Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Zontes has been in the game for quite some time now. The company’s products usually occupy the smaller displacement bracket, usually from 125cc to 350cc. I’ve actually been able to ride some of the brand’s bikes on multiple occasions, as the brand, for a time, had a presence in my home country of the Philippines.
In recent months, Zontes has made headlines thanks to the development of a new engine, an engine that elevates the brand’s level of performance. We previously talked about a new three-cylinder engine from the brand, and now, Zontes has unveiled not one, but two concepts featuring the new engine. Zontes hit two popular segments in the middleweight motorcycle scene with the new ZT 703 F adventure-tourer and the ZT 703 RR sportbike. Let’s dive into the details.
Across the board, the new models boast a new aluminum frame and swingarm designed to provide rigidity and stability while keeping the bikes’ weight down low. Both models feature the same 699cc three-cylinder engine, but each bike receives different tuning for their specific riding styles. On the one hand, the ZT 703 F produces a respectable 85 Newton-meters (60 pound-feet) of torque at 7,200 rpm and 100 horsepower at 9,000 rpm. On the other hand, the sportier ZT 703 RR pumps out 110 horsepower at 11,000 rpm and 75 Nm (52.5 pound-feet) of torque at 8,600 rpm.
As for the bikes’ overall designs, Zontes has pretty much followed the rulebook when it comes to the ZT 703 F’s adventure styling. It gets a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel, suggesting it’s more than willing to venture beyond the beaten path. It also gets angular bodywork, full LED lights, and a tall windscreen for added wind protection on long highway stints. Meanwhile, the ZT 703 RR gets a sportier stance, rolling on 120 front and 180 rear 17 inch tires. Low-slung clip-ons and raised rearsets put the rider in an aggressive seating position akin to that of supersport motorcycles.
Once these two new models hit the market, it’ll be interesting to see how they stack up against the likes of more established players in the game. A lot of riders (myself included) consider three-cylinder engines to be the sweet spot between he torquey grunt of a twin and the linear power of an inline-four, and the growing number of triples is a clear sign that lots of other folks share the same sentiment. Needless to say, chances are Zontes’ new models will be priced at a much more affordable price range than their mainstream counterparts.
