Mini Adv Bike. CSC Cyclone

[Semper-guzzi]

Have any of you guys seen this? Small 250cc Adv Bike. Bags, lights and intimidating look. What do you guys think? Zongshen engine, apparently people say it's reliable.

http://www.motorcycle.com/features/2014-csc-rx-3-adventure-tourer-preview.html

[ItsForrest]

Well, it has a "fashionable travel suitcase" as well as a "streamlined and humanized windshield." But really the clincher is the "handlebars with necking technology." I mean really, what more does a motorcycle need?

http://californiascooterco.com/csc_cyclone_rx-3.htm

[krglorioso]

Good concept.  Bad origin.

Ralph

[Semper-guzzi]

I'm sure some stuff is lost in translation. This place isn't too far from me. Maybe I can make a day trip and ride one if they end up over here.

[Kiwi_Roy]

That would be a big bike in China, for the most part they are limited to 125 or electric.
The old Chang Jiangs were 750cc but they are classed as sidecars.

Don't the Chinese make the BMW 800 cc bikes for export?
They can make some quality stuff if they put their mind to it.

[Perazzimx14]

Don't the Chinese make the BMW 800 cc bikes for export?
They can make some quality stuff if they put their mind to it.

You can build to a price point or you can build quality. Seldom do the two cross. The Chinese are very capable of building world class items but we don't let them with the disposable society we live in.

[Sheepdog]

Its a great idea. An old friend of mine is in a "rebuilding year" and needed cheap transportation. His answer was to pick up a two year old Honda CBR250RA. It cost him $3K, the insurance is really low, and it gets 65mpg. The bike is big enough that he doesn't look funny riding it and it had less than 1000 miles on it!

Is a two year old Honda with low miles a better deal than a similar spec'd, but unproven bike with a miniscule dealer network at the same price? Hmmm...the luggage IS a big plus.

[rboe]

I checked it out at the motorcycle show, it's not a bad looking bike. The luggage is a bit of a joke, 007 carried bigger luggage than this thing. It appeared to be well built but one would have to thrash it for a couple years to get a real feel for it.

Only one source for parts. Warranty work; send it back to them or they send you the parts for you or a local shop will install them. Not a show stopper for Guzzi owners, but for brand growth for these guys........

[Aaron D.]

A fantastic concept that makes a lot of sense for international exploring-a 250 with a Chinese brand name will, I think, be better accepted in many areas of the world.

For the daily coffee crowd,not so much.

[Triple Jim]

It looked interesting so I checked the specs.  385 lbs and 25 hp isn't so great.  If it were 100 lbs lighter, it might be a fun bike.  By comparison, a Guzzi V50 is lighter and has almost double the power.

[Chuck in Indiana]

50 hp on a V50? Uhh, probably not.  ;D

[bad Chad]

27-30 hp probably more like it!  But still weighs a lot less.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Is 385 lbs. the dry weight or wet/curb weight of the Cyclone? Dry weight for a V50 III is 335 lbs.

[Perazzimx14]

Is 385 lbs. the dry weight or wet/curb weight of the Cyclone? Dry weight for a V50 III is 335 lbs.

Also consider the luggage. That has to account for 15 to 20 lbs.

It looked interesting so I checked the specs.  385 lbs and 25 hp isn't so great.  If it were 100 lbs lighter, it might be a fun bike.  By comparison, a Guzzi V50 is lighter and has almost double the power.

My 2012 V7R might get close to making 50hp with a re-flashed ECU and open exhaust. The only way the V50 could make 50HP is if you taped two of them together ;D

[drums4money]

thats a nifty little bike.  I was in a few places around Asia this fall, and there were a zillion small displacement bikes everywhere. Add to that eleventy million scooters.

I'm really wanting this little KTM number that's headed stateside in 2015 @ about $5,500.  There's a Duke version, and it'd be easy to imagine an ADV version, too.

[Triple Jim]

50 hp on a V50? Uhh, probably not.  ;D

The specs I found say 45hp for V50s.  I assume that's at the crankshaft.

For example: http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/moto%20guzzi/moto_guzzi_v50%20ii%2079.htm
Maybe they're wrong?

