Are Chinese motorcycles reliable? I BOUGHT one to find out | Zontes ZT350-T review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 พ.ค. 2024
- Are Chinese bikes any good? We're going to find out by testing reliability over a full year and thousands of miles.
Of course, if I’d borrowed one from a manufacturer there’d be cries of a fix - that they’d given me a specially fettled one - which is why I secretly bought this nearly new Zontes ZT350T for £3,995.
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Chapters
00:00 Intro - why I bought a Chinese bike
02:15 Undercover buying the Zontes
04:41 Warranty work - 'dump sensor'
06:58 What the Zontes ZT350-T has as standard
15:29 The mods and accessories I'm going to add
18:43 A BIG trip planned... Testing reliability.
19:25 Can you help us support Magpas Air Ambulance?
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#zontes #chinese #motorcycle - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
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If you'd like to make a donation to Magpas air ambulance, here's the link www.justgiving.com/page/bennetts-magpas-2024-1704812646441 Thanks VERY much, John
No, but I made a £18,000 mistake 😢 I bought a harley davidson pan america specia,l the most unreliable bke I've owed in 50+ years of riding. Avoid at any price it's utter garbage.😢❤
Harley’s are terrible. Especially if u wanna go far. And the alarm never stops. Buy an older one in good shape. New bikes quality is low. In last 5 years. Even when I order new parts. Half of them are garbage. Out of the box
Not my experience gentlemen I own a 2022 Pan America Special 1250 and the bike is awesome in every respect.
@kencarrcarr3751
I wish I could have had your experience. As when it works, it's great. Unfortunately, my experience with my bike is that's not very often.
@@aridlington2782 Sorry to hear that but it sounds like you should get in contact with HD UK directly and demand action as your dealer must be seriously incompetent after all you have a three year warranty. Putting things into perspective regarding new bikes and reliability problems I have a buddy who bought a brand new BMW GS 1250 back in 2022 and the bike has left him stranded broken down on the roadside waiting for a recovery van not once but twice needless to say he was somewhat pissed off so after blowing his lid with the dealer they eventually sorted it out good luck.
@kencarrcarr3751 it is currently in the hands of a solicitor, I have rejected it as not being fit for purpose. My contract is with the supplying dealer, so hopefully, it will get sorted. When it works, it's a good bike H D should never have released it in this state.
At last someone doing a long-term review Thanks guys
Cheers! Seems the only way to do it properly. All the best, John
*Sure. To verify what we've already surmised.*
This bike has years in other parts of the world, In Argentina for example, theres a guy called Martin who clocked 103,000km on his Zontes. video published by "El pai" here on youtube. cheers 👋
With Chinese bikes long term is 10,000 miles and then all the problems start coming in
Shoulda got a cfmoto
I don’t care where it’s made, after 52 years of riding,m the very LAST thing I want is an electronic gizmo on two wheels. Petrol caps that screw on and off work just fine, why bugger them up with electronics? And I neither want nor need a mini iPad sitting where my Speedo should be.
My mates Datsun handbook from 1968 “insert metal in hole. Rotate metal to commencement engine. If engine fails to commence, battery may be horizontal”. Nice to see that the chap who wrote this has found work in China
Brilliant!
Fella got paid handsomely too. 😂
It doesn't matter if it's a piece of crap here in the Philippines as long as it's bigger than the Smith's bike and makes more noise!
Thanks for the shout out John! Love that you're gonna test it out on this bike. I had a lexmoto 125 and was great to learn on. I had no issues with mine but have heard some horror storys. Will be very interesting to see how you get on with one and how they perform over time.
Cheers! All the best, John
A friend of mine and her husband did the NC500 with us on her Zontes in 2022, it never skipped a beat, took a battering on some of gnarlier single track roads, out performed her husband's GS 300, I was on a S1000XR my mate on a GSA1200, apart from the Motorway it held it's own, looking forward to further episodes.
Moto Mag here in France has been running this Zontes for well over a year as a long termer. It’s done thousands of kms and travelled to multiple countries without missing a beat. Unbreakable and surprisingly capable.
Nathan the postman really put the Voge through its paces to the alps n back from new no service, no problem, enjoy yourself.
Very nice review, very interesting and informative. I was the first person to review the CFMoto 800MT from the UK or Ireland two years ago (the video is on my channel somewhere, I just happened to be in Rhodes just after it had come out on the continent, so I rented it myself - it was just luck that I happened to be the 'first' UK/Ireland based person to grab a phone and GoPro and do a video review on it, though it does have over 20k views!), but it opened my eyes big time to how Chinese motorcycles had progressed at that point, so I'm very curious to see how the other brands have progressed in the two years since. Will be definitely be following along with this one - Cheers!
