The GWM Souo S2000: Chinese shots fired across Honda's bow

jdmccright

jdmccright

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2000 ST1100
Is that a GW1800? Nope. Is it better, who knows? Could it be? Uh, maybeeeee....

The Chinese-made GWM Souo S2000, a flat-EIGHT 2000cc DOHC engine with 8-speed DCT. And all the farkles one would expect from a road-eating 2-wheeler. It even has two configurations to match up against the GW's SL and ST trims. Let the debate begin!

 
It does exist!

Will this be sold stateside? Not a clue. I could see them going that route given the popularity of Goldwings here, but with the tariff stack against Chinese EVs right now, I could absolutely see Harley and Honda lobbying to block the import of Chinese bikes.
 
I totally understand the attraction for a smooth, tempered and powerful 6 cylinders, but a 8 cylinders on a road bike!?
I am sure that it is more a marketing gimmick than a commercial decision and I strongly doubt to see one on the US roads ever.
Since when Chinese companies are looking for niche markets?
 
Sidekick said:
I totally understand the attraction for a smooth, tempered and powerful 6 cylinders, but a 8 cylinders on a road bike!?
I am sure that it is more a marketing gimmick than a commercial decision and I strongly doubt to see one on the US roads ever.
Since when Chinese companies are looking for niche markets?
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Yes an 8 cylinder motorbike. Before Honda finally settled on the latest generation Goldwing an opposed 8 cyclinder was tested by Honda for its new roadbike.
 
When established manufacturers make a product in china, and stand behind it, with spares, support, etc. things go fairly well. However I have had numerous experiences with Chinese products, some personal, where the support, parts, etc. just isn't there. Any the item ends up junked. Maybe Great Wall is different, but I'm not being a guinea pig. Again. Nope.
 
The real hope is that competition in the market improves the rest of the field.

The Goldwing is great, and also costs $30,000. The Road Glide, $30,000. Indian has the Pursuit sitting at $35,000.

If GWM comes in with a touring bike that sells for $24,000 and is as well-equipped and anywhere near as good a ride as the other tourers, even if they don't sell in the States, that's going to be extreme price pressure on the alternatives. Either that drives down the cost of those bikes, or Honda/Indian/HD make big moves to have a substantially-more-attractive product for the extra $6,000-$10,000 and those innovations come to the bikes we get here.

It's the same dynamic we saw when Toyota and Honda entered the American auto market. High fuel economy, high reliability, and low cost for the Accord, Civic, and Camry versus the established alternatives from GM, Ford, and Chrysler pushed for them to innovate. As strange as it is, that reaction gave us the GM 3100 engine, the LS-series, the Turbo-Hydramatic line of automatic transmissions. The Ford Modular, I4 DOHC, and Essex. Chrysler with the Trans-4 and Magnum. Always seemingly a step behind the Japanese marques on reliability, but miles ahead of the 1970s predecessors.

I think, too, that it opens the niche. If a touring bike isn't the price of a full-size sedan, then maybe people will actually buy them. If manufacturers see bikes with integrated panniers and/or top cases are selling when they are affordable enough, then even if they don't go in with a full tourer, they may look and say "Well damn. Maybe we should try selling this here NT1100 that we've already spent millions developing stateside" and we get a sport tourer again that's not a $25,000 BMW.
 
Speaking personally, I'm not getting any younger and I don't really need or want a motorcycle with more weight than I am already wrestling with. Maybe there are some uber-rich capitalists in China that this will appeal to, but I won't be lining up to buy one. The idea of something lighter, more fuel-efficient and still comfy and stable is much more appealing.

I have driven in a few high-end Chinese vehicles recently and they appear to be just as well-built as an equivalent Japanese, Korean or German car these days, so I don't doubt this behemoth will be reliable.
 
My old lawn tractor has a Briggs engine. I grew up using them. My newer lawn tractor has a hard life, it has a Chinese engine and has never used oil and it’s better than a Briggs. I have rebuilt the deck a few times, but not the engine.

My new KLR 650 used oil, was rebuilt under warranty by the dealer as I watched and it still used oil. I put a big bore kit in it and it stopped using oil. Harley, Honda, Kawasaki, all of them, have parts made in China. My KLR was made in Thailand, same as Triumph and many others.

There is no saying anymore what is likely to be good or bad. I don’t think much of Harleys, from a technological and engineering point of view they are probably the worst. The V-Rod is not bad at all but it’s got a German engine which I like. But there isn’t a Harley I wouldn’t ride, I don’t think. But just imagine eight cylinders using oil instead of one or two. No thank you. I prefer a used Goldwing over this.

IMG_2880.jpeg
 
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ASPC said:
My old lawn tractor has a Briggs engine. I grew up using them. My newer lawn tractor has a hard life, it has a Chinese engine and has never used oil and it’s better than a Briggs. I have rebuilt the deck a few times, but not the engine.

My new KLR 650 used oil, was rebuilt under warranty by the dealer as I watched and it still used oil. I put a big bore kit in it and it stopped using oil. Harley, Honda, Kawasaki, all of them, have parts made in China. My KLR was made in Thailand, same as Triumph and many others.

There is no saying anymore what is likely to be good or bad. I don’t think much of Harleys, from a technological and engineering point of view they are probably the worst. The V-Rod is not bad at all but it’s got a German engine which I like. But there isn’t a Harley I wouldn’t ride, I don’t think. But just imagine eight cylinders using oil instead of one or two. No thank you. I prefer a used Goldwing over this.

IMG_2880.jpeg
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The Chinese are quite capable of producing excellent products. Quality suffers when customers' accountants and politics get in the way.
 
Oldbikefixr said:
The Chinese are quite capable of producing excellent products. Quality suffers when customers' accountants and politics get in the way.
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They build to a price point. Trouble is we want more/bigger but want it cheap.
They will give us that.
Me? Not at all interested in either monstrosity.
 
I sometimes consider myself a motorhead, and have been fortunate to own several bikes in my short life (cough!)

The Honda CBX was / IS an intriguing machine although I've never ridden one, the BMW K1600 in all its formats is lovely, smooth and powerful, and I still have fantasies about one day owning a GL1800. I was never impressed by the Triumph Rocket, much less the Boss Hoss.

Don't have any interest at all in owning any 8-cylinder motorbike, no matter who makes one.
 
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