New Zongshen RX3 (ZS250GY-3) Dual Sport

[Motomapper]

Originally Posted by Motomapper

Checking in. Been busy working for the man today so haven't been responsive. Just to let you know I did see your message. Just so I'm clear you need me to answer these questions:
- Does the swingarm employ bearings or bushings?
- Is there a parts manual available?
- What is the diameter of the forks and fork travel?
- How difficult is it to access the air filter element?
- Where are all the electrics located (ECU, Fuses, etc)?

I miss anything?

Oh and by the way....I am guessing the manual is the secret document and I should find and bring it and Anna Kirkoska to safety (as per the mission briefing)....

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Motomapper

Checking in. Been busy working for the man today so haven't been responsive. Just to let you know I did see your message. Just so I'm clear you need me to answer these questions:
- Does the swingarm employ bearings or bushings?
- Is there a parts manual available?
- What is the diameter of the forks and fork travel?
- How difficult is it to access the air filter element?
- Where are all the electrics located (ECU, Fuses, etc)?

I miss anything?

Thanks for checking in, MM.

Yes, you got it. Also, please check whether the swingarm has grease zerks. If the parts manual is available, what bushings/bearings are specified for the lower shock linkage, and the swingarm? If you bring a caliper, you can measure the fork diameter yourself.

Thanks for going to the open house, and reporting your findings. You are truly a helpful and loyal Zongite. What day are you going to the open house?

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Motomapper

Oh and by the way....I am guessing the manual is the secret document and I should find and bring it and Anna Kirkoska to safety (as per the mission briefing)....

Yes, and if Alexi causes any problems, feel free to knock him unconscious.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Wolftrax

The more I find out about Zongshen the more impressed I am with them. Here's a little blurb about AJP motorcycles. I just about bought the AJP PR5. It appears to be using the NC250. The bike and motor get good reviews.

The motor seems under stressed, holds a lot of oil and has a big oil cooler, I bet it is hammer reliable. Yes, the engines for all AJP motorcycles are made in China - specifically in fact by a company called Zongshen. Zongshen is ranked as one of the top 5 motorcycle engine manufacturers in China by size and also happens to be an ISO9001 certified company. Being ISO9001 certified means that Zongshen has, and continues to meet an outside auditors world wide standard of established criteria for high quality control management. This is one of the reasons that the AJP can offer an industry leading 2 year warranty against mfg defects on all their motorcycles (and engines) worldwide. As a side note, Zongshen has established corporate partnerships with not only AJP of course, but also Piaggio (parent company of Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, and Vespa), and also Harley Davidson as well. AJP feels very confident in these motors and has a long history with them.

You have spoken as a true Zongite.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by jjn

I had assumed that the engine in this bike, being water cooled and of quite recent design, would have DOHC with shim adjusters. I believe I was wrong in that, as it seems to be SOHC and screw type adjusters. I consider that a good thing. But, then, I'm an old timer and have nothing against push rod engines either. I have no problem adjusting valves with screw adjusters.

You are correct, and I agree. I also much prefer screw adjusters to valve shims.

[CSCDude]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

Looking at the swingarm, I can't tell if it has grease zerks. I also wonder if the swingarm employs bearings, or bushings? I certainly hope the swingarm doesn't employ rubber coated tubes, such as those installed in the ZS200GY-2 swingarm. Zooming in on a photograph of the swingarm, I think I might see roller bearings, but that could be my wishful imagination at work.

http://www.taobao.com/view_image.php...Rate=1917&fv=9

I made a telephone call this morning to talk with Joe Burke at CSC, but he wasn't in the shop. I hope he calls me back, later. A parts manual for this bike should indicate which bearings/bushings are installed in the swingarm and lower shock linkage. I hope CSC has such a parts manual, and can answer my questions.

I also would like to know the diameter of the forks, and the fork travel.

MotoMapper, if I don't get an answer to these questions, will you please seek the answers at the CSC Open House this weekend? Thank you.

Spud:

Joe Berk here. Sorry I missed your call today. We are staying pretty busy with calls and visits from the media, folks calling in about the bike, etc. As you probably know, there are about a dozen active forums on this bike, and most have popped up since we announced we're bringing the Cyclone to the US. Trying to keep up with them all has been a challenge. I don't have all of your answers, and I may be answering some questions you haven't asked, but here's what I have so far:

• The engine has a single overhead cam with threaded adjustors in the rocker arms for adjusting the valves. As others have noted, this is a good thing (as anyone who has ever adjusted valves using the shim-and-bucket approach knows).
• We tipped a bike over today to get a better look at it, and the swingarm does not have a zirc fitting. There’s been some discussion on one of the Internet forums (maybe this one) about the desirability of a zirc fitting for the swingarm, but I’m not sure why. My KLR 650 doesn’t have a swingarm zirc fitting. I’ve owned about 30 motorcycles over the last 50 years, and if any of them had a swingarm zirc fitting it would be news to me. On the two occasions I’ve ever felt a need to lube the swingarm, I disassembled it and repacked the bearings one time, and replaced them another time. I never thought to look for a zirc fitting in this location and I’ve never used one to lube the swingarm. Bottom line: The RX-3 doesn't have a swingarm zirc fitting.
• Regarding the question of bearings versus bushings for the swingarm, the maintenance manual refers to these parts as bearings. They are hidden in the assembled bike and we don’t want to take a bike apart to answer this question at this time. As we build our parts inventory, we’ll know for sure. Rest assured that we’ll have a detailed parts manual available prior to shipping the bikes.
• The front suspension travel is 130mm, or 5.12 inches. I don’t know the diameters on the tubes, but I’ll measure them tomorrow.

