There’s a reason middleweight four-cylinder sportbikes simply refuse to die. They hit that sweet spot where performance feels exciting without being overwhelming. Plus, the sound a four-banger makes is simply iconic, and most middleweight sportbikes are sensible enough to be ridden on the street.
For decades, this space was ruled by Japanese brands, with models like the Honda CBR600RR and Kawasaki ZX-6R proving that you don’t need superbike numbers to have a great time. Riders love them because they’re fast enough, smooth everywhere, and a lot less intimidating than full-on liter bikes. But recent years have shown that Japan's big four have been shifting their focus onto more compact machines. Particularly, bikes with twin-cylinder engines.
But here’s where things get interesting. Chinese manufacturers like Kove and QJ Motor have been launching four-cylinder sportbikes left and right. And no, these aren’t budget commuters pretending to be sporty. We’re talking proper inline-four engines, aggressive styling, modern electronics, and price tags that usually undercut the established players. A lot of Chinese manufacturers are already in the mix, and they’re forcing everyone to pay attention.
That brings us to Cyclone, the premium sub-brand of Zongshen. Zongshen isn’t some startup figuring things out as it goes. It’s one of China’s biggest motorcycle manufacturers and a long-time production partner of Piaggio and Aprilia. Cyclone is where it flexes a bit more, particularly in the European market, and for the past few years, it’s been openly obsessed with building a four-cylinder sportbike.
The first attempts were the RC680R in 2023 and the RC700R show bike that followed in 2024. Both used a 674cc inline-four that clearly took inspiration from Honda’s 650 platform. That’s not a secret, and it’s not illegal either, as long as patented tech isn’t copied. Plenty of Chinese manufacturers have been doing the same thing for literal decades, and honestly, it’s part of why this segment is exploding right now.
The latest development is a new design simply labeled RC700, spotted through Chinese IP filings brought to light by our friends over at Cycle World. The bike gets the same 674cc inline-four, but everything around it is essentially brand new. And this is where it looks like Cyclone stopped experimenting and started committing.
The chassis is completely different from the earlier show bikes. Instead of a frame that closely mirrored Honda’s layout, the RC700 uses a tubular steel front section tied into a cast aluminum swingarm pivot. It looks more exotic, like something you’d expect from a European performance brand. The cast aluminum swingarm uses underslung bracing, straight out of the MotoGP playbook. The exhaust packaging is clever too, with the catalytic converter tucked tightly ahead of the swingarm brace before flowing into stacked mufflers mounted high on the right side of the tail.
Styling has gone full race bike. The front end ditches twin headlights for a single central unit flanked by large air intakes. Massive winglets stick out front and they’re not shy about it. From the side, the bike looks long and low, with a flatter fuel tank, deep knee cutouts, and fairings that feel more prototype racer than showroom special. Even the front brakes, which appear to use J.Juan radial calipers, get partial aerodynamic covers. It’s extra, but in a way that feels intentional rather than gimmicky.
Will this RC700 finally be the one that reaches production? No one knows yet. Cyclone has teased this idea more than once, and patience is wearing thin. Still, the direction is clear. Chinese brands aren’t just copying old formulas anymore. They’re refining them, remixing them, and pushing into spaces that used to be off-limits unless you had Japanese or European badges on the tank.
For riders willing to look beyond geopolitics and stereotypes, that’s nothing but good news. More competition means more options, better tech trickling down faster, and prices that make high-spec bikes attainable again. Even if you never buy a Cyclone, the pressure it puts on the rest of the market matters. Suffice it to say that the middleweight sportbike segment is heating up, and the RC700 is yet another sign that things are only getting louder.
Source: Cycle World
