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 beyond. return to the CSC offices in Azusa, California. In all, the 15 new Cyclone RX3 motorcycles racked up 25,500 miles with only a few minor problems.
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, 5,000 miles at 8,000 rpm by Joe Berk, CSC spokesman. Once again, there were no major mechanical issues with the new CSC Cyclone RX3 bikes that were ridden hard for 18 days at speeds up to 75mph and at times over 400 miles per day. Tour riders (and machines) encountered subzero 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 to some improvements that would be needed in later 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 bike owners.
But the RX3 motorcycle was tested before it was available for sale in North America. The bike has been sold in China for a number of 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 less 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 quality 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 World War II reparations. The company moved to Moscow and manufactured motorcycles under the M1A brand. Eventually the factory moved to Belarus, where they built Minsk-branded bikes. From the earliest 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 started using the M1nsk brand. Today, the M1nsk company produces retro-style snowmobiles, ATVs, scooters, ATVs and bicycles based on the designs of its vintage models from 1950.
How does the M1nsk TRX300i fit in? M1nsk does not manufacture the TRX300i adventure motorcycle. Instead, the TRX300i is a rebranded 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 every year. Many of these models are now sold worldwide under various brand names by major 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 and all three bikes completed 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 rough countryside of the same region in Long Way Around. A video of the rally (in Russian) can be viewed 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 nearly identical to the Cyclone RX3 marketed through CSC Motorcycles. Yet another unique attribute of Zongshen is that each national dealer has the ability to make changes to the final specification 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 put together a complete catalog of aftermarket parts, accessories, options and special editions to meet the requirements of adventure riders in 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 Colombian dealer’s INITIAL order for the AKT Moto model was for 6,000 motorcycles!) Since 1992, Zongshen has produced tens of MILLIONS of engines in many sizes. State-of-the-art manufacturing facilities test EACH of these engines before they are assembled into a complete motorcycle, and then EACH of these complete motorcycles is dyno-tested for quality control.
While adventure motorcycles are a growing recreational 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 mode of transportation and integral 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 perfecting the base bike and the selection of parts and accessories 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 stands behind 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. Not only has CSC Motorcycles put the motorcycle through real-life torture tests, but its reliability has also been proven by tens of thousands of adventure riders around the world. There is a growing and devoted “Zong cult” associated with this bike because it not only performs, but outperforms bikes 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 tour 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)
