ZXMOTO Wins WorldSSP Races at Portimão — First International Victory for a Chinese Motorcycle Brand.
ZXMOTO has made history by winning both Supersport (WorldSSP) races at the World Superbike Championship (WSBK) in Portimão, marking the first-ever WSBK victories for a Chinese motorcycle brand. The success of ZXMOTO is not only a grassroots story of a world champion, but also a reflection of the cumulative strength of Chongqing’s motorcycle industry and the precise empowerment of China’s modern industrial manufacturing system. A complete domestic supply chain enables Chinese innovation to “overtake on the curve.”
3.685 Seconds: China Shows Its Speed to the World
On March 28-29, 2026, French rider Valentin Debise piloted the ZXMOTO 820RR/820RR-RS motorcycle to win both races in the WorldSSP(600-800cc) category at the Portimão round in Portugal. In the first race, Debise finished 3.685 seconds ahead of his closest competitor, and he secured a second consecutive win in the next race. These victories demonstrate the advanced performance of ZXMOTO motorcycles on a global stage.
This marks the first-ever victory for a Chinese motorcycle manufacturer in the SSP category and the first time a Chinese brand has won a WSBK round, sparking global media attention and trending online.
ZXMOTO first unveiled the 820RR at the 23rd China International Motorcycle Trade Exhibition in September 2025. After six months of refinement, the bike officially launched in March 2026. From initial skepticism to worldwide acclaim, ZXMOTO has proven on a world-class stage that “Made in China” leads in engineering and performance.
A Complete Supply Chain: How the “Motorcycle Capital” Nurtures Emerging Brands
This historic win not only puts a Chinese motorcycle brand on top of a premier international competition but also sparks global discussion around “domestic motorcycles” and “Chongqing motorcycle enterprises.”
Founder Zhang Xue shared in an interview that in 2013, he arrived in Chongqing with only 20,000 yuan to start his venture. He chose the city because it is recognized as the “Motorcycle Capital of China.” Though he didn’t know anyone locally, he could find every component for building motorcycles in a single parts market.
As the cradle of China’s motorcycle industry, Chongqing hosts 51 complete vehicle manufacturers and over 410 component suppliers, with an annual production capacity exceeding 20 million motorcycles and 20 million engines. Local supply covers over 80% of conventional motorcycle parts and around 60% for electric motorcycles. Statistically, one in every three motorcycles exported from China is made in Chongqing.
This industrial ecosystem has nurtured emerging brands like ZXMOTO, which can leverage a complete supply chain to achieve extreme innovation and precise market positioning, standing out in niche segments. It empowers a generation of Chinese motorcycle enthusiasts to chase dreams and create milestones in Chongqing.
National Platforms Drive “Supply Chain Going Global”
The victory also resonated with global motorcycle fans and boosted confidence across the motorcycle industry supply chain. It highlights the strength of “Made in China” high-end motorcycles and the robust industrial backbone behind them. With innovations in electrification and smart technologies, the Chinese motorcycle industry is reshaping the global industrial ecosystem, entering a new peak phase of development.
Looking ahead, CIMAMotor 2026 will continue to promote industry globalization, featuring B2B Matchmaking Meeting to showcase the vast market, production capacity, and partnership opportunities of Chinese motorcycles. It aims to leverage the competitive edge behind ZXMOTO championship to help Chinese enterprises transition from “product export” to “brand export” and “supply chain export.”
