Zontes ZT310-X

When Zontes launched the ZT310-R, I was mighty impressed. Not only with the design of the bike, but also with the overall build quality. This year they launched the 310-X in South Africa and they did the unthinkable. They made an even better looking bike!

The engine is the same 312 cc single cylinder fuel injected unit as used in the R. In fact, the X shares most of the underpinnings with the R, but added a few items that make the X really stand out. Firstly, there is the full fairing that has an aggressively styled nose. It includes daytime running lights and neatly integrated indicators. It also sports a much larger LCD display.

Performance of the 310-X surprised me. It produces 26 kW @ 9500 rpm and 30 Nm of torque at 7500 rpm. This translates into a peppy little motorcycle that can easily outrun most cars in city traffic. If you venture onto the highway, the little Zontes does not even break a sweat keeping up. Even in 6^th gear there was still a bit in reserve for a quick overtaking manoeuvre. Having ridden similar motorcycles in this category, the Zontes is on par with its competitors. Zontes claims a top speed of 160 km/h but as the unit I had was still new, I felt sorry for the little trooper. We will just have to take their word for it.

The feature list is rather extensive for such an affordable, small capacity bike. You have keyless entry, and the fuel tank and seat are opened electrically. The bike is equipped with ABS as standard and that LCD dash is quite comprehensive. There is even a USB port inside the fairing.

Riding the Zontes, you sit low in the bike and the narrow handlebars are a joy in traffic. The brakes take some getting used to. It requires a handful of grip to make the bike slow down, but once you understand the bike’s limits, you will have a lot of fun.

At just shy of R69 000, the Zontes is contesting in a fairly crowded market segment, but it can hold its own. Even the build quality of the bike is up there with the big players. I see how each iteration of Zontes improves, this is an extremely competent little motorcycle and should be part of any shortlist. Once the brand has proven itself, I hope to see a lot more of them on the road.

Article & Photos: Brian Cheyne