CFMOTO Motorcycles: History, Manufacturer & Ownership
TL;DR
- CFMOTO is owned by Zhejiang Chunfeng Power Co., Ltd., a publicly traded Chinese manufacturer founded in 1989 by Lai Guoqiang in Hangzhou, China.
- The company spent its first two decades making engines for other brands before producing its own motorcycles.
- A 2011 partnership with KTM — formalized as a joint venture in 2017 — directly shaped the suspension, brakes, and electronics you’ll find on current CFMOTO street bikes.
- Motorcycles roll out of factories in China, Thailand, and Mexico; CFMOTO USA is headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota.
- In 2026, CFMOTO’s US dealer network exceeded 700 locations, and the brand ranks as the third-largest powersports manufacturer in the country by off-road vehicle sales.
CFMOTO isn’t a newcomer that decided to make motorcycles last Tuesday. The brand has been grinding since 1989, and the current lineup reflects over three decades of engineering development, a high-profile European partnership, a Moto3 World Championship, and an increasingly serious push into the American market. If you’re sizing up a CFMOTO before buying — or just trying to understand who you’re dealing with — here’s the full picture.
Who Makes CFMOTO Motorcycles?
CFMOTO is the trade name of Zhejiang Chunfeng Power Co., Ltd., a Chinese manufacturer headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. The company is publicly listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange under the ticker code 603129, where it trades as Chunfeng Power. That’s not a minor detail — public listing means audited financials, regulatory accountability, and a level of corporate transparency that most small-volume manufacturers can’t claim.
Lai Guoqiang founded the company in 1989. Today, CFMOTO manufactures motorcycles, ATVs, side-by-sides, and marine engines, and distributes products through more than 9,000 dealers worldwide across over 100 countries (CFMOTO Global, 2024). The US operation runs out of Plymouth, Minnesota, with full sales, marketing, parts, and technical support departments on site.
CFMOTO’s History: From Parts Shop to Global Manufacturer
CFMOTO’s story starts in a small workshop in Wenzhou, China, where Lai Guoqiang ran a motorcycle spare parts business using second-hand machinery. That modest origin doesn’t look like the foundation of a global powersports brand, but the next three decades make the case.
Through the 1990s, the company developed its own cylinder heads and engine components, eventually dominating the Chinese 125cc cylinder head market. In 1999, after a three-year internal R&D effort, CFMOTO produced its first self-developed large-displacement, liquid-cooled engine — a genuine engineering milestone at a time when water-cooled powerplants were rare among Chinese manufacturers (PandaYoo, 2024). The first full motorcycle followed in 2000.
By the early 2000s, CFMOTO had entered the ATV and side-by-side market and started exporting to international buyers. The US market came into focus in 2002 with ATV imports, and CFMOTO USA opened its Plymouth, Minnesota headquarters in 2007 — years before most Chinese brands had any American infrastructure at all.
The 2010s brought the street motorcycle push. Models like the 650NK, 650MT, and 650GT reached European and North American dealers and built the brand’s reputation for competitive specs at lower prices. Global motorcycle sales crossed 100,000 units for the first time in 2023, then hit 250,000 units in 2025 — a 10.1% increase year-over-year after a 79% jump the prior year (MotorcyclesData, 2026).
Who Owns CFMOTO? Corporate Structure and Shareholders
CFMOTO is not owned by KTM, Honda, or any other motorcycle brand. The parent company is Zhejiang Chunfeng Power Co., Ltd., which went public on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2017. The Lai family maintains controlling interest; no foreign manufacturer holds an ownership stake.
A common point of confusion is the KTM relationship. KTM and CFMOTO are partners, not co-owners. The 2017 joint venture — called KTMR2R — gave CFMOTO the right to produce and sell KTM motorcycles in China, and gave KTM access to cost-effective Chinese manufacturing capacity. CFMOTO holds a 51% majority stake in that joint venture (MotorcyclesData, 2026). The two companies collaborated through roughly 2024-2025 before the partnership wound down, with CFMOTO increasingly confident in its own engineering capabilities.
CFMOTO also launched a separate electric vehicle sub-brand called ZEEHO, which had delivered more than 100,000 electric scooters by the end of 2024 (CFMOTO Global, 2024).
Where Are CFMOTO Motorcycles Built?
CFMOTO runs manufacturing facilities in three countries: China, Thailand, and Mexico.
| Facility | Location | Annual Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main factory | Hangzhou, China | 400,000 two-wheelers, 200,000 ATVs/SxS | Produces CFMOTO, ZEEHO, and KTM models for China |
| Thailand plant | Thailand | 40,000 units | First factory outside China, opened 2021 |
| Mexico plant | Apodaca, Nuevo León | 100,000 units | First North American facility; $46M investment |
The Hangzhou facility practices what the industry calls vertical integration — CFMOTO controls design, engine casting, and final assembly under the same roof. The company holds more than 1,000 patents and operates four R&D centers worldwide (Jalopnik, 2025).
