China Is Readying An 8-Cylinder Cruiser To Worry American V-Twins

• Chinese motorcycle brands like Great Wall Motors are leveling up their game with bikes inspired by industry giants.
• GWM's upcoming Souo cruiser will feature an impressive 2,000cc eight-cylinder engine with modern technological bits.
• The cruiser boasts a unique aesthetic inspired by iconic models like the Honda Rune.

Chinese motorcycle brands aren’t stopping anytime soon. If anything, they’re only getting better at the craft and leveling up their game. A key example of the same is the recently revealed Souo S2000 touring bike. Built by industry heavyweight Great Wall Motors, the motorcycle takes heavy inspiration from the Honda Gold Wing in an attempt to beat the established bike at its own game. Now, GWM is planning another bike around the same platform, this time mimicking the discontinued but still-loved Honda Rune cruiser.

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The Souo Cruiser Bike Will Boast A 2,000cc Eight-Cylinder Engine

Great Wall Motor

No bikemaker whips up a new engine for just a single motorcycle. It whips up a lineup around the mill and that’s exactly what GWM plans to do. Accordingly, the cruiser in context will employ the same 2,000cc engine as the S2000. It’s an eight-cylinder mill with loads of modern-day inclusions.

For instance, each cylinder has double overhead camshafts, unlike the Gold Wing’s SOHC flat-six engine. You also get an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission instead of a conventional manual shifter. Another neat touch is a recently patented cylinder deactivation system. It will turn off some cylinders to produce a more rumbling exhaust note compared to a flat-eight sound.

GWM explains:

A powertrain often needs to be used on different models. For example, a horizontally opposed eight-cylinder engine needs to be installed in a cruiser. However, the idle exhaust sound of this multi-cylinder engine is smooth and low, which cannot satisfy the requirements of the cruiser. The demand for personalized sound waves reduces the application models and usage scenarios of multi-cylinder engines.

What remains unclear, meanwhile, is the power output. But Chinese sources report it’s higher than the Gold Wing’s 124 horsepower and 125 pound-feet. These sources also confirm the cruiser will have the same engine tune. Not surprising since the Honda Rune and Gold Wing followed the same trend.

Leaked Spy Shots Reveal A Voluptuous Aesthetic

Honda

Like the engine, the chassis components look largely unchanged on the cruiser (judging from spy shots surfaced in China). We can see the same wheels, chassis design, and suspension as the S2000. Even the dual front discs, single rear disc, and single-sided swingarm look identical on the siblings.

But the design is certainly different. While the S2000 has large bodywork and hidden exhausts, the upcoming cruiser has a more stripped-back yet equally voluptuous design. It seems like a middle ground between the Honda Rune and F6C. The massive side exhaust in particular looks properly inspired by the latter Honda.

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So when can we expect to see this cruiser? Sadly, there’s no timeline yet. GWM is currently focusing on bringing the S2000 to market this year, and the cruiser will only follow after that. We also don’t know when or whether these GWM bikes will reach international waters. If they were to, we think the giant will aim to show them at the EICMA in November.

Quote sourced from CycleWorld