Zontes 310 scooter due early 2021

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Re: Zontes 310 scooter due early 2021

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Data wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 7:03 am I think the days of disrespecting the Chinese motorcycle industry are over, or at the very least, time limited! Lol.
MrGrumpy wrote: Thu Dec 24, 2020 6:14 am the valve clearances need checking every 4000 miles
Oh, I think there's plenty of mileage to be had yet. A modern scooter with a 4000 mile service interval is simply unacceptable, especially to the majority of riders who will pay £££ to dealers for same.

And as someone mentioned Sinnis as a paragon of manufacturing virtue earlier in the thread, I will share these pictures of one of their fine steeds which was parked at the back of Lyn's house last time I went over. Six years old, this is:


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While portraying the general decrepitude of the shed fairly well, these photos don't fully demonstrate the level of rot in the swingarm, which looked to be perforated in places. Oh, and of course it was broken with some as yet undiagnosed electrical fault... what an absolute pile of shite.

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Re: Zontes 310 scooter due early 2021

Post by Data »

So pretty much the same as the 7 year old CBF125 Honda that can be seen running around my home town in a shite condition. Any bike that isn't looked after, as the one in your pictures clearly isn't, will become a heap of shite in due course. I notice, owned by a learner as many of them are, and he or she will likely be very inexperienced at looking after a bike. That doesn't help. I must say too that the electrical issues that some earlier Chinese bikes suffered isn't something that is prevalent now. They use better quality looms as many pro's who road test them do testify to. My nephews Sinnis has over 22,000 trouble free miles on the clock and is now 2.5years old. the motor is sweet, although not that powerful at 11.4hp I think he said. It looks brand new still, but he does wash it once a week with a detail clean, and uses Waxoyl in the winter to protect it. It's not hard to do that. It's far better finished than many of the Hondas that I had over the years, and that rusted vigorously. Of course, few of them do these days. And it's the same with the Chinese bikes being produced now. They have come on in leaps and bounds in just the last few years and actually rival the koreans and even some jap bikes for quality. If you don't believe me go take a look at the Zontes range or even the Lexmoto range which is now unrecognisable from the bikes they produced 6-7 years ago regarding quality and finish. The Chinese are trying very hard to please you have to give them that. But don't get me wrong. Not all Chinese bikes are equal...still! Zontes, Sinnis, Lexmoto are probable amongst the best brands with Zontes at the top in my view with Sinnis very close indeed behind. I base that on personal experience of the brands regarding servicing and knowing owners of the brands. Parts are easy to get too from my experience.

As for the 4,000 mile service intervals. Nearly all Suzuki scooters require a 3,750 mile service, or sooner if it's smaller than the 400 Burgman (Burgman 400 needs a 3750 oil change etc). As do many other Japanese or Korean makes. So that's not unusual Jaz. And you mustn't forget that mostly Chinese bikes and scooters are smaller engined machines and like any smaller engined bikes they do need servicing more often.

Where once I would have supported your view of Chinese bikes, the facts now prevent me from doing so. Things have moved on very fast. ;)
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Re: Zontes 310 scooter due early 2021

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Its not that the Sinnis bike needed a service every 4000 miles - the Tmax needs an oil change every 3000! But apparently a valve clearance check was needed (OK - according to MCN, which isn't the most reliable source!). Now whilst I'm sure its easier on a bike like that than on a big maxi, its not a 5 minute job. On the Tmax its a major operation.......

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Re: Zontes 310 scooter due early 2021

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MrGrumpy wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 8:36 am Its not that the Sinnis bike needed a service every 4000 miles - the Tmax needs an oil change every 3000! But apparently a valve clearance check was needed (OK - according to MCN, which isn't the most reliable source!). Now whilst I'm sure its easier on a bike like that than on a big maxi, its not a 5 minute job. On the Tmax its a major operation.......
I think that is only for the first valve clearance check. Many bikes require an early valve check, even needing it done at first service quite often. After then it's every 12,000 miles I think for the T380. But I'll look into that and report back. I know someone who is buying the Sinnis Terrain 380. He hasn't got it yet but I'll be all over him when he has and let you know out of interest. But the Zontes is probably a better bike in my view. More economical, just as powerful, and faster with easier servicing and cheaper to buy. They kick off at £4199 for the T310 range. Don't know if you watched the video of the T310 I posted earlier. It's worth a watch Grumpy.
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Re: Zontes 310 scooter due early 2021

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Data wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:18 am So pretty much the same as the 7 year old CBF125 Honda that can be seen running around my home town in a shite condition.
At least the Honda is still running around, that Sinnis is going nowhere!
Data wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:18 am My nephews Sinnis has over 22,000 trouble free miles on the clock and is now 2.5years old. the motor is sweet, although not that powerful at 11.4hp I think he said. It looks brand new still
The lad I bought my C1 from had a Sinnis, an adventure type 125. It was two years old and looked like it had been in the cut for most of its life. I can't help thinking that something that's designed to be used (and kept) outside shouldn't be that knackered after two years just because someone couldn't be bothered to valet it extensively every week.

