The Keeway ARN is a small motor scooter of the Chinese manufacturer Qianjiang, sold under the Keeway brand that the company uses for its export models. It is powered by an air-cooled 49 cm³ single-cylinder two-stroke engine, and its bodywork is closely modelled on the Honda X8R.
Keeway ARN at a glance
| Brand | Keeway, made by Qianjiang |
|---|---|
| Type | motor scooter |
| Engine | air-cooled 49 cm³ single-cylinder two-stroke |
| Power | 2.5 kW (3.9 hp) |
| Top speed | 45 km/h |
| Slower version | 25 km/h |
| Other version | 125 cm³ engine also offered |
| Transmission | automatic stepless belt drive |
| 45 km/h restriction | distance ring in the belt drive and two blind pipes on the exhaust manifold |
| Licence in Germany | class AM for the 45 km/h version |
| Styling | similar to the Honda X8R |
Based on one source, the German Wikipedia article on the Keeway ARN.
History of the Keeway ARN
The ARN is one of the 50 cm³ scooters that Qianjiang builds for the Keeway brand. Its engine is a small air-cooled single-cylinder two-stroke of 49 cm³ which produces 2.5 kW, or 3.9 hp, and takes the scooter to a top speed of 45 km/h. A 125 cm³ version of the same scooter was offered alongside the 50.
Like most 50 cc scooters sold in Europe, the ARN was delivered in restricted form. In the 45 km/h version the speed is limited in two ways at once: a distance ring inside the automatic stepless belt drive stops the variator from closing completely, and two blind pipes welded onto the exhaust manifold cut the flow of the exhaust gases. With that restriction the scooter can be ridden in Germany on a class AM licence. Buyers who did not need the full 45 km/h could order a 25 km/h version instead.
The shape of the bodywork follows the Honda X8R, a popular 50 cc scooter of the same period, which gave the ARN a familiar look in a market where most buyers were teenagers buying their first two-wheeler.
Design and features
- Air-cooled two-stroke: a simple 49 cm³ single that produces 2.5 kW (3.9 hp).
- Two restrictions: a distance ring in the variator and blind pipes on the exhaust manifold hold the scooter to 45 km/h.
- Licence-friendly: the restricted version may be ridden on a class AM licence in Germany.
- Choice of speeds: a 25 km/h version was available for riders who did not need 45 km/h.
Keeway ARN versions
- ARN 50 (45 km/h): the standard restricted moped version.
- ARN 25 km/h: a slower version for markets with stricter moped rules.
- ARN 125: the same scooter with a 125 cm³ engine.
Other small Keeway scooters of the same period are the Focus, the Hurricane and the RY8. More models are in the Keeway collection.
Video: Keeway ARN super charged
Video by Emmanuel SB on YouTube.
Sources
- Keeway ARN, German Wikipedia: engine, power, speed, versions, restriction, styling
