CHONGQING, April 12 (Xinhua) — When Zhang Xue’s eponymous ZXMOTO secured two victories on the Portuguese spherical of the Superbike World Championship (WSBK) about two weeks in the past, toppling many years of European and Japanese dominance, trade insiders noticed it as a telling signal: Chinese bikes are shifting from “going global” to “competing at the highest level.”
The nation’s bike trade, with an annual export of over 18 million items, is experiencing a structural shift.
China is the world’s largest bike producer and exporter. According to the China Chamber of Commerce for Motorcycle, the trade’s output and gross sales reached 22.11 million and 21.97 million items in 2025, up 10.6 p.c and 10.2 p.c 12 months on 12 months, respectively. Additionally, exports hit 13.37 million items in the identical 12 months, marking a 21.3-percent improve.
Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa stay the primary markets for Chinese bikes. “In many African nations, a motorcycle is directly linked to a family’s livelihood,” mentioned Liu Huixiang, who’s accountable for the abroad markets at Hanlin Africa New Energy Technology Company Limited.
Chinese bikes, that are sturdy, simple to keep up and fairly priced, have grow to be their most popular selection of transport, Liu mentioned.
Meanwhile, the export construction is altering. Models under the engine capability of 150 cc nonetheless account for over 60 p.c, but the quickest progress is in mid-to-high-end merchandise.
“In recent years, exports of motorcycles with larger engines have grown over 50 percent annually,” mentioned Wang Yao, vp of strategic funding at Zongshen Industrial Group, a decades-old trade chief. Compared with world manufacturers like BMW and Yamaha, Chinese merchandise are priced at about 70 p.c of their rivals, Wang mentioned, including that price benefit is popping into actual competitiveness.
The development can also be seen in Western markets. Zhang Xue, founding father of ZXMOTO, famous that elevated R&D spending is paying off within the design and efficiency of made-in-China merchandise. ZXMOTO bought over 25,000 items in 2025, producing 750 million yuan (109.24 million U.S. {dollars}) in output worth, with practically 70 million yuan plowed into R&D. However, he acknowledged that Chinese firms are nonetheless within the early phases of name constructing and world enlargement.
The trade’s improve may be traced again to 2002, when a Chinese crew received the World Endurance Championship however relied on imported shock absorbers from Italy and brakes from Japan — a worldwide meeting mannequin that exposed an incomplete provide chain.
Nowadays, the state of affairs has basically modified. “Today, core systems for Chinese motorcycles can largely be developed independently,” Zhang mentioned. From engines and frames to digital controls, home firms now have full-chain manufacturing capabilities.
This is most evident in trade clusters. Centered on Chongqing, China has constructed a whole ecosystem of auto and part makers. The municipality is house to over 50 main bike producers and greater than 400 components suppliers, with native sourcing for fuel-powered motorbikes exceeding 80 p.c.
“When overseas customers request a custom new model, we can go from design to mass production in as fast as three months,” mentioned Wang Yao. “That’s the efficiency advantage of a complete industrial chain.”
Beyond scale enlargement, the trade is accelerating towards premium degree. Demand for large-displacement and sport fashions is rising shortly as bikes shift from utilitarian transport to leisure items.
Chongqing has designated high-end bikes as one in every of its six main specialty industries, pushing for premium, electrical and good upgrades. Supported by each authorities coverage and market demand, a rising variety of new bike producers are coming into the market.
Feng Xingwei, govt deputy basic supervisor of China Surron Technology, one in every of such new bike producers, mentioned that in off-road niches, home merchandise can match 80 p.c or extra of world manufacturers’ efficiency at far friendlier costs — giving Chinese manufacturers distinctive competitiveness worldwide.
Meanwhile, electrification is reshaping the trade. “Electric motorcycles will become a key part of urban transport systems,” mentioned Li Bin, govt vp of the China Chamber of Commerce for Motorcycle. With coverage help and technological advances, the trade is shifting towards greener, smarter options whereas exploring hydrogen and different new tech paths.
Market researchers anticipate the worldwide electrical two-wheeler market to exceed 100 billion U.S. {dollars} by 2030. In that market, made-in-China bikes are anticipated to dominate.
“In the next five years, Chinese motorcycles are poised to gain a much bigger share of the global large-displacement market,” Zhang Xue mentioned. For world consumers, Chinese bikes are not simply “cheaper choices.” They have gotten “more competitive options,” based on Zhang.