【ZXMOTO】Founder Zhang Xue's Two-Wheeled Dream | From Mechanic Apprentice to Giant Slayer | Model Introduction

Born in Hunan in 1987, Zhang Xue is the founder of the Chinese motorcycle brand KOVE and the current founder of ZXMOTO. With "extreme lightweighting" and "independent engine R&D" as his core philosophies, he started as a 14-year-old motorcycle mechanic apprentice and persevered through multiple entrepreneurial failures and partnership breakups. In 2026, his brand, ZXMOTO, won at the World Superbike Championship (WSBK), achieving a historic breakthrough for Chinese brands in world-class racing; he is hailed by enthusiasts as the "Soichiro Honda" of China.

Zhang Xue's story began in a poor rural village in Huaihua, Hunan. His parents divorced when he was three, and he was raised by his grandmother; at the age of 14, he dropped out of school to work as an apprentice in a motorcycle repair shop. Zhang Xue’s bond with motorcycles was forged when he saw the Dakar Rally on television; the imagery of off-road motorcycles racing through the desert deeply captivated him, and from that moment, he aspired to become a motorcycle racer. After graduating from junior high school, he worked as an apprentice at a motorcycle repair shop, and by the age of 17, he opened his own repair business, spending all his spare time practicing his motocross skills.

After more than a year of rigorous practice, Zhang Xue felt his skills were sufficient and aspired to join a professional racing team. However, as a 19-year-old with no funding or connections, joining a team seemed like a pipe dream. In a desperate bid for attention, Zhang Xue happened upon a television production crew one day and asked them to film his motocross skills. Unsurprisingly, the crew had little interest in the unknown young man. Undeterred, the passionate Zhang Xue trailed the press vehicle on his battered motorcycle for 100 kilometers. This "life-risking" persistence eventually moved the reporter, leading to his story being featured on television, which secured him an opportunity to join a professional team as a stunt rider and mechanic.

During his time with the team, Zhang Xue did not receive systematic training; instead, he learned from professional racer Zhang Jixing and funded his own practice. Although he won numerous awards while serving as a technician, the reality of living on a team salary and prize money eventually became unsustainable. He chose to leave the team and took a job at a motorcycle manufacturing plant.

During his four years at the factory, Zhang Xue mastered the processes of motorcycle research and development, manufacturing, and supply chain management. He realized that due to technical monopolies, large-displacement engines, electronic controls, and precision components were all reliant on imports. Chinese-made motorcycles were considered synonymous with low prices and imitation, which fueled his determination to build China's own top-tier motorcycles.

In 2013, Zhang Xue resolutely "changed lanes" and headed to Chongqing, a major motorcycle hub, with 20,000 RMB to start his business. Initially, he sold self-assembled motorcycles on various motorcycle forums, building significant popularity and a strong reputation, which successfully secured his first influx of capital.

In 2017, Zhang Xue co-founded KOVE Moto with two friends, aiming for high performance, lightweight design, and originality. Their product lineup spanned street bikes, sportbikes, and off-road motorcycles, with representative models including the 500X dual-sport, the 450RR sportbike, and the MX250 motocross bike. The success of KOVE was evident in its sales figures: starting with just 800 units in the first year, growing to 3,000 the next, and eventually skyrocketing to 20,000 and 30,000 units annually. During a test ride of an unreleased model, Zhang Xue personally took to the track but suffered an accident. This led to a memorable moment in the industry when he presented the new bike at its launch event while sitting in a wheelchair.

Despite his absolute dedication to the brand, Zhang Xue’s insistence on investing massive capital into the research and development of a highly complex three-cylinder engine caused a rift with other shareholders. In March 2024, Zhang Xue released a handwritten resignation letter that shocked the industry, announcing his departure from the company he built with his own hands. In a video, he stated: "I am going to pursue my sea of stars and build the engine that truly lives in my heart".

While this "resignation" was viewed by the outside world as a failure—since Zhang Xue lost control of the KOVE brand and its resources—he did not stop. Carrying the immense pressure of "tens of millions in personal debt," he moved swiftly to establish ZXMOTO in Chongqing.

After experiencing the obstacles and failures of joint-venture entrepreneurship, Zhang Xue decided to hold an 80% stake when establishing "ZXMOTO," ensuring his decisions would no longer be dictated by others. Indeed, within a short period of its founding, ZXMOTO has overcome numerous technical challenges and is operating at full throttle to build his dream three-cylinder engine. This engine utilizes titanium-aluminum alloy valves; Zhang Xue is meticulous about every gram, as these valves are 10g lighter than steel ones. In a single engine with 12 valves, this reduces weight by 120g. Despite the cost being nearly double that of steel valves, Zhang Xue insisted on their use, demonstrating his obsession with lightweight design.

Hard work paid off, and ZXMOTO's first mass-produced model, the ZX-500RR, is equipped with a 471cc inline-four engine producing a maximum of 84 HP at 13,500 rpm, achieving 0-100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds. The ZX-500RR is priced at approximately 30,000 RMB in Mainland China and was an immediate market success. It recorded sales of 22,000 units in 2025, and in January 2026 alone, it reached 1,905 units, becoming the sales champion for domestic Chinese motorcycles with a displacement of over 250cc.

Was success achieved too quickly? Not quite! In March this year, during the WSBK event held in Portugal, ZXMOTO's 820RR-RS successfully defeated traditional powerhouses like Ducati, Yamaha, and Kawasaki, securing back-to-back victories in two consecutive rounds and opening a new chapter in the development of Chinese motorcycles. This 820RR, affectionately nicknamed the "Horsepower Dog" by fans, is equipped with a three-cylinder engine entirely developed independently by Zhang Xue. Its power-to-weight ratio far exceeds that of racing bikes from major European and Japanese manufacturers, proving that Zhang Xue’s decision to "resign to build an engine" was absolutely correct.

ZXMOTO 500RR

The brand's first mass-produced model, featuring a 500cc inline-four liquid-cooled engine with 84 horsepower and a 0-100 km/h acceleration of 3.4 seconds. The 500RR embodies Zhang Xue's philosophy of extreme lightweight design, weighing only 158kg and utilizing a single-sided swingarm to provide exceptional handling flexibility.

With an extremely high price-to-performance ratio at under 30,000 RMB (approximately HK$59,800), the ZX-500RR topped the sales charts for large-displacement motorcycles in China with 1,905 units sold in the single month of January 2026.

ZXMOTO 820RR

The flagship performance model, powered by Zhang Xue's 100% independently developed 820cc inline-triple engine, achieving 0-100 km/h in just 2.81 seconds. Due to its formidable power output and lightweight performance, it has been dubbed the "Horsepower Dog" by enthusiasts. Priced at approximately 43,800 RMB, it costs only half as much as imported models in the same class. Since gaining fame after defeating numerous international giants at the WSBK in March, it immediately received over 10,000 orders, becoming a classic model for the factory.