New Zongshen RX3 (ZS250GY-3) Dual Sport

[thillskier]

There is another legal issue as to having then in port in Shanghai (or other port) vs enroute or idling offshore in USA waters. When on board the boat and out of either port, the legal responsibility for any damage that may occour belongs on the purchaser or shipper (depending on contract/agreement between CSC and Zong. I shipped lots of construction supplies and equipment to ST Croix, USVI and back to Miami after Hugo hit the USVI in 1989, then back to Miami, in 1992, after Andrew slammed Miami area.
I had to buy ocean frt insurance to be protected in case of another storm, or sinking etc. from the time the ship left Port Cannaveral In USA, to when it was in port in Puerto Rico, first, then ST Croix, about 4 months later! Crazy!
The VP of Crowley Marine was my second clearing customer in Miami, so I got all my stuff in ONE WEEK!! back to Miami, whereas, it was "in limbo" for 6.5 MONTHS going to ST Croix!!

I'd suspect delays AFTER the strike is settled re our bikes, also. Equipment has been sitting unused and unmaintained, causing break downs and slow down/stoppages for a few months after strike is done, I'd bet.
Wish I had better news folks, but this is just what I feel is most probable, based on how long the stoppage has been SO FAR in effect.

Does anyone know what if anything is yet unresolved re dockworkers and Managment? Or is it even to that stage of discussions? If "settled" do we have any idea they may return to work and start dealing with their backlog of containers. If not, I think its going to be Late April, to May before we get them in our hands, maybe even June! I sure hope its latest, mid to late SPring! Riding across the hot prarie and dusty deserts would be much less dusty and hot in April and May, than after! hehe

Oh well, it will happen when it happens, I guess. No use worrying over it Its still much too cold and too much Winter left to even think about it now! I'm still running the Buck wood burning insert daily, usually, and going through a LOT of wood as well. Good excercise tho, and what the Dr said I needed to keep trying to do as much as possible (stay active).

[thillskier]

I am also wanting/needing a adv touring/bike camera as well. Good info re these and differences etc on the newer cameras.
I'm not able to go $500 for a new camera, however.
Any of you expert photographers have any suggestions for the best deals/price point to try to "hit" for as good pics with minimal extras features increasing pricing?
Maybe a 100 or less camera suggestion, and 150, and $200.00, POSSIBLY $250.00, but rather stay at 125-165 or thereabouts, if doable.

We need to document our rides and repairs and or bike maintainance, Farkle additions, performance upgrades, etc. This makes good reading, helps fellow RX owners avoid mistakes, and advertises for CSC to make more sales!! which keeps parts and stuff available, AND keeps our resale and values higher, in case we ever want to sell (maybe go to a 35 or 450 if offered in the future, etc? Maybe after mine turns over 250,000 miles I might start over on a fresh one! hehe I sure HOPE and dream thats how much I get to riding...! What a blessing that would be for the "bonus round" I hope I am granted in this life! Especially, if my son can ride with me for a good bit of that mileage and adventures. Pics will allow him (and future generations, hopefully, to see what Grandpa and Great Grandpa did for fun "back in the day" on his trusty RX-3, seeing the USA!

ANyway, thanks in advance for your suggestions re eqpt. ALso if there is a good or better merchant or way to buy, please include that advice as well...
Heres hoping the bikes get unloaded upon arrival by April, at least!

[jimjr21]

Camera ideas,

If you have a newer phone this will take as good point and shoot images as 100-150$ cameras.

Save your money and spend on a DSLR with interchangeable lenses. The quality of these blows away point and shoot. The real improvements come from the higher quality glass in the lens and the size of the image capture sensor. .


The very best camera is the one that you have with you.

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

The Minben is lining up to enter the 5 Steps of the 3 Gorges Locks, the biggest ship lock on Earth, so it can bypass the dam and continue sailing downstream.

That fascinates me, much like the locks at the Panama Canal.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by NoVa Rider

...Also, we still do not know the "approved" weight limit for any of the luggage. Perhaps there is none? The mount for the stock top case looks rather light duty based on the photos. Obviously, any packing should keep in mind reasonable weight limits.

Each of us will know more after we receive out motorcycles. However, I'm sure Katflap can give us his impressions of the load bearing capacity of the bike.

Every Chinese motorcycle I have seen is capable of bearing heavy loads. I would be very surprised if the Zongshen RX3 is an exception.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

That fascinates me, much like the locks at the Panama Canal.

