Chinese manufacturer ZXMOTO has officially set up shop in the United Kingdom, launching its UK website late last week.
There are currently more than 200 individual motorcycle companies in China. Between them, they churn out roughly 37 million units a year, dominating more than 55 percent of the global market. Keeping track of them all is exhausting, and honestly, mostly pointless. So, you could be forgiven for not knowing who ZXMOTO is.
Part of that confusion could come from the fact that ZXMOTO didn’t really know who it was for a while. It’s also been known as ZXJC. But ZXMOTO was the name they were going with when I stumbled across the brand at EICMA last November.
I was intrigued not necessarily because of ZXMOTO’s products (on the surface, at least, there’s a lot of the old Chinese playbook to be seen here: clone a Japanese or European engine, style a bike using AI, dump a bunch of tech on it to make it more attractive than the bike it’s copying) but the person behind it all – the man whose initials are on the tank: Zhang Xue.
The backstory (Or: how to hold a grudge)
If you follow the off-road or rally world (and I’ll admit that I don’t, really), you might recognise Zhang Xue’s name. He is the charismatic madman who founded Kove in 2017 with five other investors. He was the face of the brand as it grew exponentially into what it now boasts is “the No. 4 domestic motorcycle brand in China for models over 300cc.”
Then, suddenly, he was gone. Kove’s website scrubbed him from existence. We didn’t know what happened until Zhang reappeared a few months later as the founder of a brand-new, rival company, ready to spill the tea.
“Yeah, I was the founder of Kove and its CEO,” Zhang told the media at ZXMOTO’s European launch event at EICMA 2025.
According to Zhang, the company achieved success, the shareholders disagreed on the future, and “then I’m fired as CEO.”
They tried, he says, to keep him in a back room as the director of R&D, “but when there was no right to define the product, I chose to leave the company.”
It is the nature of corporations to hide their dirty laundry, but you don’t need a degree in psychology to guess that Zhang left with a chip on his shoulder. Arguably, ZXMOTO isn’t just a business venture; it’s a revenge tour.
“I have complete control of this company,” Zhang said. “I use my initials in the company logo… that means that our brand and my life are bundled together. I’m ready to spend the rest of my life taking ZXMOTO to a very high level.”
ZXMOTO UK line-up: The first four models
ZXMOTO’s UK website went live on 4 June, showing four models, each with particularly derivative styling. I’m seeing Honda, Yamaha, and Triumph.
These bikes are, according to ZXMOTO media materials, a “a true reflection of Zhang Xue’s belief that great machines are born from passion, refined through engineering, and proven on the road.”
Do people still use that McKayla Maroney meme? That’s what I’m seeing in my head.
“From the racetrack to the wild, every ZXMOTO motorcycle embodies precision engineering, racing heritage, and a fearless pursuit of performance,” the media materials claim.
Yup. Fine. Anyway, ZXMOTO’s bikes are being imported and distributed by Devon-based Llexeter Ltd. – the same folks behind Lexmoto, so we know, at least, that ZXMOTO will have a strong network and many years of local expertise behind it. Lexmoto’s bikes are a permanent fixture in UK best-seller lists.
Here’s a look at ZXMOTO’s first four models:
500RR
This midsize sportbike has apparently sold over 10,000 units in China since March. Powered by an inline-four, it claims 83 hp, weighs 168 kg, and boasts a top speed of 146 mph. ZXMOTO says it is “crafted for riders who crave speed, precision, and the adrenaline rush.”
This will be the first of the four ZXMOTO models to actually make it to His Majesty’s United Kingdom. They were supposed to have arrived by now but shipping delays have pushed things back a little.
“We are expecting the first bike to arrive at the end of July,” ZXMOTO told me. “With container shipments scheduled for September.”
500F
ZXMOTO claims this is a “rebirth of the classic naked bike, blending the elegant silhouette of 1980s/1990s UJMs with [modern] performance.”
