Zontes Zt703-Rr, what the Chinese super sports car looks like and how much it costs

Not many manufacturers believe in the potential of mid-range supersport bikes: bikes with semi-handlebars, weight loaded on the wrists and high footpegs for an aggressive stance, as well as a respectable power-to-weight ratio. On the market are the two-cylinder Aprilia Rs660 (100 hp), Yamaha R7 (73 hp) and Kawasaki Ninja 650 (68 hp), the four-cylinder Honda Cbr650R (100 hp) and the three-cylinder Triumph Daytona 660 (95 hp).

Alongside the latter, with the same type of engine and the same number of horsepower, comes the Zt703-Rr (8,000 euro, also in a depowered version to 35 kW) from China's Zontes, a brand owned by the Guangdong Tayo Motorcycle Technology group, founded in 2003 and today with 1,600 employees. The new supersport is fitted with the new 699 cc three-cylinder engine presented at last year's Eicma which, thanks to its high compression ratio (13:1), delivers 95 hp at 11,500 rpm with 74.4 Nm of torque available at 8,500 rpm. Translated into performance: 0 to 100 in three seconds and an impressive 257 km/h top speed.

The Zt703-Rr is equipped with a one-way quick shifter (only works when shifting up a gear), a slipper clutch, traction control and two engine maps, Eco and Sport.

The frame is made entirely of die-cast aluminium, a solution that combines structural strength with lightness (196 kg is the weight in running order). The equipment also boasts prestigious names: the suspension is by Marzocchi, fully adjustable, while the braking system is Brembo, with two 300 mm discs at the front and one 240 mm disc at the rear. Original equipment tyres are Michelin with both a pressure and temperature monitoring system.

The instrumentation is enclosed in the Tft lcd colour screen with four graphic interfaces, and adaptive brightness, with the possibility of connection to the smartphone for the mirroring function. Finally, there are heated grips, a dual USB port and keyless start with the key inserted in a smartwatch-type bracelet.