A visitor takes a photo of the red 820RR model, made by ZXMOTO, displayed at center stage at a booth at this year's China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, South China's Hainan Province, on April 14, 2026. Photo: Tu Lei/GT

Despite lacking its own booth, ZXMOTO emerged as one of the expo's hottest attractions, drawing large numbers of visitors and becoming a standout phenomenon at this year's China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, South China's Hainan Province.

Zhang Xue rose to prominence as the founder of ZXMOTO after one of his motorcycles claims two victories at the Portuguese round of the Superbike World Championship on March 28 and 29. The Chinese brand broke the decades-long dominance of Ducati, Yamaha and Kawasaki, according to the Xinhua News Agency on April 5.

"I've always been very interested in motorcycles, but I never had the courage to take the plunge. However, because of the spirit of Zhang Xue, I'm willing to try, and I'm even willing to get a motorcycle license," a visitor surnamed Mi told the Global Times at a booth on Tuesday.

The Global Times observed that three models from ZXMOTO, 820RR, 500F, and 500RR are showcased at the expo. 

The red 820RR model, displayed at center stage surrounded by other renowned brands such as Aston Martin and Bombardier, is the motorcycle that won the title in Portugal on March 28.  Many visitors stopped to take photos with it. Some visitors could even be heard asking, "Where can we find ZXMOTO?" 

Wang Jing, a motorcycle enthusiast, said: "I hope everyone can support Chinese brands and let Chinese brands go global and reach the world. Compared with motorcycle brands from other countries, Chinese motorcycles have their own advantages as well."

It took Zhang 20 years to go from a teenage dropout shivering in the rain as he ran after a TV crew to a manufacturer of world-beating motorcycles. His story is widely believed to be a testament that stubborn passion can truly move mountains. It has also sparked a surge in demand for his motorcycles.

Attending the expo, Wu Zhongfa, the head of ZXMOTO's Haikou store, told the Global Times that since the brand's championship win in a major race, its popularity has continued to rise, with overall turnover surging two to three folds and orders now booked through September this year.

"Currently, our national production capacity is about 6,000 units per month. Next month, we expect capacity to increase, possibly reaching 10,000 units per month," Wu disclosed.

"Since our championship win, sales in Haikou have tripled. Before the win, Hainan's monthly sales stood at around 100 units; now, they total nearly 300 units per month," he said. 

Wu said ZXMOTO aims to increase brand exposure to both domestic and international audiences so that more people can learn about their products. He also noted that the organizers gave the local brand prominent placement at the very center, allowing visitors to see the products up close.

Xie Shujiang, director of the unicorn enterprise innovation branch under the China Association of Inventions, expressed his appreciation for the spirit of private entrepreneurship represented by ZXMOTO.

"I'm very optimistic about this company. Especially after this win, a lot of capital will flow in. I believe that after a new round of capital inflows, ZXMOTO will become a unicorn enterprise," Xie said.

"Many private-sector entrepreneurs thought innovation was something only elites could do. But Zhang Xue's story shows why even someone with only a junior high school education can innovate. The key is that innovation, first and foremost, requires an entrepreneurial spirit."

He also noted that Chongqing's strong industrial system and innovation ecosystem have provided fertile ground for Zhang Xue's success. 

"Many private enterprises in China are in desperate need of confidence. But here on Chinese soil, we have the world's most complete industrial system and a great innovation ecosystem. As long as a person has ideas, drive, and goals, they can bring together components, industrial resources, and innovation elements to quickly solve problems. I believe that on this land, a large number of companies like Zhang Xue's will emerge — and they will go from China to the world," he added.

As a major industrial city in China, Chongqing is a strong foundation in machinery manufacturing and industrialization, whose hilly and steep terrain makes it ideal for motorcycle travel, and over the years. The city has developed a relatively complete motorcycle industry cluster.

According to local official data, Chongqing currently has 51 large-scale motorcycle manufacturers and over 410 large-scale parts manufacturers, forming a comprehensive production capacity of more than 20 million complete motorcycles and 20 million engines annually. The city also possesses complete supporting capabilities for major assemblies such as engines, clutches, and frames, with the local sourcing rate for gasoline-powered motorcycles exceeding 80 percent, according to CCTV News on Sunday.