Although still surrounded predominantly with a negative stigma, it can’t be denied that Chinese motorcycle manufacturers have been upping their game when it comes to the performance and overall quality of their machines. At least, this is true for brands like Benelli and CFMOTO.
That being said, another Chinese manufacturer has been born. PFMoto, or Paifang Moto, is the newest motorcycle company to emerge from the East, and is likely associated with fellow Chinese manufacturer Lifan, in a sense that it’ll probably source its engines from the company. Under the Geely group, the umbrella company of the likes of Volvo and even Benelli, we could probably expect quality from PFMoto that’s a cut above the rest.
At present, it’s still unknown whether PFMoto has ambitions of entering the global market. However, given the fact that its sister companies such as Benelli, Volvo, and even QJ Motor have a sizeable global presence, it doesn’t seem like such a far-fetched notion. What we do know is that PFMoto wants to position itself in the high-capacity touring segment, as its first model under development is called the Starship 3. With the brand itself set to debut on August 16, 2022, we can expect more details on the Starship to be revealed.
For now, all we have are renderings of the cruiser. The Starship looks like a grand-tourer in terms of styling, something like the Honda Gold Wing, and is said to be powered by a V-engine. As for the specifics of the engine, nothing is known just yet. However, given that PFMoto has to its disposal an arsenal of technology, as evidenced by the offerings of its sister companies, it wouldn’t be surprising if we’ll be seeing an all-new V-twin engine in this bike, or maybe even the V4 engine produced by Benda.
Needless to say, the Starship is clearly just the beginning for PFMoto, and we will certainly be seeing a more diverse model range from the company. The models it’ll soon be releasing will likely be dependent on the market the brand seeks to operate in, so perhaps we’ll be seeing sport-tourers and adventure bikes, especially if it wants to penetrate the European market like the other brands under the Geely group.
