In recent years, China has proven itself as an up and coming motorcycle manufacturing hub. Lots of brands have emerged from the Asian country, and lots of established brands have teamed up with various Chinese manufacturers to help boost their production and market presence. AW is a brand you've probably never heard of before, and frankly, neither have I. Nevertheless, the brand seeks to make its presence felt with the launch of two new models.
Upon doing some digging, it turns out that AW is indeed a very new company. Debuting in a trade fair in China in 2021, the brand has just unveiled its first two models – the 500 N and 500 R – both of which are built on the same platform. Both the AW 500 N and 500 R share the same engine and components, but differ in terms of styling. Unsurprisingly, the bikes make use of an engine from yet another Chinese manufacturer, Loncin, either in the form of the 471cc or 494cc parallel-twin with similar architecture as that of Honda's parallel-twin engine.
In terms of performance, the AW 500 series pumps out a respectable 45 horsepower, putting it at par with other players in the entry-level space. At 186 kilograms, the bike is fairly lightweight and approachable, making it accessible to a wider range of riders. Intrestingly, AW has fitted the 500 N and 500 R series of motorcycles with fairly premium underpinnings. The front forks, for example, are adjustable inverted units, while the rear is a link-type shock that's also adjustable. Meanwhile, the bike comes to a stop with dual disc brakes with radially mounted four-piston calipers.
On the technology side of the equation, AW's new models follow the trend of most newly released motorcycles.They feature a large, full-color display that's more than likely Bluetooth compatible. The bikes are differentiated by their styling, with the 500 R adopting a more traditional fully faired sportbike design. Meanwhile, the 500 N follows in the footsteps of some of the more expensive and premium modern classics such as the Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR and MV Agusta Superveloce, with its sporty, angular design, infused with a dash of retro styling.
Over in China, the two bikes have been launched, and are priced at the equivalent of about $4,400 USD. There's no word as to whether or not the brand has any intentions of exporting these models to the global market, but given the influx of China-made motorcycles in the global market, this isn't really a far-fetched possibility.
