Three-cylinder streetfighter has already been testing on the road in China
Zontes hasn’t yet brought its bikes to the Australian market but it’s among the new wave of Chinese motorcycle manufacturers to be forging ahead with large-capacity, multi-cylinder machines that rival those from Japan.
Reportedly stung by criticism that it only offered a range of single-cylinder bikes a few years ago when other Chinese brands were launching parallel twins, Zontes decided to leapfrog the competition and develop a triple. The result was the ZT703 range, using a 699cc triple with up to 95hp in an array of models including the ZT703-RR sports bike, the ZT703-F adventure tourer, ZT703-R roadster and the ZT703-T sports tourer, all with lightweight, cast aluminium frames and typically strong levels of tech at prices that undercut rivals from other countries.
Now a completely new, larger-capacity triple is heading for production. Tentatively dubbed the ZT903-R to reflect its expected 900cc capacity, prototypes have already been seen testing on the road in China, albeit in part-finished form lacking much of their bodywork.
These pictures, from Zontes’ own design registrations, show what the finished bike will look like, and give a clear look at some of the technical details.
It’s clear that the engine, while sharing its three-cylinder format with the ZT703 models, is completely new. Every casting is different, as are the mounting points and the layout of the bolts that hold the covers on, so it’s clear there’s nothing carried over from the 699cc Zontes engine. The new motor is physically larger, and while Chinese rumours put it at 900cc, hence the speculation of the ZT900-R name, it’s possible that it’s even bigger – perhaps 1000cc, or even as much as 1200cc to compete against the likes of Triumph’s Speed Triple.
The chassis, also new, follows the usual Zontes route of using cast aluminium construction, but it’s paired to a single-sided swingarm – perhaps another nod to the idea of competing against the Speed Triple. The footpegs appear to be adjustable and there’s a quick-shifter’s load sensor visible in the gear linkage.
The styling is remarkably sharp-edged and quite distinctive, including stacked LED headlights, bar-end mirrors and large winglets that extend from the side panels that jut forward from the tank. The seat is minimalist, with no bodywork below the pads, and sits above a pair of high-mounted exhaust silencers. On board there’s a typically-large, rectangular TFT dash.
It looks like a concept bike, but this is actually the finished design. Details like the circular reflectors on the fork legs, the licence plate brackets and the large silencer and catalytic converter slung beneath the engine confirm it’s intended to be sold looking just like this.
