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Honley Venturer RX-3 First Look
Blog Date - 08 January 2015
On a particularly cold and wet day the gf and I ventured out into terrible conditions to make the 40 mile trip through towns and moorland to reach Huddersfield. And why did I force my poor frozen lady friend to do this? To see a motorcycle.
Yip, this is why we're freezing our bits off.
Honley's Venturer tweaked my interest in August (Honley Venturer - Would I?). I don't want a gas-guzzling overweight 1200cc adventure bike. I actually think that 650 is still far more than required. So the notion of a 250 that looks like it might handle some luggage and the odd farm track without supping fuel like an alcoholic drinks beer on New Years Eve is right up my street. The stats suggest that a normal human being might be strong enough to lift it up too if it ever felt the need for a lie down in the mud.
Since then I've learned a lot more about the Venturer. It certainly is not a bike that is specific to Honley. There's a big fuss on twitter about this same bike being homologated for America and Canada under the name "CSC Cyclone RX-3". This is actually a good thing, the more that are sold the more companies will make aftermarket spares. There's quite a few reviews coming online too for both the UK Venturer and the American Cyclone. This allows me to read other folk's take on the bike. For the most part the reviews are favourable.
So after getting soaked, frozen, blown about and stuck in traffic we arrived at Earnshaw's Motorcycles in Huddersfield, the people behind the name Honley and the UK importers. And there is the Venturer, hidden behind a second hand Yammy.
It looks like it does in the pictures on the internet, quelle surprise! After finding a salesman to pull it out I climb on board. At 5 feet 8 inches I can reach the floor with both feet but I am oh-so-slightly on my tip toes. It's fine for me but it'll be that bit harder to reverse out of a sloped parking space. It feels fine, everything is where it should be and everything seems roomy and accessible.
So I take a closer look. First off the finish. Now bear in mind this is the demo bike with a number of miles on the clock so it's not showroom shiny and new. That said the finish has a certain matt-ness to the paint, the plastics and the engine cases. It lacks the deep lustrous shine of other motorcycles, including the gf's Chinese Keeway. I can't decide if its not been polished after a rainy test ride or if its a character of the finish. Hmmmmm.
Does it just need a polish or is it meant to be flat?
Next I look at the crash bars. These things give the impression that if you lob the bike down a dirt track the bars will take the pounding and not the plastics. They seem to be solidly mounted until I look how it's fixed to the frame near the exhaust. A "U" bolt?! I...I mean this is the sort of thing I do at home, but then I'm captain bodgeit. I don't know why, it's probably fine and strong but it just made me feel let down, disappointed. Why not go that extra inch and make a proper bracket or weld on a proper lug? I suspect the frame is utilised in other models so a random lug would look strange on another motorcycle.
As I look at the "U" bolt I also notice the Lambda sensor and it's wire. The Lambda sensor is on the exhaust just as you'd expect. But it's on the side of the exhaust where it will catch all the rain and mud off the roads. If you ever take this thing off road as it's looks imply then that sensor is going to be caked in crud. It could be better positioned or it needs some kind of small shield. A rock being flicked up by the front wheel could snap the sensor in two.
The wire from the Lambda sensor is shocking too. It too just hangs in the wind where all the rain and mud and stones from the front wheel will hit it. Hmm, there's a protective sheath. Then...then there's a goddam connector! It's just dangling there, waiting to be filled with corrosive salt, mud and water. Why oh why could the manufacturers just not have made the lead longer and placed it safely under the tank?
Fill me with mud, break me with stones and rot me away. And a "U" bolt!
Argh! These little things make me wonder. What else is poorly designed under the tank? What other hidden issues are there? Rising rate linkage, it's de-rigour on many many motorcycles but totally unnecessary at this level of price, performance and speed. It's expensive and wears out prematurely. My CBF 250 has no such linkage and is one of the best handling bikes I've ridden. Upside Down forks, yeah, whatever, but no need really. Mild steel exhaust, that's gonna rust but then at this price what do you expect. The luggage cases are far too small for any proper touring.
USD's? No need really, not at this price.
So far my feelings about the Honley Venturer are mixed. The idea is right. 250cc, economical I hope, cheap to buy, cheap to run, light enough to ride yet large enough to carry all the camping gear. Service intervals are a peculiar 3,750 miles. Not bad, about right if they made it 4,000. 2 year warranty, standard these days but actually still very honourable. And all this for a mere £3,195 at the time of writing. You could buy 2 Venturers instead of just 1 V-Strom 650 at that price, keep the other for spares!
