China’s Big-Bike Revolution

[Hugh Janus]

China is entering the big-bore multicylinder fray with designs like this 1,000cc cruiser from Gaokin. (Gaokin Moto/)

Just as the majority of Western and Japanese motorcycle firms are wrestling with the problem of how to switch from gasoline to electric bikes, the massive Chinese bike industry is turning toward large-capacity multicylinder engine designs for the first time.

For years, China has churned out millions of small, uninspiring, single-cylinder bikes. They’ve served as transport for the masses rather than objects of desire. Now, though, as their customers become wealthier and increasingly turn toward riding as a lifestyle or pastime rather than simply the only available means of travel, the country’s motorcycle firms are rapidly switching toward the idea of bigger, faster bikes.

Only last month we revealed that Zontes, a current manufacturer of single-cylinder machines up to 310cc, is planning a 1,000cc three-cylinder sportbike, but it turns out that’s just the tip of the iceberg, with a host of other firms exploring similar expansion plans.

Related: Will We See a Triple-Cylinder Naked Bike From Zontes?

Chinese firm Zontes has also confirmed it’s working on a 1,000cc triple naked, as well as 650cc model. (Zontes/)

Zontes itself has now confirmed that the 1,000cc triple is just one of a range of such bikes, with a second three-cylinder engine—a smaller 650cc unit—also currently in the works. Both are likely to be unveiled later this year, though it’s currently not clear whether Zontes will show the engines alone or reveal entire bikes around them. While Zontes is a complete manufacturer, making entire bikes and their own engines, China also has several companies that specialize in designing and building engines to be sold to other manufacturers.

Among these, Gaokin (GK) is a major player, and one of the companies leading the way toward bigger engines. The firm already manufactures parallel-twin and V-twin designs used in bikes, ATVs, and even aircraft, and plans to unveil its own 1,000cc V-twin motorcycle at the Chongqing Motor Show later this year.

Related: Benda’s BD700 Four-Cylinder Cruiser Is Coming

Although yet to be unveiled, the GK V1000 has been betrayed by the firm’s own patent applications for the design, revealing a belt-drive cruiser with a notably low seat and a DOHC 90-degree V-twin engine. The bike’s styling isn’t as successfully “innovative” as the recently revealed Benda LFC700 four-cylinder cruiser, but at least it doesn’t follow the usual route of slavishly copying an existing design from a rival company.

GK is developing the GK V1000 (lead photo), as well as partnering with KSR Moto, which makes the Brixton bikes (Crossfire 500 pictured). (Brixton Motorcycles/)

The V1000 isn’t GK’s only large-capacity bike project, as the firm is also a partner with Austria’s KSR Moto, building the machines that are sold worldwide under the Brixton brand. At the moment Brixton’s biggest offering is a 500cc parallel twin, the Crossfire, but in 2019 the firm showed a larger, retro-styled parallel twin as concept. Widely rumored to be in the region of 1,200cc, the retro design was clearly intended to be a rival to Triumph’s Bonneville, sharing a similar 1960s-rooted appearance and a water-cooled parallel-twin engine with dummy cooling fins to mimic traditional air-cooled designs.

But Brixton (and GK) is also rumored to be developing a larger 1,200cc retro design to compete with Triumph’s Bonneville. (Brixton Motorcycles/)

Brixton confirmed in 2020 that the concept will become a production reality, and now GK has patented the visual design of the engine it will use, revealing details that couldn’t be seen on the concept, including the fuel-injection throttle bodies and the subtle water pipes emerging from the cylinder head and lower cases to connect to a radiator that nestles between the front downtubes.

Related: Benda LF-01 Concept Revealed

Zeths is another Chinese firm that purports to be working on a larger literbike design. (Zeths Motorcycle/)

Another Chinese firm that’s entering the big-bike arena is Zeths, a company that currently sells 250cc V-twin cruisers. It’s recently unveiled a 60-degree 1,000cc DOHC water-cooled V-twin engine that’s a far cry from the small motors in its current range, and while we’ve yet to see the bike it will be fitted to, it’s clear the company has big ideas for the future.

Similarly, Weisenke—another of China’s engine-making firms—has taken the wraps off a new 796cc inline-four that’s expected to be offered to any bike builder that wants to use it. With a claimed 117 hp at 11,500 rpm and 69 pound-feet of torque at 9,500 rpm, the engine offers far more performance than most Chinese bikes can muster.

All this is happening just as other Chinese firms are increasingly leveraging their Western tie-ins to forge ahead with big engine projects. Benelli, owned by Qianjiang, has launched its 1,200cc three-cylinder tourer, with an engine derived from the Italian triple used in the Tornado Tre. The firm has also struck a deal with MV Agusta to adopt its 1,000cc four-cylinder engine in future models.

Chinese engine-builder Weisenke has also unveiled a 796cc inline-four 117 hp powerplant. (Weisenke Power Technology/)

CFMoto, with close ties to KTM, has already launched its KTM-powered MT800 and the 1250TR-G tourer, which uses a purpose-made V-twin derived from the Austrian firm’s LC8 motor. Zongshen, having snapped up a license to manufacture Norton’s newly designed 650cc parallel twin, has beaten Norton itself to getting the engine into production and is rumored to be developing its own 800cc derivative for future models.

While these initial Chinese big bikes aren’t likely to live up to the expectations of those of us used to riding big European, American, and Japanese machines from firms that have had decades to refine their engine-making skills, it’s clear that just as the internal combustion engine appears to be facing its curtain call from those established brands, it’s simultaneously getting a new lease of life in China.

Related: Norton-powered Zongshen Cyclone RX6 Nears Production

CFMoto’s KTM-powered MT800 is already in showrooms. (CFMoto/)

Source

[Tym]

We wont get the good stuff until they retake Taiwan.

[Buckster]

@XTreme will be taking this thread to the bathroom with him.

[XTreme]

35 minutes ago, Buckster said:

@XTreme will be taking this thread to the bathroom with him.

[Clive]

Whooo Chinese bikes...................on second thoughts.