SHINERAY V1200

Chinese brand Shineray recently unveiled its new V1200 engine– a big, air-cooled cruiser engine, developed in Italy, that’s all but identical to the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Evolution engine.

It has the same 45-degree V-angle, and (presumably) the same crankshaft arrangement, and so the same exhaust note, and Shineray says it’s developed the motor to be 25 per cent more durable, with 10 per cent more heat dissipation. Peak power is a claimed 45kW (60hp), with 90Nm (66lb-ft) of torque (pretty much the same as the last of the 1200 Sporties), and there’re four camshafts, each driving a pushrod to open a rocker-operated valve, to give the signature parallel pushrod tubes running up the right-hand side of the cylinders.

Bikes carrying the new engine were due to be revealed at the Chongqing Expo and, given that the engine’s developed in Europe, and the changes from the H-D inspiration (which should meet modern emissions limits), there’s a good chance that something carrying the V1200 could be sold over here. We’ll keep you informed!