[dilligaf]

I have posted this before but, back in the day, I put close to 100K on an SL175 Honda.  I had to replace the cam once and I also had to replace the rings.. The motorcycle was used primarily for my work commute that was mostly Interstate.  I would also load up my son and our camping gear and head for the BRP.  Great little bike.  ;-T

My brother, who lives in Tampa, FL, also has been riding well over 50 years and a motorcycle is his primary transportation.  His opinion is anything over 200cc is a waste of cc's.  He recent purchased a Yamaha Majestic so he has backed away from that but complains about the poor gas mileage of the Majestic.  :o

Looks like the gas capacity is over 4 gallons and assuming 50+MPG that's a 200 mile range. It's not something one would care to be seen on riding to Starbucks but is something you would ride to Alaska(A 6 gallon tank  and a little less weight would be nice).  Not something I would purchase today but 20-30 years ago I would have been all over that.  ;D

 The above is posted on the assumption the motorcycle cam make it out of the driveway without breaking down.   :BEER:
Matt

[Lannis]

You can build to a price point or you can build quality. Seldom do the two cross. The Chinese are very capable of building world class items but we don't let them with the disposable society we live in.

Or rather say we don't "encourage" them to build quality stuff to sell here.    We're perfectly happy with pot metal tat, if it's cheap enough.   

This would be a neat little bike if the metallurgy and assembly quality is good.   They're right about a 250cc bike being all you "need" to get across a rough part of the world ....

Lannis

[Semper-guzzi]

I was googling more stuff on Zongshen and came across this
 http://www.piaggio.com.cn/en/Piaggio.php looks like Piaggio and Zongshen have a partnership. There you have it. It could end up being a new mini Stelvio.

it also just passed it's EPA testing. Good for the 49 normal states. Still waiting on the land of fruits and nuts to approve it.

[Doppelgaenger]

It looks like an interesting little bike.

I wonder how reliable the engine is going to be. It sounds like they've had good luck with it so far and their engines are already all over the world. The main gripe I have with the chinese is that they CAN make reliable things, but when they do it's usually heavy and overbuilt. I have yet to see the chinese make something that is a thoroughly modern, minimalist design that is still reliable. They have to get there someday if they want to ever be a serious contender in the world, maybe now is the time...

[Steph]

Selling a used one of those could be challenging.

"Zongshen what???"

Nice concept none the less.

[mgfan]

Only a hop and a skip from India to China. Another small displacement Harley?   ;D :BEER:

[Steph]

Only a hop and a skip from India to China. Another small displacement Harley?   ;D :BEER:

Like the Sinnis Heist 250 :D

[Semper-guzzi]

So I rode the Guzzi to their shop today, about 70 miles or so, hour and some change on the freeway. Met the owner, Steve I believe. He let me look over the bike and answered my questions, then let me take for a spin. Real nice man, real nice setup he has there. The bike was nice. I was very much impressed. It's incredibly well made, doesn't look or feel like junk at all.

Little background on me, been riding about 5-6 years now, only street bikes. Take it for what it's worth. my experience is mainly cruisers, owned 2 Guzzi's, ridden a bunch of Harleys, few sport bikes, honda cbr600, gsxr 750, nothing too crazy. The most comparable bike I've ridden to this is a WR250R supermoto'd out.

The RX3 seating is just right. The triangle felt great. Legs right below you, bars right where they need to be. The WRR felt tall for me, dunno why. I'm 5'11 190lbs 34in inseam. This bike fit me, I didn't feel cramped. Hell, I felt more cramped on my Goose than on this.

The gauges are nice. Fuel, gear indicator, speed, RPM, everything is right there. Easy. The WRR I rode was a 2009 model, it didn't seem as hi tech as this thing. And it sure felt more plastic-y than the RX3. 

LED running lights, regular hi-lo beam, led turn signals, led brake lights, really nice stuff.

It's not fast, but you guys already knew that. It will keep up with traffic for sure, I hit an indicated 76mph and there was still some throttle left over. I'm sure it will hit a true 75. Sure it could be fixed with sprockets or whatever you guys want. I liked it the way it was. I enjoyed the lightness of it, very easy to maneuver. The only issue I had was the grabby clutch, the friction zone didn't seem right. Snappy, you know? Other than that, a real joy.

I only did a few miles on it, but I can definetly see this coming into my garage in the future. It spoke to me.

Here's some pics.

The one I rode, yellow ish.


Right saddle bag, small, fit a waterbottle or something. Not much else.


Trunk is big enough to fit a FF helmet, just won't close, if that's any indication to size. Not bad.






Here's some engine bits. Looks good.



Where the center stand hooks up.


Two piece crash bar, solid, plenty of places to attach your farkles


More lights


Tourfella top box looks well made, felt good and strong. I've owned hepco-becker luggage and this seems about 85% at least as good.


Only issue.was clearance opening the left lid, a spacer could fix that easy.

Just offset the left bag a bit more, maybe half inch or so, it'll be perfect.




there you have it.

[Semper-guzzi]

Oh and for the heavy weight babies. This yellow one as it sits with fuel in the tanks comes in about 385lbs they say. Not bad.

[Testarossa]

The factory makes a couple of different 250cc V-twin engines, too, mostly for mini-cruisers but it's fun to think about a cheap Morini replica.