Chinglish owners manual, 3000 mile service intervals, check engine light on already, all major red flags already. I’m sick to death of watching other TH-camrs singing the praises of these crap Chinese bikes.
I’ve watched several of your previous videos but this one has earned a subscription.
I can’t wait to see how this story unfolds. 2500 mile trip on this, you’re braver than me !
I’ll stick with my Honda, I’d rather don a rucksack and stick out my thumb than undertake such a trip on that bike !
Thank you and good luck !
Every component is made by the lowest bidder, I'll stick with named and proven brands. I couldn't bring myself to ride it.
Same here, I’d rather pay 2k for a 20 year old Honda than buy a brand new Chinese joke. Yuk yuk yuk.
It depends on the bike/brand you get, these Zontes from my experience of working on one, they are not good, or they were not, they may have improved as others have. Many others probably are not good either, but there are some very good Chinese, and Chinese built Japanese bikes (many parts, engines, and some bikes that you love are, or have been made in China).
I got into riding a little later in life, I decided in 2016, to get my CBT, some gear and a bike to get me going, I could have done my DAS, but be without a bike for some time. So I decided to buy a brand new Keeway RKV 125 (£1700), such a great little bike, looked the part, had all the things you get on expensive Japanese 125's and more, like an actual, accurate fuel gauge 😂
I had it for almost a year before doing my A license, but still rode it around for another ten months after I passed, while saving for my next bike. I never once had one single issue with quality, or the mechanics/electrics of the bike. I now ride an almost 24y/o bike, the massively underrated Kawasaki ZX9r 😎
Chinese made may almost always mean cheap/cheaper, but it doesn't always mean poor quality, they have City size manufacturing plants, they can manufacture multiple vehicles/components at such high rates, without compromising quality, this is why the likes of Suzuki have had some of their most popular bikes made over there.
Now to see what the latest Zontes are like according to this video 😎
What exactly is "chinglish" mate?
Lad at work has a little 125 rides it every day..in all weather down a crappy road to get there.. three years solud, I am absolutely amazed how it keeps going.
Very true. There is absolutely no consistency from one bike to the next. Some only manage a handful of miles before totally dying of an illness that the dealers can never fix, while others go on for years despite living with serious neglect.
My Chinese bike rusted away within 6 months
Learnt to ride on a Zontes G1. Loved it! No issues (did about 2500 miles).
Was tempted by the GK but went with a Himmy in the end.
Good stuff. Much better than another new bike release video. Enjoy the trip.
Cheers! Hopefully will be interesting, and not for the wrong reasons! All the best, John
EXCELLENT VID as usual, I’ll be keeping an eye on this series and keen to see how it fairs out.
Great video, John. Have watched several others and have now happily subscribed. Looking forward to your upcoming trip through France and Spain. Thanks!
Thanks very much! All the best, John
Love the video NO BS nice coverage so im waiting for the next videos on this bike Thank you keep safe.
Thanks, and you too!
I respect unbiased content creators like you. i have a 125cc chinese underbone that is 12 years old. still runs good. doesnt even rust because it got aluminum mags and handle bar and monoshock unlike the expensive big 4 125 cc underbone that has disposable rim and junk shop handle bars and cheap bulb. expect leading brand 125 cc underbone will be rusted after a year if it got cheap parts.
I had a Zontes zt125g1 which was the best bike I'd ever owned for reliability, comfort and economy. It sat outside all year round,on the coast subject to sea spray and high winds. It took me from Shetland to Somerset and back via Cumbria and Wales without a hitch. Topped out at 75mph but cruised happily at 65 mph. I got nearly 400 miles without needing to refuel and could have gone much further. Only drawback was obviously lack of power in high winds and steep hills, hence the move to a 500 honda, and I really regret part exchanging my Zontes. Having both bikes would have been great. If I had the money I would have kept the Zontes and had a 750x honda too. By the way I'm in my 60s , 190lbs and 6ft. That's just as reference for riding a 125cc bike and touring on it. Great video as usual
This is an excellent preview of what to do when purchasing a [near-] new bike. I've lived in Cambodia for 32 years and, in that time, have owned over 40 bikes, from Taiwanese, Korean, Indian, Chinese and Italian - the remainder being Japanese. I'd say, overall, there's little to fear from a non-Japanese buy - btw, there's a Zontes dealership 400 meters from my home and they have the 350T on sale for US$4249 - again, the price differential is only obvious for reasons of ASEAN import tax deductions and proximity to the source of production. I look forward to all your travails and trust everything works out; you certainly have done your homework
Thanks very much! All the best, John
Looking forward to seeing more on this. Will be interesting to hear about your experiences. 😃👍
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
Great review John, looking forward to the next vids.
