CHONGQING, April 11 (Xinhua) -- When Zhang Xue's eponymous ZXMOTO secured two victories at the Portuguese round of the Superbike World Championship (WSBK) about two weeks ago, toppling decades of European and Japanese dominance, industry insiders saw it as a telling sign: Chinese motorcycles are moving from "going global" to "competing at the highest level."
The country's motorcycle industry, with an annual export of over 18 million units, is experiencing a structural shift.
China is the world's largest motorcycle producer and exporter. According to the China Chamber of Commerce for Motorcycle, the industry's output and sales reached 22.11 million and 21.97 million units in 2025, up 10.6 percent and 10.2 percent year on year, respectively. Additionally, exports hit 13.37 million units in the same year, marking a 21.3-percent increase.
Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa remain the main markets for Chinese motorcycles. "In many African nations, a motorcycle is directly linked to a family's livelihood," said Liu Huixiang, who is in charge of the overseas markets at Hanlin Africa New Energy Technology Company Limited.
Chinese motorcycles, which are durable, easy to maintain and reasonably priced, have become their preferred choice of transport, Liu said.
Meanwhile, the export structure is changing. Models below the engine capacity of 150 cc still account for over 60 percent, yet the fastest growth is in mid-to-high-end products.
"In recent years, exports of motorcycles with larger engines have grown over 50 percent annually," said Wang Yao, vice president of strategic investment at Zongshen Industrial Group, a decades-old industry leader. Compared with global brands like BMW and Yamaha, Chinese products are priced at about 70 percent of their rivals, Wang said, adding that cost advantage is turning into real competitiveness.
The trend is also visible in Western markets. Zhang Xue, founder of ZXMOTO, noted that increased R&D spending is paying off in the design and performance of made-in-China products. ZXMOTO sold over 25,000 units in 2025, generating 750 million yuan (109.24 million U.S. dollars) in output value, with nearly 70 million yuan plowed into R&D. However, he acknowledged that Chinese companies are still in the early stages of brand building and global expansion.
The industry's upgrade can be traced back to 2002, when a Chinese team won the World Endurance Championship but relied on imported shock absorbers from Italy and brakes from Japan -- a global assembly model that revealed an incomplete supply chain.
Nowadays, the situation has fundamentally changed. "Today, core systems for Chinese motorcycles can largely be developed independently," Zhang said. From engines and frames to electronic controls, domestic companies now have full-chain manufacturing capabilities.
This is most evident in industry clusters. Centered on Chongqing, China has built a complete ecosystem of vehicle and component makers. The municipality is home to over 50 major motorcycle manufacturers and more than 400 parts suppliers, with local sourcing for fuel-powered motorbikes exceeding 80 percent.
"When overseas customers request a custom new model, we can go from design to mass production in as fast as three months," said Wang Yao. "That's the efficiency advantage of a complete industrial chain."
Beyond scale expansion, the industry is accelerating toward premium level. Demand for large-displacement and sport models is growing quickly as motorcycles shift from utilitarian transport to recreational goods.
Chongqing has designated high-end motorcycles as one of its six major specialty industries, pushing for premium, electric and smart upgrades. Supported by both government policy and market demand, a growing number of new motorcycle manufacturers are entering the market.
Feng Xingwei, executive deputy general manager of China Surron Technology, one of such new motorcycle manufacturers, said that in off-road niches, domestic products can match 80 percent or more of global brands' performance at far friendlier prices -- giving Chinese brands unique competitiveness worldwide.
Meanwhile, electrification is reshaping the industry. "Electric motorcycles will become a key part of urban transport systems," said Li Bin, executive vice president of the China Chamber of Commerce for Motorcycle. With policy support and technological advances, the industry is shifting toward greener, smarter solutions while exploring hydrogen and other new tech paths.
Market researchers expect the global electric two-wheeler market to exceed 100 billion U.S. dollars by 2030. In that market, made-in-China motorcycles are expected 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 said. For global buyers, Chinese motorcycles are no longer just "cheaper choices." They are becoming "more competitive options," according to Zhang. ■
