24.01.2019
Zongshen in classic blue Zongshen has become everything in my life at once: first it was a dream, then an achievable goal, then an everyday transport, and finally a subject of discussion and analysis. I repaired and upgraded everything related to this motorcycle - wiring, engine, suspension, wheels. I converted air cooling to oil cooling, changed stars, pistons, crankshafts, headlights... In general, today, I am deeply convinced that my work will be in vain if I do not share my knowledge with someone else.
Hahaha, do you have Zongshen? What kind of Chinese is this?
Sound familiar? I am sure that many owners of Alphas, “Zongs” (popularly called Zongshen “Zong”) and even powerful Hyosungs know this. You stop at a traffic light on a motorcycle that you love and are proud of, and suddenly - a Suzuki stops on the right, a Honda CBR on the left, and some giant Intruder to the side. Everyone flew away at the speed of light to the horizon, and you are still shifting into second gear and trailing near the trolleybus.
Zongshen is a decent motorcycle, it is an exception in the Chinese motorcycle industry
It's offensive, sad and unpleasant if you... Yes, a teenager. My Zongshen ZS 200 GS sat in my garage for 4 years. During this time, the neighbor's Honda broke down five times - either an accident, or bad gasoline, or an ignition failure, etc. In repairing his racing monster, a man invested amounts equal to 2-10 times the cost of my Zongshen, but with my modest investments I could always rely on my equipment and, frankly speaking, given long journeys, driving outside the city and much more, the motorcycle never bothered me let me down
I also had a Yamaha sports car and a Honda CBR 650 RR. These two beasts more than outperformed my Zongshen in all characteristics, but it is the Zongshen that I consider the best motorcycle in my life. And that's why.
Firstly, this motorcycle can go fast enough, it is balanced, quite heavy and accelerates to 110-120 km/h. without rattles or vibrations. Secondly, it spends 2.5-3 liters per 100 kilometers, which makes it profitable. Thirdly, if its engine starts to malfunction, then for 20,000 rubles you can buy a completely new engine, install it within an hour (yes, it is easy to repair) and celebrate the appearance of a new motorcycle! For 5-15 thousand rubles you can carry out a complete overhaul and also celebrate. In 4 years the bike has never stalled. However, a Chinese one (even a good motorcycle) will become your reliable companion only under certain conditions.
Price
Price for Zongshen ZS250GS
Prices for used motorcycles of different years: 40,000-55,000 rubles for models 2010-2012. and 80,000-90,000 rubles for 2014 models.
Price for Zongshen ZS250GS 2013 motorcycle. Screenshot No. 1 from the portal moto.auto.ru
Zongshen ZS250GS 2010-2014. Screenshot No. 2 from the portal moto.auto.ru
Prices for the new Zongshen ZS250GS motorcycle are in the range of 180,000-200,000 rubles.
Read other motorcycle reviews of Honda CBR 125
Zongshen ZS250GS 3A
Zongshen ZS250GS 3A will cost 250,000-275,000 rubles.
Screenshot of prices from the service atv52.ru
Screenshot of prices from the moto-dom.net service
Advantages of Zongshen ZS 200 GS
In the classic version, the Zongshen ZS 200 GS motorcycle has a tank capacity of 12 liters. This means that with a full tank it can carry you 400-500 kilometers. This is a very good indicator. It was not for nothing that I wrote “in the classic version”, because once I carried out a very large-scale tuning and received a tank with a volume of 25 liters, which was enough for me to cover the Sevastopol-Kyiv distance without refueling, taking into account a short trip through the streets of Dnepropetrovsk.
12 liter tank Zongshen zs 200 gs
The essence of the tuning was that I installed the Zongshen engine on an old Kawasaki LTD 250 motorcycle (modifications to the mounts were minimal), the boiled tank of which was more than twice as capacious.
The second advantage is the expense we have already mentioned. According to the passport, consumption is 2.2 liters per 100 km. And the passport does not lie, on smooth asphalt, without traffic jams (for example, at night), the motorcycle really has a consumption of almost 2 liters.
