Zontes 310M

[Ian T]

Hi everyone

Well thanks to a very kind gent the other day who came over to Cheltenham and let me throw a leg over, all decisions now made and it’s a Honda Forza 350 for me all the way. Bit tippy toe but nothing too frightening. Just gonna start ringing round until I find a dealer that will throw in some heated grips and it’s brought. Every new bike I have ever brought I have always got a free set fitted I can’t see a scooter being any different. But then the world was more sensible then.

But as one does when one is bored out of one’s tiny feeble mind when house sitting for daughter in far away lands, one turns to modern day comforts. YouTube.

Well I know it has been discussed on here just read all seven pages of comments but has anyone actually ridden one of those Zontes scooters.

I can find nothing but great reviews and I watched some chap in Turkey or somewhere doing a review and all he could do was whoop and cheer the whole time.

Just wondering what the consensus was now they are available, well I think they are available.

Cheers

Ian

[capitano]

Spark Motorcycles, who look after my Divvy, are Zontes dealers.

I've got as far as sitting on one, and having a chat about it, but they have only got the one in their showroom, no demo model.

Looks great, well built, and probably feels closest to a Kymco Downtown to sit on, but scaled down a little in size. Maybe the same size as say a GTS though it didn't feel like a GTS.

Much as I like and trust Spark Motorcycles, for the money, I'd personally go for a brand with a bigger network and backup.

Not much help, but there ya go. I think that this was it arriving.

[Data]

I think the Zontes brand is superb. I've studied them for a while. My nephew is a Zontes main dealer tech. He says they are well built, reliable & they simply don't get any issues with them. The quality is on par with most Japanese brands. Yet prices are much more affordable.

The dealer network is widespread across the country but obviously it is better in some places than others. I have 3 dealers near me within a 20 odd mile radius with one of them just down the road from me in my home town.

If I wasn't so happy with the GTS300 I'd be casting an eye Zontes way!

[MrGrumpy]

I even have two Zontes dealers within reach of me! More than can be said for Yamaha, Kymco and several other big brands.
Just looking at the spec...twin radiators? Interesting. But 32.5 bhp sounds fun and well equipped with electric screen. The unknown for me is the suspension quality and how it handles dodgy roads, which has been the problem for me with previous scoots of this sort (eg Piaggio Bev 350). Plus of course the long term availailabilty of spare parts - say what you like about Yamaha but they can supply spares for almost any bike (even 20 year old ones) practically instantly... albeit at outrageous cost, whilst I keep reading about the failings of MotoGB to supply parts for Syms and have heard bad things about Kymco parts supply.

[capitano]

Plus of course the long term availailabilty of spare parts - say what you like about Yamaha but they can supply spares for almost any bike (even 20 year old ones) practically instantly... albeit at outrageous cost, whilst I keep reading about the failings of MotoGB to supply parts for Syms and have heard bad things about Kymco parts supply.

I suspect that the Zontes is going to sit somewhere between Yamaha and Moto GB, hopefully more towards the former.

Zontes have been on these shores about a decade now, and their older models are backed up handsomely on CMPO (Chinese Motorcycle Parts Online.)

The 310M isn't on there yet, but being a new model that's no surprise. Their Mantis 125 has pretty much been around from the brand's introduction to the UK. The list of available spares is extensive. Even a complete replacement motor!

https://www.chinesemotorcyclepartsonlin ... ll%20Years

[Waldorf]

3000 mile service intervals. Mm.

[capitano]

3000 mile service intervals. Mm.

10 years ago, 1000km service intervals were commonplace for Chinese bikes if you wanted to retain the warranty. My Gilera 500 Nexus was 3000 miles in 2006.

Everything has moved on but it's equivalent to present Enfields etc (I believe ... I could be wrong.)

[Waldorf]

It was an observation, Ged; 3000 mile intervals are remarkable for me as my Forza's are twice that, meaning my bike is in my yard or being ridden rather than with the mechanic.
Attention is being drawn constantly to the price dealerships are charging for services.
I venture to suggest that, possibly, the cost of servicing overall remains roughly constant over the life of the vehicle, whatever the intervals.
Like everyone else I am concerned about the rise in prices but if they don't go up, businesses will close and the non-DIYers will be left high and dry.

Returning to the original theme: I think the bike looks very good although the cockpit seems rather short for a fat 6-footer like me. I will watch the review all the way through; I've watched only the first few minutes so far.

[capitano]

You would definitely notice the shorter wheelbase and smaller cockpit stepping off the Forza and onto the Zontes, Mike.

After the Niu, I doubt you'd struggle, though. It looks as though it's been deliberately built to be compact. Zontes do a few 125s and they are obviously deliberately built to feel bigger. In fact, one felt very familiar to a '90s GPZ500 we owned.

3000 mile service intervals are something I personally accepted as normal practice 16 years ago from the big players. Now, it's the premise of the non-premium sector.

[Waldorf]

'After the NIU...';
That's interesting, Ged; I hadn't thought of that.
I suppose that since I can't do long trips on it - I wouldn't risk more than a 20-mile radius - size doesn't matter too much.
The riding position is feet-flat and the seat is almost flat so I can slip back on to the pillion seat.
It's a great little machine which constantly tempts me into 'Chav Mode'.