The stereotype of the Chinese motorcycle being low-quality or knock-offs of familiar Japanese bikes is changing, just as when I was young and motorcyclists derided Japanese bikes. That turned out to be a wake-up call for European and American manufacturers.
Today, the idea that China can’t manufacture quality products has been thoroughly debunked. Iphones, Teslas, and a host of Chinese products are already in your pocket, on your desktop, or in your garage. What is becoming common is Western design and Chinese production. Whether in automotive, mobile phones, or computers, Chinese manufacturers are behind much of Western technology manufacturing.
BMW is now using Chinese, Loncin-made engines in some bikes. KTM and CFMoto are joint in design in manufacturing. Piaggio and MV Augusta are now integrating into Chinese production. In Europe, four out of eleven motorcycle categories were filled with Chinese-made machines. In the past, disposable was part of the plan for Chinese manufacturing as having to provide service and parts, long term did not serve their interests, but no longer.
Chinese manufacturers are designing, and succeeding at producing high-performance products, proving themselves to be dependable. Motorcycles today must be long-lived and resaleable. Chinese manufacturers envisioned the value of green technology long before it came to be in vogue within Western companies, leading to a depth of engineering about electric motorcycles. Electric motorcycles dominate the Chinese market, especially for commuters, so in effect, Western companies are playing catch up.
Honda, known as the most reliable motorcycle manufacturer in the world is now having its new XL750 Transalp built by Loncin, in China. Benelli, Keeway, CFMoto, KTM, BMW, Quinjiang, Loncin, Lexmoto, and Zongshen are all companies becoming intertwined in their production and supply chains. Brand recognition is something that lingers. Take Benelli for example, which is made by BMW-owned Loncin in China. In the UK, Benelli is recognized and purchased, while its manufacturer, QJ is not.
The Chinese proliferation of motorcycles and motorcycle technology is so extensive that this short article cannot do it justice. The Chinese industry has its sights set on producing high quality, high performance, and sponsors bikes in Moto3 and Moto2. In short order, it will be involved in top-level MotoGP racing. Since KTM’s brand recognition is already high, and new engine designs of the larger KTM branded engines are already being created in China (KTM 1390 Duke), brand awareness will rapidly increase. Additionally, warranties for Chinese brands meet or exceed Japanese and European companies, so the perceived risks for first-time buyers are rapidly diminishing.
Bike Social, (who compiled most of this information) states, “China’s progress to becoming a motorcycle manufacturing powerhouse on a global scale looks unstoppable, and the results should be lower costs and an even broader choice for riders in the future.”
https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/features/bikes/will-china-dominate-bike-market
The only thing that is having a drag effect on the purchase of Chinese motorcycles in North America is our bias against Chinese products, and the lack of long-term data concerning reliability, product quality, and rider experience with the brands.
This spring I’ll have my first opportunity to ride CFMoto’s new entrants to the Canadian Market, while two more Chinese-made motorcycle companies are on the verge of entering the Canadian market with dealerships. I’m looking forward to the fact that I can get a really good motorcycle, usually 25% less than what I’d pay for a European or Japanese product. This is exactly what millennials and New Gen buyers want in a motorcycle, that being a better price for great technology.
In any event, we won’t have to wait long to see the effects of Chinese motorcycles on the North American market.
Ciao…
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