CFMOTO V4 SR-RR Sets 315.82kmph Record

• Claimed a 315.82kmph Chinese top speed record
• Pre-production prototype uses an in-house V4 engine

CFMOTO V4 SR-RR has claimed a new Chinese top speed record touching 315.82kmph at the Shangrao Automotive Proving Ground in Jiangxi Province. The run was completed by riders Du Bang and Huang Shizhao with the record verified by the National Motorcycle Quality Inspection and Testing Centre in Chongqing and the Hangzhou National Notary Public Office in Zhejiang Province. The motorcycle used for the run is still a pre-production prototype.

Chinese manufacturer has crossed the 300kmph barrier with a litre-class internal-combustion sportsbike developed around its own engine and engineering base. This kind of space was largely controlled by Japanese and European manufacturers. Superbikes are moving displays of engine design, chassis development, aerodynamics, electronics, braking control, cooling, tyres and manufacturing precision. CFMOTO’s record shows that China is now entering that territory with real technical confidence.

The engine is a 997cc 90-degree liquid-cooled four-cylinder V4 engine developed in-house by CFMOTO spinning up to 15,000rpm and producing near 208bhp. V4 SR-RR also uses a reverse-rotating crankshaft. According to the company, this engine has more than 40 patents. It is a serious attempt to build original high-performance motorcycle technology within China.

With its dry weight of 180kg, it’ll be an agile motorcycle too. The electronically active wing system cuts drag by 12 percent during acceleration and increases front-wheel downforce by 45 percent at high speeds. The electronics package is managed through a six-axis IMU and includes e-CBS, cornering ABS, a bi-directional quickshifter, vehicle hold control, traction control and cruise control.

CFMOTO invested 1.22 billion yuan in research and development in 2025, accounting for 6.18 percent of its operating revenue. By the end of that year, it had 2,119 active and authorised patents, including 242 invention patents, and had participated in forming 71 national, industry and association standards.

India should look at this record in a different light. Our industry’s strength is still mass mobility, commuter motorcycles, scooters, cost control, supplier depth and value engineering. But CFMOTO’s record shows what happens when manufacturing scale is supported by serious R&D, racing exposure, patents, testing infrastructure and quick supplier response. India has the volume. The next challenge is to build more original high-performance technology on top of that volume.

Domestic manufacturers have improved sharply through the years. They now build better engines, safer frames, stronger exports, more refined commuter bikes, serious 300cc to 650cc motorcycles and increasingly capable electric two-wheelers. However, the country still lacks a true indigenous superbike programme that can act as a technology lighthouse. A flagship need not sell in large numbers. Its job is to stretch engineering teams, develop suppliers, attract talent, build brand ambition and prove that domestic industry can compete at the top end, not only at the affordable end.

There is also the question of higher and consistent R&D spends. Indian two-wheeler makers work under intense price pressure because the local market is highly cost-sensitive. That makes sense for commuters, but it can limit bold engineering. But when the industry wants to move up the value chain, companies will need to invest more in engine development, electronic control systems, lightweight materials, high-speed testing, aerodynamics, advanced braking systems, software and even racing programmes. These cannot be built overnight or outsourced.

There is also a policy lesson in here. China’s growth in advanced vehicles has not come only from company ambition, but has been helped by manufacturing clusters, supplier concentration, testing centres, standard-setting participation and export strategy. India needs a similar approach for high-value motorcycle engineering. The country already has automotive hubs in Pune, Chennai, Hosur, Manesar, Sanand and Bengaluru. The next step is to make these hubs more active in advanced two-wheeler technology, not just large-scale production. So, this record should be taken as a wake-up call for India to think bigger.