Chinese Burn – And Why It Hurts So Bad

As a motorcycle content creator, my inbox and news feed are permanently overflowing with updates from every motorcycle manufacturer, distributor, and media outlet on the planet. But lately, there’s been one theme dominating everything: the explosion of new Chinese motorcycle brands entering the UK market.

Now, I’m all for innovation and diversification — the motorcycle industry needs both. But things are starting to feel a little… out of hand. Let me explain.

Chinese Bikes Aren’t New — They’ve Just Been Disguised Better

Chinese-built motorcycles have been in the UK for years. The difference is, they used to exist quietly under the umbrella of established brands:

Lexmoto

A UK company that specifies its bikes in China using various manufacturers. They brand them, market them, distribute them, support them — and over time, they’ve earned a genuinely solid reputation, particularly in the sub-125cc market.

Benelli

An iconic Italian name now owned by a Chinese holding company. Their bikes are designed with Italian influence but manufactured in China. And again — a success story.

These brands gained traction because they leaned on established identities and delivered decent value at low prices.

So far, so good.

How Are They Different From Honda, Yamaha or Ducati?

One major difference: the dealer network.

Traditional Japanese and European brands have long-standing, stable, well-resourced dealer networks with:

• Experienced sales teams

• Qualified technicians

• Reliable parts supplies

• Proper warranty infrastructures

  
  

Many Chinese-origin brands, particularly in their early days, didn’t have this. Here’s why:

The “any dealership will do” problem

When these brands first entered the UK, public confidence was low. To get bikes on the road, distributors had to offer them on sale-or-return to any dealer willing to take them — often smaller shops with:

• Limited experience

• Limited cash flow

• Limited aftersales capability

From the distributor’s point of view, it was risk-free. If the dealer folded? They’d just collect the stock.

The strategy? Throw enough bikes at enough shops and see what sticks. A pure numbers game.

The result for customers? A mixed bag

• Dealers going out of business

• Warranty work refused or delayed

• Patchy customer service

• Parts availability issues

Of course, not all small dealers are bad — many take huge pride in these brands. But the inconsistency has left scars in the market

The Market Used to Be Clear: Cheap vs Quality

For years, the UK market had an unspoken rule:

• Want cheap transport? Buy Chinese.

• Want quality, stability, and resale value? Buy Japanese or European.

That gap kept things tidy.

But things are changing — fast.

The Chinese Step Up: Partnerships, Licensing & Rapid Evolution

Over the last decade, China has quietly been building strategic relationships with major global brands:

• Manufacturing partnerships

• Technology exchange

• Licensed platform sharing

This has given Chinese companies:

• Access to established tech

• Credibility by association

• The ability to sell similar or identical platforms under multiple brand names

Examples:

• Benelli BN125 = Keeway RKF

• Lexmoto ADV = Voge ADV

Same bike. Different badge. Different country. China wins through volume, not brand loyalty.

The CFMOTO Tipping Point

For me, the turning point in public perception was CFMOTO.

CFMOTO manufacture KTM products in China. They’re in Moto2 and Moto3.They’ve raced the Isle of Man. Their ATVs are loved in the agricultural world.

So when they tentatively entered the UK and launched the 800MT adventure bike in 2021, undercutting every Japanese and European equivalent by thousands, it was a shockwave.

At first, doubters came out in force:

• “Terrible residuals!”

• “It’ll rust!”

• “It won’t last!”

But the bike proved them wrong. Dealers rushed to sign up. CFMOTO went from fringe to mainstream almost overnight.

Yes, KTM’s financial wobble affected them — but the brand remains strong with major anticipation for upcoming models.

Enter Voge, Mondial, QJ, Benda, Hero… and the List Keeps Growing

Voge followed a similar path, this time with BMW engine partnerships. MotoGB began distributing Chinese brands en masse. Other distributors followed suit.

Now? The market is flooded. Too many brands. Too many models. Too much overlap.

It’s become dilution, not diversification.

So What’s the Real Problem? Aftersales.

The bikes themselves? They’re getting better — undeniably.

The issue is everything that happens after the sale.

The dealer ecosystem for many Chinese brands is:

• Inconsistent

• Under-trained

• Under-funded

• Over-stretched

  
  

Small family dealerships rely heavily on these brands to survive — until they don’t. Other small dealers are happy simply to receive free stock to sell. And among the bigger multi-franchise dealers, the Chinese bikes often sit neglected in the corner.

As technology advances, we need well-trained techs, strong diagnostics, reliable parts pipelines, and a robust warranty structure. In many cases, that’s simply not there.

The distributors don’t suffer — the dealers do.

When cashflow gets tight, small dealers dump stock. Prices plummet. Residual values tank. The market becomes polluted with cheap, pre-registered bikes.

Look at UK registrations in December 2024 if you want proof.

The Japanese & European Brands Are Feeling the Heat

Chinese competition has forced the big players to drop prices.

But at what cost?

If you look closely, you can already see where some manufacturers are cutting corners to stay competitive.

Meanwhile, big dealers are struggling with:

• Lower margins

• Aggressive targets

• Falling volume

(It’s all in my blog about dealer closures.)

The Political Undercurrent

The global political tensions with China have seeped into the motorcycle world. Riders are confused. Brand loyalty is fractured. Media outlets are heavily promoting Chinese bikes — because they need the content, and the bikes keep coming.

So How Do We Fix This?

There is room for everyone at the table. Chinese brands aren’t the enemy — but the way they are distributed is causing the damage.

The solution?

Trade responsibly.

Be transparent.

Give customers the full picture.

Before buying any motorcycle — Chinese or otherwise — riders should check:

✓ Aftersales support✓ Dealer coverage✓ Warranty process✓ Availability of parts✓ Real-world resale values after 2 years✓ Whether the dealer actually understands the product

Some Chinese bikes are excellent value and in some cases now rival Japanese and European offerings.

But riders need to do their homework.

Because the old saying still applies:

Buy cheap, buy twice.