If it was me making this bike this is what I'd change. No rising rate linkage and standard forks, there's no need for trick stuff at this end of the market and it makes no real world difference to ordinary folks like me. With the money saved on suspension fit a stainless exhaust and re-position that goddam Lambda sensor. Oh, and make sure the crash bars look like they were made for the bike.
I've not given up on the Venturer. I will wait to see what the real world fuel consumption figures are and I'll wait until some owners have put a few miles on them. Then...then I might look at getting one. Close, but not close enough yet.
Reader's Comments
capt.hollister said :-
I haven't seen an RX3 in the metal yet as it is not yet approved for sale by Transport Canada (our version of the MOT), but here are some general observations based on your comments.
U bolts are not an improper way to attach crash bars. The reason you don't solidly attach crash bars to a motorcycle's frame is that if you did, any fall would could end up bending the frame. Lugs are nice, but you have to make darn sure that they are weaker than the frame itself.
What's wrong with upside down forks ? they cost no more to manufacture than conventional ones while being more rigid.
Rising rate rear suspension is de rigueur on a bike designed to see at least some off-road use. Your CBF250 is a nice little street bike with short-travel suspension. The RX3 is an adventure bike with long-travel off-road suspension, and that means rising rate. That little street-only Honda's suspension simply isn't a valid base against which to compare an adventure bike's suspension. Is the rising rate set-up going to wear out more quickly ? it certainly has the potential to, given the additional pivots and links, but proper maintenance usually avoids premature wear. Of course, it also depends on the quality of the materials employed, and here out Chinese friends have not always demonstrated a willingness to use the best... I'll reserve judgment until I can see a Zonghhen/CSC/Hunley rx3 in person.
The location of the oxygen sensor may appear shocking, but it actually is not very different from any number of other bikes. It needs to be located far from the muffler in order to avoid any back pressure which would cause bad readings, especially if an aftermarket can is ever fitted. Is it vulnerable ? maybe, but probably less than it looks. Let's face it, with the exhaust out in the open, any sensor attached to a motorcycle's exhaust system is going to be exposed, but still they rarely give trouble.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hey there capt.hollister! Glad someone reads my stuff, big thanks. And thanks for your perfectly valid comments.
I know what you mean about the "U" bolt, yes to bolt it or fix it too securely to the frame would risk bending the frame (expensive) rather than bending the crash bars (less expensive). I...I dunno it just still looks like an afterthought to me.
I wonder about the upside down forks. Perhaps the cost of manufacture is approximately the same but it has to be said that upside-downies are typically what is found on higher end motorcycles so the assumption would be they're more expensive. But logically yeah, there's no real reason they should cost any more to make. Fair point.
As for rising rate at the rear. There is an acknowledged agreement that rising rate is considered a better set up for handling. But, considering how many established adventure touring machines that DON'T use a linkage (BMW GS 1200, KTM 1190 Adventure) it seems an extra cost, complication and another thing to go wrong for little gain.
And the Lambda sensor? My dinky little CBF 125 hides it's lambda sensor actually on the cylinder head. If nothing else just a little plate to protect the sensor is in order and the cable connector hanging in the breeze?
I don't hate this bike, I think it's rather sweet. I still maintain that in my opinion there's a few tweeks that would have made it even better. Cheers for you input though, it is most welcome.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
katflap said :-
Hi Ren
check out the chinariders.net website http://www.chinariders.net/forumdisplay.php?f=101
there's loads of info about the Rx3.
The bikes they are getting from CSC have a lot of up grades including a stainless steel exhaust header with a repositioned Lambda sensor and 17inch rear wheel with a cush drive to name a few.
Also there are larger aluminium panniers available .All these upgrades can be found on the taobao Chinese website but could be a bit tricky getting the parts to the uk.
I have an Rx3 and loving it , but It is still early days
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi katflap. Interesting stuff! I think a stainless header and better positioned lambda sensor would be an intelligent upgrade. I didn't think there was anything wrong with the rear wheel but then I've never owned one as yet. Perhaps tyre choices are limited? Larger panniers too...coooool.
Once you've owned the RX3 for a while if you fancy putting a review together with some pictures I'd love to read it and with your permission publish it on here. Sensible, useful and still funky bikes like this RX3 need to get some airtime against the overweight super-trailies.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Garth said :-
Just seen one of these in town. Looks great.
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01/06/2026 12:05:10 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Obviously an expert here Ren, better pay attention (or better still pay him some money(!)
