There has been a flood of mostly impressive new adventure bikes from a variety of up and coming Chinese manufacturers recently – but how about nakeds?
This one’s called the SRK900, and is one of the highlights from the six-strong range of models recently launched by new brand QJMotor (with other new models including an MV F3 -alike 900cc four cylinder supersports already on the way).
As a punchy 904cc twin with 95bhp, riding modes, Marzocchi multi-adjustable suspension, Brembo radial brakes, big 7in TFT dash and more all for just £6999 (OTR), it’s got more than enough on paper to be worth serious attention.
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Reasons to buy: + Engine is grunty and sounds thunderous on the road + Impressive details and level of equipment for the money + Unmatched £6999 OTR price
Reasons to avoid: – Throttle behaviour lacks precision – Firm standard suspension needs dialling in – Comparatively short service interval due every 4000 miles
In case you missed it (which is highly possible as its first bikes were only announced a short while ago before arriving in the UK in September) QJMotor is not just another Chinese brand – in fact it’s probably the longest established and biggest of all.
It’s the ‘own brand’ motorcycle of the huge Qianjiang Group, which is best known to motorcyclists for owning Benelli since 2005 and was itself founded in 1985.
Qianjiang has been part of the even more vast Geely group since 2016, which also owns Volvo, Polestar and Lotus cars and has recently been active in both Moto2 (with the Gresini team) and Moto3.
If that’s not enough to impress you, last year they produced over 1.5million motorcycles, and now they’re in the UK.
Tellingly, they’re also being brought in by MotoGB, the Chorley, Lancashire-based importer/distributors which started out as dealer KJM Superbikes in the 1990s before growing rapidly since 2000 to now be the UK’s largest independent motorcycle importer and distributor.
Handling brands such as Benelli , Sym , Voge , Keeway, more recently Mondial , Morbidelli and Benda and, now, QJMotor. Strictly speaking, it’s actually MotoGB’s sister company, Moto73, which is bringing in QJ, but for all intents and purposes…
The current QJMotor range includes 16 models; from a 50cc scooter, various 125s, a V4 cruiser , adventure bikes at three different engine sizes (554, 645 and 904cc) and the 921cc supersport .
But with plans to expand the 20-strong dealer network to 40-50 this year and 60 models available in their home market, we’d expect Moto73 to introduce many more to the UK. But for now, this SRK900 is the most eye-catching and interesting option.
And, on the basis of our first fairly brief first ride out of Moto73’s Lancashire HQ this week, it’s good enough to be taken fairly seriously, too – especially considering that £6999 price.
Let’s rattle through why. First, it looks pretty good. It’s not beautiful, admittedly, but it’s not ugly or weird-looking, either. There are more than a few sweet design touches such as those funky taillights to enjoy (incidentally, all the lights are LEDs).
It’s well-proportioned, too, with an 810mm seat height and slightly forward gait, it’s substantial and sporty without being as ‘dinky’ as some middleweight twins can be.
Second, the SRK’s got good stuff in all the right places: big TFT dash – check; beefy, preload and rebound adjustable Marzocchi forks – check; Brembo radials complete with adjustable Brembo lever and master cylinder – yessir. Even its OE tyres – Maxxis SuperMaxx – are better than expected.
But best of all, it goes pretty decently, too. The engine is meaty, with bags of grunt accompanied by a thunderous soundtrack which makes its slightly disappointing peak of 95 horses (the latest MT-09 has 118, KTM’s latest 990 Duke 121) almost irrelevant. There’s more than enough here to have a hoot.
It’s handling is utterly neutral, reminding of the KTM 990 if without quite the same refinement and sharpness and with the slightly worrying addition of a standard steering damper.
And, although certainly not perfect – the overfirm, slighty choppy suspension could do with some skilled setting up.
The fuelling and throttle response is a little unrefined and crude, the TPMS seemed a bit ‘out’ and the warranty and servicing ‘offer’ is not the best (being two years and 4000 miles, respectively), it’s a long way from being bad and for the price, is all easily forgivable.
Instead, my biggest doubt about the SRK900 is how long it’ll remain relevant. Yes, it’s a decent, well-equipped stab at a performance 900 roadster at a price that undercuts not just Japanese and European 900s but their 650s, too.
But, at the speed that new models are coming out – and we’ve already seen other imminent 900 Chinese roadsters that look better still – by the time I got round to buying one it might already be out of date.
The 904cc parallel twin is t...