Any more questions, give me a yell. We're posting more stuff on the blog, too, so keep an eye on it.

Joe

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by CSCDude

Spud:

Joe Berk here. Sorry I missed your call today. We are staying pretty busy with calls and visits from the media, folks calling in about the bike, etc. As you probably know, there are about a dozen active forums on this bike, and most have popped up since we announced we're bringing the Cyclone to the US. Trying to keep up with them all has been a challenge. I don't have all of your answers, and I may be answering some questions you haven't asked, but here's what I have so far:

• The engine has a single overhead cam with threaded adjustors in the rocker arms for adjusting the valves. As others have noted, this is a good thing (as anyone who has ever adjusted valves using the shim-and-bucket approach knows).
• We tipped a bike over today to get a better look at it, and the swingarm does not have a zirc fitting. There’s been some discussion on one of the Internet forums (maybe this one) about the desirability of a zirc fitting for the swingarm, but I’m not sure why. My KLR 650 doesn’t have a swingarm zirc fitting. I’ve owned about 30 motorcycles over the last 50 years, and if any of them had a swingarm zirc fitting it would be news to me. On the two occasions I’ve ever felt a need to lube the swingarm, I disassembled it and repacked the bearings one time, and replaced them another time. I never thought to look for a zirc fitting in this location and I’ve never used one to lube the swingarm. Bottom line: The RX-3 doesn't have a swingarm zirc fitting.
• Regarding the question of bearings versus bushings for the swingarm, the maintenance manual refers to these parts as bearings. They are hidden in the assembled bike and we don’t want to take a bike apart to answer this question at this time. As we build our parts inventory, we’ll know for sure. Rest assured that we’ll have a detailed parts manual available prior to shipping the bikes.
• The front suspension travel is 130mm, or 5.12 inches. I don’t know the diameters on the tubes, but I’ll measure them tomorrow.

Any more questions, give me a yell. We're posting more stuff on the blog, too, so keep an eye on it.

Joe

Thanks for checking in, and answering a few questions, Joe.

I have grease zerks on my Yamaha XT225 swingarm, and my Honda XR650L swingarm; however, I agree they aren't a necessity. I was mainly curious whether the RX3 swingarm has bearings installed in it. Arguably the weakest part of many Chinese motorcycles has been the suspension. Many Chinese bikes lack either bearings or bushings in the swingarm, and instead use a thin tube surrounded by rubber. I am pleased to hear the RX3 employs bearings in the swingarm and the progressive, lower shock linkage.

We certainly don't expect you to disassemble the swingarm to check the bearings. However, I do wonder if the parts manual specifies the part numbers for the bearings employed in the swingarm and the lower shock linkage.

Thanks for reporting the fork travel. When you have time, please do measure the diameter of the inner fork tube.

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by jjn

I had assumed that the engine in this bike, being water cooled and of quite recent design, would have DOHC with shim adjusters. I believe I was wrong in that, as it seems to be SOHC and screw type adjusters. I consider that a good thing. But, then, I'm an old timer and have nothing against push rod engines either. I have no problem adjusting valves with screw adjusters.

I'm with you, Jon.

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by CSCDude

We tipped a bike over today to get a better look at it, and the swingarm does not have a zirc fitting. There’s been some discussion on one of the Internet forums (maybe this one) about the desirability of a zirc fitting for the swingarm, but I’m not sure why. My KLR 650 doesn’t have a swingarm zirc fitting. I’ve owned about 30 motorcycles over the last 50 years, and if any of them had a swingarm zirc fitting it would be news to me. On the two occasions I’ve ever felt a need to lube the swingarm, I disassembled it and repacked the bearings one time, and replaced them another time. I never thought to look for a zirc fitting in this location and I’ve never used one to lube the swingarm. Bottom line: The RX-3 doesn't have a swingarm zirc fitting.

Thanks for your detailed reply, Joe. The main benefit to a zerk on a swingarm (whether equipped with bushings or bearings) is to displace water. If you pump the swingarm full of grease, water can't get in. Water will ruin bushings / bearings very quickly.

[SpudRider]

Here is a brief video clip taken by tourists visiting the Zongshen factory.

[SpudRider]

Here is another video showing the Zongshen display at China Motor 2013. You can see the RX3, scooters, and the ZS150GY-10, among other motorcycles on display.

[Motomapper]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

What day are you going to the open house?

Planning to go first thing tomorrow morning. I'm about 1 hr South of them. If I can wrangle the kids out of bed I should get there shortly after they open.

[Wolftrax]

Originally Posted by Motomapper

Planning to go first thing tomorrow morning. I'm about 1 hr South of them. If I can wrangle the kids out of bed I should get there shortly after they open.

Can't wait for your report, keep a critical eye open.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Motomapper

Planning to go first thing tomorrow morning. I'm about 1 hr South of them. If I can wrangle the kids out of bed I should get there shortly after they open.

That's great. Please take lots of photographs. Also, check to see if the plastic is brittle ABS, or pliable polypropylene.

[Motomapper]

Originally Posted by Wolftrax

Can't wait for your report, keep a critical eye open.

Will do my best