Chinese motorcycle exports roar to record highs amid tech gains, upmarket push

Chinese motorcycle exports hit a record in the first half of the year as domestic manufacturers, armed with their own technology gains, targeted upmarket segments long dominated by Honda, Yamaha and BMW. Exports reached 26.2 million units worth US$11.28 billion, rising 23.2 per cent in volume and 26.3 per cent in value year on year, according to Chinese customs data. Shipments to the US climbed 40 per cent to more than 3.9 million motorcycles, valued at US$1.13 billion. Unlike Chinese electric cars, which Washington’s restrictions have largely shut out, motorcycles still reach American buyers, though subject to tariffs. Demand from Asean states was equally strong, with volumes up 43.2 per cent and value rising 55.1 per cent to US$980 million. The surge comes as Chinese manufacturers climb up the technology ladder and push into higher-end segments, catching up with Western peers in areas such as design and engine development. CFMoto, based in China’s eastern Zhejiang province, recently announced that its pre-production sportbike prototype reached a top speed of 315km/h (195mph) during a test run in June, setting a Chinese record. The engine, developed with 40 patents, was built in-house. Group vice-president Chen Zhiyong said the success highlighted “China’s transition from a technology follower to a strong competitor in the motorcycle industry”. Sportbikes have also captured public attention in China after Zhang Xue’s ZXMOTO team delivered an unprecedented win for China in the WorldSSP class of the Superbike World Championship. French rider Valentin Debise won two races in March riding Zhang’s ZXMOTO 820RR-RS model, making Zhang a hero on Chinese social media and pushing the sport firmly into the spotlight. ZXMOTO has now won six WorldSSP races and sits third on the manufacturers’ ladder behind Yamaha and Ducati. Debise is second in the riders’ championship race. But for now Chinese brands remain concentrated at the cheaper end of the market. In the European Union, where Chinese motorcycles fetch the highest per-unit export prices of any major destination, shipments averaged US$509 per unit in the first half – compared with US$291 in the US – still far below Yamaha and BMW retail prices that run from a few thousand euros to the tens of thousands. The five bestselling brands in Europe – scooters included – in the first half were Honda, Yamaha, Piaggio, BMW and Kawasaki, according to MotorcyclesData. Sixth was Voge, from China’s southwestern Chongqing municipality. Its sales rose 55.4 per cent year on year. Additional reporting by Mia Nurmamat