Two motorcycles made by Chinese motorcycle manufacturer ZXMOTO are ready to compete in the World Supersport class at the Portuguese Superbike World Championship in Portimao, Portugal. [Photo provided to China Daily]
On the sunlit track of Portugal’s southern Portimao circuit last week, Chinese motorcycle brand ZXMOTO won two straight World Supersport titles, including a lead of nearly 4 seconds over world rivals, in the Portuguese Superbike World Championship, also known as WSBK.
It was a breakthrough moment for a new type of motorcycle in a sport long dominated by European and Japanese giants.
Thousands of miles away in Chongqing, the Chinese founder, Zhang Xue, wept. He later wrote on social media: “It’s not about chasing the trophy. It’s about loving the ride. And that, maybe, changes everything.”
Videos of the victory, along with Zhang’s story, quickly went viral on Chinese social media, drawing people far from the mainstream motorcycle crowd.
“Motorsport is about extreme precision and high production. In this situation, the machine is often more important than the rider,” said Zhang Duo, editor-in-chief of Motorcycle magazine.
“That China won both stages in the world competition with a bicycle of local production – it’s the first. It really shows how far China’s production has come,” the editor-in-chief added.
French ZXMOTO rider Valentin Debise, who rode the bike to both victories, said: “I felt from day one that this bike had something special. This result is a real team effort.”
For ZXMOTO – short for Zhang Xue Motorcycle – it was not just a race victory.
Born in 1987 in a village in Hunan province, Zhang Xue fell in love with motorcycles at an early age. At 16, he worked in a repair shop, and by 17, he had opened his own. At the age of 19, he chased a television crew for more than 100 kilometers in the rain just to get a chance to appear on screen. That opportunity helped him find a place in the racing team.
After founding Kove Motor in 2017, Zhang started in 2024 to build his brand. Less than two years later, ZXMOTO stood on top of the world stage.
The company has reported a value of 750 million yuan ($108.7 million) by 2025, while investing about 70 million yuan in research and development. It also posted a net loss of 22.8 million yuan, highlighting the cost of chasing high-end technology.
But the bet is starting to pay off. In March, ZXMOTO launched presales of two new models – 500RR and 820RR – to receive 3,917 orders within 12 hours. In 100 hours after its WSBK victory, the total orders increased to 5,543 units.
ZXMOTO pre-orders are now available on its WeChat sub-program, with prices starting at 29,980 yuan for the ZX500F, 33,680 yuan for the ZX500RR and 43,800 yuan for the ZX820RR.
Investor interest in ZXMOTO also continues. Earlier this month, the company completed a Series A financing round, raising 90 million yuan and reaching a capital budget of 1.09 billion yuan.
For 2026, ZXMOTO is targeting annual sales of 60,000 units and production value of 1.8 billion yuan, while nearly doubling its R&D budget to 135 million yuan.
Industry analysts said the company’s expansion reflects a broader shift in China’s motorcycle sector.
Zhang Duo of Motorcycle magazine said that Chinese brands no longer focus on low-end markets, but compete with developed markets such as Europe, the United States and Japan.
“Instead of competing on price, they’re moving to a higher level with better performance, more advanced technology and stronger personalization,” he said. “That inspires the whole industry.”
Zhang, the company’s founder, set his sights even higher. “In the next five years, our goal is to secure more than 50 percent of the large transfer market that is currently held by international legacy players,” he said.
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