Kawasaki LTD 250 is the ideal donor chopper for Zongshen
However, in my opinion, the main advantage of this motorcycle is the quality and availability of parts. In Russia, Ukraine and other CIS countries, the number of zongshens has become so huge over the past 10-12 years that every motorcycle store will always have the necessary spare part for this motorcycle. China has created such a colossal number of copies of this engine that there is a whole class typology: cheaper, average and expensive. Moreover, expensive components cost 10 times less than Japanese spare parts for similar motorcycles. For example, the same Yamaha YBR 125 is much less dynamic than Zongshen and much more expensive to maintain.
By the way, regarding Yamaha. I was able to exchange motorcycles with a friend from a motorcycle school and ride a YBR 125. With a height of 180 cm and a weight of 80 kilograms, I was not comfortable on the “Yubrik”. The Yamaha YBR-125 motorcycle, although impeccably assembled, is more reminiscent of a moped of the Viper 125 series - too tight, thin, fragile or something. The wheels are very thin, the fork is very narrow. Zongshen is more massive and its characteristics are much more serious. This is despite the fact that Zongshen is not only in the same price category as the popular YBR, but is also significantly inferior to it.
Also worth noting is the appearance of the motorcycle. The Chinese motorcycle industry, especially the concerns of budget models, sin by imitating the class of a motorcycle. For example, most inexpensive motocross motorcycles are not actually motocross motorcycles at all; most often they are ordinary mopeds with an Alpha frame that only have the external design of a motocross bike.
For example, the G-max motorcycle brand was very popular in 2007-2009. When I first got my hands on it to clean the carburetors, I needed to remove all the plastic from it.
G-max racer: cheap and weak moped in sports plastic
Under the plastic was almost a bicycle, something between the Soviet Carpathians (the Soviet moped was even stronger) and the good old 49 cc Viper Alpha.
However, the Zongshenov's design always corresponds to its essence: either it is a road sports motorcycle that will always “snatch” you from the general traffic at a traffic light, or a small chopper.
Zongshen 250cc cruiser
Over the 4 years of use, I have used two accessories - a seat cover and a cover-cover for when parking on the street. Both accessories cost me 900 rubles, but they retained the original appearance of the device.
Why do I advise you to immediately buy these inexpensive accessories? The seat of the 200cc and 250cc Zongshen is good, isn't it? Soft, comfortable and quite suitable for two passengers. However, as soon as it gets caught in the rain, it instantly becomes saturated with moisture. Even morning dew does not have a very good effect on leatherette and foam rubber. The material becomes softer and cracks greatly in the sun.
And again, for what purpose are you buying a motorcycle? If you want everyone around to look and envy, don’t buy Zongshen. They will be jealous, but not for long. If you want to have a reliable and fast enough transport, cover it with a cape at night and always use a seat cover. Firstly, the appearance of the device will be preserved, and secondly, the price of the machine will be high on the used motorcycle market even after 5 years.
Quite a detailed review of the motorcycle:
Tuning
Tuning the Zongshen ZS250GS motorcycle - changing the appearance (for example, using side plastic or a new bright color) and upgrading technical equipment:
Appearance tuning
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Appearance tuning. Photo No. 2
Conversion from sports to street
For comparison: this is what a photo of the Zongshen ZS250GS motorcycle without modernization looks like:
Without tuning
Features of Zongshen motors
There are two satirical, humorous sayings that very accurately characterize Zongshen motorcycles:
- 200 gs: We did a cross, it turned out to be a chopper, we put it all into sports.
- 250 gs: We did sports, wanted a cross, put it all on a chopper.
And laughter and sin, but the truth is pure. The thing is that the 200 cc engine of the Zongshen motorcycle has already become a real legend and all because it is very, very reliable and simple. However, initially, when it was made, they planned to create a motorcycle with a sharp increase in speed and high torque. Those. a motorcycle that is “capable of kneading mud and sand.” The engine was created not in the dusty factories of China, but in Germany. Then it began to be produced in China. It is this peculiar German history that probably makes the engine reliable.
I must admit that the factory did create the cross-country Zongshen LZX200S, but initially they created the 200GS. This engine's power curve was nothing like extreme driving, it was slow and smooth revs, high torque and confident rear wheel spin. Rather, for something heavy and calm. Yes, for chopper. However (how and why is unknown) the motor was installed on a sports frame. And so everyone’s favorite Zongshen ZS 200GS was born.
