Zhang Xue (center) poses for a photo with his son (right) and motobike racing driver Valentin Debise. Photos: Courtesy of the Evan Bros team

After French rider Valentin Debise crossed the finish line to secure back-to-back victories for ZXMoto Factory Evan Bros Racing on Saturday and Sunday, Chinese motorcycle entrepreneur Zhang Xue could barely contain his emotion.

It was only the second round of the 2026 FIM Supersport World Championship (WorldSSP) season, yet the newly established Chinese manufacturer ZXMoto had already claimed its first-ever race wins - twice in a single weekend.

"I was in tears at that moment, because it was really beyond our expectations," Zhang told the Global Times on Monday. "Our goal this year was simply to reach the podium, and perhaps win a race next year. We never imagined we could win races so quickly."

ZXMoto partnered with Italy's storied Evan Bros Racing team to enter the WorldSSP, the support class to the Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK), at the end of 2025. 

At 38, the self-taught engineer from a rural county in Central China's Hunan Province watched his ZXMoto machines outpace global giants such as Ducati, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Honda.

MMGP, a Japanese company specializing in the wholesale distribution of home furnishings and housewares, reacted with genuine surprise and called for respect for ZXMoto's dominant double victory. 

"Even if I just mention that it's Chinese, a lot of people would probably show a knee-jerk rejection," it wrote on social media platform X. "But in racing, results are everything, so we have no choice but to accept this as the current reality. What a shocker." 

ZXMoto's back-to-back wins have also won praise from the championship governing body.

"Winning that quickly isn't just a good weekend. It means the foundation is already there," WorldSBK Managing Director Gregorio Lavilla told the Global Times on Monday. "What Zhang has been building over time is visible on track, and this result gives it real credibility in an international racing environment."

Humble beginnings

Born in 1987, Zhang's life has been deeply shaped by motorcycles.

In 2006, a now-viral video captured the then 19-year-old Zhang desperately chasing a local Hunan TV crew through the pouring rain and rugged mountain roads for over three hours and 100 kilometers. 

Hoping for exposure that could help him join a professional team, he performed daring stunts, wheelies, riding while lying down, and controlling the bike with his hands, until his motorcycle broke down. Impressed by his persistence and raw talent, the crew filmed him. 

The segment aired and caught the attention of a professional team. Zhang soon joined them as a stunt rider and mechanic. Two years later, he took on a full-time engineering role at a motorcycle company.

Reflecting on his journey, Zhang said it was his lifelong passion for racing that kept him in the industry. He described the motorcycle he rode for the TV segments - his first - as "the most important one."

"I've spent 20 years focusing on racing as my dream was to become a race driver," Zhang told the Global Times. "But I started training relatively late, so I never got very far as a racing rider. Deep down, I feel that if the motorcycles I make win a championship, it's just like winning I've won it myself. That belief is what has kept me going all these years."

In 2013, Zhang moved to Chongqing Municipality and joined a local development team, as the city has established itself as a motorbike manufacturing hub in China, home to manufactures such as Zongshen, Jialing and Lifan. 

In 2017, Zhang co-founded Kove Moto, helping steer the brand toward high-performance racing machines and international competition. In 2023, Zhang personally led the Kove rally racing team to the Dakar Rally, marking the first time a fully Chinese team competed on the legendary stage. 

However, Zhang later decided to focus entirely on international motorcycle racing, leaving Kove in 2024 to establish ZXMoto.

"In 10 years, I hope there will be no distinction between imported and domestic motobikes in terms of product quality and performance," Zhang told the Global Times.

"They will be completely the same with international top-tier brands, or more directly, ZXMoto will be an international top-tier brand."

Speaking of what the WorldSSP wins could bring in terms of manufacturing sales, Zhang said everything has happened too fast.

"It all happened so suddenly that none of us really had time to react," Zhang said. "Right now, our production schedule simply can't keep up with the current popularity and demand. It's completely beyond our expectations." 

Valentin Debise (No.53) of the ZXMoto Factory Evan Bros Racing team leads the track on a ZXMoto 820RR motorbike during the Superbikes World Championship Portugal Round on March 28, 2026 in Portimao, Portugal.

Inspiring the industry

China has long been a major producer of motorcycles, but domestic brands have historically struggled to compete with established European and Japanese manufacturers in high-performance racing. 

ZXMoto is not the only Chinese constructor at the WorldSSP, as the race also features QJMotor Factory Racing team.

Some netizens described Zhang's remarkable story as a real-life version of the popular Chinese film series Pegasus, which describes a racer with humble beginnings who, through sheer passion and determination, chases racing glory. 

"It is really turning movie plots into reality," a Sina Weibo user posted. "I really hope the Pegasus movie series could have a motorbike sequel with the story of Zhang."

Looking ahead to his international competition plans, Zhang said he will step up preparations for the Motocross World Championship round in Shanghai in September and also get ready to compete again in the Dakar Rally. 

"We are a small enterprise, so we can't say we've made a huge contribution to the industry, but I hope it can inspire and encourage Chinese riders with our bikes and our story," Zhang told the Global Times. 

"I know very well that racing has to start from childhood. I also hope that China will soon develop a racing culture and atmosphere similar to what you see overseas."

For many Chinese motorcyclists, ZXMoto has transcended the role of a conventional manufacturer to become a symbol of pride and inspiration, reshaping the domestic motorcycle landscape in ways no one anticipated. 

"It has broken the long-standing perception that imported high-end motorcycles are superior to domestic brands, silencing those critics who once looked down on Chinese-made bikes," a Chengdu-based motorcycle enthusiast surnamed Lü told the Global Times.

Beyond breaking stereotypes, ZXMoto has proven that China is more than capable of crafting high-performance motorcycles. What sets Zhang apart, according to Lü, is his unwavering commitment to delivering on its promises. 

"He's such an inspiring person. He chased his dream, benefited his fellow riders, and brought glory to the country. That's the kind of trailblazer we need in the motorcycle industry," said Lü.

Kong Degang, a professor at Nanjing Normal University, also noted that Zhang's story represents far more than an individual achievement.

"Zhang's motorcycle success is not merely a legendary tale of grassroots underdog triumph, but also a vivid epitome of Chinese manufacturing breaking technological monopolies and evolving from cost-effectiveness to high quality and superior performance," Kong told the Global Times on Monday. 

"Chinese enterprises have now demonstrated their capability for independent development, creating world-class high-end products and brands. The era of Chinese manufacturing has truly arrived."