I feel like… a prophet. Something I predicted years ago has finally happened. A Chinese motorcycle manufacturer has apparently cloned a Harley-Davidson, or at least, cloned a Harley-Davidson engine.
The engine in question is the product of Shineray, an absolutely massive giant of the Chinese moto industry which not only builds bikes under its own name, but also under other names. Shineray owns the historic Italian SWM marque, and makes some very decent dual sports and ADVs under that brand. Some of the first-wave Chinese motorcycles in the US (about 15 years ago) were Shineray-branded, and some of them had very good reputations.
现在,Shineray已经建立了一个风冷V - 45度twin that looks like it would match right up against an Evolution Sportster engine. It’s not superficially identical, but all the right bits are in all the right places, and it even has a pushrod-actuated top end, just like the old-school Sportsters did. It has 1200cc capacity, just like a big-bore Evolution Sportster.
But does it go potato-potato? See the launch video below, and decide for yourself:
The engine debuts at an interesting time. Harley-Davidson appears ready to axe the old air-cooled Sportster engine; indeed, it is already unavailable in some markets due to emissions regs. And lest you think emissions regs don’t matter to Chinese buyers, think again. In some Chinese cities, gasoline motorcycles are already running afoul of clean-air laws.
However, rules in one part of China might not apply elsewhere in the country, and China also supplies the rest of the world now. China is not afraid to mess with the engine’s tuning to try to continue to slip it through emissions regs, detuning it or doing whatever else is required. So, don’t be surprised if there’s a new Shineray-built cruiser on the global market soon, powered by a familiar V-twin.
And, for all the haters who are going to decry the idea of a copy of a Harley-Davidson engine (if that’s indeed what this is): What about all the S&S and other engines made over the years, all drop-in replacements for MoCo power? If Harley-Davidson decides to axe the Sportster from its lineup, should nobody else be allowed to make such a bike, if the patents are expired?