Uhm, I guess that’s true; it is almost indistinguishable from Honda’s CB500 Super Four – the bike that was first teased at China’s CIMA show last September. This bike couldn’t look more like a Honda if it came with Soichiro’s old reading glasses. It uses the 500RR’s inline-four but is detuned to 73 hp for better low-end torque.
820RR
This is ZXMOTO’s flagship machine. Looking very much like the Daytona 765 that Triumph refuses to build, the 820RR is powered by an 819cc triple that ZXMOTO claims was “100-percent developed in-house.”
(McKayla Maroney meme goes here again)
ZXMOTO claims the bike makes 133 hp. There is also a more race-focused 820RR-R (143 hp) which the company claims can out-accelerates a Yamaha R1, a Ducati Panigale V2, and a Kawasaki ZX-6R from 20-120 km/h. Reportedly there is (was?) also a limited-edition 820RR-RS pushing 147 hp.
One thing that stood out to me during Zhang’s presentation of the 820RR wasn’t really the horsepower, it was his pride in how easy the bike is to wrench on. Apparently, you don’t even need tools to change the air filter. Contrast that with my Kawasaki Versys 1000, which requires you to remove the fairings, lift the fuel tank, and sacrifice a goat just to look at the airbox.
Snide commentary aside, the 820RR has been dominating World SuperSport (WorldSSP) competition this year, having won 5 of 12 races so far. And its riders, Valentin Debise and Federico Caricasulo, have been nipping at the heels of competition in other events.
ZXMOTO will proudly be displaying a number of its bikes at the Prosecco DOC UK World SSP round at Donington Park on 9-12 July. Expect to be able to see and fondle the 820RR, 500RR, and 500F.
MX250
Moving more to Zhang’s traditional bread and butter, this motocross bike is “built for professional performance,” according to ZXMOTO. “From power delivery to suspension tuning, every element is engineered for victory on the toughest tracks.” A MX450 version was among a host of other bikes promised at Zhang’s EICMA presentation.
More models on the way?
When I attended the ZXMOTO press conference at EICMA, the brand said it intended to bring nine models to the European market – including the aforementioned MX450. Plans sometimes change, but here are the additional models that were initially promised:
820R
Effectively a naked version of the 820RR, the 820R is pitched as “a lightweight triple-cylinder streetfighter that balances agility with comfort.” The bike is more focused on low- to mid-rpm performance, according to Zhang, and as such very much a street-focused machine.
820ADV
Are you even a motorcycle brand if you don’t have at least one adventure bike? Built around the same triple that powers the other 820 bikes, the 820ADV joins the very, very crowded adventure bike class with a machine that is more adventure-touring than old-school dual-sport adventure.
“It takes into account daily motorcycle travel,” Zhang explained. “However, it also has certain off-road functions. And it’s very, very electronic.”
He’s not wrong. It has an impressive suite of rider aids, including cornering ABS and traction control, bidirectional quickshifter, adaptive cruise control, electronically adjustable suspension, front and rear cameras, and a few features that we’re not certain about, including an “electronic clutch” (like Honda’s E-Clutch, perhaps?), an “electronic lock” and an “electronic throttle.”
Related: Five top adventure tourers for less than £5,000
450 Rally
Carrying forward the off-roading theme, Zhang has a lot of experience in Dakar. He was the driving force behind Kove’s surprising and admirable Dakar efforts from 2022-2025. ZXMOTO says that the 450 Rally comes from the same engineering team behind those efforts (So, it wasn’t just Zhang who left Kove?), and that “it embodies pure competitive DNA, with every component tuned for one goal: to conquer and win.”
That said, Zhang says ZXMOTO won’t be going to Dakar in 2026. He wants the focus first on achieving success in WorldSSP, after that the goal is to return to Dakar and win the thing outright.
Considering the reputation that Kove managed to earn in that arena, I suspect this will be a machine that grabs the attention of A LOT of riders.
600V Cruiser
Finally, there is, of course, a cruiser. But with a claimed wet weight of 179 kg, ZXMOTO’s 600V definitely stands out against far heavier competitors. Also unique to the middleweight cruiser class is the presence of rear cylinder deactivation.