01/06/2026 12:18:28 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
We might even get maps Ian.
Pffffffftttttt.
Money from Ed? They don't know who they are dealing with!
Upt and laughing me big woolly socks off.
01/06/2026 12:22:08 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Teehee! Initially I'm disgruntled when folks try free advertising on here without any context or input otherwise. However I ought to be pleased to know BAT is popular enough to warrant the efforts. Anyhoo I've removed the link and other details because I'm a big old meanie.
You wouldn't believe how many emails I get offering to improve my rankings and increase my profits (what profits?).
Upt'. Maps? you're a big boy now and I know you have access to Google maps. You just like to moan and grumble doncha. As for getting money out of me - quite right - no chance. If however anyone fancies giving me money in return for an advertising banner or two I'm open to offers.
01/06/2026 13:10:32 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren , whatever happened to Honley ? I take it they're not around anymore . Were they a joint venture between a UK dealer and a Chinese manufacturer?
Nigel
03/06/2026 13:03:31 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I googled Honley nab301 - according to the government records the business was wrapped up in 2022. It was my understanding the company were bringing in branded chinese bikes as I have seen the same bike with a different name on it. I can only guess that it somehow didn't work out I'm afraid.
And this is what concerns me with the Chinese brands. Imagine Company X is making a bike, a perfectly good motorcycle. They're selling it to anyone and everyone who then rebrands the bike as a Mutt, a Honley, a Benelli, a Keeway, a Hero, a QJ, an ABC and a XYZ... This muddies the water. One brand goes bust leaving shops with end of line stock. Another messes up their customer service and parts.
If it were sold as "Company X" we would become familiar with the brand and in time grow to trust the brand. It is obvious the Chinese (and Indians etc etc etc) are clearly not stupid and I suspect we'll see a reduction and convergence of the multitude of brands into a few strong and eventually trusted brands.
04/06/2026 08:25:22 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren, I don't think it's just Chinese brands , forgetting chassis/ suspension parts modern cars for example can have up to 30 modules /computers and complex wiring harnesses which I can't see being available later in the life of the vehicle if required .
A friend of mine has a GS550 Suzuki which I just realised is nearly fifty years old and running well, I won't be around to see but will any of the current crop of bikes be around in Fifty years time?
Nigel
04/06/2026 16:06:34 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Nidger, anything new will be too expensive or too difficult to repair. I think 10 years will be the useful life of most wheeled contrivances, after that run them until they die. Skip. Repeat.
This just made me realise my bike is 9 years old, how did that happen? It's entering it's run it and wait for caboom period.
Again back to man maths, if you don't do your own spannering isn't it just cheaper to PCP your way through vehicle ownership? I'm not saying it is, but tyres, exhausts, brakes, clutches etc aren't cheap. One reason we swapped Er'Indoors motor is that the bodywork was getting tatty, I didn't get a quote for the repairs which would have been considerable but does anyone except the mechanics on "Bangers and Cash" actually do this stuff anymore?
Upt and ponderin.
05/06/2026 11:01:25 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I occasionally watch said programme - or at least its offshoot - and am always huegly amused when they spend £X on a car / bike, spend 2-3X on restoring it then sell it on for maybe X+10%. And seem pleased when they "only" lose £10k or so! I don't know who pays for the shenanigans but making TV programmes must be more lucrative than fixing old bangers.
At a minimum of £80 / hour paying people to fix vehicles is very expensive. I'm happy with my 15 year old LR Freelander - although it's a bit excessive now we no longer have the caravan - but it needs little other than servicing and consumables. A couple of door locks is all I can remember needing in 6 years. As for bikes I would never dream of letting anyone else touch them.
I can't quite see how PCP can be cheaper as someone must be making money somewhere.
05/06/2026 12:05:39 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
The PCP was a question rather than a fact Ian, just makes you think when a new set of brakes alone can cost a lot of money. Fine like you say if you're willing to get grubby, but not many are. Changing those 3 bulbs yesterday was probably around 2 hours of labour, what would that cost at Newcastle Suzuki? I'm guessing £250.00 plus.
Your point on B and C is the same point I was making about bodywork. Thinking, I think Er'Indoors motor was probably due about 25 to 30 hours of bodywork plus parts. That's got to be £4k plus on a car worth £3k tops. It could have been a lot more hours too once you go down that warren hole of cash. Unfortunately I don't have the skills or space or equipment to carry out such extensive repairs, now go back to the original point of who'll fix the vehicles of today, have you seen the age of mechanics lately. Most independents are ageing quick and all the kids are in swanky franchised workshops plugging cars in to talk to Munich, Beijing or Tokyo.
