Step by step, slowly but decisively, CFMoto has been integrating into the European and global market with its motorcycles and its ATVs and UTVs. A Chinese company that, from the first moment, distanced itself from the low-cost concept and opted for its own identity and models with which it could compete head to head.
Then, after consolidating, the agreement was reached with KTM for distribution in Europe and although the relationship ended up fading due to the Austrian manufacturer’s crisis, it left the cards that CFMoto wants to play in the future on the table.
And the Chinese have opted for competition and creating increasingly different models and have even presented one of the most striking and advanced superbikes in recent years. All of this indicated a direction: to grow in a Western style with products linked to sports and racing to gain a global reputation.
In this way he began to sponsor the Aspar Team, to show his interest in entering MotoGP by taking charge of the KTM project (something that did not go ahead) and now to buy 51% of the shares of Kalex, the chassis manufacturer that predominates in the Moto2 World Championship.
By purchasing Kalex, CFMoto would not start its path to MotoGP from scratch
This move fits perfectly into the plan to reach the premier class, in addition to being able to take his Superbike to the WSBK grids. And although Kalex is an engineering and construction studio with plenty of fame in Moto2, it has also worked in MotoGP developing chassis and swingarms, for example, for Honda.
In this way, and if CFMoto begins to prepare a MotoGP project, it would not do so from absolute scratch, even though the rest of the bike would have to evolve: engine, aerodynamics… Of course, for now Kalex Engineering continues to have its two founding partners as holders of 49% of the remaining shares, since according to Sky Sports Klaus Hirsekorn and Alex Baumgärtel have each retained 24.5% of the company’s shares.
Now the question is when and how would CFMoto arrive in MotoGP? And the answers are neither simple nor 100% concrete because even though the Chinese have Sebastian Sekira on their team (head of engine development at KTM) and the Aspar Team is even being considered, logically, as the structure with which to arrive, the deadlines are not defined. There is speculation of an arrival for 2028 or even 2029, taking advantage of this time to prepare the bike according to the 2027 regulations and the new tires, although we will have to see.
What there is no doubt is that a new brand would be great for MotoGP and the only thing we have to wait for is whether they would land with a new seat or, on the contrary, they would take over that of an existing team. Many unknowns and only one certainty: CFMoto is preparing.
