This Chinese Hardtail Cruiser Is Powered By An Old Sportster Motor

The Bashan BS1200-G is a Chinese made cruiser with Italian ties and a Harley-Davidson motor, well, sort of.

Photo by: RideApart.com

By: Justin W Coffey

May 14, at 8:45am ET

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If you’re like me, you’re probably unfamiliar with the Bashan name. For the last couple of decades, though, this Chinese manufacturer has been building small displacement single-cylinder motorcycles, but something new is brewing.

The brand’s latest Chinese type-approval application is for a 1200cc V-twin powered bobber built around Shineray’s clone of the Harley-Davidson Sportster engine. Unfamiliar with Shineray? Me too. As it turns out, the Shineray Group is a Chinese manufacturer specializing in automobiles, motorcycles, agricultural machinery, and power equipment, and owns the Italian brand, SWM.

But wait, there’s more…

SWM introduced an air-cooled 1200cc motor shortly after Harley-Davidson dropped the Sportster 1200 from its lineup. The engine is nearly identical to the H-D powerplant, at least visually, and shares the same 88.9mm bore and 96.8mm stroke, as well as producing similar power and torque figures.

The motor is currently powering the SWM Stormbreaker 1200, which itself is a Sportster-like offering from the Italian, er, Chinese brand. Now, though, that same motor appears to be the foundation for the upcoming Bashan BS1200-G.

The Chinese type-approval document confirms that the Bashan BS1200-G motor is made by Shineray and quotes the same power output that’s seen in the SWM Stormbreaker 1200 – which is similar to the performance you’d get from an old Sportster 1200. The rest of the motorcycle, however, is made by Bashan at the company’s Chongqing plant, and the document revealed a curb weight of 540-lbs, a top speed of just 75 mph.

The bike appears to be riding on 16-inch wire wheels, with a springer-style front end, no rear suspension (hardtail for life?), but does come equipped with disc brakes at the front and rear, ABS, and an LED headlight.

What do you think?

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Comments

If the Bashan BS1200-G were to be exported outside of China, it would likely appear in dealerships under a different name. What nameplate it would be imported as would likely be determined by the brand that decides to do the importing of this archaic hardtail cruiser.

Does the world need a Chinese- made hardtail cruiser powered by an Italian V-twin clone of the Motor Co.’s Sportster engine? Honestly, it feels weird to write that. But if the success of other Chinese made clones (see: Changjiang’s BMW R71 boxer) tells you anything, it’s that if you build it, someone will ride it, especially if it’s cheap.