What bike + some other questions from a newbie...

[hanzywanzy]

But why would you want one? There is no need for it in Kaz, Russia and the EU, which are on your way to Belgium.

I wanted to go via Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan - Iran, because of the temperatures. Russia might be too cold for the time of the year, as I plan to travel back from october to januari...

I read in different articles that it is difficult to get permission to travel trough Tibet in China, which makes it difficult to ride to Nepal and India. Then I tought about Kazakhstan - Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan, with a CDP. Still a little bit cold, but not for the whole trip :p

Maybe I just need to buy decent winter clothes. I might try to shoot a bear the next couple of weeks :-)

Anyway, many thanks for the advice!

Greetings,
Hans

[chinabiker]

I wanted to go via Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan - Iran, because of the temperatures. Russia might be too cold for the time of the year, as I plan to travel back from october to januari...

I read in different articles that it is difficult to get permission to travel trough Tibet in China, which makes it difficult to ride to Nepal and India. Then I tought about Kazakhstan - Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan, with a CDP. Still a little bit cold, but not for the whole trip :p

Maybe I just need to buy decent winter clothes. I might try to shoot a bear the next couple of weeks :-)

Anyway, many thanks for the advice!

Greetings,
Hans

"Tea Bed" may be off limits, not only from the permit point of view but from the weather as well. India, Pakistan and Iran are requiring a CdP, the latter 2 however may be negotiable on the border from what I heard.

No matter the route, it is the cold season in most places, and the Kaz steppe or Eastern Turkey can be particularly nasty.

Good Luck

[slabo]

There is a difference of ~5k between 200 and 250cc bikes. Saw the 250cc below for 18000RMB at the local Zhongshen dealer. Suzuki also make a 250 V-twin, less flashy though, which i personally prefer. But i only saw it in Police colors and i don't remember how much it cost. I think the Suzuki is the best value for you if you want a 250 cruizer, but you could save alot of money if you buy a 200 thumper.




better now, sorry about the lighting, i guess business was not going good enough to turn on the lights.

[hanzywanzy]

Cool Slabo,

you even took pictures! I think this bike is pretty good looking. I don't really mind spending that much of money (around 18000 rmb), been working in Australia for the last half year.

You reckon the bike on the pictures would be reliable enough to drive to Belgium? I would carry about 20 kilos of luggage with it and drive about 1000 km every week. I myself weigh about 75-80 kilos, depending on the country where I'm staying :p

I read some very good comments on Zongshen bikes, also on this website, but then again, some other customers seem not that satisfied about the brand. As I'm not really skilled in moto-mechanics it might be a problem if it needs repair every 500 km. Tightening bolts however is something I dont consider as a problem.

Million thanks again for the efforts you did for these pictures!

Greetings,
Hans

[slabo]

Reliable? Even some Japanese bikes require the odd fix now and then. Every 500 km? i think that's extreme. I find bike maintenance a bit intimidating, but i think its something worth learning, whatever the bike is. For your payload, even a Yamaha YBR 125 would do. A member, i think username tokyokid, rode all the way to Germany with his wife on a 125 Yamaha. Yamaha would definitely be more reliable, and if you have 23k, you could buy the 250cc. But that's more of a Honda Nighthawk style bike. The only advantage I can see with the Zhongshen is the V-twin engine, smother cruising at average 120+ km/h, more comfortable on good roads. But that is your personal preference. Send me a private message and i'll send you full res photos.
I think most of the Zhongshens discussed on this site are the Dual sports bikes, i don't think i've seen this bike before on MCM, so maybe it's not good to judge the bike by brand only. I can't say more about it, i only took pictures.

[hanzywanzy]

Reliable? Even some Japanese bikes require the odd fix now and then. Every 500 km? i think that's extreme. I find bike maintenance a bit intimidating, but i think its something worth learning, whatever the bike is.

Off course, I got the same opinion about that learning. I was only wondering if the engine would be strong/decent enough to make it on a trip like that. The smaller repairs zand maintainence I could try to learn on the way home...

Would there be a big difference in 200cc bikes vs 250cc? I would appreciate it if the bike could make it to 120 km/h without too many problems, so that I can drive it on the highways in Belgium afterwards.

[chinabiker]

This one most likely will dissolve on Kazakhstan roads

Would there be a big difference in 200cc bikes vs 250cc? I would appreciate it if the bike could make it to 120 km/h without too many problems, so that I can drive it on the highways in Belgium afterwards.

My buddie's 200cc Zhongshen makes barely a 100, solo, no luggage.

However, Tokykid made from Shanghai to Berlin on a 125cc bike, two up,

[slabo]

I think there is more to consider than engine size. If i reach 80km/h on my Shineray XY200GY-7, i can't hold on to the grips any more. The whole bike vibrates, and i just don't want to go any faster. But partly it's because the big rear sproket, and also it's a thumper. The zhongshen dual sport is very popular on this site, but its a completly different bike than the cruiser pictured here. Also, a V-twin will vibrate much less than a thumper. It's a different engine, not just 50cc difference.

[slabo]

bought a helmet from the Suzuki dealer and here is what i saw:



Looks super comfortable for cruising down good roads. Too bad it's a thumper though. But i did see GN250's with V-engines before. Guess they are hard to find now.

[hanzywanzy]

If those V-twin configuration makes a difference, I'd rather buy a model with a v-twin engine, even if they might cost me a little more. I think it would be cool to drive without too much worries.

This one most likely will dissolve on Kazakhstan roads

I am assuming they got paved/asphalted roads between their main cities. If not, it might make my travelling slightly more complicated. But then again, that's partly what makes it interesting :-)