Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Gaokin presented the GK 1000 cruiser in April, 2022, in its home market of China. One of the bigger players in the Chinese motorcycle market, Chongqing Gaokin Industry Co. manufactures motorcycles for the likes of Brixton and the Austrian-owned KSR group. Some models you may be familiar with are the Crossfire 500 and the Cromwell 1200.
Now, unlike many other smaller Chinese motorcycle manufacturers not even worth mentioning, Gaokin comes up with its own unique designs, and even seems to engineer its own engines, instead of reverse-engineering powerplants from more established manufacturers. The same is true with the GK 1000, and sources suggest that the cruiser could soon be heading to the European market.
The European market has long benefitted from Chinese-made two-wheelers, particularly in the entry-level space with a lot of 125cc models sold by both big and small Chinese companies. In recent years, however, these brands have stepped up and showed their intentions of joining the big leagues. This is exactly the case with Gaokin, as it has done in the Crossfire 500 and Cromwell 1200 under the Brixton brand. If and when the GK 1000 were to launch in Europe, it is indeed expected to be released under the Brixton marque to further the expansion of the KSR Group's model range.
Running through the specs, the GK 1000 sports a 997cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, 80-degree V-twin engine that pumps out 90 horsepower. For a cruiser, this is pretty impressive, and will surely translate to a peppy ride a-la Honda Rebel 1100. Gaokin claims a top speed of 123 miles per hour. Other features include a throttle-by-wire system complete with multiple ride modes and traction control. It also gets KYB suspension and J.Juan brakes with dual-channel ABS. Last but not least, the bike features a fully digital instrument cluster equipped with Bluetooth smartphone pairing.
At present, there's no info just yet regarding when and where in Europe the Gaokin GK 1000 will debut. Price is also still up in the air, but in China, the bike retails for the equivalent of around $7,800 USD, making it a bargain compared to other bikes in its displacement class.
