Waldo gets a 'Buddy" :)

[SeerAtlas]

Ok, guys, especially Spud and the other Zonkers...I'm just about to step out the door on the way to pick up a brand new ZongShen 200 Sierra in the crate, provided at a very *fair* price by our own resident Board member and Zong dealer, the one and only PHIL!!!!.

Will be posting pics and story, later tonight

Will be taking to Vegas for my brother. We'll throw it together, then head out into the wilds of the UTAH mountains for a complete work out trip next week and I'll be able to give the definitive "head to head" comparison between the Sierra and Waldo the Hsun variant when I get back.

Stay tuned ....

Seer.

[FastDoc]

Good for you!

Smart to buy from Phil. That will relieve a lot of worries down the road.

My opinion is that the Zong is a better bike than the HSUN with a more advanced OHC engine and a little better build quality but both bikes will Git 'er done!

The problem with the Zong, IMHO, is the wheel sizes are not optimal for off roading or off road tire selection.

[BUG]

I too have been considering a second bike and was thinking about getting a Zong, Not that there is anything wrong with the Hsun! Just having a Zong guru like Spud around is tipping the scales toward the Zong. Not to mention the endless number of wise statement you could make using the word Zong in conversation. :P

Is Phil drop shipping it? Maybe i should shoot him an e-mail. Please keep us posted on your thoughts. Look forward to seeing the pictures.

[Welle417]

how much (if you don't mind me asking) is Phil able to get it to you for?

im still kicking around prices and am hoping to find an able supplier to deliver to Central Jersey 8) Let me know how it all turns out for you! :P 8)

[DesertRider]

Glad to have another Zong owner

[katoranger]

This will be good. Glad to here that you bought from Phil. You know that it will be backed up.

Allen

[SeerAtlas]

Ok, guys, have to wait for pics, but I just got thru removing the exterior crate etc. and inspecting what I've got here and all I can say is....

WHOA!!!

Quick run down,
1. Welding on Zong is exquisite on this particular bike, I was shocked. Equal of any Jap bike I've seen, period, end of story.
2. Front forks and triple tree are MASSIVE. easily half again or better bigger than on the HSUN's, plus inverted. Will have to wait and see bout the ride, but WOW, they are impressive and well machined and finished.
3. Rear tire looks like something off a Harley. Will b ok for the sand and hard dirt roads expecting on the trip next week, but wouldn't want to race up loose gravel with em. Clearly a road tire.
4. Front is a 3.00 x 18, Rear is a 4.30/90 x 15. My rear dual purpose tire on the Hamna looks like a mountain bike tire in comparison.
5. Headlight fixture on Zong is immensely better and more secure. Wires are completely encased, well routed, and sealed. Not like the bird's nest I have on Waldo. Further, it is far more securely mounted. No Tach on "Zonk" though.
6. Handlebar fittings, i.e. throttle, brake, clutch etc. look identical.
7. Foot pegs on Zonk look like bear traps, I mean REAL bear traps LOL. Heavy and big. Even the shifter lever is more elegant and robust.
8. Frame looks heavy, IS heavy but welding and paint are terrific.
9. Gas tank is steel, not plastic.
10. This is an orange one and ....the engine looks like black chrome. Total effect with black frame, the orange and black striped covers etc. is like a bad ass tiger.
11. Rear rack is REALLY well mounted.
Ok, off to movies, more later, but first impressions....WOW!! one well built (and heavy, not just heavy duty) motorcycle.

Seer

[FastDoc]

$ ? :!:

[phil]

well i just hope you stay happy seer i try to make sure you are.
before anybody else asks heres the story i am testing the market with seer to see how this works once we get his done. before any body asks him i have asked seer to keep the price private sorry but i done this with little profit and sent him a copy of the sales receipt. after everything is done i will see what a reasonable profit is and if its something i want to do
also to everyone thanks for the good words and the postive response to buying from me i would like to know how many are intrested

[FastDoc]

I'd pay more to buy from someone I 'know' rather than some stranger in a warehouse, no question.

[SeerAtlas]

Fast Doc, I think that's the right sentiment. I've spent a LOT of Phil's time the last week or so working on setting this up and he's been a fountain of information. I can tell you that from the time I showed up at the warehouse (which is a bonded/secure/ customs official type, Dept of Homeland Security protected place -they told me to shut down my camera pronto LOL) it took about 7 minutes before the bike was coming down the ramp on a forklift!!! Phil got this done the RIGHT way !!!. Dunno who he promised to kill, (j/k heheh) but a fellow was waiting for me with the paperwork, the fork lift, and the side door to the ramp half open LOL.

Cleanest, quickest transaction I've EVER seen at an importer. Period, end of story.

Ok, more info before I put up the pictures that I did manage to get

The crate is a LOT bigger than an HSUN crate, mostly because the bike is nearly put together already. We're talking handlebars, front axle and wheel, front fender, battery, and that's about it! Nothing like the situation with the Hsun's where all the bits and pieces need to be put on. Headlamp is mounted, wired and good to go.

This bike will go together a lot faster BUT, you still have to locktite the bolts..now as to those...they seem to all be allen head bolts and of good quality. Like I said before the front forks are VERY nice

Inside the *goodies* box are indeed some goodies. Mirrors are heavy and seem of good quality. The manuals are something else. An owners manual, a full and complete parts manual, and...drumroll....a "Maintenance Manual" which looks to me to pretty much be a full shop manual for the whole damned bike!!!! Like I said, this Zong is a full step up from the other Chinese Bikes I've seen in practically every way and the manuals are better than anything I've EVER received with a bike before, whether my big Kawa touring Voyager, my Ducati engined Cagiva Gran Canyon, or my various Yamahas.

The supplied battery is a first rate Yuasa, the handlebars are some unusual finish which matches the alloyed headset and fork tubes perfectly.

Now, the saddle is indeed lower, HOWEVER, it is also substantially fatter than Waldo's, and a bit softer, I'm guessing its going to be more comfortable that 3rd or 4th Hour. The chain guard and guide are a whole class better than Waldo's and the overall appearance of the bike is substantially 'chunkier'. Ground clearance looks to be a bit less.

I gotta tell you tho, its reallly hard not to keep coming back to the engine. That black chrome finish is simply HOT!!!! lol. Dunno if the pic's will do it justice, but man, the bike just looks good....Didn't think I'd like the color but the orange is "Harley" orange and with all the black, looks wicked.

ok, now to put up some pics.

seer

[SeerAtlas]

All right this first one is a short vid of Waldo in his trailer hooked up to the Lincoln I use to drag him around.
Just so you know, the lady with the Jack Daniels sweatshirt "Karen" is actually with Jack Daniels sweet!!!!

[SeerAtlas]

Next up is the mysterious warehouse, the exact location of which is known to few

[SeerAtlas]

Now I said this was a big crate. Here's the dimensions and weights....


Fellow loaded it in with a forklift, which was a GOOD thing as it was substantially over 300 lbs and I'm not getting any younger LOL.

[SeerAtlas]

Well here's da Zonk loaded up next to Waldo, a little tight in that trailer now, man that crate was a lot bigger than the one Waldo showed up in. The crate looks like its lifted, and in fact it is. They welded on 'feet' under the floor, which also turned out to have a sheet metal floor on it also. Overall, packing was cleaner than on Waldo.