The Cyclone RX3 distributed by CSC Motorcycles was introduced with an inaugural group ride through Baja Mexico in April 2015. This ride took 15 adventurous motorcyclists on a 1,700-mile round trip through the Baja Peninsula and across I return to the CSC offices in Azusa, California. In all, the 15 new Cyclone RX3 motorcycles have clocked up 25,500 miles with only a few minor issues.
This first promotional ride was followed by the “Western Adventure Tour” in July 2015. Here, 10 riders from Columbia, China, and the US racked up a total of 50,000 miles on 10 new bikes. This epic journey inspired the book, 5000 miles at 8000rpm by Joe Berk, CSC spokesman. Once again, there were no major mechanical issues with the new CSC Cyclone RX3 motorcycles being ridden hard for 18 days at speeds up to 75mph and sometimes over 400 miles per day. Tour riders (and machines) were met with sub-zero temperatures of over 100 degrees and elevations from sea level to 9,000 feet on the continental divide.
These rides conclusively demonstrated the durability of the RX3 adventure bike. But the attractions also pointed out some improvements that would be needed in subsequent shipments of the CSC Cyclone RX3, including upgrades to the standard 12-volt batteries. The rides further helped finalize the recommended maintenance schedule for North American bicycle owners.
But the RX3 motorcycle was tested before it was available for sale in North America. The bike has been sold in China for several years and is also sold in many other countries under multiple brand names. For example, the same basic bike is sold in Belarus as the M1nsk TRX300i, and in Central America as the AKT Moto TT250. In fact, Zongshen’s largest motorcycle market is in Columbia. Motorcycle sales exceed 700,000 units per year in Columbia, compared to fewer than 500,000 total motorcycle sales in the United States.
It is also interesting that the most popular motorcycles in Colombia are only 100cc to 125cc. A 250cc motorcycle is considered huge! The best selling machine is a 100cc motorcycle made in India. The Zongshen/AKT Moto version sold at Columbia is called the TT250 and is considered a high-end upgrade and exudes prestige.
What is a M1nsk?
The M1nsk motorcycle company originated in 1951 when the USSR took control of German DKW motorcycles as part of WWII reparations. The company moved to Moscow and made motorcycles under the M1A brand. Eventually, the factory moved to Belarus, where they built Minsk-branded bikes. Since the early years, the Minsk brand has been actively involved in motorsport, especially motocross and circuit racing. The Minsk-Pamir (1969) and Brest-Vladivostok (1971) rallies became iconic milestones in the history of the Minsk brand. Building on this reputation, Minsk motorcycles became known for their durability and were exported to other European countries.
In 2007, the company went private and began using the M1nsk brand. Today, the M1nsk company produces retro-style snowmobiles, ATVs, scooters, ATVs, and bicycles based on the designs of its vintage 1950s models.
How does the M1nsk TRX300i fit in? M1nsk does not make the TRX300i adventure motorcycle. Instead, the TRX300i is a renowned Chinese motorcycle, the Zongshen RX3. Zongshen is a modern manufacturer, founded in 1992, manufacturing more than 1,000,000 (yes, that’s 1 MILLION) engines and motorcycles a year. Many of these models are now sold around the world under various brand names by master dealers.
The US and North American dealer is CSC Motorcycles and they sell the CSC Cyclone RX3 direct to the public. To connect the past with the present, M1nsk entered three stock TRX300i motorcycles in the 2013 Brest-Dushanbe rally with a total length of 6,200 miles (10,000 km). The rally traversed the rugged terrain of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan with all three bikes completing the journey. This rally was previously covered in an ADVPulse article in February 2014.
Note: this “rally” is not the Baja 1000 or the Dakar Rally. Think more of the lines of Ewan and Charley traversing the rugged countryside of the same region at Long Way Around. A video of the rally (in Russian) can be seen on the Minsk Motorcycles YouTube channel.
Once again, it was an impressive endurance milestone that Zongshen’s three production motorcycles covered a cumulative distance of 30,000 km without any mechanical problems.
The CSC Cyclone RX3: Proven Reliability
The M1nsk TRX300i is almost identical to the Cyclone RX3 marketed through CSC Motorcycles. However, another unique attribute of Zongshen is that each domestic dealer has the ability to make changes to the final specifications of the motorcycle to meet the regulations of their continent and the demands of their target buyers. In his book, 5,000 Miles at 8,000 RPM, Joe Berk describes how CSC made changes to wheel size, alternator capacity, wiring harness, battery, and other components before finalizing the model that would become the Cyclone. RX3 for sale in North America. In addition, CSC Motorcycles has also assembled a comprehensive catalog of aftermarket parts, accessories, options and special editions to meet the requirements of adventure riders across the US and Canada.
The net result is that the North American Cyclone RX3 is even BETTER than the original Zongshen model. Remember that tens of thousands of these original models have already been tested in Asia, Central America and Europe. (The INITIAL order for the AKT Moto model from the Colombian dealer was 6,000 motorcycles!) Since 1992, Zongshen has produced tens of MILLIONS of engines in many sizes. State of the art manufacturing facilities test EVERY one of these engines before they are assembled into a complete motorcycle, and then EVERY one of these complete motorcycles is dyno tested for quality control.
While adventure motorcycles are a growing recreation niche here in North America, Zongshen motorcycles have earned a strong reputation for quality and durability in the rest of the world, where motorcycles are the primary and integral mode of transportation. for trade. These motorcycle owners demand economical operation and reliability. In some of these countries, the average annual income is less than the cost of a set of fancy aluminum panniers found on many European “adventure bikes”.
In addition to this, CSC Motorcycles is committed to continually refining the base motorcycle and parts and accessory selection for sale to North American motorcyclists. CSC Motorcycles includes a comprehensive maintenance manual with every Cyclone RX3 and is also producing a comprehensive catalog of tutorials covering all aspects of routine maintenance. Finally, CSC backs the Cyclone RX3 with a warranty that covers parts and labor for one year and all parts for two years with UNLIMITED mileage.
Is the Cyclone RX3 the right adventure bike for you? That is a very personal decision as everyone’s requirements are different. However, the reliability of the Cyclone RX3 is unquestionable. CSC Motorcycles has not only put the bike through torture tests in real life, but tens of thousands of adventure riders around the world have also proven its reliability. There is a growing and devoted “cult of the Zong” associated with this motorcycle because it not only performs, but outperforms motorcycles that cost two to five times as much for a comparable fully equipped touring package. Further proof of the Cyclone RX3’s reliability is that two national motorcycle rental and touring companies now offer this model for rental and tour packages.
Now Available: The CSC RX3-P Police Motorcycle: A specially equipped variation of the Cyclone RX3 Adventure model that has been used (and abused) by law enforcement in Asia. Stay tuned to the CSC blog for more information.
References:
ADVPulse, 02112014
CSC Motorcycles (cscmotorcycles.com)