It seems like a paradox, but the Italian motorcyclists must say thank you to China, to its industry, to its finance. Even to its ingenuity. Which is transformed into something very different from the “low price, low quality, all copied” that was the order of the day until a few years ago. Everything changes, as the Milan Motorcycle Show shows us with the mission of designing where the market and motorcycle technology are going.
Chinese no longer copycats and predators but rather intelligent allies? Exactly. They buy, inject capital, contribute with their undisputed cutting edge technologies, guarantee excellent products. And they give back a lot, of course because it suits them: they leave the design and planning centers to us, they even let us guide them to enhance and capitalize on Italian genius. Then they perform the task perfectly, churning out excellent motorcycles produced a little by us (less and less) and a lot at home.
Chinese motorcycles disguised as Italian? The statement is merciless and wrong. Excellent motorcycles that contain all the good things of our motorcycle tradition, and that's it. Without fear, moreover, of "fishing" in the valiant components made in Italy, such as the famous and undefeated Brembo braking systems or Marzocchi suspensions.
Of course, the progress is impressive. Today in Italy, of all that is Italian, we have practically only the Piaggio group (Vespa, Guzzi, Aprilia). Ducati is all Italian in its design and construction, but it has passed several times from one foreign owner to another (even in terms of funds, an unmistakable sign that the brand is still an absolute guarantee) to end up in the Volkswagen group, the current owner.
Benelli, Moto Morini, Morbidelli, SVM, and more. Prestigious Italian brands that have passed into Chinese hands. But their brains have intelligently remained in Italy, as the leading Chinese sales group QJ (Qjian Jiang) wanted and arranged, part of the Geely giant that also owns Volvo and Lotus, when it took over Benelli in 2005. With the result that its TRK was the best-selling motorcycle even here last year, ousting the BMW Gs.
And woe betide anyone who thinks that this is a bad thing (or indeed a good thing, depending on your point of view) all ours. The Chinese, who also maintain the bad habit of copying poorly made mechanics, buy brands all over the world and act exactly as they do with us.
The Austrian KTM has allied itself with the Chinese giant CFmoto that directly produces some of its models and entire engines (for example the excellent 790 cc twin-cylinder) that it also uses for its own models. But the trend is global. The Indians of TVS own the very famous English brands Norton and Royal Enfield. And they weave similar commercial and industrial policies. In a real tangle of productions, designs and delegations.
Here in Thailand, for example, flourish factories of prestigious Japanese brands (Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki) but also BMW and Triumph (almost all its motorcycles are now made there). The true motorcyclist must judge only in one way: good motorcycles, bad motorcycles. Perhaps enjoying competitive prices thanks to this mix of ownership and competitive industrial processes. It is no mystery that our Ducati for its motorcycles produced in Italy struggles to maintain competitive price lists. And we can even risk a merciless comparison: with the approximately 5 thousand euros that we have to shell out for a Vespa 125 we can buy an excellent Chinese-European motorcycle.
It is natural to be curious, taking a look at some of the most representative and emblematic motorcycles exhibited at the Milan Show. We do it below.
Morini 3½, the rebirth of a 70's myth
The original is from 1974. The Morini Tremezzo sport was the best. The modern “replica” just launched at the Milan Show by the property of the Chinese group Zhongneng proposes all the characteristics with a very similar aesthetic. Like its ancestor it has about forty horsepower and today it can also be driven by A2 license holders. Excellent solution for those who want to try their first “real” motorcycle but also for those looking for a good balance between handling, aesthetics and not excessive performance.
Morini Corsaro GT, the best of the Sino-Italian motorcycle
Still in the Morini case here is the Corsaro GT, a crossover that takes its name from the 125-150 of the past. Today it is a 750 with just under 100 horsepower (but can be derated to 48 horsepower to fit within the limits of the A2 license) that offers the best of components, such as the very Italian and unbeatable Brembo brakes.
Benelli TRK, the best-selling model here too
It is the first overwhelming success of Italian motorcycles built in China. Excellent balance between aesthetic performance and price so much so that it has become the best-selling medium-high displacement motorcycle in Italy.
Morbidelli C252V, the cruiser for those who look to the USA
It is a small and easy to handle Cruiser that summarizes all the characteristics dear to fans of American motorcycles. Excellent construction, excellent finishes. The large tires and limited power make it the classic "quiet" vehicle ideal for those who have no sporting ambitions.
Drag Bandage, a provocation, but the design is there
It's almost a provocation, even for fans of American cruiser bikes. Exaggerated shapes, daring solutions. But we must admit that the designers did a good job.
QJmotor, a sports car capable of going far
The setup and features of the new mid-size sports bike from QJmotor closely resemble the spirit and qualities of the various Honda 600 “families”: a very happy combination of sporting qualities with good comfort for travelling too.
SWM Stormbreaker, the happy return of a colossus
The Chinese who bought the SVM brand have done a brilliant operation, acquiring from the very American Harley Davidson the rights to replicate the Sportster 883 and 1200 models that were retired in 2020. Result: motorcycles not inferior to the originals, indeed in some cases superior (the brakes) with absolutely comparable finishes and prices cut by more than two times.
Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450, an easy all-terrain
The Indians who have acquired the historic English brand Royal Enfield are doing a decent job. The bikes have some slightly spartan finishes (for example in the frame welding) and a bit cheap components but they cost little and are reliable. This average covers a market segment that is growing a lot.
Triumph Speed Twin 900, the entry-level modern-classic
The English Triumph have relocated all production to a factory built in Thailand but are thinking of reopening some production lines in England to cope with the great success of demand. They make excellent sports bikes but their strong point are the so-called "modern classics" that recall the style of the past. The Speed Twin 900 is, for about 10 thousand euros, the entry-level bike in the Bonneville family, a revisitation of a celebrity from the past. The 2025 version of the Speed 900 has some technological pearls, such as the aluminum swingarm, but the appearance is a little less classic.
Triumph Speed Twin 1200, old-fashioned but full of spice
In the Bonneville family, it is a curious but fascinating version. Very classic appearance but sporty features and an engine of over 100 horsepower. It is for those who want to have many motorcycles in a single motorcycle. It can trot quietly and comfortably in the city, but in the hands of an expert motorcyclist it can give a hard time to many super-sports.
Rezon Electric, the vanguard from Central Europe
The electric motorcycle is slowing down, as much as and perhaps more than the electric car. But there are some really interesting ideas. This Rezon comes from the Czech Republic and has the courage to break the aesthetic constraints that have conditioned electric motorcycles up to now, built (mistakenly) to resemble motorcycles with a traditional internal combustion engine.
Bluetooth Fork, the technological exhibition
Speaking of technologies, there are those who give free rein to every performance. Here is the remote adjustable fork via Bluetooth. Frankly, it is difficult to understand the usefulness but it is a taste of the growing application of telematics technologies also in the world of motorcycles.
Vespa, the bad copies never end
In the triumph of excellent products from China, the vice of badly copying still survives. The queen of this practice is our very famous Vespa, here in yet another ugly electric version.
Vintage Vespa, the rush for make-up does not subside
The old vintage models of the Vespa, but also of the Lambretta, continue to be cult motifs. The “trick” magicians continue to hold sway. There are those who obtain, with daring manipulations, up to 10 times the horsepower of the original. There are numerous Italian companies that produce the necessary components and the Milan show continues to show them off. Fortunately, some also show off at the enhancement of the brakes and suspensions.
