The Chinese two-wheeler manufacturer, CFMoto has filed a patent for what appears to be a middleweight 675 cc engine. This information has come to light just one month after earlier documents had revealed the manufacturer to be working on a 1000 cc V4 engine. With the Chinese government supporting the development of EVs, CFMoto along with other Chinese two-wheeler brands have been experimenting with hybrid and battery-powered motorcycle technology. But it seems like the Chinese industry still hasn’t given up on IC engines considering a surge in patent applications for IC engines from brands like QJMotor and Benda.
The 450SS hit American markets in February 2023
The patent documents suggest that this engine shares a few design elements with CFMoto’s 449 cc twin-cylinder engine. They appear to have the same cam cover and cylinder head design with the unit simply stretched to provide more room for an extra cylinder. This may be a clue telling us that the new engine will probably be from the same line-up of motorcycles as the 450SS which hit American shores in February 2023. This line-up will likely see more launches in the coming years and several of those models could sport the new inline triple under their skin.
The engine will feature 12 valves and two chain-driven overhead cams
The new 3-cylinder engine features a 270-degree crankshaft just like the parallel twin. It will most likely have a displacement of 675 cc if it gets the same 72mm bore and 55.1mm stroke as the 449 cc. These figures also suggest that the bike will most likely focus more on low-to-midrange torque and less on outright revs and peak power. The engine also has a balancer shaft mounted at the front, with the water pump driven from the same shaft. The documents also suggest that the engine will be a 12-valve with two chain-driven overhead cams.
Source: CycleWorld
