SWM may not be the most famous Italian brand, but Chinese owner Shineray has lofty plans of mixing with the big players.
The company’s name derived from its original SVVM title (Sironi Vergani Vimercate Milano) but now attributes its initials to Speedy Working Motors.
SWM built off-road bikes in the 1970s and early 80s. The company was liquidated in 1984, then revived in 2014 to develop a range of bikes based on orphaned Husqvarna singles after Husky was bought by KTM’s Stefan Pierer.
In China, SWM is a range of cars, but most of the bikes are still built in Italy. It’s come a long way since its revival, so the latest plan, a range of V-twins from 350cc to 1200cc should be taken seriously.
Revealed on December 28, the new SWM engines may also be branded as Shinerays.
According to our information, the range starts with a 350cc twin for ‘inexperienced’ riders. Next is a 550cc twin, suggested for ‘city riding’, but most interesting is the 850cc twin apparently destined for a cruiser, and a 1200cc V-twin which the limited Chinese text promises as ‘the ultimate experience’.
In pictures, the V-twin looks identical to Moto Morini’s CorsaCorta 1200cc, but Morini denies any involvement with Shineray and says it will protect its intellectual property.
