Great Wall Motor (GWM) is not a brand most folks would usually associate with motorcycles. Known as one of China’s most established automakers, GWM has built a global footprint with SUVs, pickups, and even electric cars.
The company already manufactures the electric Mini in partnership with BMW through Spotlight Automotive, so it’s no stranger to working at a high level. Now, under its new motorcycle division Souo, GWM is betting big on two wheels.
The debut Souo S2000 tourer turned heads last year when it flaunted a 1,999cc flat-eight engine. With 151 horsepower at 6,500 rpm, and an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox with a reverse gear, it showed that Souo wasn’t aiming for small steps. It was going directly after the Honda Gold Wing, a benchmark for luxury touring, and trying to outdo it on spec sheets by offering more cylinders, more gears, and more tech.
Now there’s a follow-up: the S2000CT, revealed in regulatory filings and teased ahead of CIMAMotor in China. The folks over at Cycle World report that this new range takes the same flat-eight platform and reimagines it as a cruiser lineup with styling inspired by Honda’s short-lived Rune from the early 2000s.
Four versions of the new cruiser are in the works. The LH2000-3 is a stripped-back solo cruiser, while the LH2000-4 adds a passenger seat and footpegs. The LH2000-5 and LH2000-6 are bagger-style bikes with hard luggage, one with a windshield and one without. Weights range from 891 pounds (404 kg) for the solo version up to 941 pounds (427 kg) for the baggers, all sharing the same 71.3-inch (1,810 mm) wheelbase.
On paper, these bikes are massive. But what really stands out isn’t just the numbers, but the engineering. Souo has reshaped the front suspension to look like a conventional telescopic fork while still using a Hossack-style double-wishbone system under the skin. That detail alone shows where Chinese motorcycles are heading: beyond imitation and into engineering solutions that blend design with performance.
For a long time, Chinese motorcycles were dismissed in the West as cheap knockoffs or disposable commuter machines. With the S2000 and now the S2000CT, GWM is making the case that it can build motorcycles that belong in the same conversation as Honda, BMW, or Harley-Davidson. It’s bold, but you can say it’s headed in that direction.
Now, whether or not these bikes make it to the US soon is uncertain—tariffs and pricing remain major hurdles. But the fact that a major Chinese automaker is putting serious resources into motorcycles this ambitious says a lot about where the industry is going.
For riders like you and me, it means the landscape is changing. Competition brings better machines and often better value. If Souo can deliver bikes that are reliable and well-supported, the S2000CT could be a sign that the next decade of motorcycling will include serious contenders from brands we once unheard of.
And even if you never see one in your local dealership, knowing that a flat-eight cruiser exists halfway across the world makes the riding scene a little more interesting.
Sources: Cycle World, GWM Global
