This picture, taken on July 20, 2026, shows a worker assembling a motorcycle at the ZXMoto factory in Chongqing, southwestern China.
Zhang Xue wept with joy and furiously waved a Chinese flag as he watched his company's superbike scream across the finish line four seconds ahead of competitors in only its third world championship race.
That victory at the Supersport World Championship in March saw orders for ZXMoto's two-wheelers skyrocket and provided a boost for the firm as it battles for an edge in the highly competitive Chinese motorbike market.
The company was founded just two years ago but already rivals leading manufacturers such as Europe's Ducati and Japanese giants Yamaha and Honda with a bike retailing for a fraction of their prices.
"You have this dream you've been thinking about for many years, and when it finally comes true... I was so happy," Zhang, 39, told AFP at his company's headquarters in Chongqing.
ZXMoto has doubled its workforce since March and its factory runs 24-hours a day to meet demand, but customers still wait months for orders.
"Chinese brands are very clear about where our future lies," said Zhang, a former mechanic who claims he can assemble an engine with his eyes closed.
Eyeing foreign markets
The firm's flagship 133-horsepower 820RR motorbike, which accelerates from zero to 100 kilometres and hour in 2.8 seconds, sells for around 43,000 yuan ($6,370) in China, at least 30 percent cheaper than foreign rivals.
Sales have soared from 25,000 bikes in 2025 to a projected 100,000 this year, with plans to double that figure by 2027 — a target on par with BMW's scope.
However, it faces a shrinking domestic market, vicious competition and squeezed profits.
China's motorbike sales fell 3.4 percent in 2025, and slid again this year as consumers increasingly favor cars or less regulated electric bikes.
Weakening domestic sales are pushing manufacturers like Zhang to seek fatter margins abroad, where consumers have more purchasing power.
Half of the 22 million motorcycles produced in China last year were exported, and nearly all brands are looking overseas.
Zhang hopes to export 40,000 bikes to Europe in 2027, while rival manufacturer Shineray sells 90 percent of its low-end models to South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
In Chongqing, more than 50 manufacturers and hundreds of component suppliers are able to leverage the booming industry of China's "motorbike capital."
"Companies like ZXMoto are emerging from one of the world's most competitive industrial ecosystems, where rapid iteration, integrated supply chains, and relentless competition yield world-class products rapidly," said Bill Russo, an expert in China's automotive industry.
For Russo, "the motorcycle industry today reminds me of where China's passenger car industry stood roughly a decade ago."
Chinese auto giants like BYD and Geely eventually out-competed established foreign rivals on price and are increasingly at the industry's technological forefront.
However, two-wheelers may prove a more resilient market to break into.
"Motorcycles remain more emotionally driven purchases than cars. Heritage, racing history and brand prestige still matter much more, giving established Japanese and European manufacturers a stronger defensive position," Russo said.
"The gap is closing, but it won't close overnight."
Russo expects Chinese brands to establish a larger global footprint through local investments and partnerships rather than exports alone.
With an 800-million-yuan factory opening in late 2027, ZXMoto is on track to become one of the world's top 10 motorcycle brands by 2034.
"When Japanese products first entered Europe, there was the same reaction, there were many questions," Zhang said.
"But as long as the products are good, one day people will accept and enjoy them."
