Offset cranks…

No, I’m not talking about grumpy old men (like yours truly) who haven’t had their first cup of coffee in the morning.    I’m enjoying my first cup of the morning at the Subaru dealer, and I’m waiting for the good guys here to complete some routine maintenance on my Subie (an oil change, a tire rotation, and a brake system flush).

When I arrived at the Subie place this morning, I noticed a super cool CrossTrek parked out front in a vibrant yellow color (it’s the first one of those I’ve seen).   I’ve got the Nikon and its super wide 16-35 lens with me, so I’ll probably snag a photo for you at the end of this blog.

But I digress…what I wanted to chat about this morning was that Z-1 I rode in Chongqing.  That motorcycle impressed me mightily.

I spoke at length with the Zongshen engineers about it, and my good friend Fan explained to me that the engine incorporated many advanced features (that’s Fan in the photo below, along with Bella).

The engine has swirl technology, roller rocker arms, and many other features I’ve seen in other engines for decades, but I could feel there was something more to this new motor.   What I didn’t tumble to during Fan’s explanation was why the engine felt so powerful.   It was way more than I expected from what appeared to be yet another Honda CG-150 clone.   Then Fan got to the bottom line…the new engine’s offset crank.   Here’s a picture from their literature that explains it better than I ever could…

The concept is brilliant…it uses better leverage when the piston has its greatest output (achieved by a 4mm crankshaft offset), which increases both torque and smoothness.   I’m guessing the concept has been around for awhile, but it was the first I’d heard of it, and folks, it works.  The thing had the bottom end torque of a much larger engine, and it was unnaturally smooth.

The challenge for us, of course, is this:  Does it make business sense to invest another $50K to $75K to take the Z-1 through the CARB, EPA, and DOT certification process, particularly in light of the fact that this is “only” a 150cc motorcycle?   As business people, we have to be cognizant of the fact that American riders are enamored with big displacement motors.   Still, this is a motorcycle that is mighty appealing, and if we decide to bite the bullet and make that investment, I know who CSC’s first Z-1 buyer will be.  I’ll take mine in that saucy red-and-white color, thank you very much, just like you see in the photo above!

Oh, one more thing…I did manage to sneak outside and grab a photo of that bright yellow CrossTrek…

Let us know your thinking on the Z-1, folks.  You can write to us at info@CSCMotorcycles.com.   We’d love hear from you.