Gaokin

Gaokin V1000 Thor could be a Brixton in Europe

Gaokin isn't a brand name that means much in the west, but it is one of the leading Chinese motorcycle engine suppliers, and is the company that manufactures the machines we know as Brixtons on this side of the globe.
Now Gaokin has launched its latest large capacity model, the V1000 Thor, using a new DOHC V-twin engine in a distinctive, cruiser-style machine.

The Thor's engine is an 80-degree V-twin that measures 997 cc, combining a 92 mm bore, 75 mm stroke and a 10.3:1 compression ratio to develop 88.5 hp (66k W) at 7200 rpm and 70 lb-ft (95 Nm) of torque at 6000 rpm. It is bolted to a cast aluminium frame with a distinctive design that reflects the engine's V configuration, with a monoshock rear end and upside-down KYB forks. Bosch supplies the engine electronics and the ABS for the radial-mount brakes.
The bike's muscle-cruiser styling is emphasised by the use of a 240/40VR18 rear tyre, with a 130/70R18 front, and while the bike's weight - 252 kg dry or 269 kg including 20.5 litres of fuel - is far from light, neither is it vastly heavier than rival machines.
At the moment, the Thor has only gone on sale in China, with a price that's equivalent to € 9200, but most of the company's bikes are offered in Europe under the Brixton brand name. The Gaokin GK500 is the Brixton Crossfire 500, for instance, and the Bonneville-style GK1200 is the Brixton Cromwell 1200.
While not Gaokin's biggest bike - the 1200 cc GK1200 takes that crown - the Thor is its most powerful. It's also relatively high-tech, with ride-by-wire throttles, multiple engine modes and cruise control. Given the company's European access via Austrian importer KSR, and the fact that Chinese emissions rules are close to those in Europe, if there's demand for the machine in Europe there should be relatively few barriers to importing it.

Benelli

Benelli Tornado 402R spotted in patent

A new patent from Benelli's Chinese owners Qianjiang has revealed what appears to be a Tornado 402R using the company's latest twin-cylinder engine design.
At the moment, Benelli's European range is sadly lacking in Tornado-badged sports bikes, even though there are plans in place for a new Tornado 550 twin and 650 four-cylinder in the future. However, some markets, including China, get the Tornado 302R sports bike, which was given a fresh design last year.

This new bike, which is codenamed 'QJ400GS-16A', has a larger 399 cc twin that was also recently the subject of a patent filing. The engine, going by the code QJ270MQ (the '270' means two cylinders with a 70mm bore), is virtually identical to Kawasaki's Ninja 400 and Z400 twin.
In terms of performance, the QJ270MW is good for 33 kW (45 hp), which is on a par with the Kawasaki that it takes inspiration from, and is bolted to a steel tube frame in the new Benelli Tornado 402R. A single-sided swingarm at the back gives the bike a surprisingly high-end appearance, but while there are upside-down forks at the front the lack of radial-mount brake calipers is an unusual omission.

The new bike's styling is clearly related to the smaller 302R, sharing a similar headlight design and LED strip side lights. The mirrors are direct carry-overs from the 302R, but all the body panels are different, and the overall look is more sophisticated than the smaller bike.
In China there's an increasingly hard-fought battle for the 400 cc sports bike market, with contenders from a growing number of companies. Benelli's sister brand QJMotor has already launched its machine in the class - the 400RR - but while it has a similar single-sided swingarm to the one seen here, it's otherwise a totally different bike.
The engine in the QJMotor machine is an older design, derived from the company's own 350 cc twin, and there are differences to the frame, suspension and brakes - for instance, the QJMotor 400RR has twin front discs. The QJMotor's styling is also unlike the Benelli model seen in this patent, with twin headlights mounted side-by-side in a style that's more Ducati-esque.
We'll have to wait for an official launch to discover whether Benelli plans to sell the 402R globally, but in 2020 the company announced plans to offer twin-cylinder bikes in 400 cc, 700 cc and 900 cc categories, as well as 900 cc and 1200 cc triples and 650 cc and 1000 cc fours.

Honda

Honda NX500 to leverage Dominator heritage

The golden era of the Dakar rally in the late 80s and early 90s is the latest retro trend that manufacturers are tapping into and with a glittering record from that period, Honda can't be blamed for making the most of it.
With the Africa Twin already proving a success and plans to revive the Transalp name on an upcoming 750 cc twin derived from the upcoming Hornet 750 that will debut later this year, Honda's adventure bike range is looking increasingly strong. 

