviews I’m leaning toward the Himalayan because it seems like a better choice for off road, but I’m wondering how well the CSC would do with knobbier tires and possibly some other mods. So does anyone know what mods might be available to make the RX4 more trail worthy?

Full disclosure: I’ve never ridden off road. It’s going to be all new to me. I’ve also considered one of the 250cc dual sports, but I’m leaning toward an ADV bike because I think it would be a better all-around bike.

To answer your question in regards to mods for the RX4 that will make it easier to ride off road I would do the following:

1.) Add the adjustable clutch lever that AliExpress sells, this will help with feathering the clutch, since the OEM lever is non-adjustable and engages at the end of the quite substantial lever travel. This sucks big time if you have small hands.

2.) Upgrade the tires to something more aggressive, such as the Shinko 804 Front & 805 Rear Big Block combo. The stock CST tires are mainly for highway use.

3.) Pull off all the luggage. The 450 lbs listed weight is without luggage. I weighed my 2020 with just a mounting rack and aluminum Tourfella top case and it came in at 474 lbs (481 lbs with the cast wheels and Shinko 705 tires); the 2021's are coming with a full 3 piece luggage set , this will probably make them top the scales at just over 500 lbs. That's way too heavy to be learning off road riding on.

Having said all this, I think you should pass on both the Himalayan and the RX4, they are both too heavy to be learning off road riding on. Get a TT250, if you live in a CARB emissions state (if you user name is indicative, Maine is a CARB state, so you'll need to get a TT250), or a Hawk if you do not, and use one of those to learn how to ride off road on. They're 150 lbs lighter and thousands of dollars less in MSRP. Once you have gained some off road experience and technique, then you can look at an ADV. As it stands now, you are way more likely to get hurt by one of these bikes than learn anything meaningful; the lighter bikes will let you make mistakes without costing you both dollars and health.

In terms of being a better all around bike, yes, ADV's are that if you run streets mainly. However, for mostly off road riding, a dual sport is going to be more satisfying, especially when it is time to pick it up for the tenth time on the trail. The Himalayan and RX4 are +400 lbs...that's a lot of weight to be dealing with, even more so for a new rider. Remember, Zack Courts and Ari Henning are very experienced riders and just because they can make it through some rough stuff on one of these bikes doesn't mean you or I could. You'll learn a lot more, a lot faster, on a smaller, lighter bike; then you can use that newfound knowledge on whatever ADV bike it is that you settle on afterwards.

My two cents, take it for what it is worth.

tknj99 · 04-05-2021, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Working_ZS

1.) Add the adjustable clutch lever that AliExpress sells, this will help with feathering the clutch, since the OEM lever is non-adjustable and engages at the end of the quite substantial lever travel. This sucks big time if you have small hands.

Thanks for all that info.. can you post up a link to this lever if you get a chance

04-05-2021, 10:35 AM	#1
DavidInMaine Join Date: Mar 2021 Posts: 24	RX4 Trail Worthy? Hi guys. I’m considering either a RX4 or a Himalayan. After watching several video reviews I’m leaning toward the Himalayan because it seems like a better choice for off road, but I’m wondering how well the CSC would do with knobbier tires and possibly some other mods. So does anyone know what mods might be available to make the RX4 more trail worthy? Full disclosure: I’ve never ridden off road. It’s going to be all new to me. I’ve also considered one of the 250cc dual sports, but I’m leaning toward an ADV bike because I think it would be a better all-around bike. Last edited by DavidInMaine; 04-05-2021 at 11:02 AM. Reason: RX4 instead of ZX4...
	0

04-05-2021, 10:43 AM	#2
tknj99 Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Central VA Posts: 1,302	I assume you mean RX4.. ZX4 sounds like a Ninja to me, more specifically the Ninja 400. Anyway, i chose the RX4 and am anxiously awaiting delivery.. I also have a Brozz 250 that i modded with almost all performance mods.. its great offroad but not so great for long distance riding and sucks on the highway.. so i chose the RX4 as a one-stop-shop do it all bike.. and yes, with some 50/50 tires or even more aggressive tires i think that RX4 will do fine for offroad riding where things veer to the more difficult terrain.. Im sure if the tires were better when tested against the Hima it would have been much closer or won the shootout.. with 80/20 street tires they really asked too much of it in that test in my opinion. Plus, to me, compared to the Hima, the RX4 looks much better and more modern and can handle highway riding and long distance touring without issue from everything i have read and watched, it can ride 80-85 all day long comfortably, and thats all i ask of any full-time motorcycle.. and it should handle most all gravel roads and light trail riding with the stock tires with ease.. There are several youtube videos that show it offroad as well as reviews. It does seem that since its on the newer end, there arent as many RX4 riders as there are RX3 riders but if you read up on the RX3 and its great reviews, the RX4 is an RX3 but better __________________ 2024 Templar 250 2021 Beta 500 RRS 2018 VStrom 1000 XT Former China Bikes: Tao DBX1, Brozz 250, CSC RX4, Titan DLX, Templar X, Storm DLX 150
	0

