More and more the Japanese are sourcing China to build their engines for them. The 3 cylinder engines in Kawasaki Mules are made by Chery in China. The single cylinder engine in my Mule Pro MX was made by Kymco in Taiwan. Who'd have thought mighty Kawasaki known for making great engines would be buying their engines from someone else?
This is a shame, but basically even these "engine" companies are seeing reduced labor costs, reduced materials cost, and lower manufacturing costs to have production in China. More specifically, the Chinese labor force works for less money, raw materials like steel and iron cost less (and are often impure and less quality), and actual manufacturing costs are lower because China basically doesn't enforce environmental standards. For example, a plant in the US may be required by the EPA to install a $2m stack scrubber or be shut down. In China, that is not needed. This goes off the topic, but one can begin to understand why the Paris Climate pact is a bad deal for any country trying to compete with China on a manufacturing front. China "signs" the deal, but does not enforce it. If the US signs the deal, the EPA will enforce it. The cost to manufacture becomes too high and are economy can't compete. So it's very unfair, in short.
Why would you buy several?
I've bought several because of price and price alone. I'm not rich, and something like a 6-foot Alamo is $8k. The Chinese Titan is $1600. So if I'm lucky, I can get maybe one season out of the Titan and just buy another. I've found the housings are thin and not reinforced enough, so they twist. The uprights are weak where the steel is folded. The roller is too small, and the bearing grease points are ridiculous. The next one I buy this year, I intend to perform reinforcements myself prior to use; I think I could get two years or more out of it that way. It cuts well enough. I have broken flails, but any brand would break so I don't fault it there.
Yeah, some of the new Harleys are water cooled now too, I believe it has to do with emissions.. And yeah, Get riding!
They are water cooled in the cylinder heads only, and only certain bikes. It could have helped emissions, but frankly I think it had to do with rider comfort and probably getting more power. This started on some of the full-dresser bikes with the 103 engine. My Road King Classic has 40k miles...guess I better get riding.