Cross Zongshen
My personal opinion is that this motorcycle has the soul of a chopper. I received confirmation when I spent a week transferring the power unit, carburetor and zongshen electrics to a Kawasaki LTD 250. Once in the body of a chopper, the engine began to show much more interesting things, it became much more comfortable to ride: smooth start, powerful climb up all the hills , an amazing increase in speed with loaded side bags.
But, apparently, this was not only my opinion and the concern decided to create a cooler engine - this time a two-cylinder one. Each cylinder had a volume of 125 cubic meters, a two-manifold carburetor on board. The manufacturer decided to again create a sport with this engine, but the performance finally began to be more cross-country. And again, for unknown reasons, a decision is made to install the motor on the chopper.
My opinion is that this is the best, most economical and affordable chopper.
Owner reviews
Owner reviews for the Zongshen ZS250GS motorcycle:
Owner's review. Screenshot 1
Owner's review. Screenshot 2
Review and impressions of the owner. Screenshot 3
Review from ZS250GS owner. Screenshot 4
Disadvantages of Zongshen that you should not turn a blind eye to
Sometimes it seems to me that I am the only person who finds it unpleasant to compare Japanese and Chinese motorcycles. Having ridden and owned both, I came to the conclusion that five Zongs are better than one Honda. But this is my opinion and I do not impose it on anyone.
However (and here everyone will agree) that there is one fundamental difference between all Chinese and Japanese without exception. This is a gearbox. I've always been annoyed that the Alpha, Viper and, alas, Zongshen don't shift gears very well. Instead of solving this problem thoroughly, the Chinese for some reason are developing the box in some completely different directions - coming up with additional, more complex and supposedly convenient shift feet, installing an automatic clutch, etc.
After one very long ride on Zongshen, a hematoma with a diameter of 8-12 cm formed on my leg. Yes, all because I changed the gear with my foot and, when going up (resetting the gear), hit the shift handle in the same place . The shift leg is sometimes very stubborn. Because of this, the leg and the mechanism itself are injured - the switching leg bends.
Have I disassembled the gearbox? Certainly. The problem was resolved very quickly. There were three reasons:
- After running in, a lot of metal shavings collected in the gearbox;
- The springs have oxidized and become hard;
- The oil was worthless.
If you clean the box of all metal filings, replace the springs with better ones and fill in only the most expensive and best oil, then you will forget about the problem once and for all.
Transmission
The second drawback should be noted in the behavior of the nose of the motorcycle (its front part). As I already said, the Zongshen ZS 200 GS is a very balanced unit. However, there are revs at which the front end “lightens up” and the balance shifts towards the rear. I'll explain now.
Wheelie enthusiasts and anyone who wants to make the girls on the bench squeal with delight will not like what I have to say. But, be that as it may, the motorcycle should not lift up with the front wheel. At high speeds, the rear wheel begins to play the role of support, and the motorcycle gets closer and closer to the lever. The front wheel begins to “lift up,” as it were. This is especially noticeable on hills, when jumping onto the hill and applying gas, the motorcyclist may notice that the front wheel has left the ground. This is undoubtedly a disadvantage. I solved it by installing a heavier wheel. I can’t say that the problem has been completely solved, however, having used a riding style appropriate to the motorcycle, the front end stopped lifting up.
The lighting is a real downside to this bike. When purchasing Zongshen, each driver must immediately:
- replace the headlight with xenon;
- replace turn signals;
- replace the brake light with a diode one;
- replace side mirrors.
I'll start with the last and most important thing - the mirror. I analyzed how the Chinese see our Russian motorcyclist driver and realized that this man is more like a Martian than a member of the human race. The height should be low, the head should be large and pushed forward, the eyes should be narrow and located almost next to each other. Then the mirrors will be convenient. If you are not like that, then you will have to replace the mirrors. Firstly, you can’t see anything in them, secondly, you need to bend over to see at least something, thirdly, they are so flimsy that they can fall off simply due to the vibrations of the motor. This happened to me; when I raised the motorcycle to the edge, I lost the left mirror - it fell out of the frame.
Stop signal. It is visible at night, but not visible at all during the day. This is a real mockery, it lights up barely and only in the center. The turn signals should also be replaced immediately, and on elastic rubber platforms. Modern Vipers are said to be free of these problems, but the Zongshen suffered from it.
