Chinese motorcycle brands rev up European market presence at Milan show
Chinese motorcycle makers are gaining traction in Europe, with CFMoto showcasing at EICMA. China became the EU's second-largest motorcycle supplier in 2025, accounting for 27.1 per cent of imports, as affordable models challenge established brands.
Chinese motorcycle brands are making significant inroads into European markets, mirroring the success of Chinese electric car manufacturers, with high-performance, competitively priced models gaining attention at major industry events.
At EICMA, Europe's largest motorcycle show in Milan on 7 November, visitors crowded around the stand of CFMoto, a Hangzhou-based company that has gained recognition by producing engines and assembling models for Austria's KTM, as well as winning two Moto3 championships in 2024 and 2026. The brand's display included a powerful model fitted with winglets and the off-road machine ridden by new brand ambassador, Spanish rider Mario Roman.
"They're beautiful. They may not have exactly the same materials... as the Japanese manufacturers, but at this price, it works," said Renato Polistene, a 64-year-old Italian craftsman, who said he could consider choosing Chinese for his next bike due to rising prices and excessive optional extras from other brands.
According to a report published on 6 November by the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), China became the EU's second-largest supplier of motorcycles in 2025, behind Japan, accounting for 27.1 per cent of imports with sales reaching one billion euros. China now supplies nearly one-third of imports for motorcycles over 250cc, compared with just seven per cent in 2019.
The European press, initially sceptical, now tests Chinese motorcycles in comparison reviews alongside other brands. British magazine Motorcycle News described 2026 as "the year where we see a switch." In France, Bertrand Mace, president of the two-wheel division of automotive association Mobilians, called it "a true revolution coming from the East." CFMoto established itself as the fifth brand on the French market in October, overtaking Triumph, Suzuki, KTM and Yamaha.
New startups are also emerging, such as ZXMoto, founded by former mechanic and rider Zhang Xue. At the company's stand, Alessia, a 27-year-old police officer from Turin, said she was "really impressed by the design" and noted that new brands can "spark curiosity." At the CFMoto stand, executives from a major Italian brand expressed concern, with one commenting anonymously: "We'll have to see its price, but in the long run it could hurt us."