Recent years have seen a lot of new cruisers from a bunch of Chinese manufacturers. And a lot of these seem to be cooked up from the same recipe: a mid-size parallel-twin engine, mildly retro styling, and laid-back ergonomics. In the context of the Asian market, this recipe works, as we tend to be shorter than our American and European counterparts.
Having said that, there’s a new Chinese cruiser in the game, and it comes from Zongshen, a company we’ve talked about in the past, and one with ties to Italian moto giant Piaggio. Its newest model, dubbed the Cyclone RA 600, is set to go on sale in China this year, and should it prove to be a success in its home market.
Well, chances are it could make its way to the global stage. So, what’s the Cyclone RA 600 all about?
For starters, its unique front end may have caught your fancy, leading you to believe that it’s rocking an exotic front suspension system like a Hossack fork. Sadly, this is but a facade—some fancy bodywork that conceals what’s actually a standard telescopic fork underneath.
Things aren’t much different at the back, as even though it looks like it’s sporting an old-fashioned hardtail frame, it gets a monoshock concealed under the saddle. This design element is something that’s clearly been taken out of Triumph’s book, with the Hinckley Company’s Bonneville Bobber.
Overall, I wouldn’t call the Cyclone’s styling bad. It looks pretty beefy and muscular, thanks in part to its faux Hossack fork and beefy tires shod on 16-inch wheels. Is it original? Hardly. I’d say it’s an edited copy of a modern classic bike. And hey, if it’s priced right, it just might sell.
On the performance side of the equation, the Cyclone RA 600 is powered by a 560cc parallel-twin engine. Performance figures are respectable, with Zongshen claiming 59 ponies and 41 pound-feet of torque. It’s a bunch of ponies more than its mainstream rivals, the Honda Rebel 500 and Kawasaki Eliminator, but it’s also a hundred or so cubes up in displacement, as well. Interestingly, it sends power to the rear wheel via a belt drive, similar to what we find in American V-Twin cruisers.
Whether we like it or not, Chinese bikes are here, and they’re here to stay. A lot of big names from China have gotten in bed with even bigger names in the global industry, and Zongshen is no different. All political views aside, what this means for the industry is more bikes at more affordable prices. Make of that what you will.
But the way I see it, more people on two wheels is always a good thing.
