Just a few years ago, Chinese motorcycles had nothing but a bad reputation. Sure, they were cheap, but they were by no means the first choice for riders looking for performance and reliability. But if we fast forward to today, things are changing a bit, and names like CFMoto and QJ Motor are elevating what we think of made-in-China bikes.
Yes, whether we like it or not.
You see, these brands are no longer simply churning out budget-minded bikes. They’re producing machines that are ready to go toe-to-toe with some of the biggest names in the industry. QJ Motor, for one, is rolling out new bikes left and right. And as a part of the massive Geely Group—the same powerhouse behind Volvo, Lotus, and even a stake in Mercedes-Benz—QJ Motor has serious backing, and a seemingly endless amount of resources at its disposal.
That being said, one of the most interesting bikes from QJ Motor is the SRK 800 RR, a fully faired sportbike that’s edging closer to what we expect from Japanese and European rivals. And for 2025, it gets even better. The biggest update here is that it gets a new frame. Gone is the steel perimeter frame, and in its stead is a stiffer aluminum chassis which should result in sharper handling.
What’s weird, though, is that the bike has gained a bit of weight, now tipping the scales at 214 kilos (about 471 pounds) wet, presumably thanks to its exhaust components which have been reworked for the latest Euro 5+ compliance.
Nevertheless, at its core remains the 778cc inline-four that pumps out a fairly conservative 95 horsepower and 75 Nm (55 pound-feet) of torque. And so it occupies the same performance bracket as bikes like the Triumph Daytona 660 and Honda CBR650R, both of which pump out around 94 horsepower.
But the SRK 800 RR wants to one-up—or should I say, two-up—the competition.
On the one hand, it gets fancy underpinnings such as Marzocchi suspension, Brembo brakes, a quickshifter, traction control, and a 5-inch TFT display. Plus, QJ’s thrown in handy extras like USB-A and USB-C ports for on-the-go charging, and even built-in navigation. Of course, the usual super-aggressive styling of made-in-China sportbikes is ever-present here, which can be either a good or bad thing. For some it screams high performance, but for others, it could come across as trying hard.
But on the other hand, despite having all those fancy tech features, the SRK 800 RR is priced significantly lower than the competition. For reference, in its 2024 guise, it carried an MSRP of 8,999 euros over in France, or about $9,700 USD. The Triumph Daytona 660 is priced at 10,695 euros (around $11,500 USD), while the CBR650R will set you back 9,899 euros (about $10,600 USD). So are savings of one to two grand, plus the extra tech worth it?
Bikes like the QJ Motor SRK 800 RR are proof that Chinese bikes aren’t what they used to be. And the fact of the matter is that they’re improving, regardless of how questionable or sketchy their ways of doing so may be.
And so perhaps the real question here is: Would you trade the tried-and-tested reputation of brands like Triumph and Honda for a lower price and more tech? Personally, my answer for now is still a no. But what about you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Sources: Moto-Station, QJ Motor