Thanks 👍
Great content. New subscriber from the States. The bike looks real nice. Looking forward for more updates. Ride safe. Cheers
Thanks, you too!
👍Looking forward to this outcome John, take care as always 👍
Cheers, you too!
Can't wait for your next episode. I own a 350 T2 for one year. So far very reliable ;-)
Sensors to tell you what's gone wrong - only for you to find it's the sensor itself. Electronic seat and petrol cap openers.... what could possibly go wrong!? I wouldn't dream of buying something like this.
(I do all the minor repairs and maintenance on my Son’s Suzuki collection) but he also kept his original Learner bike from 2016 which is a Chinese Keeway Superlight chopper/cruiser. I can honestly say it’s the most reliable and comfortable all day commuter/cruiser I’ve ever ridden! £2500 new on the road..
Great video, I am very curious about the next episodes
Well done, it’s certainly going to be interesting to see how you get on. 👍
Thanks! All the best, John
Saw the heading Chinese bike was not sure but having watched it I am looking forward to more vids.i do like the Bennett coverage plus I am insured with them so I should not have doubted their channel and rate them as very good and easy to deal with .
Thanks so much! Please do come and say hi on our BikeSocial Facebook Group too! All the best, John
I'm seriously thinking about buying a zontes this year, and I know someone who works for zontes, so I'll be following this with interest!
Cheers!
Sound like a adventure, the air ambulance service is a must support
Half way through the video and it seems everything will be covered in future. So leaving the video now
(1st time watcing your video)
I’m a CBT instructor and the company I’m working for have 3 125 Zentos scrambler we have had them for 2 years and what they are unbelievable what a nice bike, all the students say how nice the bikes are and yes I do ride them and if I was 17 again this is what I would buy
Please do join our FB group as it's be great to have you on there
Zentos or Zontes? Sorry, but I'm not convinced, I rather stick to old japanese bikes. And that was already opinion 25 years ago.
I like it. These bikes have been on my radar for a few years now so I'll be interested to see how you get on with it. Interesting point about cst tyres. I currently use cst on my 300L for trail riding and I think they work well on road and the trails for a reasonable price.
Every item you own and buy is made in China. I have a Zontes ZT 125 for a year now, I love it.
Excellent - thanks! Make sure you join our Facebook group as it'll be handy to speak to people with them. Cheers, John
No it isn't.
So my Suzuki and Triumph are made in china?
Spain and back!!!
You sir have big knackers
Ha! When I was getting the screen grabs of the maps for this I did question myself...
@@bennettsbikesocial Spain probably has the best dealer network for Zontes in Europe, so if you have any issues, I think you will be fine.
Spain and back is a decent ride, but pretty standard for us Aussies! I’ve ridden my 97 Sportster from Melbourne to Brisbane and back four times in the last decade. Round trips of 2500 to 3500 miles, once you add on the detours to look at whatever takes your fancy on the way up or back and other incidental riding once you get to the Gold Coast, or Brisbane City.
Long distance riding downunder usually means 800 kms (500 miles) in a day, at least. Anything less is a jaunt. I was born in England, but grew up in NZ and lived in Oz since my 20’s. This place is BIG! Melbourne to Brisbane on the most direct route is 1757km, or just under 1200 miles. And that is STILL not halfway up the east coast. A mate of mine has done what we call; The Big Lap, which is a complete circuit of the country. He took his trusty 2009 Bonneville. This would be like riding down to Morocco, across to Egypt, curve round through Turkey, up through Ukraine to Norway before heading back to Blighty. THAT’S a long road trip. That said, I would rather buy a bike from Royal Enfield than any chinese maker, for the simple reason that RE has been making bikes for longer than even Triumph and you just can’t beat experience, no matter how many electronic gizmos you shove on a bike.
@@bennettsbikesocial I’d love to give a run like that a try, can you share your route?
the hard part is finding a garage that will work on Chinese bike most of them wont touch them I found that out when I owned a lexmoto about 5 years ago
OH WOW!! You're ticking all the boxed with this one 😎
✅ Oxford Lights
✅ AIO-5 Lite
✅ Xontes Bike
Can't wait to see the upcoming videos. Thanks!
New chinese vs used japanese? I’m always picking the japanese.
you are so right
Used Japanese anyday . Even if I get brand new Chinese for free , Imma sell it and buy new or used Japanese/Italian
Yes so right
Na. I work on chinese bikes and jap bikes are falling apart. Ybr is the worst.
