First pictures of finished Zeths ZFR 525

THE retro-looking Zeths ZFR 525 first broke cover at the beginning of this year, as a fairly low-res rendering started doing the rounds on social media.

And the initial response to those images was good, with most applauding the looks of the bike which aren't really like anything else on the road currently. Today though we can see what looks like the completed machine for the first time - and it's still looking just as good.

All too often the initial rendering of a concept would be something you'd be happy to slap your cash down for - see the Honda CB750 Hornet, for instance. The problem is, when accountants and mechanical engineers get their hands on a project, it can quickly go from being an eye-catching and exciting project, to watered down and bland. Thankfully that hasn't happened here, and the pictures we can see (which we assume are of a nearly completed machine) are faithful to the original designs.

It does though also give us our first close-up look of the bike, and the news isn't quite so positive. The brakes, suspension, tyres, and other chassis and cycle parts all have a distinctly budget look and feel to them, not a promising start for a bike with supposed sporting credentials. While we are on the subject of credentials, the spec of the bike is still not known. We can assume a peak power output of around the 50bhp mark though, thanks to an engine that is reported to be shared across this bike and some in the Voge 500cc range.

It's an engine that is very similar, both visually and technically, to the parallel twin found in bikes like the Honda CB500X and CBR500R, so a peak torque figure of around 30lb-ft and economy of up to 100mpg can be expected.

This is an updated article originally published on January 2023 - the original page can be found below.

A surprising-looking motorcycle has started doing the rounds this week, as relatively unknown brand Zeths have leaked a funky-looking retro sportsbike.

The Zeths ZFR 500 R Avenger, to give it its full name, is a new machine from the Chinese brand and will be joining the firm’s existing Naja and Boger cruiser-style bikes. Not only is the machine a departure for the firm, as it looks like it will be the first sports bike in the roster, but it’s also actually a fairly interesting machine for a Chinese manufacturer.

Time and time again, bikes from the Middle Kingdom have been un-original and fairly uninspiring, often cut-copy-pasting designs of European and Japanese manufacturers. That isn’t the case here though, as the Zeths is inspired by sports and endurance racing bikes from the 70s and 80s.

Not only that, but the spec of the bike also actually looks quite good. Power comes from a parallel twin 500cc, the suspension is adjustable and features a USD fork, there is a single-sided swingarm, and even four-pot Brembo brakes – at least that’s what the sticker on the fairing states… These might all be commonplace on more familiar motorcycles, but for a bike from China, it makes interesting reading.

There are though some design touches that seem to be lifted from current bikes, with the exhaust looking very much like the item found on the Honda CB1000R, and the rear seat cowl echoing the same machine. We can’t have it all though, and as retro sports bikes go, we are suitably impressed with the look of the machine.

Whether or not it’ll ever land in Europe though, remains to be seen. Zeths only sells bikes in China as it stands, and has made no mention of a desire to expand to the UK, Europe, or beyond.

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