As for the front headlight, the factory version is fear and horror. At night, you don’t see a bright spot on the road that helps you navigate at night, but a bright hieroglyph a meter in front of you. Switch to high beam and another “hieroglyph” appears one and a half meters away. Two weak light bulbs shine, mix and form a “squirrel”, which not only does not help, but even irritates. Driving with such a light is very, very dangerous, especially on country roads that are not illuminated.
Headlight that needs to be replaced
What’s interesting is that these light bulbs, although weak, are very energy-intensive. By replacing them with xenon, I received a gain in energy costs and the battery began to hold a charge better.
Regarding the charge, we also recommend installing a car voltage stabilizer and a more reliable fuse.
If you do all this, you will get a very good and reliable motorcycle. Agree, no modifications and improvements will help if the engine is no good; fortunately, the Zongshen power unit is simply excellent.
Zongshen ZS 200 GS: review and specifications
There are many different motorcycles that use the engines of this motorcycle and their copies. However, Zongshen is one of the best, if not the best, in its class.
The engine is single-cylinder, 200 cc. Power from 10 to 15 hp. depending on the speed. On average, the maximum power is 10.8 kW at 8500 rpm. Naturally, the engine is four-stroke. It is equipped with a lower camshaft, which makes it advanced in comparison with analogues of Viper, Quinqli, Alpha, Yamasaki and other Chinese.
Motor Zongshen ZS 200 GS
Cooling is air, but it is possible to install an oil cooler. I don’t mean “collective farm tuning”, but quite competent modification. The cylinder head has corresponding fittings that allow you to connect the radiator and drive oil from the crankcase through the cooling plates. With this modification, the motor has a significantly lower temperature and greater endurance. Am I happy with this improvement? Very.
Of course, the engine starts with an electric starter. The most interesting thing is that there is no Kickstarter at all. Someone will say: “What horror!” I thought so too at first, since I’m used to jumping on my leg if my battery is low. However, then I realized that this is a real advantage. Let me explain why.
In the 21st century, equipment must be started with a button. Everything should be simple and easy. I realized this when I spent two years trying to perfect the well-known MT Dnepr-11. However, it has 650 cc and a very specific arrangement of pistons (opposite engine), there is only one 200 cc cylinder and, you just need to install a good (even mediocre) battery and everything should start properly even in severe frost. The absence of a kickstarter will force the motorcyclist to monitor the condition of the battery and generator. Thus, it will not be possible to turn Zongshen into a dead motorcycle without a single wiring.
The gearbox is traditional: five gears. The first gear is very short, needed for the first few seconds of the start, I personally preferred to start from the second. The order is the most standard: first gear is down, the rest are all up. The neutral is between the first and second. I personally have not seen semi-automatic ones, in other words, Zongshen is equipped with fully mechanics. And thank God, otherwise, instead of neutral, you can easily catch the first one and get into trouble. The clutch in such a motorcycle, as for me, is simply necessary; there is no need to play with semi-automatics and CVTs. The carburetor is a two-wire carburetor and this should be remembered. There are two types of carburetors for this motorcycle - with one cable (supposedly analogue) and with two (original). Never install one cable. A motorcycle with defective carburetors does not receive enough fuel-air mixture at high speeds and begins to choke.
Drive – chain. Moreover, I advise you to replace it. The stock sprockets are quite excellent, but the chain is a budget one. Install a chain with rubber gaskets in the links and you will get not only a reliable, but also a silent bike.
As for the chassis, everything is very simple and standard: there is a telescopic fork at the front, a pendulum and a monoshock at the rear. As you can see, unlike the 125 cc Zongshen, there are no longer springs on the sides, which improves both the appearance and ride comfort. A huge advantage of these motorcycles is the braking system - there are disc brakes in the front and the same in the rear. The front tire is 17 inches, 110 wide, the rear tire is 17 inches, 140 wide. I managed to install a 160 tire on my original wheel. There were no problems with the fender or rim. Handling has become much better.
Zongshen Fork
The overall length of the motorcycle is 2 meters 1 centimeter, which, again, is 3 centimeters longer than the length of the YBR-125. Moreover, the length is in favor of the passenger seat. The width of the zongshen is 76 centimeters, the height is 1 meter 8 centimeters.
