Zongshen Sierra 200 Report

[SpudRider]

Today I just reached 7,500 miles on the odometer of my new Zongshen Sierra 200 motorcycle. I could not be more pleased with this machine. I average 75 mpg, and the bike will cruise at 60 mph all day long. I have not had any mechanical problems whatsoever. The Zongshen engine and the TK MV28 carburetor on this motorcycle are superb. No one should bash this motorcycle. It is an excellent bike for the price, and I would buy another one just like it in a heartbeat.

[CrazyCarl]

Well that's good news! There have been a couple people around the world who have reported good things about their Sierra 200's and I'm happy your one of them!

Got pics? How long have you had it and what kind of riding do you do? Have you had to replace any parts?

CC

[SpudRider]

Carl,

I bought my 2006 Zongshen Sierra 200 motorcycle new, in the crate, this summer. I have used my bike to travel extensively in Southeast Idaho and Northern Utah. I travel a lot on both paved and unpaved roads, sometimes taking short trips lasting two or three days. I also frequently ride in the Rocky Mountains on a variety of dual-track jeep trails and logging roads.

My Zongshen Sierra 200 has proven to be extremely reliable; I do not hesitate to take it anywhere. Since owning the motorcycle I have only needed to replace the headlamp bulb and two bulbs that illuminate the speedometer.

The Zongshen has proven to be a rugged motorcycle that will cruise comfortably at 55 mph for hundreds of miles on secondary roads. This motorcycle is also tough enough to take a good beating on steep, rocky, dual-track roads in the mountains. I live and ride the bike at a minimum altitude of 4,400 feet above sea level. I frequently take the motorcycle into the surrounding mountains up to altitudes above 9,000 feet of elevation, and it has always performed flawlessly.

Here are a few pictures from my recent travels.

[kingmarty45]

wow, that is some beautiful countryside you have got there. Fantastic stuff.

It is a good looking bike too. In Australia, Barkbusters come standard on the Zongshen, did you take yours off?

[CrazyCarl]

Spud,

Your pics are really great and they attest to the vast expansive beauty of Idaho and Utah... both still quite wild areas of the world!

If you have time, I - and I'm sure others - would LOVE to hear more about these 2-3 day trips you took out into the mountains. Maybe a short trip report?

Many folks don't really consider C-Motos as capable of long distance off-road touring even though they are ... especially when ridden carefully. Folks who have never tried a long distance trip on their C-Motos might have questions like:

• What special considerations do you need to take for overnight travel with a light bike?
• What kind of roads are best for this kind of bike?
• What kind of skillsets do I need in order to do it?

Cheers Spud! That's the stuff dreams are made of!

CC

[SpudRider]

Marty and Carl,

Thank you very much for your kind remarks. Indeed, I consider myself very blessed to live in such a beautiful land.

Yes, my Zong did come with fork protectors and barkbusters; however, I decided not to attach them. I think that my bike looks better, weighs less, and is easier to clean and maintain without them.

I have said many nice things about my 2006 Zonshen Sierra 200. However, to give a fair report on the motorcycle I should mention a few things I dislike. First of all, this motorcycle is heavy for its size; the manufacturer claims a dry weight of 298 pounds (135 kg). I have not personally weighed my motorcycle, but this figure seems accurate to me. For the dual-track trails I enjoy riding, this is an acceptable weight. Nevertheless, it is not fun to turn this bike around on a tight trail, and I certainly don't enjoy lifting it after I drop it. However, I do enjoy taking trips of several hundred miles on the secondary roads to visit nearby towns and enjoy their beautiful scenery. Over the highway the extra weight and wide saddle on this motorcycle make it much more comfortable to ride, especially when the Idaho winds are blowing at 25 miles-per-hour!

I am generally very pleased with the quality of this motorcycle's components. This motorcycle is very solidly constructed, and this undoubtedly adds to its weight. However, I do plan to make several alterations to this bike. Although it is adequate, the left switchgear could be nicer. Also, after I replaced the incandescent turn signal bulbs with LEDs, I noticed that the turn signal lenses are very flimsy. I bought some replacement turn signals, and I plan to install them at some convenient time in the future. Finally, the tires on this bike are an unusual size for a dual-sport motorcycle, especially the rear tire (130/90-15). I have found many options available for street tires, and the Cheng Shin Barracuda tires that came with my motorcycle are very nice. However, I have found only one option available in a DOT knobby rear tire, the Kingstone 130/90-15 tire that is available only from Zongshen. Fortunately, this is a very good tire; it grips well in the dirt and wears well on the street. I am now ready to replace this tire after 7,000 miles.