05/06/2026 13:00:04 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I'm lucky with the car as my local independent garage is run by a bloke in his 40s who is very competent. The sort who will change a bulb on MoT for the cost of the bulb. At the last look his labour rate was £80/hour which would soon mount up if anything extensive was needed.
Speaking of B&C there's another series which I occasionally remember to record where 2 blokes have given up their jobs to fix up old cars. They call it a success when they make £1,000 after a week's worth of work for the pair of them. Really? That's only £500 a week each - barely minimum wage. And that's before you cost in rental of their fully equipped workshop which must be at least £100 / week. Someone's not being honest. How odd for a TV programme......
05/06/2026 13:31:49 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
My friend, now deceased, was a car dealer. Back in the 90's when I was valeting for him customers would come in with cash or a bank draft and purchase a used car. In the 20-teens I'd still drop in from time to time for a chat. What he said happened then was folks would arrive and say "I have £X00 pounds a month, what can I get for that?"
It's a different mindset.
Sharon's daughter has an income and no interest in spanners or grease. For say £250 per month on PCP she gets a new car every 3 years. On top of that is a "servicing scheme" for another - I dunno - £20 or £30 per month. As such she knows that for a reliable, clean car still under warranty it will cost here £280 per month. No stressing about blown head gaskets or an ECU throwing it's toys out of the pram. As long as it goes for it's service and she has any damage fixed then all is well and good in the world.
I get it, I really do. My bike now has 68,000 miles on the clock and is 8 years old. Something, somewhere, somehow will give up the ghost sooner or later, it's a ticking time bomb. I can fix things and replace things, that's all good and I enjoy doing that. What I do not enjoy is thinking "if this goes pop when I'm in France/Spain/The Highlands and enjoying my holiday that's going to rather spoil the fun".
In a perfect world I'd have a daily rider, old and rough around the edges, cheap to run and I'd use it to hack through winter. Then there'd be a pristine new bike complete with warranty that I know will be fine and if it ain't then there's going to be some warranty claims. I have very seriously considered PCP for the new bike as I could keep the miles down by using the hack most of the time. Thing is that's an expensive item to have for the 2-3 proper trips I can squeeze in each year.
The young folks of today have a different attitude borne from a different world that they now live in. Before modern technology a washboard and a mangle would last several generations and pass down through the family. Today your mobile phone is out of date by the time you purchase it and entirely dysfunctional after 5 years because the internet and tech has changed completely.
Your car is already heading the same way. For example many cities globally no longer allow "old" vehicles into the centre of town! France already has this - I was trying to understand the "Crit-Air" thingy. So what's the point of BUYING a car to last 15 years when things are changing so ridiculously fast? Before you know it another law will come in, a new tech will emerge, or a new tax will bite you in the behind. Think short term, think what do I need today - because tomorrow is WAY WAY WAY less certain than it used to be.
05/06/2026 14:04:55 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
When I started working at my last job I had the option of either a lease car at - if I remember correctly - about £70 / month (1990s so a long time ago!) One of my colleagues spurned this offer and always went for 3-4 year old fairly high level cars - BMs, Mercs, Lexi (to quote Alan Partridge) etc. He reckoned with the 45p / mile allowance he was quids in. After some years I agreed with him but got it all slightly wrong by buying a Triumph Stag......
By getting cars a few years old he avoided depreciation which is by far the biggest cost. I'm not impressed at all by a PCP costing nearly £300 per month. That's £3,600 per year merely for the privilege of driving a "new" car. And you have to start again after the lease period is up. Plus the fact that if you exceed the contract mileage or get a little scratch on it you'll be stung.
I'll stick with my gently decaying Land Rover.
Regarding Crit'Air I have the appropriate sticker and in fact it's not nearly as onerous as you think. Unlike UK low emission zones, they tend to come into effect only at certain times so it's not too hard to avoid.
05/06/2026 16:52:37 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
CritAir is a strange one Ian, I applied for the STrom with no issue and applied accordingly to the bike. Easy peasy. But I couldn't get one for the Pan at all. "Too old monsieur", "Not you your moto"! When I enquired what this meant it would seem I would be shot dead and then tried if I dared to enter a French Crit Air Zone. I just rode without, reckoning they wouldn't pursue an out of country motorcyclist for a minor infringement. Unless the ticket is still on its way, they didn't.