Next, the company seems set to revive the Dominator - previously offered in a host of capacities from the 1980s until the early 2000s. Honda has just filed for rights to use the trademarks 'NX' and 'NX500' on future motorcycles, reviving badges that were last used on Dominators from the NX125 to the NX650.
These days Norton holds a trademark on the Dominator name, potentially preventing Honda from using it, but by reviving the 'NX' badge there's no doubt what Honda is alluding to. While old Dominators were single-cylinder machines, sitting below the Transalp and Africa Twin in Honda's range of adventure bikes, the new NX500 is likely to be a twin. In fact, the clearest route to creating a successful Dominator revival is to give the CB500X adventure bike a 1980s-inspired restyle and the new name, bringing its nomenclature and appearance into line with the Africa Twin. That would mean it uses the same 471 cc engine as the CB500 range and the upcoming CL500 scrambler that Honda is expected to launch later this year, using the CMX500 Rebel as its basis.
Honda's rivals are already jumping on the Dakar-inspired trend, most recently with Ducati's DesertX and MV Agusta's Lucky Explorer 9.5 and 5.5 models, which all take their inspiration from the Dakar-winning Cagiva Elefant. BMW's R nineT Urban G/S and Moto Guzzi's V85 TT have also adopted 80s-inspired adventure bike looks.
Honda's own Dakar winners of the era were all 'NX' branded, albeit pure prototype bikes in the form of the NXR750V and NXR800V machines that took four consecutive victories from 1986-89, spanning the absolute peak of the Dakar rally's popularity.
Although a trademark isn't a guarantee that a bike will reach production, it is a reliable pointer to the bikes companies are developing, and given the ease with which Honda could cash in on its racing success at the very event that others are paying tribute to, it would be crazy not to consider capitalising on it.

Peugeot

Peugeot adventure scooter coming soon

Honda seems to have started a trend with the X-ADV adventure scooter and the smaller ADV350 that followed it, with rival machines springing up from the likes of Kymco and Aprilia. Now Peugeot looks likely to be following the trend.
Just as most 'off-road' cars never use their high suspension for anything more ambitious than parking on a curb, adventure scooters aren't really meant for travelling to the far corners of the earth. Like SUVs, they're at home in the urban jungle, using their rugged design and increased ground clearance to shrug off potholes rather than ford rivers.
Last year, Peugeot test riders were spotted on test rigs for two new adventure-style scooters - one packing a 125 cc engine, the other using the 399 cc unit from the Metropolis 400i. The latter has now appeared in its final form in a set of patent images intended to protect the intellectual property of the bike's visual appearance.

 

As befits this growing class of machines, the bike has wire wheels and raised ground clearance, as well as styling that includes a nose-mounted 'beak' intended to mirror the high-rise front mudguard of a motocross bike. In these CAD images, the exhaust appears to hang far too low, but that appears to be an error - the prototypes spied last year had the pipe tucked neatly around the engine, flush with the lower bodywork.
What those prototypes lacked was the side fairings and seat bodywork that are visible here, so the patent images give a much more complete look at the bike. It's unusually proportioned with a surprisingly long wheelbase and a rear wheel that extends far beyond the rear seat. That matches the spied prototypes, though, so there appears to be a conscious decision on the part of Peugeot's designers.

 

Since the engine appears identical to the Metropolis 400i's 'PowerMotion 400' single, it's safe to assume its performance will be much the same. That means 26.5 kW (35.6 hp) at 7,250 rpm and 38 Nm (28 lb-ft) at 5,750 rpm. However, since the new adventure scooter has only two wheels and loses the Metropolis's complex, tilting trike front suspension system, it will inevitably be much lighter than that bike's 265 kg. Something closer to 200 kg is likely.
The brake calipers have been missed out on the CAD images here, but the spy shots last year confirmed there are dual, four-pot radial calipers at the front. The CAD pictures also lack part of the right-hand side of the rear swingarm and, most notably, the rear shock. On the spied test rig, there was a large, single coilover shock at the back, mounted on the right-hand side and running parallel to the seat with an unusual linkage to actuate it.
Last year's tests and the new design images suggest the bike will be ready for sale in 2023, with a show debut likely towards the end of 2022. The smaller 125 cc version is expected to look much the same, using the long wheelbase of this bike and the same unusual rear suspension but with a single front brake disc and smaller, narrower wheels.

QJMotor

QJMotor SRT800

Over the last two years Qianjiang's Chinese QJMotor brand has launched a jaw-dropping number of new bikes across a vast array of capacities and styles, and now another new generation of machine is on the way as revealed by type-approval filings for the QJMotor SRT800.
QJMotor's top adventure model is currently the SRT750, which is mechanically and visually a close relation to the newly launched Benelli TRK800. Benelli is QJMotor's European sister company, with both brands owned by Chinese giant Qianjiang. The SRT750 preceded the TRK800 and sports the same frame and 754 cc, 75 hp parallel twin engine, derived from Benelli's old 1130 cc three-cylinder engine.

