Zontes motorcycles and scooters are no longer a novelty here in the magazine, but this time we’re bringing you the most complete and equipped model in the Chinese brand’s entire range. The name is simple, it’s called the 350E, but what’s more complex is everything this version comes with, so we’d better get started now!
The Zontes brand is continuing to revamp its range of motorcycles, which already includes trail, scrambler, naked, sport touring, custom and scooter models. Higher displacement models will be arriving soon and have already been shown at the last Milan Motor Show, but for now Zontes is launching several 350 cc bikes to gradually replace the previous 310s, which were a little less powerful and sophisticated than these latest versions. This is not the case with this 350E, which is a completely new scooter and has a more maxi-scooter configuration, unlike the 350D version which is smaller and narrower, i.e. with more city ambitions.
COMFORT AND SMALL LUXURIES
Starting with comfort, we find a very pleasant riding position. There’s plenty of leg and arm room, and the seat is very soft for both the rider and the passenger, a big improvement on the previous Zontes scooters we knew. The “commuter” also has very generous grips and good foot platforms. But there are many more aspects to point out, which are usually overlooked on automatic scooters. First of all, there are the heated grips, which are fitted as standard and can be adjusted to six positions, which came in very handy during the first very cold days of January. There’s also an electrically adjustable windshield, which in the highest position offers excellent protection on the highway, and it’s also worth noting that the levers are adjustable in distance from the handle, both on the right and the left. Next to the left handle is a parking brake, something that always comes in handy when you want to park the scooter on the side stand.
Here you can see how Zontes is a fast learner and has catered for those looking for quality and important details. The seat has been greatly improved compared to the brand’s other scooter, and all the components mentioned, especially the electric windshield, heated grips and adjustable levers are details that any scooter user, in all four seasons, will appreciate. Oh, and by the way, the handlebars are adjustable in two positions with a tool.
Something that will be new is the fact that this scooter has hand protectors, which will also help on colder winter days, although aesthetically this is always debatable on a road scooter. And as this is a large model, the two glove compartments are also huge, with great depth, and there’s a double USB socket in one of them. Under the seat there’s also plenty of space, with capacity for two helmets, possibly integral, depending on the shape of the helmet you put on the front.
MORE DETAILS
This 350E is also very well equipped in terms of lighting, through a fully LED system with six DRL spotlights, and we can choose between night or day lighting, ideally always choosing the night one, which is prepared for all occasions and leaves the controls backlit. The key is keyless and has the shape of a small bracelet, which can be kept on your wrist, in your pocket, or simply in a small compartment under the instrumentation. The instrument panel is a color TFT, super complete, with connectivity and the possibility of pairing it with the Carbit App, so we can project our navigation from the large instrument screen.
There’s also an on-board computer, which has given us a huge range, as this scooter has a fuel tank with a capacity of 16 liters, and as the average consumption was between 3.5 and 3.8 liters/100 km, you can really do a lot of kilometers without refueling. The instrumentation also includes information on the tire pressure, front and rear. And even more interestingly, we have access to the temperature of both tires in real time, something that we found to work beautifully. Most of the time it’s information that we won’t need, but I confess that we feel almost like a MotoGP rider with this data. And you can also switch between various display modes on the dashboard, and curiously it was in Race that we most enjoyed reading all this data.
It must be said that the lighting capacity is quite good, while in the field of accessibility, the seat at 765 mm from the ground, and narrow at the front, will not cause any difficulties when trying to put your feet on the ground. And still on the equipment front, this automatic also comes with a pre-installed camera.
HEART AND DYNAMICS
Speaking of the engine, it’s a single-cylinder with around 36 hp of power and liquid cooling. It offers 38 Nm of maximum torque and this makes it one of the strongest engines in its class, even when you include scooters up to 400 cc. It’s also very economical and offers good performance, both in terms of acceleration and acceleration, with a top speed of around 155 km/h. So there’s nothing lacking in terms of performance, which would even be higher if it weren’t for the heavy weight of the whole thing, at around 182 kg. We just felt that this engine could be a little smoother to start compared to its competitors, i.e. at low speeds it always seems to knock a little, reminiscent of some older single-cylinders. Basically, it’s a question of habit, and it’s also worth noting the presence of a traction control system, which is always to be commended, especially as acceleration is strong and the asphalt on our roads doesn’t always have the grip of the Portimão Autodrome.
Speaking of aspects that could still be improved a little, for example the grip of the CST tires in the wet, as they don’t offer the grip we’d like. On dry roads, they’re fine… but if you’re going to drive in the rain, then it’s best to change them, unless you like to thrill at every moment. Braking is sufficient, but if it were a little more biting, both at the front and rear axles we wouldn’t mind at all, and at the rear the two shock absorbers offer acceptable comfort and handling on good roads, but on rougher roads they make the scooter bounce a little and present a somewhat dry behavior. It’s a traditionally built solution, so at a brisker pace you’ll want to pay attention to potholes and bumps to keep your composure.
THE BEST Very complete equipment, comfort, value for money
TO BE IMPROVED Rear suspension, wet tires
CONCLUSION
Basically, we can see how Zontes already knows how to make excellent motorcycles and scooters, and if some aspects of the bike can be improved, it’s only because the brand wanted to maintain an excellent retail price, even with a super-high level of equipment.
Although we’ve mentioned a few aspects that could still be improved on this scooter, it’s important to say that this 350E has filled us in, in the sense that it’s a very complete and very technological scooter. We really liked the heated grips, also the height-adjustable windshield, and the load capacity is very good, both under the seat and in the two gloveboxes. And the instrumentation is super complete.
For just over 5,000 euros, you really can’t ask for much more!