{"id":26537,"date":"2024-05-25T00:01:31","date_gmt":"2024-05-25T07:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exhaustnotes.us\/blog\/?p=26537"},"modified":"2024-05-24T18:30:44","modified_gmt":"2024-05-25T01:30:44","slug":"a-new-chinese-super-tourer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exhaustnotes.us\/blog\/index.php\/2024\/05\/25\/a-new-chinese-super-tourer\/","title":{"rendered":"A New Chinese Super Tourer"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ll bet you thought you were looking at a Gold Wing when you opened this blog.<\/p>\n

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Wow, the world is full of surprises.\u00a0 On my first foray into the Chinese motorcycle industry (a trip to Zongshen’s giant manufacturing campus in Chongqing), I was blown away by the size and sophistication of that company.\u00a0 Since then, I’ve been to China many times (including a visit to the Canton Fair, China’s significant motorcycle industry trade show).\u00a0 I thought I’d seen it all, and then I found this email from good buddy Fan in my inbox:<\/p>\n

Hi Joe:<\/em><\/p>\n

How are you, friend?<\/em><\/p>\n

I’d like to share a news to you, of course it\u2019s still about motorcycles\/<\/em><\/p>\n

A motorcycle exhibition was held in Beijing from May 17th to 20th.<\/em><\/p>\n

Most of the products were still unremarkable to me, but one motorcycle sparked interest. This is a cruiser developed by Great Wall Motors, a Chinese automobile company. Its appearance may remind you of the Honda Gold Wing. At first, I thought this was another simple imitation of another motorcycle, but when I understood its structure and parameters, I found that it was not that simple.\u00a0 This cruiser is named SOUO and is equipped with a 2000cc engine with 8 cylinders, while the Honda Gold Wing is 1600cc with 6 cylinders only.<\/em><\/p>\n

The price of this motorcycle has not yet been announced, but it is said that it will start accepting reservations in August. I guess the retail price should be 250,000 yuan, about 35,000 US dollars.<\/em><\/p>\n

For your reference.<\/em><\/p>\n

Best regards!<\/em><\/p>\n

Fan<\/em><\/p>\n

Whoa!\u00a0 2000cc!\u00a0 Eight cylinders!\u00a0 An 8-speed dual clutch transmission!\u00a0 Talk about overkill!<\/p>\n

I wonder what it weighs.<\/p>\n

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I tried to find what SOUO translates to in English, but it doesn’t translate to anything.\u00a0 What I found online is that SOUO is an acronym (you know, an abbreviation that forms a word).\u00a0 SOUO means “Search Own, Unlimited Outlook.”<\/p>\n

This is a huge step in the Chinese motorcycle world.\u00a0 How Great Wall Motors markets the bike will be interesting to watch.\u00a0 I would think one of their principal markets has to be the United States (where else could it be?), but I have to wonder how many they think they are going to sell.\u00a0 Assuming the motorcycle could meet U.S. Department of Transportation and EPA emissions requirements (it most likely would, as the bikes I assisted in guiding through U.S. certification requirements all did), and assuming someone steps up to pay the roughly $50K associated with going through the certification process, how many people are willing to drop $35K on a new Chinese motorcycle?\u00a0 That’s more than what a new Gold Wing, a new BMW, or a new Harley costs.\u00a0 It’s a steep sales hill and it will require a significant marketing effort.\u00a0 I think the issues are the small size of the target market, the target market’s willingness to go with a new and unproven Chinese product (instead of a Gold Wing, a BMW, or a Harley), the price, and questions about Chinese motorcycle reliability and parts availability.<\/p>\n

No one has asked for my advice on this, but that’s never slowed me down before.\u00a0 Here’s what I’d do:<\/p>\n