Chapter 23: Single-Tube Cradle Structure

Seeing Zhao Guoyang’s calm and composed demeanor, Liang Hongjun was secretly astonished, though he betrayed nothing on his face. From the very beginning, he had been repeatedly impressed by Zhao Guoyang’s conduct, and by now, he had grown somewhat accustomed to the young man’s remarkable poise.

Noticing that this youth showed not a hint of confusion upon hearing the words “step-through frame,” Liang Hongjun realized at once that the other must be familiar with this new type of motorcycle. For a young graduate who had majored in mechanical engineering to possess such detailed knowledge about motorcycle chassis types indicated a love of learning, a passion for research, and a breadth of knowledge far beyond the ordinary.

Moreover, Liang Hongjun recalled that Zhao Guoyang had earlier taken particular interest in a highly technical article in “Made in China.” This had already raised his estimation of the young man well above that of Ma Jian, the deputy factory director who had accompanied him.

Wang Hongxi soon brought over the chassis blueprint and laid it on the table. Gazing at the meticulously hand-drawn diagram, Zhao Guoyang could not help but admire it inwardly.

In the 1990s, computers were only just beginning to be used, and it was a rarity to find them in domestic enterprises. Although the two-dimensional design software AUTOCAD had been released as early as 1982, the lack of widespread computer adoption in China—let alone Microsoft Windows—meant that such powerful drafting tools were almost unknown, never mind applied, in the country.

At this time, most manufacturing companies still relied on hand-drawn blueprints, and the Sanyang Group was no exception. The chassis drawing before Zhao Guoyang was exceptionally precise and refined; even with his critical eye, he could find no fault with it. Of course, this was just a general three-view diagram, providing only an outline of the chassis; to actually produce a prototype would require hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of additional component drawings.

Zhao Guoyang understood that only once the other party was convinced that Hongda Machinery Factory possessed the necessary production capabilities would they proceed further and provide more detailed component drawings.

“Comrade Zhao, this is the chassis blueprint for our Sanyang Group’s soon-to-be mass-produced C100 step-through motorcycle. Take a look and offer your suggestions,” Wang Hongxi said with a hint of pride.

This general drawing of the C100 step-through motorcycle chassis was Wang Hongxi’s pride and joy, the result of three months of effort by himself and more than twenty colleagues from the Technical Quality Department.

Its level of design was so high that even Liang Hongjun, the Minister of Technology, could not praise it enough. In Wang Hongxi’s view, although Zhao Guoyang was a trained engineering graduate, he was still fresh out of university; simply being able to comprehend such a complex technical drawing would be impressive enough. As for offering suggestions, that was merely a polite formality.

Unlike Wang Hongxi, however, Liang Hongjun was quite eager to see Zhao Guoyang’s reaction. This young man possessed a maturity and steadiness unusual for his age, and his technical acumen was full of surprising depth. Liang Hongjun was already entertaining thoughts of recruiting such a talent to his own ranks.

Of the four present, Ma Jian was perhaps the most uncertain. As the highest-ranking representative from Hongda Machinery Factory, he naturally hoped to secure more orders for his plant. Yet, lacking strong technical expertise, his knowledge of chassis drawings was basic at best. The complexity of the blueprint presented by Sanyang Group far exceeded the ones his own factory had previously manufactured, leaving him at a loss.

At this moment, all his hopes rested on Zhao Guoyang.

Surrounded by the three others in the office, Zhao Guoyang showed no trace of surprise. After taking the blueprint and studying it intently for a while, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Minister Wang, you’ve used a single-tube cradle structure for this chassis, haven’t you? That’s quite an innovation in our domestic motorcycle industry.”

The moment the words “single-tube cradle structure” were spoken, Wang Hongxi’s expression froze, his jaw dropping in disbelief. Nearby, Liang Hongjun was little better, staring at Zhao Guoyang as though he were an alien.

Ma Jian was the only one present who didn’t understand, but seeing the two ministers from Sanyang Group so stunned, he couldn’t help but quietly ask Zhao Guoyang, “Guoyang, what exactly is this ‘single-tube cradle structure’?”

When the boss asks, Zhao Guoyang naturally answered patiently, “Director Ma, the ‘single-tube cradle structure’ is one of the three main structural types for motorcycle chassis.”

“Generally, a chassis frame made from a single steel tube formed into a cradle shape is called a single-tube cradle frame. The other two types are the forked-tube cradle frame and the double-tube cradle frame.”

“The differences in these frames are mainly determined by the engine’s structural form. Apart from the engine’s size and shape, the frame choice also depends on the engine’s position within the chassis. Ultimately, the main goal is to arrange the engine’s exhaust and intake pipes most efficiently.”

“For instance, if the motorcycle uses a twin-cylinder or four-cylinder engine with exhaust pipes on both sides, typically a forked-tube or single-tube frame is used. For a three-cylinder engine with exhaust pipes in the center and on the sides, a double-tube frame is common. Single-cylinder engines sometimes also use double-tube or forked-tube frames.”

As Zhao Guoyang explained, he gestured to the cradle-like structure on the general drawing, saying, “Director Ma, you see, this cradle-type frame not only has excellent strength and rigidity, but it’s also aesthetically pleasing and robust, making it ideal for organizing the layout of the entire motorcycle.”

“However, the manufacturing technology required for this kind of frame is quite advanced. As far as I know, only some island nations and a few developed Western countries use such structures. This chassis design by Sanyang Group should be a first in our domestic motorcycle models—a significant technical breakthrough.”

Zhao Guoyang’s explanation could not have been clearer. Not only was Ma Jian nodding repeatedly in understanding, but even Liang Hongjun and Wang Hongxi were now staring at Zhao Guoyang as though he were a marvel.

Once Zhao Guoyang finished, Ma Jian suddenly saw the light. Unaware of the looks on Liang Hongjun and Wang Hongxi’s faces, he flattered, “Minister Liang, Minister Wang, your factory is truly impressive—pioneering a new chapter in our country’s motorcycle manufacturing. My admiration!”

After Ma Jian finished, neither Liang Hongjun nor Wang Hongxi responded; feeling a bit awkward, Ma Jian finally noticed the two Sanyang Group leaders still staring wide-eyed at Zhao Guoyang. His heart gave a jolt, and he misunderstood, thinking Zhao Guoyang had made some error in his explanation.

He hurriedly said, “Um… Minister Liang, Minister Wang, Guoyang is still young. If he said anything wrong, I hope you’ll forgive him…”