CFMoto wants to enter WorldSBK in 2027: Why time is running short

• Planned championship debut: Magny-Cours in early September 2027 at the earliest, the China finale at the end of October at the latest
• The base is the V4SR-RR with more than 210 hp and a dry weight of 180 kg
• From 2027, CFMoto will also supply the spec bike for the women’s world championship WorldWCR

At EICMA 2026 in Milan, the production version of the CFMoto V4SR-RR takes center stage on the brand’s stand. For the manufacturer, however, the superbike is more than a new flagship for dealers. With it, CFMoto wants to become the first Chinese brand to compete in the top class of the production-based world championship. The target is the second half of the 2027 season. The road there is short, and much still has to be built up.

When will CFMoto enter the World Superbike Championship?

CFMoto wants to enter the World Superbike Championship towards the end of the 2027 season. The earliest date is the race weekend at Magny-Cours in early September, the latest the season finale in China on the last weekend of October.

Initially, then, it is about the last races of the year, not a full season. The finale takes place at the Shanghai International Circuit. WorldSBK will race in China for the first time in 2027. The track already hosted MotoGP in the 2000s and has been on the Formula 1 calendar since 2004, except in the Covid years of 2020 and 2021. For CFMoto, the race in Shanghai would be a home event.

Why is the championship entry so important for CFMoto?

For CFMoto, it is above all about prestige over its domestic rivals. Other Chinese brands have already celebrated success in the production-based classes, CFMoto has not yet.

Kove won the Supersport 300 World Championship title in 2025 with Benat Fernandez. ZXMoto took six race wins with Valentin Debise in its first season in the Supersport World Championship, with Debise finishing runner-up. QJMotor is also competing in the Supersport class. In racing, CFMoto has so far been known mainly for its partnership with the Aspar team in Grand Prix racing. In Moto3, the team competes with KTM bikes running under the CFMoto name. In 2024, David Alonso won the riders’ title with them, along with the constructors’ title. After that, the team moved on to Moto2.

WorldSBK would therefore be the first racing project in which CFMoto fields a bike it has developed and built itself. At the same time, CFMoto would be the fourth Chinese manufacturer in the WorldSBK paddock after QJMotor, Kove and ZXMoto.

Who is working on CFMoto’s superbike project?

The race bike is being developed at Modena 40, CFMoto’s European research and development center in Rimini. In parallel, Jorge “Aspar” Martinez, boss of the Aspar team, is building up the team for the championship.

Matteo Ferrari has been part of the project as test rider since December 2025. The Italian won the first MotoE World Cup in 2019 and is also racing in the 2026 Supersport World Championship for Team WRP on a Ducati, alongside Petr Svoboda. His task is to turn the V4SR-RR into a bike fit for championship racing. CFMoto is also said to have hired a former Ducati engineer for chassis development.

At the end of September 2026, the Aspar riders also got to ride the superbike. Moto2 riders David Alonso and Daniel Holgado as well as Moto3 world champion Maximo Quiles did test laps. Who will actually be in the saddle in 2027 is still open. According to SpeedWeek, several well-known riders have applied to CFMoto, including Alvaro Bautista, two-time World Superbike champion with 63 race wins.

The partnership between CFMoto and Aspar is designed for the long term. The contract runs until 2031, and the two also jointly operate junior programs in China and Spain. In addition, CFMoto has acquired 51 percent of German chassis manufacturer Kalex.

Which bike will CFMoto race?

The basis for the racing project is the V4SR-RR, which CFMoto is showing for the first time as a production version at EICMA 2026. Its 997 cc V4 engine with a 90-degree cylinder angle is said to produce more than 210 hp, with the rev limiter kicking in at 15,000 rpm.

The engine is a stressed member of the chassis and is bolted to the aluminum frame via the cylinder heads. CFMoto casts the frame using a hollow casting process, with different wall thicknesses intended to provide the right flex. The manufacturer calls the technology “Aerocast”. According to CFMoto, it is key to the dry weight of 180 kg (397 lbs). For the aerodynamics, the brand worked with Pininfarina in the wind tunnel. The result is active winglets that work independently of each other and can even adjust their angle in opposite directions depending on the riding situation.

The V4SR-RR has a long history. In 2024, CFMoto showed the “Master of Speed” design study and the “Core of Speed” V4 engine at EICMA, followed a year later by a well-developed prototype. During test rides in China, a pre-production bike reached 316 km/h, which is also the top speed CFMoto quotes for the production model. Alongside the production version, the “Carbon Black” is on display in Milan, according to the press release a show bike meant to demonstrate personalization options. This makes CFMoto one of the most eye-catching exhibitors at EICMA 2026.

What is still open in the championship project?

An official confirmation from CFMoto with riders, team structure and fixed race entries is still pending. All that is clear is that preparations are underway and the schedule is very tight.

As recently as May 2026, Jorge Martinez sounded much more cautious. At the time, he rejected reports that CFMoto would enter MotoGP as early as 2027, calling it madness. A MotoGP debut with KTM bikes would be absurd, he said. He confirmed CFMoto’s interest in WorldSBK and MotoGP, but gave no date for either series. A lot has happened since then: test rides with the Aspar riders, the WorldWCR contract and the races in Shanghai.

Around ten months remain until the earliest possible entry. In that time, the production bike has to become a competitive race machine, and at the same time a strong team has to be formed. Everyone involved is aware of how big this task is.

WorldWCR and China round: CFMoto a fixture in the paddock from 2027

Independently of the superbike project, CFMoto will be a regular presence at the track from 2027. The manufacturer replaces Yamaha as supplier of the WorldWCR, the women-only world championship that races on the WorldSBK support program.

WorldWCR has existed since 2024. Until now, the riders have raced production-based Yamaha R7s with a twin-cylinder engine and around 71 hp (52 kW). From the fourth season in 2027, the CFMoto 675SR-R with around 91 hp (67 kW) will be used as the only model. The contract covers the 2027 to 2029 seasons. Samantha Liu, head of CFMoto’s motorsport division, sees this as an important new chapter for the brand in international racing and a long-term commitment to women’s racing. Gregorio Lavilla, WorldSBK Executive Director, emphasizes that the riders will get a more powerful bike without any change to the equal technical conditions for all.

The round in China is also linked to the growing influence of Chinese brands. Lavilla calls the calendar expansion a big step. The development has grown over the years with the Chinese manufacturers, from Kove’s Supersport 300 title to ZXMoto’s strong showing. He expects the championship to benefit from the race in Shanghai.

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