Are you ready for the revolution? CFMoto has just outsold established marques such as Suzuki, Ducati and KTM in France.
So okay, France is a little far from Malaysia but French motorcyclists are known to be very discerning in their choices, and are always looking out for the best performing and equipped motorcycles. Therefore, seeing them pick up on Chinese bikes that are still being maligned is interesting.
According to Moto-Station, from the period between January to September 2025, CFMoto had sold 4,741 units, which equates to 3.38% of the industry’s total sales volume. That was enough to put the manufacturer in 6th place overall, behind Honda, Yamaha, BMW, Kawasaki, and Triumph.
But CFMoto was not the only Chinese manufacturer to make a mark. Further down the list, we can see Voge, Zontes, QJMotor, Benelli, Benda, Kove, and Moto Morini.
Here are the figures, published by Moto-Station.com:
- Honda : 31,677 (22.58%)
- Yamaha : 22,485 (16.02%)
- BMW : 14,591 (10.4 %)
- Kawasaki : 11,101 (7.91 %)
- Triumph : 8,583 (6.12%)
- CFMoto : 4,741 (3.38%)
- Suzuki : 3,936 (2.81%)
- Ducati : 3,175 (2.26 %)
- Piaggio-Vespa : 3,119 (2.22%)
- Voge : 3,038 (2.17%)
- KTM : 2,977 (2.12 %)
- Zontes : 2,808 (2.0%)
- Aprilia : 2,637 (1.88 %)
- Royal Enfield : 2,625 (1.87%)
- Harley-Davidson : 2,053 (1.46%)
- Kymco : 1,846 (1.32%)
- Sym : 1,539 (1.10%)
- QJMotor : 1,212 (0.86%)
- Moto Guzzi : 1 104 (0,79%)
- Peugeot : 1 081 (0,77%)
- Indian : 918 (0,65%)
- Benelli : 877 (0.63%) – under QJMotor
- Orcal : 849 (0.61%)
- Husqvarna : 658 (0.47%)
- Benda : 563 (0.40%)
- Mash : 483 (0.34%)
- Sherco : 482 (0.34%)
- Kove : 378 (0.27%)
- Rieju : 223 (0.16%)
- Moto Morini : 139 (0.10%) – under the Zhongneng Vehicle Group
- MV Agusta : 127 (0,09%)
Chinese motorcycle manufacturers have been knocking on the doors of many markets for at least two decades now. Their first products were outright copies, unreliable, and good luck in finding parts. But several, including CFMoto and QJMotor, have since served as technical partners to the established brands. The former builds the KTM 790, 890, and 990 LC8c engines, while QJMotor who holds Benelli was supposed to produce smaller Harleys and MV Agustas.
On the other hand, manufacturers such as Zontes, Kove, Benda have been pushing for the latest technologies and features at breakneck pace.
Across the Taiwan straight, er… Taiwanese giants SYM and Kymco have kept pace. Kymco, in particular, had been producing engines for the BMW C-series, and F-series of motorcycles.
While Chinese motorcycles have not taken over the entire market yet in Malaysia, the impact is being felt in the small cc categories, namely mopeds and scooters.
So, again, we ask: Are you ready for the revolution?
