The Most Bizarre Cruiser Motorcycle from China? Regal Raptor DD1000C Uses ATV and CVT Engines
JAKARTA - Large-engined cruiser motorcycles are usually synonymous with conventional engines and manual transmissions. However, Regal Raptor from China actually took a different path. Through the DD1000C, this company presents a 1,000 cc cruiser with an engine derived from an ATV, using a shaft drive, and a CVT transmission that is rarely found on large cruiser motorcycles.
Cycle World quoted Thursday, June 11, reported that the DD1000C is the second model in the DD1000 family after the DD1000A. Although it still carries the same technology base, the latest model comes with a more proportional design and is closer to the shape of a cruiser in general.
The engine used is a 963 cc V-twin, which is a two-cylinder engine that is arranged to form an angle resembling the letter V. The engine originally came from a CFMoto-made ATV, although in the latest documents it is listed as being produced by Lifeng, the owner of the Regal Raptor brand.
The drive system is also unusual. The DD1000C uses a shaft drive, which is a mechanism that transmits engine power to the rear wheel through a shaft, not a chain like most motorcycles.
The predecessor model, the DD1000A, was a cause for concern because of its quite extreme design. The fuel tank has a capacity of 10 gallons or about 38 liters, even larger than the BMW R 1300 GS Adventure tank. The motorcycle also uses a large-sized floorboard that is designed as a protector so that the motorcycle does not fall completely when it falls.
On the DD1000C, the Regal Raptor improves its appearance with a smaller tank and a more conventional shape. The proportions of the motorcycle also look more balanced than its predecessor.
This motorcycle still uses a forged steel frame with a wheelbase of 69.5 inches or about 176.5 centimeters. The front suspension of the upside-down type on the DD1000A is also replaced with a regular telescopic fork to adjust the more classic design character.
The DD1000C ready-to-go weight is down by about 11 pounds to 772 pounds or about 350 kilograms. Although lighter than the previous model, this figure is still considered very heavy for a 1,000 cc two-cylinder engine motorcycle.
According to Cycle World, Regal Raptor claims the DD1000C can reach up to 100 miles per hour or about 160 kilometers per hour, even though the ATV-based V-twin engine has to work hard to move the large weight.
The biggest uniqueness of this motorcycle is actually in its transmission. The DD1000C uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which is an automatic transmission with a gear ratio that changes continuously without gear shifts like a manual transmission.
CVT technology is commonly used on scooters, ATVs, or snowmobiles, but is very rare in large-capacity cruiser motorcycles. Because it uses a centrifugal clutch, the rider only needs to operate the gas and two brake levers on the handlebars, one for the front and one for the rear wheel.
The transmission is also equipped with a reverse gear, a feature that is very helpful considering the weight of the motorcycle reaches around 350 kilograms. The DD1000C also has a parking brake which is likely a legacy of the ATV drive system.
It is not known whether this motorcycle has a "Park" position on the forward and reverse mode selector.
Another thing that is quite surprising, Regal Raptor has the ambition to bring the DD1000 series to the United States market. The DD1000A model has received approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by mid-2025. The 2026 model version also received a similar approval in May this year.
The approval opens the opportunity for the DD1000C to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor when it enters the mass production stage. Maybe this bike won't be the choice of all cruiser fans. However, with the combination of an ATV engine, CVT transmission, reverse gear, and giant size, the Regal Raptor DD1000C definitely offers something that is hard to find in today's motorcycle market.