The KTM Partnership: What It Actually Did for the Bikes
The KTM relationship is the most important thing to understand about current CFMOTO motorcycles. The commercial partnership started in 2011; CFMOTO began importing and assembling KTM CKD (Completely Knocked Down) kits in China. The full joint venture followed in 2017.
The practical result shows up in the hardware on today’s bikes. Models like the 800MT and 800NK use an engine derived from KTM’s LC8c platform. Across the 2026 lineup you’ll find KYB suspension, Brembo and J.Juan brake hardware, and Bosch ABS and traction control software — components that belong on bikes costing considerably more (Riders Share, 2026). That parts quality is a direct downstream benefit of CFMOTO building to KTM engineering tolerances for over a decade.
CFMOTO in the US Market: Current Lineup and Pricing
CFMOTO launched its motorcycle line in the US in April 2022 with seven models and expanded to 14 models for 2026. The US dealer network now covers over 700 locations in all 50 states (CFMOTO USA, 2025).
The 2026 street lineup spans a wide price range:
| Model | Category | Displacement | Starting MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Papio SS / CL | Mini street | 126cc | $3,299 |
| 300NK | Naked | 300cc | $4,199 |
| 300SS | Sport | 300cc | $4,599 |
| 450NK | Naked | 449cc | $5,399 |
| 450SS | Sport | 449cc | $5,699 |
| 450CL-C | Cruiser | 449cc | $5,799 |
| Ibex 450 | Adventure | 449cc | $6,499 |
| 675NK | Naked | 675cc triple | $7,499 |
| 675SS | Sport | 675cc triple | $7,999 |
| 800NK | Naked | 800cc | $8,699 |
| Ibex 800 E | Adventure | 800cc | $10,299 |
The new-for-2026 675NK is illustrative of how CFMOTO is positioning itself. The 675cc triple produces 95 hp and 51.6 lb-ft of torque, comes standard with KYB suspension, Bosch traction control, and a TFT display with the free RideSync app — and carries a $7,499 MSRP (New Atlas, 2025). The closest competitor, the Honda CB650R, costs $1,900 more.
Racing Credentials: Why They Matter for Street Buyers
CFMOTO entered Grand Prix motorcycle racing in the Moto3 class in 2022. In 2024, riding with the Aspar Team, David Alonso won the Moto3 World Championship — the first Grand Prix title for a Chinese manufacturer in history. The team completed a triple crown that year, taking rider, constructor, and team championships (CFMOTO Global, 2024).
That context matters because racing programs aren’t charity work. The engineering feedback from competition — chassis stiffness, suspension calibration, electronics development — flows into the production lineup. It’s the same reason Ducati’s street bikes handle the way they do.
Frequently Asked Questions About CFMOTO Motorcycles
Who owns CFMOTO?
CFMOTO is owned by Zhejiang Chunfeng Power Co., Ltd., a Chinese publicly traded company founded by Lai Guoqiang in 1989. The company lists on the Shanghai Stock Exchange under ticker 603129. No foreign motorcycle brand holds an ownership stake in CFMOTO.
Is CFMOTO owned by KTM?
No. KTM and CFMOTO are separate, independent companies. They share a joint venture called KTMR2R that handles KTM production and sales in China, with CFMOTO holding a 51% majority stake. KTM does not own CFMOTO, and CFMOTO does not own KTM. The partnership has influenced CFMOTO’s engineering standards but not its corporate ownership.
Where are CFMOTO motorcycles made?
CFMOTO motorcycles are produced at facilities in Hangzhou, China; Thailand; and Apodaca, Nuevo León, Mexico. The main Hangzhou factory has annual capacity for 400,000 two-wheelers. The Mexico plant opened as CFMOTO’s first North American manufacturing facility with a $46 million investment and capacity for 100,000 units per year (Jalopnik, 2025).
How long has CFMOTO been making motorcycles?
CFMOTO built its first complete motorcycle in 2000, after spending the 1990s developing engines and parts. The company was founded in 1989. In the US market, CFMOTO launched its motorcycle lineup in April 2022, though the brand had a US presence through ATVs and side-by-sides dating back to 2002.
Are CFMOTO motorcycles reliable?
CFMOTO’s reliability track record has improved considerably since the KTM partnership began in 2011, which raised manufacturing tolerances and brought European-grade supplier components into the lineup. The brand’s growing US dealer network — over 700 locations as of 2026 — also means warranty service and parts support are more accessible than they were in earlier years. Long-term reliability data comparable to Honda or Yamaha’s multi-decade owner records doesn’t yet exist for CFMOTO, so treating first-generation ownership of any new model with reasonable expectations is sound practice.
