Whether we like it or not!

[Johnny4428]

The Chinese motorcycle designers and engineers are flooding the markets with quite frankly bloody nice bikes. I have decided that for less money than another full restoration on another classic bike. I could just buy this!  Apparently ready for collection but I must go to Portugal first for family holiday. I will let you all know what I think of it in the near future.

[Athame57]

I hope it is as good as it looks. I would have thought the Chinese would have given a tourer a name like Long March or something!

[Orcade-Ian]

Look forward to seeing it 'in the flesh' Johnny.  A real 'Laverda beater' - sorry Dave!  There are lots of guys over on the Scoot forum who sing the praises of Zontes stuff.  Will yours have full luggage? I can see a very nice Pan coming up for sale!
Have a great holiday, see you soon,
Ian

[Skoti]

Amazing value and very stylish.

But it's normally the second hand prices that determines the market trust on stuff like that.

Have you investigated?

[SteveD CB500K0]

Remind anyone of the Japanese bike influx of the 70s?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Johnny4428]

The luggage is £699 if ordering with bike, so no brainer, considering you could pay that for one box under another badge! I haven’t looked at second hand value as I hope this will be a keeper, and as it’s a new model there was nothing to compare unless other Zontes models. I very nearly ordered a CFmoto 450 adventure bike, they were and are getting rave reviews but just wanted a little more oomph. Never had a triple before and this one appealed. The photo taken yesterday is my actual bike Ian so yes full luggage pack. Steve I was thinking exactly that! If nothing else it might keep or even take down the prices of the big brands. I will keep posted anything good or bad. I did ask if they could deliver to Albufeira! (Now that would be nice) I guess that would have been a long drive home 😂 But just now must go and pack my soap bag.😜

[Laverda Dave]

Chinese bikes are coming so ignore them at your peril! I think they have learnt their lessons from 5-10 years ago when Chinese bikes were absolute rubbish with no spares back up and mechanics who wouldn't touch them. Resale values at the time were nigh on zero but all that has changed, quality is up as is fit and finish (apart from the recent incident with the chocolate cams of the KTM twin that ended up nearly finishing the brand off for good).
As Skoti states, it's the resale value that will be the telling factor and that won't be known for a few years yet.
Considering most of the world motorcycle makers opt for tie-ins with the Chinese AND Indian manufacturers these days I guess they have now proved themselves as capable of building stylish, quality and reliable motorcycles just as Japan did in the late 60's and beyond.
My own Royal Enfield Interceptor likely has a relatively poor resale vale because they were so cheap to buy in the first place. I bought the bike for £3200 with 1900 miles on it at 3 years old, I'm laughing and don't care how much it is worth now as it makes me grin every time I ride it and I have no intention of ever selling it.
Go for it Johnny, fantastic bike and as you say, It's a keeper
It has to be better than a Laverda with all that tech on it

[Bryanj]

I can remember the first Laverda tripples with electronic ignition where if you rested the plug on the head to test for spark you blewthe ignition unit, Bosch if memory is correct

[K2-K6]

The luggage is £699 if ordering with bike, so no brainer, considering you could pay that for one box under another badge! I haven’t looked at second hand value as I hope this will be a keeper, and as it’s a new model there was nothing to compare unless other Zontes models. I very nearly ordered a CFmoto 450 adventure bike, they were and are getting rave reviews but just wanted a little more oomph. Never had a triple before and this one appealed. The photo taken yesterday is my actual bike Ian so yes full luggage pack. Steve I was thinking exactly that! If nothing else it might keep or even take down the prices of the big brands. I will keep posted anything good or bad. I did ask if they could deliver to Albufeira! (Now that would be nice) I guess that would have been a long drive home 😂 But just now must go and pack my soap bag.😜

Triples are really cool 

Genuinely different from a four or twin, and usually with a mellow but charismatic torque delivery, offer one of the best engine feel out there.

No idea of performance of this one, no experience of riding the product currently coming to market from China, but conspicuous in many running around here locally. Interesting to hear how you find it Johnny.

Been out on my Triumph triple (early Hinckley Speed triple) with quite a bit of time this last month. Diesel like torque on this one makes it fun to ride without breaking speed limits. They're similar in grunt to Dave's Jota, riding stance too, along with being in Orange colour  makes a really good fun bike to spend time on.

That Zontes sounds quite potent for it's capacity, should go all right.

[Athame57]

Chinese bikes are coming so ignore them at your peril!

At my age I couldn't give a hoot about the Yellow Peril ( I'll keep flying bananas out of it.  ) If their bikes are more reliable than their damn tin openers the Japanese big four could be in trouble.

[Laverda Dave]

The luggage is £699 if ordering with bike, so no brainer, considering you could pay that for one box under another badge! I haven’t looked at second hand value as I hope this will be a keeper, and as it’s a new model there was nothing to compare unless other Zontes models. I very nearly ordered a CFmoto 450 adventure bike, they were and are getting rave reviews but just wanted a little more oomph. Never had a triple before and this one appealed. The photo taken yesterday is my actual bike Ian so yes full luggage pack. Steve I was thinking exactly that! If nothing else it might keep or even take down the prices of the big brands. I will keep posted anything good or bad. I did ask if they could deliver to Albufeira! (Now that would be nice) I guess that would have been a long drive home 😂 But just now must go and pack my soap bag.😜

Triples are really cool 

Genuinely different from a four or twin, and usually with a mellow but charismatic torque delivery, offer one of the best engine feel out there.

No idea of performance of this one, no experience of riding the product currently coming to market from China, but conspicuous in many running around here locally. Interesting to hear how you find it Johnny.

Been out on my Triumph triple (early Hinckley Speed triple) with quite a bit of time this last month. Diesel like torque on this one makes it fun to ride without breaking speed limits. They're similar in grunt to Dave's Jota, riding stance too, along with being in Orange colour  makes a really good fun bike to spend time on.

That Zontes sounds quite potent for it's capacity, should go all right.

The first model Speed Triples were indeed great bikes Nigel, they even had their own race series.
Of course it was a bike I wanted at the time but obviously didn't have the money to buy (in black of course).
Triumph even paid homage to Laverda by painting some of them orange 🙂. Is yours a 5 or 6 speed Nigel?

[taysidedragon]

I had a 93 Trident 900 and then a 2000 Speed Triple 955i. Both great bikes, really loved my Speedy until  a numpty wrote it off and nearly me with it. I loved the triple engines so test rode a Street Triple 675, bought it and kept it for 12 years. I regret selling that bike. 😫