04-05-2021, 12:02 PM	#10
tknj99 Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Central VA Posts: 1,302	You have to be honest with yourself and determine what type of riding you will be doing.. if most of your riding will be offroad, single track, gravel, etc then you want a dual sport that can handle the job.. on the other hand if mostly street riding, touring with the option to explore gravel roads and light trails than something like an RX4 should be ideal.. You can look at it like this.. when sport utility vehicles became all the rage, of those owners, what percentage would you say actually took their vehicles offroad and if they did to what extent.. we all know the answer is very few as an overall percentage. While that may not directly correlate to bikes, the premise is still the same.. __________________ 2024 Templar 250 2021 Beta 500 RRS 2018 VStrom 1000 XT Former China Bikes: Tao DBX1, Brozz 250, CSC RX4, Titan DLX, Templar X, Storm DLX 150
	1

04-05-2021, 12:28 PM	#12
tknj99 Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Central VA Posts: 1,302	Yea.. the Brozz Recon is a great option.. but it does suck on the highway, that is the biggest limiting factor.. with that said.. if you're ok with sticking with back roads and roads with speed limimits around 55mph, then its a great option as a second bike.. For me, its not up to the task of a primary do it all bike, and so the RX4 will fit that bill, and then i plan to give the Brozz to my son, sell his DBX1 and we can still ride local trails together __________________ 2024 Templar 250 2021 Beta 500 RRS 2018 VStrom 1000 XT Former China Bikes: Tao DBX1, Brozz 250, CSC RX4, Titan DLX, Templar X, Storm DLX 150
	1

04-05-2021, 11:01 AM	#3
DavidInMaine Join Date: Mar 2021 Posts: 24	Oops! Yes! RX4. Thanks for catching that!
	0

04-05-2021, 11:04 AM	#4
DavidInMaine Join Date: Mar 2021 Posts: 24	So do you think it would be something as easy as a tire swap?
	0

04-05-2021, 11:10 AM	#6
Sport Rider Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Mooresville NC Posts: 2,116	this might help you a little. https://www.revzilla.com/common-trea...yan-adv-review
	0

04-05-2021, 11:46 AM	#8
Sport Rider Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Mooresville NC Posts: 2,116	interesting that they said their preference for that type of riding was a used KLR over either of these two. I was surprised at the end that they leaned to the Himalayan.
	0

04-05-2021, 12:16 PM	#11
DavidInMaine Join Date: Mar 2021 Posts: 24	I’ve been considering that, too. I watched a number of video reviews on YouTube about several bikes I’m considering. I enjoyed the ones from Dork in the Road about the Brozz Recon. I’d really like to do some riding like that. And I have a BMW K1200RS for highway riding, so I think the Brozz Recon would be a good choice, but I also don’t want to have to tow the bike if the trail I want to visit is an hour or so away. So I guess I’m just looking for a trail-capable bike that can also do time on the Highway. Sort of a do-it-all machine. (The seat height on a KLR650 probably puts it out of reach for me.)
	0

04-05-2021, 02:09 PM	#13
pyoungbl Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Portsmouth, Virginia, USA Posts: 632	There is a world of similarity and a world of difference between the Himma and the RX4. Plus for the Himma...more aftermarket farkles, they do have SOME dealers if you are not mechanically inclined, long stroke engine gives low speed torque. Minus for the Himma....gonna cost at least $1K OTD with similar equipment, tube type tires, 24 hp., less fuel capacity, only OK brakes, 5 speed. Plus for the RX4, TFT display, tire pressure monitor, 6 speed , 5+ gallon steel tank, tubeless tires, 40+ hp., parts readily available from CSC...not expensive. Minus for RX4, short stroke engine = less torque under 3K rpm., no dealers, OEM seat not great...actually it is really bad. Truth be told, every new bike I have bought has had a similar seat issue. In the US we usually have to get on 55mph + roads to get anywhere. The Himma will be at the upper part of its performance envelope on roads where most traffic is going 60-65 mph. That's not the case with the RX4. If you are going single track or even muddy dual track you'll find people who are there on anything from 125cc to 1250cc so it comes down to your skill level and how comfortable you are with the thought that you'll be picking up a 450 lb (or more) lump. Off road my RX3 was all I needed to get to the edge of my skill level. For sloppy mud or water crossing I wished for a 125 with knobbies. My RX4 sports 50/50 Dunlop Trailmax Mission tires on the cast wheels so I can run tubeless tires. I changed the rear spring to get a softer ride. Now I can take a trip and consider a side adventure...best of both worlds for me. I hope some small part of my musings will be useful. Peter Y.
	2