Rho (Italy) (AFP) – As is the case with electric cars, Chinese motorcycle brands are carving out a growing niche in European markets, with leading models at very competitive prices.
First modification: 07/11/2026 - 09:15
China is already the second largest supplier of motorcycles to the European Union, behind Japan, with 27.1% of imports in 2025 (the equivalent of about 1 billion euros), according to data from the Association of European Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM).
In the case of large displacement motorcycles, the progress is spectacular and China has gone from being a marginal supplier to an essential player in the European market.
About a third of imported motorcycles over 250 cm³ come from the Asian giant, a share that in 2019 was only 7%, with models that usually sell between 10 and 25% cheaper than their Japanese or European competitors.
The European motorcycle industry, through the ACEM, demands "fair and reciprocal access to markets" to support its sales. They highlight that large displacement motorcycles imported from China are only taxed at 6% in Europe, while exports to China are taxed at 45%.
One of the main Chinese brands sold in Europe is CFMoto, which gained notoriety by manufacturing engines and assembling models for the Austrian KTM, and then winning two Moto3 (250 cm³) championships in 2024 and 2026.
Brands like that and other well-established brands such as Cyclone or Qianjiang Motorcycle (QJ Motor) are joined by newer ones such as ZXMoto; present at the Eicma Milan motorcycle show that is being held this week in the northern Italian city.
"They are beautiful. They may not have exactly the same parts as the Japanese manufacturers, but at this price, they are worth it," Renato Polistene, a 64-year-old Italian technician, told AFP about the models presented by CFMoto.
According to him, he could consider buying a Chinese motorcycle, since the prices of other brands "have risen a lot." But for him "the big unknown remains reliability."
© 2026 AFP
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