Four years ago, when the RA9 concept was first introduced by the Chinese-origin Cyclone, a part of the bigger Zongshen group, it became one of the most advanced bikes to come out of China. That’s because in 2021, the idea of a liter-class Chinese bike was still fairly unexplored.
Well, it took time, but the concept has finally taken shape as the RA1000. It’s based on Aprilia’s Shiver V-twin engine, and that’s thanks to Zongshen sharing a joint manufacturing venture with Piaggio – which owns Aprilia.
There are substantial tweaks to that old motor, though. The most important tweak of all: the liquid-cooled motor’s bore has been increased by 5 mm to 97 mm, while the stroke remains the same at 67.4 mm. This bumps displacement from the Shiver's 896cc up to 996cc, punching out 105 hp at 9,000 rpm and 66 lb-ft of torque (95 Nm) at 6,500 rpm.
Zongshen says the 496-lb (225-kg) bike has a top speed of 145 mph (235km/h). While that weight is appreciable, the top speed figures aren’t really something to write home about. Most modern liter-bikes usually top out at an electronically-limited 186 mph (300 km/h).
Also taken from the Aprilia Shiver is its chassis. It’s part alloy, part steel-tube, with a single-sided swingarm. The most recognizable part of that frame is that stubby tail-end, reminiscent of the Ducati Diavel. Especially that 240 rear tire and the dual stacked exhaust, which really adds to that Diavel-like keister.
In fact, the more you look at it, the more Diavel you’ll see. And a fair bit of Aprilia Shiver, too. Some might even call it a cheap copy, and I won’t even argue with that, but is that a bad thing? Ehhh... Not necessarily.
As for the rest of the bike, it features adjustable suspension, including an upside-down fork at the front and a direct-mount monoshock at the rear. And for stopping power, there’s a pair of J.Juan 4-pot calipers with 320 mm discs at the front end and a J.Juan single-pot caliper grabbing at the single 270 mm disc at the back. There’s also cornering ABS to add an extra layer of safety.
The cockpit has a 6-inch TFT screen and full LED lighting all around. Seat height sits pretty low at 30.7 inches (780 mm), great for the inseam-challenged, while the fuel tank holds 4.5 gallons (17 liters) of fuel, which should be plenty to get you to the next gas stop.
Zongshen is one of the oldest bikemakers in China. The Clone brand – err, the Cyclone brand, however, is relatively new and specifically aims for a premium range of motorcycles. The design looks slick (albeit recognizable), and the components – even if not big names like Brembo or Accossato – are still top-notch.
But here’s the thing: I feel like the RA1000 came a couple of years too late. Other Chinese manufacturers like CFMoto and QJMotor seem to have not just caught up, but also surpassed Cyclone’s early idea of building liter bikes.
QJMotor has been offering 921cc four-cylinder bikes, while CFMoto’s 210hp liter-bike V4 is almost here. So the early adopter advantage simply isn't there anymore. Even Kove and Voge have some really nice premium bikes in this category.
So, the only thing that might be going for Cyclone is the bike itself; how the public takes to it, and Cyclone's ambitions to take it global. I hope it doesn’t go down as another cheap knock-off that failed to deliver in the real world.
Source: Cyclone