Contrary to popular belief, I've never disputed that the Chinese can build bikes BTW. It's well known that they make bikes for so-called prestige manufacturers in factories that are equipped with western quality control. It's the domestic market rubbish that's imported here under various names, so you don't know which factory it came from, that I object to. Sinnis isn't a manufacturer, it's only a sticker on the tank in the way Cossack was on all the Iron Curtain stuff that was shipped here in the 70s and 80s.
Data wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:18 am As for the 4,000 mile service intervals. Nearly all Suzuki scooters require a 3,750 mile service, or sooner if it's smaller than the 400 Burgman (Burgman 400 needs a 3750 oil change etc). As do many other Japanese or Korean makes. So that's not unusual Jaz. And you mustn't forget that mostly Chinese bikes and scooters are smaller engined machines and like any smaller engined bikes they do need servicing more often.
You're telling someone who has to do an oil change every thousand miles! Thing is, times have changed since the CN was new (my Fusion is 35 now). I get that smaller engines have shorter service intervals, but valve adjustments every 4000 miles is unacceptable in my book. Incidentally, the Fusion - as old as it is - only requires valve adjustments every 12000 miles - is that progress?
Data wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:18 am Where once I would have supported your view of Chinese bikes, the facts now prevent me from doing so.
I haven't seen anything factual enough to change my opinion yet, I'm afraid. As far as I'm concerned, Chinese bikes still = caveat emptor.

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Re: Zontes 310 scooter due early 2021

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Data wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:18 am So pretty much the same as the 7 year old CBF125 Honda that can be seen running around my home town in a shite condition.
The Honda is built in Thailand I believe. I remember being in my local Honda main dealer workshop and the mechanic described the CB125 as being 'absolute shit'! The snag for someone like me who doesn't have an awful lot of mechanical know-how or experience is that its hard to tell which bikes from the Far East are fine and which aren't. They all look very shiny in the showroom!!!

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Re: Zontes 310 scooter due early 2021

Post by Data »

I know what you mean Grumpy. In fact, to make it easier, it's best to assume that most bikes are made in China or some far eastern country. For example, BMW, Yamaha and Suzuki all make a significant number of their bikes in China...in fact in the same factory as the Sinnis bikes are made. Sinnis are of course a British company and farm out their manufacturing to China like so many other firms these days. And incidentally, Harley Davidson also get some of their most popular bikes made in the same factory, in China. Triumphs are mostly made in Thailand. And nothing wrong with that as the trade will tell you. Nothing wrong with the quality and many say the quality is a cut above machines coming out of the more traditional factories in Japan and the States. My Vespa GTS is one of the few european brands still made in it's mother country for the UK market, but many GTS bikes are now made in the far east. Again, nothing wrong with the quality.

Jaz, any bike left out in the open and not cleaned properly periodically will look like shite. That's largely irrespective of what make of bike. We used to get all sorts coming into the workshop and it's an eye opener as to what quality is like. My two Burgman 650's ridden all year round did get cleaned and ACF50'd but were often left outside in all the weather at our offices all over europe. The rear shocks turned to pure rust (very poor chromium on the springs), the finish on the frames turned really bad and the exhausts were in a right state. After two years they looked like 10 year old bikes. Of course they were company bikes. My last Burgman 400 was going the same way in spite of intensive care. The frame needed a complete respray as it was just pure rust (I didn't rust proof it, of course, because it's a Suzuki!). My GSX1400's were the same, although I rebuilt both of those, both engines and frames due to high mileages. Although my Vstrom 1000GT faired considerably better. Funnily enough, the bike I actually expected to rust the most, my Vespa, hasn't a single blemish on it in spite of being left out a lot during it's first year of life with me. It gets pampered now and cleans up like new each time. Of course China makes some absolute shite! But those bikes tend not to be imported these days to the UK. Those are the bikes that are also sold internally to their own less demanding market place.

But this is an interesting subject. I've never seen such a sea change in quality of any cars or motorcycles happen so quickly over the decade as what we see today concerning Chinese motorcycles. Take a look at some of the professionals on Youtube who own dealerships selling various ranges of established bikes, and Chinese machines and hear what they have to say. Take a look at the Missenden Flyers Channel and hear what he says about the long term Sinnis bikes including the Terrain 125 he's been running over various winters in the snow and ice. Zero issues and no corrosion in spite of all the salt. These are guys who wouldn't have touched Chinese bikes even 6-7 years ago but now they actually embrace them because they are so good. And that is the prevalent view from everyone that tries them, owns or sells them now.

Here's a link to the Zontes 310M maxi scooter:
Liking the look so far but want to see it up close. Luckily I have dealers not far from me so when it comes out I'll be there.
Probably not ugly enough for the 'Ugly Bunch'! :lol:

Been riding for 54 years & owned too many bikes to list here...

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