Zhang Xue competes during the 2023 Taklimakan Rally in Minfeng County of Hotan Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on May 30, 2023. Recently, a video went viral among Chinese motorcycling fans on social media, showing a brightly painted ZXMOTO motorcycle thundering past the finish line with an impressive lead of nearly four seconds. Thousands of miles away in southwest China's Chongqing, Zhang Xue stared at the live broadcast with tears running down his face. He had spent 20 years preparing for that moment.
The story dates back to 2006 in Huaihua, central China's Hunan Province. On a rainy day, 19-year-old motorcycle mechanic Zhang Xue rode more than 100 kilometers through muddy mountain roads in soaked clothes to catch up with a television crew. Working in a repair shop, Zhang was desperate for a chance to be noticed by a professional racing team. "Being on television didn't matter," he said at the time. He wanted just one chance to prove he deserved a place on a professional racing team. Zhang's almost obsessive love for motorcycles opened the door to the world of professional racing. After his story was broadcast on television, his journey in motorcycling began to gather momentum through years of hard work and persistence.
From racer to motorcycle maker, Zhang's path was anything but easy. He worked with racing teams, competed in races, and worked in factories to gain experience and raise funds, hoping one day to build motorcycles of his own. He moved to Chongqing with just 20,000 yuan, built motorcycles with fellow enthusiasts on online forums, and in 2017 co-founded Kove Moto. In March 2024, he left the company and started ZXMOTO. It was a difficult period: before the company unveiled its first production model, Zhang struggled to pay salaries and had to borrow money to keep the company running. But did he ever want to give up? "No. Never," he said. Zhang believes the reason why he stayed with motorcycles for so long was simple: he loved them, and had never really imagined doing anything else.
Now Chinese motorcycles are winning on some of the world's top circuits. Meanwhile, China has a complete motorcycle industrial chain and is the world's largest producer of motorcycles, underscoring the country's growing manufacturing strength.
For Zhang Xue, the victory was more than a personal milestone. It reflects the journey of Chinese motorcycle manufacturing: from a young man riding through the rain in hopes of being seen to a frontrunner competing at the front. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
Zhang Xue (front) test-drives a motorcycle at Zhuhai International Circuit in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, on Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua)
Zhang Xue test-drives a motorcycle at Zhuhai International Circuit in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, on Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua)
Employees work on an assembly line at the production workshop of ZXMOTO in Liangjiang New Area, southwest China's Chongqing, on April 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Huang Wei)
An employee transports motorcycles to be shipped at ZXMOTO in Liangjiang New Area, southwest China's Chongqing, on April 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Huang Wei)
Zhang Xue (C) communicates with a motorcyclist at Zhuhai International Circuit in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, on Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua)
Zhang Xue test-drives a motorcycle at Zhuhai International Circuit in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, on Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua)
Zhang Xue speaks during an event in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, on Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua)
French rider Valentin Debise (front) riding a ZXMOTO motorcycle competes in the World Supersport (WorldSSP) category at the Portuguese round of the Superbike World Championship (WSBK) at the Portimao Circuit in Portugal, on March 28, 2026. (Xinhua)
This file photo shows Zhang Xue (C) discussing on production details with employees at ZXMOTO in Liangjiang New Area, southwest China's Chongqing, in 2024. (Xinhua)
This file photo shows Zhang Xue during a meeting at ZXMOTO in Liangjiang New Area, southwest China's Chongqing, in 2024. (Xinhua)
An employee checks motorcycles to be exported at ZXMOTO in Liangjiang New Area, southwest China's Chongqing, on April 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Huang Wei)
Zhang Xue drinks water after crossing the finishing line during the 2023 Taklimakan Rally in Yutian County of Hotan Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on May 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Hao Zhao)