I find this bike quite heavy at 160 kilograms. It is only 2 times lighter than the super-heavy Dnepr-11 and 40 kg. heavier than YBR-125.
Advantages and disadvantages
pros
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- Affordable price.
- Economical fuel consumption.
- Decent dynamics (160-145 km/h).
- Good handling and brake performance.
- Convenient dashboard.
- Successful installation of low beam headlights.
Minuses
- Air-cooled engine - it may overheat.
- The suspension is designed for driving on smooth roads only.
- Factory tires are of poor quality.
- Inconvenient standard rear view mirrors.
In short, the Zongshen ZS250GS sportbike is suitable for beginners or metropolitan residents who do not aspire to high speeds, but are looking for a convenient, mobile and economical form of transport.
Zongshen ZS 250 GS: review and specifications
There are two motorcycles with this type of engine. Naturally, there are much more than two of them; there are plenty of modifications in China, but among the classic Zongshens there are two of them:
- Chopper/roadster Zongshen 250-5;
- Sports Zongshen 250 GS.
If the chopper is equipped with a power unit with a V-type engine (sort of like Harley), then the sports version has an in-line cylinder arrangement. Surprisingly, this has a huge impact on the power - the chopper has only 13 horsepower, while the classic sport Zongshen 250 GS reaches 17 hp at maximum speed.
New 250cc Zongshen 26 horsepower water-cooled
We will look at a more classic, in-line option. It has exactly the same design - the same color, the same frame and even the same fastenings. Its mass is 6 kilograms more, the weight of the motorcycle is 166 kilograms. Obviously, an additional 6 kg. added a second cylinder, piston, connecting rod and an additional bend on the crankshaft. Load capacity, as well as power, is higher. Fuel tank – 20 liters. Consumption is 200 grams more (after all, the combustion chamber is 50 cubic meters larger). All other characteristics are the same as the 200 GS model.
Specifications
The main power unit is a 4-stroke engine with one cylinder. The working part of the cylinder is 250 cc. The production element produces 24.8 hp. Stable operation of the engine without failures or overloads is achieved through a liquid cooling system. The motorcycle uses gasoline as fuel; the fuel system is based on EFI technology. The engine is started by an electric starter. Condenser ignition installed.
The gearbox consists of 6 speeds. A metal chain is provided as the main gear. Fast braking is achieved through disc brakes. The front and rear wheel sizes are 100/90-18 and 130/90-15, respectively. Main parameters of the motorcycle: length - 2130 mm; width - 868 mm; height - 1260 mm. The weight of the equipment is 175 kg, while the load capacity of the model reaches 180 kg. Fuel consumption is 4 l/100 km. The maximum speed value is 120 km/h. Confident off-road driving is made possible thanks to a ground clearance of 210 mm. Gas tank capacity 4 l.
What to choose
I am convinced that many of you are faced with a choice. I believe I am ready to answer some of these questions:
- What to choose: a 125 cc new Alfa or a 125 cc Zongshen with low mileage? Answer: Of course Zongshen. The thing is that Alfa is a moped. You can even put a 600 cc engine there, but the thin frame, vibrations and not the best metal always make it weak. Secondly, the engine structure of the Zongshen is completely different - the engine is more revving, with the same cylinder volume, the Zongshen is much more stable, more powerful and more comfortable. You won't be able to drive 300 km on an Alpha. without stopping and without getting pain in the lower back, on Zongshen 300 km. will seem like a pleasant walk. However, if you are choosing between Alfa and other mopeds, then Alfa is one of the best, as it has a completely motorcycle design and is very easy to handle even heavy motorcycles.
- What to choose: 200 cc new Zongshen or 200 cc used Japanese? It's certainly not easy here. In my opinion – Zongshen. I've driven used Hondas, Yamahas, and Kawasakis. Malfunctions arise there as quickly as with any equipment. The new Zongshen will definitely not disappoint in the first few seasons, and with good care, it will never disappoint.
- Should you choose the Zongshen inline-twin V-twin? It’s actually a difficult choice that I once faced. The V-twin feels more authentic - and the sound is more powerful, throaty and looks like a Harley. However, there is one drawback - repairing such a motor is very, very difficult. Firstly, there are very few spare parts (for example, carburetors), and secondly, servicing such engines is expensive.
