There are tons of weird and wonderful motorcycles in China, as a lot of manufacturers over there take an experimental approach when it comes to their designs. For the most part, these bikes won't make their way outside of China – but sometimes they do. Case in point: the Venom X22 GT from Chinese brand Jonway.
We've talked about Jonway quite a few times in the past, with the Chinese brand seemingly focusing on cruisers that imitate the styling of Harley-Davidson and Indian. The brand also has a couple of electric urban mobility devices. As such, the new Venom X22 GT looks to be rather off-brand for the company, as it's some sort of a mishmash between a sportbike and a scooter.
Its front half looks very much like a sportbike, albeit clearly a small one thanks to its slim bodywork and standard telescopic suspension. It's when you move towards the rear of the bike that things get pretty interesting. For starters, you can see the engine peeking out the rear end of the fairings, with the entire assembly looking like it's integrated into the swingarm. The bike also uses two rear shock absorbers, a styling element that detracts heavily from the bike's sporty design.
On the performance side of the equation, the Jonway Venom X22 GT is powered by a 223cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, single-cylinder engine. With a max power output of 15 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 17.6 Newton-meters (12.32 pound-feet) of torque at 5,500 rpm, don't expect to be able to keep up with your buddies on bigger bikes. Even more interestingly, the scooter equips a continuously variable transmission (CVT) like that of a scooter, instead of a manual gearbox.
At the end of the day, it can be confusing to think who the Venom X22 GT is for. It's certainly an easy way to teach beginners how to ride a motorcycle, as it doesn't have a manual transmission. On top of that, it's also a sporty-looking option for riders who can't be bothered to shift gears, but having a manual transmission has always been something desirable in a sportbike – at least for me. Nevertheless, the Venom X22 GT is available in the US through Venom Motorsports, and it's priced at $3,299 USD, making it one of the more affordable two-wheelers on offer.