Related: Five cruisers for less than £5,000
ZXMOTO is also reportedly developing two-stroke enduros (the ZX300 and ZX350) AND a 1000cc boxer twin engine for 2027.
“At ZXMOTO, we aim not just to replicate past success but to exceed it,” said Zhang. “Our philosophy is simple: let technology drive performance, and let passion guide every machine we create.”
Literal red flags
Let’s employ some critical thinking here. How does a company that didn’t exist two years ago suddenly have the cash, R&D, and manufacturing capability to develop nine new models – including a bespoke 819cc triple – rocket to the top of domestic sales, race in WorldSSP, and launch in the UK/Europe?
Who is funding this? Does this money actually exist?
As Logan from the YammieNoob YouTube channel observed: “The optimist’s take could be that Zhang is the overly passionate mad genius type of guy that’s just doing all this crazy stuff… with unending amounts of money somehow. Or it could be another grift.”
ZXMOTO seems highly aware of Western skepticism. At his presentation, Zhang addressed a number of the things that I always flag as concerns about Chinese motorcycles, eg, lack of after-sales support.
Related: Value vs trust: Should you buy a Chinese motorcycle?
“We have learned that not everyone is happy with the efficiency of aftersales service,” he said. “So, we have come up with a five-point plan.”
That plan includes:
- A European parts warehouse promising delivery to UK dealers within three days.
- Mandatory dealer stock of consumable parts (levers, pedals, etc.).
- A warranty on par with “top tier brands.”
- Guaranteed repair times. “For example, a shock absorber breaks,” Zhang explained. “If it is not replaced within [the promised amount of time], then we will compensate the rider for every day that we exceed that time – even to the point of the repair being free of charge.” (Editor’s note: Imagine asking KTM to pay your commuting costs because a proprietary bolt is on backorder. It’s a bold promise).
- A weekly livestream with the CEO. “That is, myself,” Zhang said. You can take your broken bike complaints directly to him on a live broadcast, “Then I will follow up on it myself.”
It sounds almost too good to be true. Maybe it is. Maybe it’s not. Reportedly Zhang is making good on his weekly livestream (it’s on TikTok, apparently) and just last week YammieNoob released a video titled “I Owe ZXMoto an Apology.”
I’ll admit to feeling something akin to fondness for ZXMOTO. That comes largely from the man whose initials are on the tank and his indomitable spirit.
How much of the myth of Zhang Xue is true is anybody’s guess but the story of him begins as a short kid with a particular mechanical talent, able to rebuild an engine blindfolded. He had dreams of being a professional rider and reportedly got his break after chasing a reporter 100 km, convincing him and his camera crew to interview him and film him jumping his cheap-o bike in the mud.
That interview ultimately led to his winning a place on a pro team. A facet of his job involved being a test rider for Apollo Motorcycle Co. – a brand that no longer appears to exist. After a few years, Zhang took his meagre life savings to Chongqing, keen to make a name for himself. He did so by building a bike entirely out of spare/discarded parts and becoming something of an internet sensation.
He eventually parlayed his viral success into founding Kove in 2017. He left Kove in March 2024, and set ZXMOTO a month later. Again, there are all kinds of questions and criticisms to be made in terms of derivative designs and mystery financial backing, but the admirable thing about Zhang is that he’s an unapologetic patriot.
Everytime ZXMOTO’s been on the WorldSSP podium, Zhang’s been there enthusiastically waving the Chinese flag, screaming with joy and overcome with emotion. And at the end of his presentation at EICMA, I was struck when Zhang spoke very proudly of the concept of ‘Made in China.’ He wants it to be a good thing. He wants it to be a hallmark of quality.
I can’t help but respect someone who loves their country – even when I have questions/concerns about that country. There are A LOT of brands in motorcycling – most, in fact – who try to hide or blur their Chinese connections. ZXMOTO wears them with pride. You’ve got to give it credit for that. I’ll be interested to see how its story develops.
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