Japanease reliability is unparlleled they run like new for entire life of the vehicle and possibility of breakdown is literally no
nice video and will follow this quest
i really dont think the quality gaps between motorcycle that big now
but we'll see
I wholeheartedly agree about avoiding the Chunnel. It's a loooong time since I took that route, but I remember feeling frazzled every time I did because there's really no pause in your journey. You don't even save anything on the cost, and you arrive a good 100km further north than any of the other crossings.
My personal preference is for the Newhaven-Dieppe route. It's a slightly shorter crossing (approx. 5 hours) which means that you get into Dieppe at between 5 and 6 am. For me, that is simply perfect as it means that you get past the heavy traffic around the major cities (Rouen, Paris etc.) before rush hour, but you don't arrive so early that there are no manned fuel stations.
I would also like to add that DFDS, the ferry operator, has some of the best after sales service of any company I have ever had to deal with, they really are that good.
You can stop at the hyper market directly outside the tunnel exit.
@@rushymoto Why would I want to? There are hypermarkets all across France, and most of them are better.Nor does that hypermarket get me 100+km further south, or avoid the complete sh1t show that is going around Paris.
Both Cherbourg and Dieppetake you to parts of France which have MUCH lower traffic densities than the Pas de Calais, and cut at LEAST 100km off the journey to Spain/SW France.
Oh, and the 3 hours closest to Calais are some of the most boring roads in the whole of France.
Doing it on a bike is like going through purgatory, whereas both Cherbourf and Dieppe only leave you with about 1hour of grind before you get to some interesting roads. From Rouen southwards, the roads are a delight, and you get the added benefit of being able to take in one of the medieval world's great wonders; Chartre Cathedral. Even on a windswept, cloud scudding day, Chartre still manages to liftr my spirits, and I don't even believe in any of that cr^p.
So you moan about not having a break by using the tunnel but moan more by saving the time crossing and then using the immediate available mall as soon as you leave the terminal that is for-me-da-bler.
@@rushymoto No, I wasn't moaning because, as I had origiinally pointed out,m I haven't used that crossing for yonks.
Nor do I subscribe to YOUR point that it "saves me time", because it doesn't. That is because the trip from UK to France may be shortened to 25 (?) minutes, I still then have 3 hours of tedium to endure on landing. At least on the Cherbourg or Dieppe routes you have the opportunity to have maybe a beer and a lie down and you start fresh in the morning. I do not consider wandering around some godawful mall in the most boring bit of France as any form of beneficial alternative to getting a spot of shuteye.
As I have pointed out, I wasn't moaning, I was concurring with the alternative whiole pointing out the negatives of the Chunnel.
Even in a car, I avoid the Chunnel. But on a bike I wouldn't even begin to think of the Chunnel unless I was heading well to the east of Paris, going to Germany, maybe.
Even then, I think that my preference would still be Dieppe, and do a run along the Loire and then up into Alsace, or even go down as far as Lyon, then through Switzerland and into Germany that way.
Really, at 60+ years old, I've done the Pas de Calais route enough times to know that there'd have to be extraordinary reasons to face that again.
I use the Chunnel every year. Would never go back to using ferries. Getting into Dover and schlepping through that awful port then navigating their terrible traffic system. Give me Folkestone every time.
I bought a brand new Zontes ZT125-U in 2020 and I had to have the oxygen sensor replaced under warranty within a month of having it and then the side-stand sensor literally a week before the warranty ran our done. Apart from that, it ran flawlessly and I put 4,000 miles on it and used it as a winter commuter and everything. It really did alright and I sold it at the end of 2023 for a fair price. I can't say much bad about Zontes at all.
Had a. Trx502 for a couple of years, 8k miles, very reliable and very happy with it❤
Please do join our BikeSocial Facebook group as it'd be great to hear more. Cheers, John
Late 2022 I had a Zontes 125 in prep for a bigger bike. I had nothing to compare it with but it was brilliant as a first bike. Having passed my test in November 2022 I bought the CF Moto 650MT. I did two tours of Scotland, two of Wales, various trips to the lakes and not a single issue occurred in over 7K miles. I now have Tracer 7GT and I can say the build quality of the CF was as good as the Yamaha. £5k new as opposed to £9k is something to consider.
Cheers for this! All the best, John
I had a ZT125. Super reliable, nice features on it (ABS, wireless ignition, electronic seat and fuel cap). Only issue I had was the battery going flat in the fob for the wireless ignition system.
I’ve owned a CF150 2014 model and just sold 4 months and never had any trouble and serviced 6 monthly and tyres replaced every 2 years and front brake pads twice.still going with new owner
For me,there is so much stuff made in China these days that it's probably not the gamble it used to be.Really looking forward to seeing how your purchase pans out...liked and thanks as always..
