I am old enough to remember when the Japanese tide changed the motorcycling landscape forever. Naysayers called them ‘Jap scrap’ and ‘rice burners’, but the proof of the pudding was in the riding, and the motorcycling world as we knew it changed forever. Undeniable quality, reliability and fair pricing soon saw the Japanese manufacturers dominating the sales charts, even contributing to the demise of some European and Italian brands.
In recent times, we have seen both European and Japanese manufacturers experiencing a bit of a reverse déjà vu with the influx of Chinese motor cars and motorcycles. The offerings from China have improved exponentially in quality and specifications to a point where they have become an attractive and viable option to the long-established brands. The Chinese have looked and learnt. The huge domestic market has allowed them to become adept at maximising economies of scale and shortening component supply lines, which has resulted in significantly lower production costs. Passing these savings on to the retail market has resulted in nothing short of spectacular value for money offerings.
The brains trust at KMSA, Chris Speight and his protégé, Kibble Jelliman, have been keeping close tabs on motorcycle trends and market conditions in SA. Chris has been at the helm of KMSA for yonks and has probably forgotten what many industry players still need to learn! Kibble, too, has paid his dues, and together they make a formidable management entity. Noting the constantly escalating cost of Japanese motorcycles and the ageing South African motorcycle buyer profile, not to mention emigrants, they realised that they needed to look at the future differently. Illustrating this point, Chris, in his presentation to assembled dealers and members of the motorcycling media, played a clip of the epic Bob Dylan song ‘The Times They Are a-Changing’. Enter QJMOTOR and BRC MOTO.
After exhaustive research and identifying suitable product providers, Chris, Kibble and KMSA tech boff, Jonno Proudfoot, took themselves off to China on the final part of their due diligence exercise. The bikes and vehicles that we got to sample at Formula K – SA were the culmination of all this hard work. During my recent visit to EICMA at the end of 2025, I identified what I considered the Chinese brands that we need to watch. The brands that are forging their own way and making huge waves internationally in terms of engineering excellence, design, fit and finish and equipment levels are QJMOTOR, CFMOTO, VOGE, Zontes and KOVE. Seeing the bikes in bright South African sunlight confirmed my impressions from EICMA. This brand is proper!
We had the opportunity to do a few laps of the cart circuit to get a feel for the bikes. The offering is quite comprehensive. There are sportbikes with capacities of 450 cc, 600 cc, 800 cc and a range-topping SU 9, a four-cylinder 900, which is handsome, with serious MV Agusta styling cues. In fact, all the bikes look the business and are all dressed in Marzocchi suspension and Brembo brake-equipped. Performance is impressive across the board. The fuelling on some of the bikes will need some sorting, but considering that it was the first time they have run on African soil, and on the Highveld, they impressed. There is a V4 600 cc power cruiser, the SRV 600 V4, which I reckon is an absolute winner for the urban warrior, especially at a recommended retail of R119,995.
All the bikes are thoroughly modern with TFT displays, and everything we have become accustomed to on current premier offerings. The sport bikes have DOHC, 16–valve, 4-cylinder motors, whereas the Adventure bikes in 900 and 700 cc variants have parallel twin, DOHC 8-Valve motors. Recommended retail prices are incredibly good. The 700 cc SRT 700 SX Adventure bike, as with the SRT 900 SX, comes complete with crash bars and aluminium panniers and top box at prices that are beyond competitive. With all the mod cons of modern Adventure bikes and then some, it is difficult to look past them when shopping for your next Adventure travel bike.
A R100,000 saving on the purchase price when compared to bare bones opposition, which then still have to be kitted out, is serious food for thought. We cannot wait to experience these bikes on extended tests to give more meaningful feedback. KMSA is bringing in the top-of-the-range models with features like heated seats and grips, quickshifters, and the luggage kit and crashbars already mentioned. It’s almost too good to be true.
Starry-eyed after the QJMOTOR motorcycle encounter, we turned our attention to the four-wheelers. QJMOTOR offer the SFA 1000 P, a V–Twin winch–equipped quad, selling for a price that will have the other competing manufacturers weeping in their saki.
BRC MOTO make side by sides, the SA WARRIOR 1000 MXD 6-seater and the shorter wheelbase version, which run CFMOTO running gear and perform surprisingly well. Our Simon, with Bjorn squealing in the passenger seat, had fun chasing the slower bikes around the cart track. They look like something out of Mad Max, with a full metal jacket (built for South African conditions), and are a hoot to drive. Farming, mining and security work have never been so much fun. Again, pricing is extremely attractive for what appear to be comprehensively specc’ed utility vehicles.
What makes all of this extremely attractive and reassuring for potential buyers is that these products enjoy the support of KMSA, an organisation that is in its 50th year of service to the South African public. You can lay your money down with absolute peace of mind. As I see it, KMSA had two choices, given the state of the South African market. They could cut their cloth accordingly and draw into their shell, accepting a low road scenario and eke out an existence, to the detriment of their shareholders and their customers, or they could embrace the change inherent in the world in which we find ourselves and take control of their own destiny. Chris, Kibble and team, I applaud you. Who dares wins, and I think you guys deserve all the success that comes your way, and I wish you well on this exciting new venture.
