The Chinese brand Xinyuan has come out with a cool new motorcycle called the Tornado 520, and it's priced at around 7,000 EUR. It's actually based on the Shineray XY 500B-C model. What's interesting about this new bike is its engine. In the past, Shineray used older, air-cooled single-cylinder engines from Japan that were over 250cc.
This time, they've gone with a new liquid-cooled twin engine that has 494cc, 37 pound-feet of torque at 7,500 rpm, and 54 horsepower at 8,500 rpm. It seems like they might have taken inspiration from Honda, as the engine specs and design resemble Honda's 471cc twin mills, complete with six gears, including a reverse gear. Shineray claims that this bike can reach speeds of up to 110 kilometers per hour, or 68 miles per hour thereabout.
The Tornado 520 comes with an old-school look, featuring a sidecar attached to a tubular steel frame. The sidecar design takes cues from the sidecars of the 1930s and 1940s, giving it a very novel image overall. Despite its rugged looks, however, the Tornado 520 will find its home on light trails and it may struggle in the heavier stuff. One interesting feature is the option for cross-spoke rims, which allow the use of tubeless tires.
One advantage of the new engine and chassis is the increased fuel capacity. Compared to the current Mash Side Force model and the Black Side model, the Tornado 520 has an additional five liters of tank volume, bringing the total to 4.76 gallons. This theoretically allows for an impressive range of about 248 miles, with an assumed consumption rate of 52 miles per gallon. Unfortunately, there is no information available on whether the Tornado 520 weighs more or less the same as the Side Force at 295 kilograms, or 650 pounds.
Gallery: Shineray Xinyuan Tornado 520
As for the price, in China, the Tornado 520 is available in three colors: Flash Black, Arctic Gray, and Jazz White. The starting price is 53,800 CNY, which converts to roughly $7,623 USD. It's uncertain whether it will actually turn into the Mash Side Force, but that could be the arrangement should Shineray give Mash its blessing.
In summary, there is a new retro trike in China. It closely resembles the current Mash Side Force in terms of appearance but brings a new engine, replacing the old air-cooled single. The upgrade almost doubles the horsepower from the Mash Side Force, from 29 to 54 horsepower. Europe has yet to see this model, but speculators will speculate and it seems highly likely.