Thanks for watching! Lots to come on this. Cheers, John
Too true, I don’t know if you remember Gok Wan going to China and visiting clothing factories showing jeans for very high end (translated means stupid money) fashion brand companies being made alongside lines in the same factory to those going to supermarkets , snobbery around goods birthplace is a result of the public being gaslighted by global corporations trying to maximise their profits
Assuming that to be true, the insurance premiums and resale value/holding its value cant be great due to the nature of the stigma from where it was manufactured.
What people don't understand is China IS capable of making decent stuff but it comes down to price, a bike that is half the price of the competition is cheap for a reason, it's made of poor quality materials so does the job.. but only for a relatively short time 😂
We all know the underhand business the Chinese do, not complying with copyright,
Claiming parts made from high quality 7075 aluminium only to find its nothing of the sort etc
@@ThePresidentofMars More due to the fact that it's still going to crumble after 3 or 4 years.
I've got a Chinese Pioneer 125 2006 I got 3 years ago for the grand price of 650 euro, with new tyres, brake refurb etc. it's been reliable minor electrical problems, it starts on the button a bit under powered Honda CG clone cruises quite happily at 60 to 70 kph. The frame might be made from gas tubing but it's solid.
Great video, i have the GK350. It's my first bike and so far, its has 10000km and i have no complaints. Even use the sliders as leg rests from time to time. I actually had the same problem with the sensor(or at least it looks like the same problem), though they weren't able to figure out at the time what was wrong, this was 6 months ago though. Need to show them your video.
Get them to check the EFI ECU under the tail - there might be a grounding wire just zip tied on! Please do join our BikeSocial Facebook Group as it'd be great to have you there. facebook.com/groups/bikesocial
Your haggling skills are amazing, on a £4000 bike you get a tenner worth of fuel. I got to try this one 😁
Looking forward to seeing how you get on with it.
No surprise someone beat me to it. Should be a good watch. Thinking about doing this with my Benellis
Great idea John and possibly brave too !
Ha! Let's hope that's not the case. Cheers!
I have the Zontes Zt310-T2. This bike is absolutely amazing. I use it for my work as I travel a lot. I've added around almost 9000km within about 3 months. I did a few long distance trips, mud, gravel and hard rain. This bike has been truly amazing. Not a day of issues so far. I'm keen to see what it's going to bring in the coming months
With regards to maintenance and new riders. Many years ago, when I completed my CBT. My instructor gave a 10 minute talk using his own bike, with regards to maintenance. I went on to a full bike licence. And I have to say, that lesson sunk in. Maybe I was lucky with my choice of motorcycle school.
There are good, passionate instructors out there - sounds like you got a great one. Cheers, John
It is always Parts Availability through a Parts and Dealer Network that makes or kills any imported motorcycle.. no matter how well made. In the US Bridgestone, Lilac/Marusho, Tohatsu, Royal Enfield and Matchless ( in 60's) and SAS, all failed because the parts stream and service were simply rare or not there. If you buy a machine from a guy who also sells Lawn Mowers, and cordless vibrators... you bike is just as good as your time untill something fails. Then you have a lawn ornament.
Ive got a WK 125 Trail,2015,bought it second hand for £600 around 6 years ago from a friend..the start button is broken,but it kicks up easily each time.Even after the winter,i heard they are a direct copy of a Honda engine.Its great fun for cheap riding.
A friend of mine sold his Diesel Enfield on which he traveled many times from Germany to Russia and as far as Vladivostok and bought the exact same model….
I did sent him the link to this video and maybe he shows up and will comment on his experience.
I have 2 Harleys but my go to for everything except highway is my Zontes 310v. No problems in 3 years.
Great to hear! Please do join our Facebook group so we can talk more about it. Cheers, John
Loving the Project Farm reference 😂
Hopefully all these issues are just teething problems? The Spain trip will be the test! I'm looking forward to that, not because I want to see the bike fail because I don't, 2500 miles isn't a lot of miles it's just that you'll be doing them all in one go!!! All the best to you 👍
Thanks very much! All the best, John
My Giant road bike cost more than that!. So i think for a new rider or a returning rider it doesn't seem bad value even if you have a few issues. Keep up the good work John.
Cheers! All the best, John
I've got a Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha (albeit chopped and Sorned) and a Chinese Royal Alloy scooter. The Royal Alloy scooter has build quality comparable with the Japanese stuff. Most of the parts are easily available. Service intervals - like the Zontes - are short. But I like it and it's been 5k miles of excellence.
