Whether you look at the original 1961 Honda Monkey, or the success of the Grom in the last decade, there has long been a demand for affordable two-wheeled motorcycles that prioritize fun. Now, Chinese manufacturers are catching on, and following the retro style of the CFMOTO Papio CL and SS, their Zongshen competitors are preparing their own versions of the idea.
The company has filed Chinese homologation documents for a pair of 149 cc models with air cooling, each bearing the name ZS150 and the “Zonsen” brand – a name that Zongshen is using on its motorcycles as they are increasingly offered outside of China. However, there is a prominent illustration of a panda on the tank emblem of each motorcycle, suggesting they may receive a more appealing title when they are launched in the market.
The homologation documents include all the main specifications of the two models. Just like the CFMOTO Papio CL and SS, one is a trail-style machine while the other is a caricature of a retro sportbike, but underneath the fairing they are identical. Their single-cylinder engines have a diameter of 57 mm, the same as the Papio, but while the CFMOTO has a stroke of 49.4 mm, the Zongshen bikes have a stroke of about 58.4 mm to achieve a total capacity of 149 cc. The extra 13 cc over the 126 cc CFMOTO machines help the Zongshens reach a peak of 10.5 hp, a fraction more than the Papio’s 9.4 hp.
However, they are a bit heavier than the CFMOTO machines, with the trail-style model weighing 264 pounds and the race version weighing 121.1 kg. In comparison, the two Papio models weigh 113.8 kg each, ready to ride. Just like the CFMOTO, the Zongshen ZS150 use 12-inch wheels with 120/70 tires in the front and 130/70 in the rear. The suspension consists of inverted forks in the front and mono shocks in the rear, once again in line with the CFMOTO, and the brakes have discs at each end, with ABS as standard.
Both motorcycles are illustrated with some optional extras, including closed disc wheels as an alternative to alloy wheels, while the trail version is also presented with a choice of rear finishes, with a flat-track style number plate or a more robust-looking protection bar. It is evident that the motorcycles are ready for an imminent launch, although there is likely to be a delay between the market arrival in China and any plans for export to other markets.
Source: https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-news/zongshen-zs150-minibikes-near-production/
