Eight-cylinder tourer from China GWM Souo S 2000 ST: Now it's getting thick
Great Wall Motors from China is completely exaggerating with the first model of its new motorcycle brand: the Souo S 2000 is aimed at famous tourers.
(Image: GWM)
- Ingo Gach
Great Wall Motor (GWM) has founded its own motorcycle brand, Souo. The days when Chinese brands started out with minimal displacements are clearly over; now the motto is: think big. Accordingly, Souo has launched its first bike at the "Motor China Beijing International Motorcycle Exhibition", a huge tourer. But that's not all, the S 2000 - in the ST and GL versions - is the first standard eight-cylinder boxer motorcycle. The touring steamer boasts two liters of displacement and is clearly aimed in the direction of the Honda Gold Wing, which, however, "only" has six cylinders and 1833 cm3 of displacement.
Living room on wheels
The Souo looks huge, like a living room on wheels with a wall unit and sofa. The eight-cylinder boxer engine with four valve heads and two overhead camshafts is the purest monument. The dual-clutch gearbox below has eight forward gears and one reverse gear. The driver will be in dire need of the latter if he wants to maneuver the behemoth, as the S 2000 ST weighs in at a hefty 450 kg, the GT even 461 kg.
The engine is said to produce 152 hp - 26 hp more than the engine in the Honda Gold Wing - the red zone starts at 6000 rpm. Nothing is yet known about the maximum torque, but it can be assumed that it is higher than that of the Honda, which already achieves an impressive 170 Nm. A cardan drive to the wide rear wheel is obligatory for the Souo-Tourer.
GWM Souo S 2000 ST (7 Bilder)
Suspension instead of fork
The total of eight manifolds jostling under the two cylinders are very impressive. The backbone of the S 2000 is a cast aluminum frame, the front wheel is guided by double wishbones instead of a fork. Similar to a Hossack fork, this suspension offers a great deal of comfort and prevents dipping under braking. The rear is supported by a single spring shock absorber. It is not yet known whether the Souo also has adaptive suspension. When it comes to brakes, the Chinese trend of increasingly opting for renowned quality products continues. Brembo four-piston brake callipers can be seen on the front wheel, in a double version.
Inspired by lions
The developers explained that their design was inspired by the widespread depictions of lions in Chinese art. The protruding fairing with the two LED headlights including daytime running lights - presumably intended as "lion eyes" - and the extendable windshield should provide maximum protection for the crew. Two suitcases painted in the vehicle color blend seamlessly into the lines of the S 2000. A top case is attached behind the rear seat backrest. On the wide seat and the wing chair in the rear, the driver and passenger can travel across China and back without back pain.
Without a clutch lever
In front of the driver is a huge TFT display that looks like something out of an automobile, with a speedometer that very optimistically reaches up to 240 km/h. Full smartphone connectivity should be a given. Loudspeakers on both sides provide sound for luxury travelers. A very wide, partially chrome-plated handlebar transmits the driving commands to the front suspension. Although there are plenty of buttons waiting for the driver at the left-hand end of the handlebars, Souo has placed a panel with a rotary knob and various buttons on the tank for infotainment and controls such as the parking brake, grip and seat heating. The developers have dispensed with a clutch lever; the semi-automatic gear selection is handled by the electronics at the press of an index finger and thumb button at the left end of the handlebars. It is not clear whether the Souo also has radar for adaptive cruise control and/or blind spot warning.
GWM Souo S 2000 ST (6 Bilder)
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Image change
The Souo S 2000 ST is about to be launched in China. Whether it will ever come to Germany remains to be seen. The only thing that seems certain is that the Chinese manufacturers want to shed their image as low-quality, cheap brands. In the future, they wish to meet the established manufacturers on an equal footing. The Souo S 2000 ST with its eight-cylinder engine is intended to signal to Honda, BMW and Harley-Davidson that a new competitor is emerging in the luxury tourer segment.
(mfz)