I guess some people are put off by products made by China, due to moral concerns, however many 'non chinese' products contain Chinese components and sub-assemblies. Back in the day people had similar concerns about stuff from Communist East Europe but bought anyway.
I also have CST Ride Migras on the Suzuki and the Honda and are happy with them (touring Europe and commuting)- they do wear slightly more quickly.
I'll be interested to see how the Zontes fairs
I had a Zontes G-1, cracking little bike
Nice initiative👍🏻👍🏻
A friend had the g155 for two years in thw rain and dust with no rust or problems of any sort.....but it was maintained as a bike should
Had my Zontes for a year and 6000 all-weather miles. No corrosion to speak of when I traded it in. Only negative for me was the stock chain which wore pretty quickly requiring regular adjustment.
Please do join our BikeSocial Facebook group as it'd be great to hear more. Cheers, John
I own the GK version of this bike for over a year, using it in all weathers and it's been brilliant. The only issue is the TPM (tyre pressure monitor) warning that always showing on the screen. Ali express will be your best friend if you want to add any extra accessories.
Thanks! Please do join our Facebook Group as it'll be great to be able to speak to owners. Cheers, John
This is proper good consumer advice. Now, there are a million reasons I’d buy something else but I’ve got the cash for it. However, when the boy starts saving his pennies for a bike, would I rather him buy this or a comparable used Japanese A2? Very good question which I am happy you will go some way to answer for me. Best of luck!
Thanks! Hopefully we'll all get some answers from this. Cheers, John
The music with the chinglish really got me rolling on the floor
I know someone who bought a Zontes. It was the sport touring version with the 300cc engine in it. He traveled for thousands of km without any problems. The only thing he didn't like was the vibration coming from the engine.
In some third world countries Suzuki shares it's dealership network with some chinese brands like Zontes and Haojue and both seem very good, people like them a lot. Plus, Haojue made a lot of the lower cc bikes for Suzuki since the 90s and those were very barebones but super reliable
I ran a Zontes ZT310T 2 for a year (spoked wheel version) and was impressed by the build quality in general and the performance. I installed a pair of small Denali spots powered from the connectors fitted for that purpose at the front left below the tank. (The spots cost about 10% the price of the bike 🤣). My only real niggles were that the seat tended to push me forward and that the "rear ABS warning" light would occasionally come on on the dash, but would go away again. The phone connection to get navigation didn't work on European models at that time, so I also installed a Zumo XT. Overall a nice bike, BUT when I wanted to sell it to buy an RE Classic 350 I found that absolutely nobody wanted to buy it, even at 50% of the new price for a year old low-mileage bike. I ended up practically giving it away to the dealer in part-ex. Never again.
Please do join our BikeSocial Facebook group as it'd be great to hear more and see some pics. Cheers, John
Like the Chinese theme intro tune. Nice touch 👌
Great idea! Well done!
I was an early adopter on these Chinese bikes 15 years ago, my bike was a honda125r replica, I tightened every bolt cos they were loose but other than that I stuck 18k miles on it in two years, no issues at all and ,115 mpg. My brother had the real Honda CBR and my bike was just as quick and more frugal.
Please do join our BikeSocial Facebook Group as it'd be great to hear more about these! Cheers, John
I've got the javelin modell throttle cables snapping all the time so I bought a old honda it's never gone wrong
Gonna be following this! Really interesting times, for sure.
Fantastic, thanks!
Can’t wait for the follow up videos
Thanks! John
I've owned a Zontes ZT125-U from new since December 2020 and have just rolled over 18,000 miles. Now it is a 125 so it does get ragged. Have a couple of issue's. 1st from new it had an aiflow sensor warning but that was fixed on 1st service. This only affected the 1st batch of bikes imported. Other issues were an electrical issue where I lost dash an lights but I caused this with how I washed the bike. I did have a fork seal failure (I ride all year round in all weather's) after a couple of years and I stripped and rebuilt the forks myself with new seals and all in with oil was under £40. And that's it. I change the oil/filter every 1500 miles and run it on TV-power. Also fitted HH brake pads and Michelin Pilot streets. Performance is on par with the KTM Duke. Oh and Bennetts you upped my insurance this year by 40% so thanks for that.
Please do join our BikeSocial FB Group as it'd be great to hear from you!
I'm seriously looking at Benda motorcycles LFC-700 and 450 Napoleon, the LFC-700 is a liquid cooled in-line four based on a Honda design, it has an incredible 320 wide rear tyre, top speed is a claimed 125mph.
