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The Souo S2000 is a mega-luxury tourer competing against the Honda Gold Wing. Picture: SUPPLIED
The Souo S2000 is a mega-luxury tourer competing against the Honda Gold Wing. Picture: SUPPLIED

Chinese carmaker GWM, which already has several car marques including Ora, Haval, Wey and Tank, has branched out into motorcycles.

The first machine from the company’s new bike brand Souo is quite a spectacle. The mega-sized S2000 luxury tourer has been launched as a rival to the Honda Gold Wing and is powered by the world’s only horizontally opposed eight-cylinder engine.

The in-house developed 2,000cc engine is paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with power sent to the wheel via shaft drive. The enormous long-distance tourer features a three-tier double wishbone front suspension that GWM says is a world first.

The S2000 comes in two versions: the ST, with a pair of 27l side cases but no top box, and the fully dressed GL with an armchair-style pillion seat and a 63l top case.

The gargantuan two-wheeler has a length of 2,267mm but a low 740mm seat height makes it accessible to shorter riders. The 450kg bike also comes with an automatic parking function and a walking speed mode.

The bike has the world’s only 2,000cc eight-cylinder engine. Picture: SUPPLIED
The bike has the world’s only 2,000cc eight-cylinder engine. Picture: SUPPLIED

In comfort, the S2000 pulls out all the stops with a couch-like seat, electrically adjustable windshield, heated seats and an eight-speaker 360W audio system. Intelligent cruise control and a 12.3” LCD instrument panel also come standard.

In safety, the bike has ABS brakes, stability control, rear warning system and blind spot monitoring.

There are no plans to bring the Souo S2000 to SA.

The privately owned Chinese carmaker is on a roll, selling 1.23-million cars in 2024, which included a 43.4% rise in overseas sales to a record 453,141 units. GWM is the world’s 21st largest carmaker by market capitalisation.

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