Chinese motorcycle making waves in Superbike World Championship

Hungary is hosting a key round of the Superbike World Championship, where a new motorcycle is drawing attention across the paddock.

At the Balaton Park Circuit, the sound of engines carries across the track as riders prepare for a race that now holds added weight beyond the championship points on offer.

The Evan Bros racing team arrives with momentum after a double win in Portugal, a result that has placed the spotlight on a Chinese-built motorcycle competing in its first season at this level.

That machine comes from a new Chinese motorcycle manufacturer ZXMOTO, and while expectations at the start of the year were measured, the early results have already shifted how rivals view the project.

"I think now it is quite clear that this bike was made to compete at a high level. The package was already good enough to start this project," said Fabio Evangelista of Team Principal of Evan Bros. "We were thinking of getting the podium during the season, but not as fast as we did."

The motorcycle arrived in Italy shortly before the season began, leaving the team with just 70 days to prepare it for competition, a tight timeline that required rapid development and constant testing inside their Ravenna workshop.

"It goes at almost 300km/h. So it is one of the fastest bikes in the SuperSport category, for sure," Evangelista said.

That speed translated into results at the Algarve International Circuit, where the team secured a historic double win, with French rider Valentin Debise taking victory in both races during the weekend.

A serious contender

From the workshop floor in Ravenna to the race track in Portugal, the project has moved from development phase to serious contender in a short span, giving the team confidence as it enters the next round in Hungary.

For the riders, adapting to the new machine has been part of the process, yet the early feedback points to performance levels that continue to improve with each session.

"I think it is already fast but has a much bigger potential. They did a really good job. It is incredible for me to think that only six months ago, this bike didn't exist," said Italian motorcycle racer Federico Caricasulo.

"The riders with this bike are able to brake very late, and go into the corner in a very simple way… also because this is the lighter bike," Evangelista said.

The success in Portugal drew attention from fans across Europe and Asia, as the result signaled a broader shift in what Chinese manufacturers can achieve in top-tier motorcycle racing.

"At the moment, we have three years of contract with ZX Moto, so that means 2027 and 28. Our plan is to fight for the championship," Evangelista added.

Back at the Balaton Park Circuit, the grid resets with familiar rivals still in place, yet the presence of this new motorcycle project adds a fresh dynamic to the field as teams adjust to a contender that has already proven it can win.