My Herald 250 Maverick has done almost 10.000 miles in the year I've owned it, and most of that has been on green lanes, and riding the tarmac between them, sometimes a 300 mile round trip. It hasn't bent or broken yet and I've stuffed it plenty of times. When it does go wrong there isn't a single spare part available so it will be a case of finding parts from other bikes that are the same fit. If it ever needed new valves or a rebore, then the bike would be a scrapper. It's loads of fun and half the price of a proper bike, but very disposable.
Please do join our BikeSocial Facebook group as it'd be great to hear more. Cheers, John
Hi John , being a Zontes owner I have to comment on personal experience , as I have done several times on YT about these bikes in the past. I've had the ZT125 U1 for 2 and a half years now which I bought new from Deardens at Holbury in Southampton (the local Zontes dealer). I was returning to biking having retired at 65 and reviewed virtually all 125's on the market before purchase. Honda , Yamaha and Suzuki top brands would have cost approx. £4,600 but I took what most people would consider a 'flyer' on the Chinese bike from Zontes at £3,100. The last couple of years on it have been amazing. I've only done about 2,000 miles but go out on 120 mile day trips as well as local runs , it hasn't missed a beat . I must admit I like my bells and whistles so was attracted to the gizmo's like illuminated switchgear at night and the electric fuel lid pop up. But , consider also that it has Bosch ABS and fuel injection , stainless steel exhaust , keyless fob and in my opinion very good lights at night (LED projector) . I've had no troubles with any of it . I keep the battery on maintenance charger for which Deardens had already fitted the connection wiring. The only thing I keep in my jacket pocket is a spare fob battery in case it dies while I'm out , they are £2.50 each ! I bought the rear bobbins as on your ZT 350 and paddock stands to do chain clean , lube and maintence. Where ever I go the bike gets admiring looks and many think it's at least a 250 because of it's styling and chunky nature , which is great when it's only a 125. I couldn't have bought a better first bike to get my experience back . I have maintained it though and it is in as-new condition. I'm now ready for the full A licence test so the Zontes did the job for which it was intended and in excellent fashion. If I pass I'd like at least a 500 so am looking at chinese CF Moto 450/650/700 due to the many positive comments below. Having said that , the new version of the trusty Honda CB500X , the NX500 , is calling . My view being that if you move up in the price range you have more to lose. At £3,100 I was prepared to take a punt and it has so far paid off. At £6,000 to £7,000 I might go for a little more surety in the Honda. We'll see.
Love the idea of your reliability test on the 350 and will be waiting for the next episode. All the best with the trip sir .
Thanks so much! It'd be great to have you on our BikeSocial Facebook group if you can. Cheers, John
@@bennettsbikesocial Thanks John , just applied to join. Regards , Paul.
Please do answer the questions or it'll block you out@@paulcollings5424
I had a cheap Chinese 150cc purchased in 2008, road it for about two years and 4,000 miles before giving it to my father in law. $1300 USD delivered. larger "touring" body style (at 6'7" that was a bit better than the little one), To me on my ONE experience, it seemed the mechanicals were ok/ the one issue was the seat release cables fell off rather quickly/ but other than that it was pretty ok. So, perhaps you get a bit more than you pay for in life/ but it ran respectably.
Fair note on the :Chinglish style manual, I studied Mandarin at the MTC in Taipei for three years long long ago.
A red running light on the back of your helmet is much better than one fitted next to bike's rear lamp. Your head is much higher and is visible from way many angles and distances as it's not obscured by cars as often as the lamps at the usual bike level.
Thanks for the video. I have just bought a compressor and saw you used this to apply XCP to the bike. Any chance of a future video showing this so I can consider it in the future?
Do you mean about XCP? Have a look for the two best corrosion protectant videos I've done.
I had a Zontes G1 Scrambler as a 125cc alongside a Honda CB125R. I much preferred the Zontes, though I passed my tests so didn’t have it long enough to really comment on longevity or reliability. What I did experience though was very positive. One point though, for new riders. If you get a Chinese 125cc, once you pass you test and want to move it on, most dealers won’t touch it. The one I bought it from did however.
Thanks for this! All the best, John
Had this trade-in experience with my Zontes too. Many dealers still stuck in the 'chinese bikes are rubbish' old trope.
I have worked in the motorcycle industry and one of the most important things as a consumer and motorcycle rider is to know how availability of parts work for your chosen brand. A lot of people are in the mindset of: Oh, I 'll deal with that later...
With this mindset you can miss a whole season of riding. With the state of this world is at today, how can you know that Cheng Ping or Ding Dong will be around tomorrow? As a consumer you should think long term, and also not support flooding of shady brands into a market so that the next person will be handed your problems.
