Zongshen RX3 - Durability?

[sek8271]

How durable is the is the RX3? Would it be able to stand up to a BDR ride? Specifically UTBDR?

Checking out this bike and the Hawk DLX as recommendations for someone looking for a low cost bike for the trip.

[Boatguy]

This made me want one.

https://advrider.com/riding-south-am...e-motorcycles/

They ride the RX3


https://adventouring.wixsite.com/website

[Wild Dog]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

This made me want one.

https://advrider.com/riding-south-am...e-motorcycles/

They ride the RX3


https://adventouring.wixsite.com/website

"We also found some Michellins in Bariloche that were ridiculously overpriced."
Welcome to Argentine

[Huck369]

Got over 15k on my 2015, with no real issues.....

[pyoungbl]

I did sections 1-4 of MABDR on an RX3, good bike for the purpose. I only wished for more aggressive tires.

[sek8271]

Originally Posted by Huck369

Got over 15k on my 2015, with no real issues.....

What kind of miles though? Gravel roads and UTBDR are way different.

I'm not asking about longevity, I'm asking about durability.

How hard can I punish this thing before it just falls apart, the frame bends, wheels taco, fork seals blow, etc.

>pyoungbl I did sections 1-4 of MABDR on an RX3, good bike for the purpose. I only wished for more aggressive tires.

MABDR is probably the least punishing BDR, but good to know.

[sek8271]

Originally Posted by Boatguy

This made me want one.

https://advrider.com/riding-south-am...e-motorcycles/

They ride the RX3


https://adventouring.wixsite.com/website

I don't get the impression they did much of anything technical, probably mostly paved, it does look like a pretty great adventure though!

[Boatguy]

I mean, I guess I just don’t understand the type of riding you are looking to do. The terrain matters a little bit, but punishing a bike is your choice or not. I don’t punish anything I own. I take it easy so I don’t beat the crap out of it. I kind of want it to last. You are planning to literally beat the crap out of the bike? I don’t think anything will handle that.

I took some damage on the bike in my avatar. I had a problem with a carrier rack on an RV. The bike fell over and its wheels are the only thing that kept it from hitting the ground. They wedged into the carrier rack. Bent the carrier rack and bent the front wheel a little bit. I had to get the wheel tuned. But I ride that thing on single track with rocks everywhere through places you can barely walk through. However, I don’t go really fast and beat the crap out of it when I’m doing that. So in all likelihood, it’s never going to fail me. There is an aspect to that when you are riding major off-road stuff. Especially when you’re in the middle of nowhere.

I spend a lot of time very far away from civilization. Look at my screen name. I sail across oceans. We are very careful not to destroy the boat no matter how rough it gets out there. You don’t want to do something that stresses the sailing rig out and breaks it. Because you’re going to get stranded. It’s the same with a motorcycle. Take it easy. Baby the thing. Look ahead at the train and slow down when it looks like it’s going to bend your rim or something. This is not just street riding. You are talking about far removed survival type riding. Take it seriously as to how much trouble you can get in if you cause your bike to break by beating the crap out of it. Ensure your own safety by babying the bike.

A lot of durability is right in the users hands. It’s not even so much about the bike at all.

[Plump Kibbles]

Originally Posted by pyoungbl

I did sections 1-4 of MABDR on an RX3, good bike for the purpose. I only wished for more aggressive tires.

SWEET! My buddy and I are doing the MABDR - him on his Tenere 700, me on my X-Pro 250cc Zongshen. Hasn't let me down yet! Just started some of it not too long ago - trying to get bite sized portions at a time. Had to fix my rear sprocket loosening up on me - still chasing little things and loose sounding bolts and such. Still going though! He needs some knobbie tires, but mine are perfect for pretty much all of it so far - came with the 90/10 setup; love it.

[pyoungbl]

Originally Posted by sek8271

I'm not asking about longevity, I'm asking about durability.

How hard can I punish this thing before it just falls apart, the frame bends, wheels taco, fork seals blow, etc.

If anything the RX3 is over built. IMHO it's overweight by design because it is made specifically for third world countries. The frame, in particular, is box sections rather than welded tubes. The wheels are steel, once again...heavy but sturdy. The electronics are Delphi. The fuel tank is steel, not plastic so ethanol is not nearly the problem it has been on many other brands (Triumph, Guzzi, Ducati). Like any motorcycle, you can blow the fork seals if you try hard enough. Hell, nothing mechanical is bomb proof but I'd put the Zongshen bikes up against any other brand in the same price range.

[Huck369]

Originally Posted by sek8271

What kind of miles though? Gravel roads and UTBDR are way different.

I'm not asking about longevity, I'm asking about durability.

How hard can I punish this thing before it just falls apart, the frame bends, wheels taco, fork seals blow, etc.

>pyoungbl I did sections 1-4 of MABDR on an RX3, good bike for the purpose. I only wished for more aggressive tires.

MABDR is probably the least punishing BDR, but good to know.

I'll say, it's been mostly Paved roads, as I commute on it often, but have done most of the KAT (Kentucky Adventure Trail) which is made of of lots of gravel, and some trails, the bike handled all of it fine.....it's NOT a Dirt bike, but it can go most places without any issues.

[calvarez]

Unless you change the rear shock, or you are a super light person with very little to carry, that will limit your riding and the abuse. It simply can't handle being ridden hard, it's crap.

[Sullybiker]

The most infamous RX3 'review' on the internet is the first hit on YouTube, by Everide. The review itself is worthless, but there's an interesting postscript; someone bought that bike, fixed it up with CSC spares (very cheap, IIRC) and it ran absolutely fine. Now, that bike was abused and it came out the other side with no serious damage.



There's world variants of the Cyclone used and abused all over Asia and S. America, much in the vein of the original CG125. Bike is fine.

[ChopperCharles]

Fork seals are going to fail in dusty and muddy environments. That's just going to happen. It will be luck of the draw. They do use standard off the shelf seals, but USD forks are a bit of a challenge without the proper tools.

My RX3 hauled my 280 pound ass and 100 pounds of gear up some really rocky, steep trails. The tank was slapping my balls and the top box slapping my ass as the bike see-sawed for 30 miles over washboards and whoops and large potholes and baby head rocks. I was WFO in first going uphill, uphill, uphill and more uphill the whole time. If I shifted to second the bike would slow down it was so steep. We passed jeeps that were gingerly picking their lines. It was a crazy ride. And then I did 6 hours on the highway at 9000 rpm to get home the next day.

In my opinion the bike is very over-built as far as frame and suspension. However while it may be robust, it is rather high maintenance compared to my other bikes.

Also, I don't know what calvarez is talking about concerning the rear shock. I'm a very heavy person and I carry a lot of gear, and the rear shock is fine for me. I turned the preload way up and set the rebound damping on the fast side, and I'm quite happy with how it handles on and off road, loaded or not.


Charles.

[calvarez]

Perhaps my shock was just bad, but the bike only had 13k when I sold it, and nearly all street riding. It was saggy and spongy. With me (210) plus the wife (115) it would bottom out easily even in urban riding. Totally terrible.