Chinese manufacturer ZXMOTO will make their debut in the MXGP World Championship in 2027, taking on the premier class of motocross with ambitious plans to establish itself among the sport’s leading manufacturers. Founded in 2025 by Zhang Xue, the brand has already secured a partnership with JM Racing and is working hard to develop their race bike ahead of its first season on the world stage.
Zhang is no stranger to building a motorcycle brand from the ground up, having previously founded Kove in 2017 before leaving the company in 2024 to launch ZXMOTO. With the brand already making waves in the World SuperSport Championship, the move into Motocross represents another major step in its ambitions to compete at the highest level of international motorcycle racing.
In this exclusive interview, Zhang discusses the decision to enter MXGP, the development of the Motocross bike, expectations for the 2027 season and his long-term ambitions for ZXMOTO. He also explains why the brand has chosen to tackle the premier class first, how they plans to close the gap to established manufacturers and why he believes Chinese brands are ready to make their mark on the global Motocross scene.
GateDrop: Zhang, ZXMOTO will be racing the MXGP World Championship in 2027. Since when did you get the idea of wanting the brand to enter the Motocross world and how much work has gone into making it happen?
Zhang: Right from the very beginning when the brand was founded in 2025, we had already confirmed our plan to enter this championship. While our MX bike was still in the prototype stage, we started looking everywhere for a team. We have now signed with our current team (JM Racing) and are currently optimizing the race bike, which should be completed within this year.
GateDrop: Can you give a little bit of background – you are the founder of Kove which started in 2017 I believe, but you left Kove in 2024 to lunch ZXMOTO. What’s the story behind that? It’s quite interesting!
Zhang: Just as people have read online, I had some philosophical differences with my partners at Kove at the time. I won’t repeat the whole process here, but ultimately, I decided to create my own brand, ZXMOTO, and make it my lifelong career. We are now each moving forward on our own respective tracks.
GateDrop: You were at the Chinese MXGP last year – how did you find being in the paddock and what did you think about the event?
Zhang: I’m not sure how to describe my specific views, other than that the atmosphere live at the race was definitely mind-blowing. And well, since we are entering the competition, we definitely want to achieve better results.
GateDrop: In 2027, do you plan on attending MXGP events in Europe and have you been to any in the past?
Zhang: Yes, for the full season. Personally, I haven’t been to one in Europe before, and I will be attending the season opener in person.
GateDrop: You met David Luongo, what kind of conversations did you have with him?
Zhang: He is very supportive of us joining MXGP, and we also exchanged some thoughts regarding riders and teams.
GateDrop: I believe testing is being carried out in Europe on the bike, how has all that been going so far?
Zhang: The riders’ feedback on the pre-updated MX450 was that the handling was excellent, but it lacked a bit of power. Now that we have optimized the power delivery, the bike’s engine performance is practically on par with our competitors.
GateDrop: What would you say is the main difference between the way you develop a motorcycle in China and the approach taken by European or Japanese manufacturers?
Zhang: I think our current approach is quite close to the European way. Traditional Chinese manufacturers tend to be more conservative and not as aggressive—they probably focus more on practicality without making major breakthroughs in handling and lightweighting.
GateDrop: For 2027, are the plans to have two MXGP World Championship riders?
Zhang: Yes.
GateDrop: Why did you choose MXGP rather than a National series to launch the Motocross programme?
Zhang: If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it at the very highest level.
GateDrop: Is your move into MXGP also an opportunity to change the international perception of Chinese motorcycles? Given the prices you have announced, there is a lot of curiosity about how the bikes will perform, particularly in terms of performance and reliability…
Zhang: Of course. As for reliability, the MX250 has actually already gained widespread recognition from thousands of users worldwide, and the MX450 won’t fall short either.
GateDrop: It’s quite interesting because I understand that ZXMOTO had a 250cc available to the public before the 450cc. Why did you decide to run an MXGP World Championship team before an EMX/MX2 team?
Zhang: Because I feel the premier MXGP class carries more weight and prestige.
GateDrop: In terms of the longer-term plans – do you see ZXMOTO also running in the European Championships and MX2? Or will the full focus be on MXGP?
Zhang: We might enter the MX2 class, but only on the condition that we have our MXGP program running very smoothly and have won at least one championship first.
GateDrop: Next season, sporting ambitions will go hand in hand with technical objectives. What boxes will ZXMOTO need to tick for you to consider the 2027 a success?
Zhang: First, the race bike must be developed to a fully competitive and qualified standard—handling, performance, stability, and everything else must hit the mark. If we get the chance to step onto the podium, that would be exceeding expectations.
GateDrop: ZXMOTO are right at the front of the 2026 World SuperSport Championship – finishing second in the championship – you must be happy with what you’ve achieved there so far, and do you want the same in Motocross – to be at the front in the long-term?
Zhang: Of course, I definitely hope to be on the podium. Our goal is to stand on the top step of the podium within 2 to 3 years.
GateDrop: We have seen what Triumph has done in just three years in the paddock – albeit in the MX2 World Championship class – but they’ve showed it’s possible to be at the front. What have you thought about the job they’ve done so far, and does it give you confidence you can be at the front in a couple of year’s time as well?
Zhang: Triumph is outstanding, and their results speak for themselves. I believe we can reach that same level as well.
GateDrop: Establish brands have decades of data, rider feedback and racing experience behind them. How do you plan on closing the gap?
Zhang: Although we are a new brand, we have a lot of experience when it comes to understanding race bikes. We will look for more experienced riders, and the team we are partnering with right now is also highly experienced.
GateDrop: Ducati have hired Antonio Cairoli and Alessandro Lupino whilst Triumph has had Clement Desalle and Ivan Tedesco developing the bikes – do ZXMOTO plan on hiring top test riders? Or will you trust the MXGP riders signed to develop the bike?
Zhang: We will push the development forward directly with our contracted MXGP riders.
GateDrop: Kove has also made a move into the sport as well as ZXMOTO. Why do you think Chinese brands have suddenly started showing such a strong interest in Motocross and why is it happening now, in such a short period of time? Is it part of a broader strategy to establish Chinese brands on the global motorcycle market, or does it reflect a genuine ambition to compete at the highest level of the sport?
Zhang: I think Chinese brands have reached a point where they are gradually pushing into the ranks of international high-end brands. Naturally, that requires proving ourselves in high-profile, top-tier racing series and showcasing what we can do to riders around the world. This is a great opportunity.