It's expensive to be poor, because cheap things break more often and it is a vicious cycle. Personally I see the same warning signals with the bike in this video, and this is a brand new bike. If I owned a shop I would make a clear pass on it, because a business has a reputation to think of, and you as a consumer do not. Once you got your money you are on your way so you have to start to understand the importance of responsibility in an adult world. If you screw your customers over, that word will get out very quickly, and especially in this day and age.
It's important to have a perspective so that we can grasp the reality of this world and not just see it from our own two feet.
Wise words
Traded my Zontes in for a Himmy cost me £2500..thought was ok.
As I said elsewhere, from 2019 onwards quality is rarely an issue. Where the problem lies is that the factories are poor at distributior selection, just selling to a buyer. This means that parts supply can be terrible, amplifying small problems into big ones.
I’ve got a 10ten 140, and a slam 250, both most reliable and best bikes I’ve been on,I was same until I got that, they’re reliable and probably best bikes about today, I got 3 brand new bikes for the same as some second hand and new
I bought a new Lexmoto 125 last year. Constantly had to get it fixed, taken to the shop. Multiple things went wrong with it to the point that I only actually had about 2 weeks use out of it after 6 months. Then I got a Yamaha r125- 0 issues, never again
I dropped into that particular dealer to look at a zontes scooter. Unfortunately they didn’t have the model I was looking for, but they were very helpful. Apparently they don’t do test rides.
I think you hit the nail on the head. If you know what your doing with bikes mechanically they you can get and keep a chinese bike. If you are a new rider or clueless then they arent worth the hassle.
Rust, cheap thin wiring and hard to find service parts make them a pain to own.
Hiya, I'm looking forward to this long term review.
I have a question, why c-tec and not sae? I have the Oxford charger which is great but the connecting leads are flimsy and not very good so I was going to change over to sae which looks a sturdier connection and more universal to other stuff until I saw that you changed it to c-tec.
Keep up the good work ✌️
Thanks! I'm reviewing a C-Tek at the moment, hence using that connector. SAE are good, and what are found on Optimates of course. I'm not keen on the Tamiya-style ones on the Oxfords.
@@bennettsbikesocial OK, thanks for the reply and look forward to the review, 👍
@@marktorbay www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/reviews/products/motorcycle-technology
@@bennettsbikesocial thank you
It's a bit of a weird one but my Suzuki Inazuma is a chinese made bike and has been as reliable as my made in Japan FZ1 both have roughly 20k miles i put on them. I suspect they've learned a thing or two with their collaborations and the quality is becoming very similar.....
@@NakaNakaDerkaDerka Of course no doubt about it, but surely there's a point where these factories realise, hmm maybe if we match the quality assurance of our own manufacturers for a more competitive price we can start stealing some market share. It looks like CFMoto are going that way at least.
+1 for Inazuma - I currently have a 2019 (GW250) 11,000 km so far and just purring along. I’m currently working and living in China and the bikes here are really hard to resist, I’m leaning towards the CFMoto 450NK as my next, though my Chinese riding buddy says to wait for the MT - really I want CF to make a scrambler! But Zontes, Voge, Kove , Binelli, QJ etc are all around me - tough choices.
I had a leeway rkf 125. It turned heads, styling like a KTM. It sat on bigger wheels than those thin things you usually see on a 125. The issue came from local garages who wouldn't touch it!!
I Have the Sinnis terrain t380, had it 2 years now, added a few bits and pieces to improve, including a tyre change to Metzeler roadtecs which are cracking, fully dealer serviced and touch wood never had a problem
Please do join our BikeSocial Facebook group as it'd be great to hear more. Cheers, John
@@bennettsbikesocial all sorted I've sent a request, thanks
Loved seeing Todd's cameo 😂
At last, someone noticed! Cheers, John
Greetings from Greece. After 5,5 years and 32300km my zontes X310 still commutes me around Athens with the original chain on. I asked the mechanic if i had to change this or the back gear and he said "no, its ok" Afew minor issues in guarantee and in some really cold weather a check engine sign. I think it is the efi. Never checked the error code. Also sometimes if i stalled it could not keep the revs and died.The solution to this is to turn off the bike, lock it wait a few seconds unlock and problem solved. (Again i think its the efi).
I bought a set of Oxford Rear running lights as my rack slightly overhangs the rear light. They are bright and certainly give more visibility. However, as the lights do not incorporate a brake light I was concerned that other road users would focus on those lights and not necessarily notice the main light when I was braking. I ended up wiring the lights in with the rear break so they act as additional brake lights. One could argue if the running lights were mounted next to the main light then the break light would be visible, but if you're mounting them because the rear light is slightly obscured then adding the running lights in the same place seems a bit pointless For £50 (I got a set of new ones off ebay for £35) the lights would be better value if they included the brake light component too.