Cars are getting fewer cylinders and engine capacity. Where you used to be able to get a six-cylinder even in a C-segment car (think of the Golf VR6), nowadays you almost only see three- and four-cylinders. Add a turbo and voila: 150 to 250 hp (or more) is always possible and in most cases sufficient. In that respect, we were surprised at the introduction of the Souo S2000. Souo is a new brand from Great Wall Motors, a manufacturer from China.
Now we won’t burden you with every motorcycle that comes out of China, but the specs of this device are so special that we had to share the Souo S2000. It is best to see the bike as a competitor for the Honda Goldwing and BMW K1600 GTL. That means an extremely luxurious, large and heavy motorcycle. Intended to cover great distances in great comfort.
What kind of engine does the Souo S2000 have?
That is not possible with a pounding single-cylinder or V-Twin, for that you need a lot of cylinders. The Goldwing has a six-cylinder boxer engine and the BMW K1600 GTL has a six-in-line. The Souo S2000 goes one step further with a real one eight-cylinder. It is a ‘flat’ V8, so with a block angle of 180 degrees. The engine capacity is also enormous: 2 liters. Hence the name S2000, not to be confused with the sporty Honda Roadster with the same type name.
There are several dogs named Fikkie, of course. Despite the motorcycle’s double number of cylinders, the power is slightly disappointing. That is 152 hp. For context: the Honda S2000 produced 240 hp from its four-cylinder. Both without a turbo. But then you compare the motorcycle with the wrong Honda. The Honda Goldwing has a 1.8 liter four-cylinder with 134 hp. The Souo’s gearbox is an eight-speed automatic. Also special for a motorcycle.
There are even more bizarre figures, such as the weight
But more crazy figures are known about this device thanks to market analyst Tycho de Feijter. The wheelbase is 1.81 meters, more than eleven centimeters longer than that of the Goldwing. The most insane thing is the weight. When everything and everyone has to lose weight, the Souo is wonderfully corpulent. It weighs clean on the hook Souo S2000 namely 478 kilograms. You can get the Souo S2000 in three versions, of which the most complete is of course the most expensive with a price of 38,000 euros.
Also read: More motorcycles are being sold, but what about the electric ones?
There are no export plans yet, but we estimate that they will eventually come. In China you are not allowed to ride a motorcycle on many roads. In addition, these types of motorcycles are pure prestige objects, so perfect to make a name for themselves as a new brand. Great Wall has already indicated that a lot of electric motorcycles as well as sports motorcycles are also coming.