The newly type-approved SRT800 visually appears to be a relatively minor update to the existing QJMotor and Benelli models, but its specification reveals that the bike is intended to use a completely new engine, dubbed 'QJ288MW', with a capacity of 799 cc and an output of 95 hp - a full 20 hp more than the existing design. The 'QJ288MW' name links the engine to a patent, published earlier this year, showing a Qianjiang-made parallel twin that's nearly identical to the 799 cc engine used in the KTM 790 Duke and Adventure models. That engine is made for KTM by Chinese brand CFMoto with the designation '288MW'. That suggests the new QJMotor version is a licence-built version of the same design.
In Qianjiang's patent for the QJ288MW engine the design bears the Benelli TNT logo on the side of the cylinder head, showing that the twin will be used in Benelli models as well as QJMotor machines. Chinese approval documents show that a version of the Benelli Leoncino 800 has already been developed with the 799 cc QJ288MW engine instead of the existing 754 cc twin.
As well as being much more powerful than the existing QJMotor SRT750 (and the mechanically similar Benelli TRK800), the SRT800 is 9 kg lighter. In the form seen here, with side cases and a top box, it comes in at 247 kg including fuel, compared to 256 kg for the 754 cc version in the same state.

The new parallel twin isn't the only apparent connection between Qianjiang and KTM or CFMoto. The Chinese company is running in the Moto3 World Championship this year with the Avintia team, using KTM-made bikes emblazoned with the QJMotor logo, and the company recently patented the visual design of a new 1301 cc V-twin engine in China. Dubbed the 'QJ2V108MYL', it is identical to KTM's 1301 cc LC8, as used in bikes like the 1290 Super Duke R and shares the same 108 mm bore and 71 mm stroke. QJMotor has also developed several new models with an engine that's essentially the same, both visually and mechanically, to the 693 cc twin used in CFMoto's 700CL-X.
As well as the new look, the SRT800 promises improved technology. The TFT dashboard appears to be larger than the current 750's 5" display, and it looks like there's a forward-facing camera mounted on the front mudguard, just below the headlight. That mirrors a recent trend in high-end Chinese bikes to have built-in dash-cams front and rear, started by the China-only Benelli 1200GT tourer.
The Norton 650-powered Zongshen RX6 has also adopted the same system, and the QJMotor SRT800 looks destined to do the same. If it's similar to the systems in the other machines, there's also likely to be a camera at the back, and the dashboard will be able to display images from both cameras on the move. They'll also be able to record rides, either for posterity or as a precaution to prove fault or innocence in the event of an accident.

Burly Brand

Burly Brand for Honda Rebel

The American Burly Brand is appealing to Honda Rebel owners to "Join the Rebellion” and "rise up against their stock bikes"!

"With the introduction of a comprehensive line of Honda Rebel parts and accessories, owners can now make their custom motorcycle vision a reality with components designed to enhance the bike’s rebellious spirit.
"From sissy bars to shock absorbers, mirrors to slash-cut covers, ape hanger handlebars to luggage, this extensive collection of parts will be a hit with Rebel owners looking to stand out from the crowd".

MOTORCYCLE STOREHOUSE BV
www.motorcyclestorehouse.com
www.burlybrand.com

Powersports Distribution Group (PDG)

De Hobbyist joins Powersports Distribution Group (PDG)

Breda, Netherlands based Powersports Distribution Group (PDG) has concluded the purchase of the entire share capital of the Hobbyist in the Netherlands. "With this acquisition PDG further strengthens its position of motorcycle parts and accessories in Europe and in the United States".

Tom Beyers, CEO of PDG: "We are excited to welcome the Hobbyist to the Group and we look forward to further developing the company with the team at the Hobbyist. Their extensive assortment, knowledge and experience of parts for BMW motorcycles will further strengthen our offering."

Els and Kaspar Mulkens, Directors and owners of the Hobbyist added: "We are excited to be joining PDG and look forward to working together with our staff and the PDG team. This a great opportunity for us and will strengthen our service to our existing customers and able us to reach more new customers globally."
Tom Beyers, CEO of PDG, said: "We are excited to welcome the Hobbyist to the Group and we look forward to further developing the company with the team at the Hobbyist. Their extensive assortment, knowledge and experience of parts for BMW motorcycles will further strengthen our offering.
"The acquisition of the Hobbyist is another important step in the further development of the Group - which we are actively and continuously expanding. "
Formed in 1984, the Hobbyist "has become an important global distributor of parts for BMW motorcycles and is mainly active in Europe and in the United States. The Hobbyist has a global reach and an extensive offering that allows customers to find parts for their BMW motorcycle."
The company and warehouse are located in Hunsel in the Netherlands.
The acquisition is the latest in a series of market moves that has PDG build an impressive portfolio of subsidiaries that includes Hoco Parts, Motorcycle Storehouse, DC AFAM and CMS - a leading global distributor of vintage Japanese motorcycle parts.
PDG is majority owned by Torqx Capital Partners in partnership with management and former owners.
www.powersportsdistributiongroup.com