I did forget to mention earlier that I needed to replace the original chain after 4,000 miles; I have installed a Tsubaki 428HQR chain that has stretched very little over the last 3,500 miles.

I paid less than $1,200 in United States currency for delivery of my motorcycle; I consider it an exceptional value at that price.

Spud

[SamM]

Hey SpudRider,
That's a nice bike you have there. I've always liked the orange versions. I'm glad to hear that you've had good luck with it. My experience with the Zongshen 200 has not been so pleasant. My bike is the Qlink version built by Zongshen for Qlink. It's called the X-Ranger 200. Just after getting the bike new from an out of state dealer, I noticed that the frame was bent. I took the bike to a local Qlink dealer. After having my new bike for over 2 months Qlink refused my claim. The dealership also damaged the bike. When I picked it up the paint was damaged and the electric starter no longer worked. I brought it home and it's been sitting in my shop ever since. Not sure it would even run now as it's been sitting for over 2 years. My first chinese motorcycle was parted out and I ended up making a profit. That profit was used to pay for the Qlink. I originally paid $800 for the bike but now I have no money whatsoever in it.

My question is, have you found a source for parts yet? After reading your posts, I now have a renewed interest in my bike. I'd love to have another bike to use for friends, my daughter and for lighter dualsport rides. Any ideas how to fix the bent frame? My thought is to buy a $75 frame bender from Dennis Kirk. The bikes very similar to the Yamaha TW200. Hopefully, some of the TW parts will interchange with it. The bottom picture shows the bent frame.

Hey Carl! I hope you've been well!

SamM

[Jim]

My Lifan GY6 looked similar, they just weren't very accurate when they assembled the rear subframe I suppose, but it didn't affect the handling of the bike... It was only the rear part where the seat and tail lights mount, we bent it with a pipe, it's pretty close now... Coast to Coast likely would have helped me out but I wasn't concerned with it and never mentioned it to them. I could only tell by looking at the reflector under the license plate compared to the tire.

[SpudRider]

...My question is, have you found a source for parts yet?...Any ideas how to fix the bent frame? My thought is to buy a $75 frame bender from Dennis Kirk. The bikes very similar to the Yamaha TW200. Hopefully, some of the TW parts will interchange with it....

Sam,
It is very nice to hear from you! I bought my 2006 Zongshen as surplus stock, new, in-the-crate, without a warranty. At the price I paid, I did not expect a warranty. Also, I had read a lot of reports where owners, such as you, had difficulty getting Chinese manufacturers to honor warranties. Therefore, I was content to get a very low price, which compensated for the lack of a warranty. Fortunately, I have had very good luck with my Zongshen 200GY-2.

I have found Zongshen America to be a very good source for parts. In fact, I have a parts order being processed at this moment. Although your motorcycle is badged as a Qlink, I strongly encourage you to contact Zongshen America to get any parts you need for your motorcycle.

http://www.zongshenamerica.com/

Compared to a Japanese motorcycle, the Zongshen parts are very inexpensive. For example, I ordered six foam air filter elements from Zongshen America for $0.75 each; the best wholesale price I have found for the identical (or nearly identical) Yamaha TW200 foam air filter element is around $4.50 each.

I am not an expert, so I cannot offer any experienced advice regarding how to fix your bent frame. However, I am sure that many chinabike owners here, and on other forums, will be glad to offer you some sound advice. I encourage you to get your Zong back on the road; it is a great little motorcycle!

Spud

[SpudRider]

My Lifan GY6 looked similar, they just weren't very accurate when they assembled the rear subframe I suppose, but it didn't affect the handling of the bike... It was only the rear part where the seat and tail lights mount, we bent it with a pipe, it's pretty close now... Coast to Coast likely would have helped me out but I wasn't concerned with it and never mentioned it to them. I could only tell by looking at the reflector under the license plate compared to the tire.

My Zongshen is also a little crooked at the rear frame component, under the luggage rack. However, the rear wheel and swingarm are perfectly aligned, so the handling is not affected. I am not concerned either; I expected to find some minor cosmetic imperfections when I bought a Chinese motorcycle. However, my Zongshen 200GY-2 is very solidly constructed, and this is more important to me.

Looking at the pictures of Sam’s bike, it does appear that the rear wheel is canted a bit. How does your bike handle, Sam? I am sure someone knows the best way to get that frame straightened out for you.

Spud