There is no getting away from the fact that the newer brands on the market are really making an impression. We’ve ridden four of giant Chinese manufacturer QJ offerings so far – and to say that we are impressed…Â
Well we are impressed. This time, importers KMSA loaned us their street adventure, the QJ SRT 700SX
Street ADV?
Yup. It has spoked wheels, but QJ opted to mount smaller wheels rather than the traditional 18/21 off-road setup. This one is shod in a 19/17 configuration. They are dressed in Metzeler Tourance 85/15 dual sport tyres and that shows the bikes intended purpose.
However… We did take the bike on some pretty slick gravel and, to be quite honest, it was a non-affair.
The meats of the matter:
If you are looking for a rip snorting, fire breathing, hold on for dear life Adventure machine – well then you’ll need to look elsewhere.Â
However.
If you are looking for a well specced, easy to ride, impeccably mannered bike for the road and those long SA gravel roads, then this one is absolutely worthy of your attention.
The bike is relatively small and narrow and it’s easy to get your boot to the ground. That’s important for new riders – or perhaps, without being disparaging, ladies looking to move across to an adventure machine.
Combine this with a relatively mild, smooth 698cc Parallel twin that’s mated to a six-speed gearbox and the end result is a very easy bike to ride.
She’s comfortable, with a spacious, well padded seat, a well-shaped 19.5 litre tank, decent wide pegs and well placed handlebars for that sit-up-and-beg position and the screen does a good job too.Â
Thoroughly up to date, the bike boasts a TFT display that tells you everything that you need to know. This QJ boasts a heated seat and heated grips – handy for winter riding.Â
Back lights on the switches are a great touch – and on that note we have to comment that the switches feel quality.
Brembo takes care of stopping duties and Marzocchi suspension is trusted for the handling and smooth ride duties.
You also get hand-guards, LED lighting, side panniers and top box and a centre stand.
The side bags and top box are of high quality, look good and are easy to put on and take off. The inside of the bags are padded with sewn-on and smart pockets. The boxes are, of course lockable.Â
The clutch is light, the gearbox smooth. Touch the one touch starter and she burbles to life – the pipe does not sound constipated and it’s certainly not obnoxiously loud. Snick her into first gear and you are away.
Calm.Â
With a claimed weight of 243 kg, 70 HP and 70 Nm, moderate performance is to be expected.
It’s an easy bike to live with, nothing earth shattering, just a machine that quietly gets on with the business of getting you to where you need to go. She’s certainly not boring – just conservative.
We gave her our usual top speed run and she nudged the 180KPH mark without busting too much of a sweat.
The bike feels well balanced and has good steering geometry and comfort that makes it a pleasure to ride. She boasts good mid-range which is where you’ll be riding her most of the time – she pulls well to the 8000RPM mark and then the power starts to taper off. Cornering, braking is all as expected, smooth, predictable with a great quality feel.
Ok so lets hit some gravel.
We pointed her onto one of the many gravel roads that we enjoy out here. On this day, the quarry down the road had watered it copiously in order to keep the dust down – and initially we had visions of getting squirly and sideways, especially with the more street oriented tyres.
Once again, it was all a non-event. The engine feels calm and composed, so there were no butt clenching slides. It was all rather civilised in fact.Â
Unfortunately, you can’t disengage ABS and traction which might just limit some of the fun on gravel, but this is more an adv tourer than a hardcore off-road machine.
Standing is comfortable, natural and the little QJ just burbles along happily all day long.
We’d like to borrow this bike again, load up and head out for a weekend away with the Mrs on the back. Yes we did pop a passenger out back and she had no complaints in the comfort department.
She’s comfortable. Good looking and does exactly what it says on the box.Â
Nope!Â
Perhaps she delivers just a little bit more than what you’d expect.
R129 995.00
Engine Type 2-Cylinder Inline, 8V DOHC, Liquid-Cooled
Displacement 698cc
Max Power 51.5kW/8000rpm
Max Torque 70.0N∙m/6000rpm
Fuel System EFI
Transmission 6 Gears, Chain
Front Suspension Telescopic Upside Down Marzocchi
Rear Suspension Telescopic coil spring oil damped Marzocchi
Front Brake Disc 320mm (ABS)
Rear Brake Disc 260mm (ABS)
Front Tyre 110/80 R19
Rear Tyre 150/70 R17
Dimensions and Capacities Vehicle Size 2225 925 1420mm
Wheelbase 1510mm
Seat Height 825mm
Ground Clearance 210mm
Curb Weight 243kg
Fuel Capacity 19.5L