I heard that they may be dropping or replacing the scheme, very French.
Pffffffftttttt.
Upt.
07/06/2026 10:04:50 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
PCP, I've done it and I haven't done it. When gainfully employed I used my own motor for a number of years and received an essential user's allowance plus mileage. PCP made sense then because it meant I had a new motor, replacement vehicle if that was in for service etc and the allowances meant I broke even or better. The firm won because they didn't need to have so many vehicles lying around.
The recent acquisition of Er'Indoors new Toyota was actually cheaper to buy on a PCP than a cash purchase. I was in no rush to take on finance, I'm a pensioner don't you know, but there were no discounts available on new vehicles due to it being in high demand and limited supply (there's still a 3 month wait) but on finance at 2.9% you got a £2000 deposit allowance. Nuts I say. They obviously want you to default and then under clause 11.1.7.b wack you with a 1000% APR.
But, there's always lots of buts, I think for many low mileage users who really don't have a Micky Mechanic at the end of the road it just seems easier; is it cheaper. That's impossible to clarify really, if you buy a ten year old cheap motor and run it for 5 years with no faults then you're probably quids in but in my experience people generally sell old cars when things start going wrong.
It's personal innit. I'm an accidental PCP'ist this time but I'll enjoy the £2k.
Upt.
07/06/2026 10:19:07 UTC
nab301 said :-
@ Upt, agreed on all points
@ Ren the ex car valeter , now that is a surprise!
@ Ian, The losses on B&C restorations not that I'm an accountant but I'm sure they're tax deductable at some point? Some of the labour costs seem dodgy like the recent wetbike jetski restoration which appeared after some exploratory work to be fitting a reconditioned engine , that'll be £4k I think from memory..
As for the other programme (Flipping Bangers ) maybe it should be rebranded as a comedy show , The concept of buying a car , completing major repairs and flipping it (selling it) all in a week is not even possible, you'd need at least 3 cars on the go at once to make it work and if they actually looked underneath these cars before purchase they could save themselves a whole load of grief. One car an Alfa 155 I think , they spent money getting the engine running and refurbishing the wheels but realised it was too rusty to support its own weight on the garage lift so sent the whole lot to the crusher , surely they could have recovered their losses by selling the engine and wheels?
Nigel
07/06/2026 18:12:31 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
nab301 - I've been a post office clerk, an office clerk, a landscape gardener, installed irrigation systems in greenhouses, a bricklayer, car valeter, worked in B&Q, a trainee mechanic, a despatch rider, a motorcycle training instructor, data cable installer, IT support and now a software developer. I'm 54 and I still don't know what I'd like to do for a living. Retire, that's what I'd like to do, retire.
Obviously I'd like to make a living being some kind of motorcycle journo. I daydream that one day someone will discover my blog and pull me into a world of test rides in sunny countries, sponsored "adventures", and an endless supply of kit and gadgets to test. Alas my inability to explore the edges of performance on a CB500X does not stand me well for track day testing a 1000cc sports bike. My fear of gravel driveways precludes me from reporting on the off road ability of the latest adventure bike. I suppose I could offer a service testing the longevity of models while not taking proper care of them?
08/06/2026 08:18:07 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ed, I was a breakfast tester, now a retired breakfast tester but still dabble.
I can recommend it.
You're welcome, plus there'll be no pension by the time you get there, keep payin your taxes, we need it.
Upt.
08/06/2026 09:01:07 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren , joking aside that's an impressive list, I'm sure we mentioned before there are "successful" blogs / you tube channels eg the Missenden flyer ( I used to think that was some sort of a train spotter before I actually looked at his videos..) who seems to have problems coping with all the bikes he's offered to test and is no speed freak but he documented what he earns and he really does earn it , it took 10 yrs and a lot of hours editing videos etc which would probably mean no time to "enjoy" yourself on your bike as you currently do.
Nigel
08/06/2026 11:47:50 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
You've raised an interesting point nab301. I was a despatch rider for about 2.5 years while working Sundays as an instructor. Then I became a full time instructor for another 2.5 years. The reason I stopped was after 5 years of riding motorcycles in all weathers all year round I was - frankly - sick of the sight of motorcycles. I'd be with friends at the weekend and they'd be like "Let's ride to Blackpool!" and I'd be thinking "for god's sake I was there twice this week and I've ridden 600 miles the last 4 days... do I really want to go to Blackpool?"
Making your hobby and your passion into your job is a good way to ruin your hobby and your passion.
08/06/2026 20:10:09 UTC
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