Indeed, I am fascinated by the 3 Gorges Dam and the enormous locks. The dam, locks, and hydroelectric power plant at Zigui are pretty impressive for a country which supposedly can't manufacture a decent motorcycle.

[SpudRider]

The Minben has negotied the locks, and just passed the Xiling Gorge, sailing downstream at 8.0 knots toward Yichang.

[Weldangrind]

Those (almost) real time updates are really impressive.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Those (almost) real time updates are really impressive.

I agree.

I am learning a lot about China as the Minben weaves its way down the Yangtze River. Monitoring a container vessel as it sails across the Pacific Ocean will be much less entertaining.

There is another dam, and locks at Yichang.

[CSCDude]

China is an interesting country. I've been very fortunate in that my work has allowed me to travel in different parts of the world. China is one of the more interesting places I've been. Turkey and Thailand are high on the list, too. As far as beauty, food, and people go, Baja is at the top of the list.

I've been traveling to China for about 15 years now, and the transformation the country is undergoing is dramatic. 15 years ago, there were very few automobiles and literally hundreds of millions of bicycles. Rush hour in the morning and the evening was a massive wave of bicycles. Today, there are very few bicycles and many, many cars, yet somehow the traffic seems to flow and there are very few accidents.

China is undergoing the largest human migration in the history of mankind (people are moving from the rural areas to the cities, with the government's encouragement). At one point a few years ago when I was in Shanghai, I was told that 25% of all the construction towers on the planet were in service in that one city. This is the view from the Canton Tower in Guangzhou...



To put things in perspective, Guangzhou (the city you see above in a photo I took last year from the Canton Tower) has a population of around 13 million. New York City has about 9 million people. Chongqing, where our motorcycles are manufactured, has a population somewhere north of 30 million.

[katflap]

Quote:
Originally Posted by NoVa Rider
...Also, we still do not know the "approved" weight limit for any of the luggage. Perhaps there is none? The mount for the stock top case looks rather light duty based on the photos. Obviously, any packing should keep in mind reasonable weight limits.

Originally Posted by SpudRider

Each of us will know more after we receive out motorcycles. However, I'm sure Katflap can give us his impressions of the load bearing capacity of the bike.

Every Chinese motorcycle I have seen is capable of bearing heavy loads. I would be very surprised if the Zongshen RX3 is an exception.

No problem just load her up!








I haven't put much on mine yet but the metal platform that the top box is attached to is pretty sturdy as is the bike as a whole . The suspension barely moves with me on it but still gives a comfortable ride.

The minsk trx 300 handbook suggests that the max total weight is 350kg

The bike is 163kg dry weight ,175kg fully equipped (I guess this every thing plus a full tank of fuel), leaving 175kg for you and anything else you want to bung on it .


I

[SpudRider]

There you have it.



Here is a photo of a Zongshen postal service bike in action, courtesy of Joe Berk, photographer.



Motorcycles are considered work vehicles in Asia, and are frequently heavily loaded.

[SpudRider]

The Minben has passed through the locks at Yichang, and is now sailing at 9.5 knots past Yangxi Gao.

[thillskier]

I had some cameras from College (Cannon Ae-1, and another early dslr as well.
Will lenses from Cannon fit modern DSLR? If so, that definitely whatI should buy, as those lenses are very good, I have a large selection, and won't need all of them on most rides, even.
Thanks for that help/clarification jimjr21.
Vendor and or a camera suggestion, or re up the blog, though thats a stretch, and undoable for a while, def not doable for my ride back home.

[NoVa Rider]

On the question I raised about luggage weight limits, let me clarify I was not suggesting the RX-3 can't be loaded down. (Great pics, by the way) I was just noting we don't have specs for the luggage itself.

I was considering a Honda CB500X. Great bike from the reviews. Then I looked at the specs for the Givi rear top case mounting brackets. Givi says the rear mount is limited to 6 kg, or about 13 pounds. Take off three or four pounds for the case itself, and you're down to about 10 pounds "official" max load for the top case. Of course Givi is probably being legally conservative. But the spec did make me wonder if the CB500X lacked beef in the rear subframe mounting points.

In any case, I am really happy I held off on the CB since I think the RX-3 will be a lot more fun and work better for me, regardless of price. And I appreciated Katflap's comments that the rear case mounts look solid.