Subaru Sportsbike

This new single-cylinder sportsbike features a Subaru-badged engine and could be on sale next year at a bargain price.

The engine for the HS500sa comes directly from Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru. It’s a 499cc, water-cooled, DOHC single, originally developed to be used in quad bikes and used by Polaris. The motor is notable for its lightweight design – it tips the scales at 43kg – and its ability to meet American and European emissions restrictions, a vital part of Sasaki’s plan as he intends to sell the machine worldwide.

With 50bhp at 8000rpm, the motor is on a par with engines from more familiar manufacturers, and its 33lbft of torque, peaking at 7000rpm, should be enough to give the lightweight HS500sa decent acceleration.

The bike’s chassis is built in China to keep costs down. Like most of the latest Japanese sportsbikes, it’s made from cast aluminium – although the hefty-looking frame rails look over-engineered for a 50bhp single. The swingarm is also cast aluminium, and heavily braced – giving the look of a much more powerful bike.

Sasaki has tried to produce a single cylinder sports bike before with the Horex 644 Osca, powered by a Dominator engine. Trouble was it cost £22,000 so never really caught on. Check out this link to see the history of the motorcycle and it running in someone’s garage.

Read more about it in MCN, on sale November 21.