Chinese manufacturers always find a way to keep us amused and in most cases, the reason behind the amusement is how blatantly they rip off other manufacturers’ design. We have seen many examples of doppelganger motorcycles surfacing on the internet from the Chinese land but this time around, it almost feels like a personal blow. Enter Xianglong’s recently unveiled JSX500i. One good look at the images and you would know that they have derived inspiration from our very own TVS Zeppelin concept showcased at the Auto Expo 2018.
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While TVS is still occupied with making the Zeppelin a reality, the Chinese manufacturer has gone ahead to pull it off already!
Design and dimensions
The visual similarities are so striking that it’s easy to mix up the two bikes. We can see similarities between the two models just by looking at them. Hexagonal headlamps, stepped seat, radiator grille, side panels, engine cowl, and tail section are just a few examples. Almost everything has a Zeppelin-like feel about it. However, the manufacturer took some creative liberty to make it a little different from the Zeppelin. For instance, the height of the handlebar is taller, the addition of alloys wheel, and a different exhaust design. The motorcycle is suspended on USD forks up front and a mono-shock at the rear. It also gets an all-LED setup. When it comes to overall dimensions, the Xianglong JSX500i is 1,180 mm in height, 2,150mm long, and 890mm wide. The wheelbase is 1,460 mm with a ground clearance of 140mm.
Powertrain
While the Zeppelin concept featured an advanced hybrid powertrain with a 220cc engine and a 1200-watt regenerative electric motor, the JSX500i is equipped with a 471 cc twin cylinder engine which churns out a power of about 44.87 bhp and 41 Nm of max torque. The engine of the Chinese doppelganger comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The company claims that the top speed of JSX500i is 150 kmph.
Also read: How TVS Zepplin Can Transform The Cruiser Segment
In India, TVS has already trademarked the name ‘Zepplin’ but we are still waiting to hear something more concrete from the homegrown bikemaker’s end. It is time that we started transforming our concepts to reality before any other Chinese company decides to make it theirs.