QJMotor’s latest boasts MV Agusta style and attitude for a fraction of the cost – what’s not to like?
Words by: Phil West
Published on 26 May 2026 | 0 min read
Share
The Autotrader expert verdict:
4
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Rising Chinese brand QJMotor’s latest and greatest is a true litre class super naked with four-cylinder power, single-sided swingarm, classy cycle parts and shades of MV Agusta’s old Brutale 920 – all for less than nine grand!
“There are plenty of neat design details such as the fold-out pillion pegs incorporated into the silencers”
For those visiting Motorcycle Live last autumn one of the undoubted highlights was the huge stand for QJMotor, the huge Chinese brand that builds over a million bikes a year and is now importing a good number of them to the UK through its local distributor Moto73. The line-up covers all bases but the real head-turners are the SRK 921 RR sports bike and its SKR 921 naked sibling. Both feature a 921cc four-cylinder engine, quality Marzocchi suspension, single-sided swingarm, Brembo brakes, lots of electronics, slick styling and, perhaps most impressively of all, astonishing pricing. Before we get to how it rides let’s address the elephant in the room of styling that invokes memories of old MV Agusta Brutale 920. Which won’t come as a surprise when you learn the 921’s engine shares roots with the MV and the man who designed it has also styled the QJ. That said, the 921 is striking, stylish and well-executed. There are plenty of neat design details such as the fold-out pillion pegs incorporated into the silencers and it performs well. Yes, there are question marks about being a ‘Chinese copy’, unproven reliability and residual values, but the old 920 was always the most real-world Brutale and, at this price, it’s a bargain.
Expert rating: 5/5
Riding position
“The 921 has the beefy stance you expect from a roadster packing a transverse in-line four-cylinder engine”
Nothing radical or extreme here. The 921 has the beefy stance you expect from a roadster packing a transverse in-line four-cylinder engine combined with the slightly diluted sportster riding position you’d anticipate of a naked derived from a fully-faired sports bike like the SRK 921 RR. The sculpted, two-piece seat is an accessible 835mm and is adequate without being plush. The ergonomics are aggressive without compromising practicality too much and it’s reasonably comfortable for the type of use it’s intended for, though not a bike for long distances with a pillion. Not that anyone would expect it to be.
Expert rating: 4/5
Practicality
“It’s a machine for thrill-packed sunny Sunday afternoons in the country or for posing at bike meetings”
The SRK921 is a performance and style orientated naked version of a full-on sports bike so it was never going to be wholly practical or versatile. Instead, it’s a machine for thrill-packed sunny Sunday afternoons in the country or for posing at bike meetings – and the QJMotor does a great job of both. Beyond that, however, things start to become limited. Pillions are possible but not encouraged, luggage capacity with those twin upswept exhausts isn’t the easiest and there’s obviously no fairing to help with touring or long motorway miles. That said, the SRK is decent around town, not uncomfortable and nor too precious to use year-round. But there are limits.
Expert rating: 4/5
Ride & handling
“The 921cc four is a development of MV Agusta’s ‘old’ 920cc unit from the 2011 Brutale 920”
The 921cc four is a development of MV Agusta’s ‘old’ 920cc unit from the 2011 Brutale 920, which was at the time the cheaper, more affordable, more versatile alternative to the then Brutale 910. In MV form it produced 130 horsepower, the QJ not far behind at 128 horsepower at 10,000rpm and 93Nm of torque at 8,000rpm. That might not be in the league of premium super nakeds from the likes of BMW, Ducati or Aprilia but it never feels lacking on the road and is plenty exciting with a fat mid-range that’s a joy to exploit. Added to this are modern trimmings like riding modes, cornering ABS and traction control. Braking is perhaps even more impressive, and taken care of by big 320mm twin front discs grasped by powerful Brembo four-piston, radially-mounted calipers with bags of power and feel.
Expert rating: 4/5
Running costs
“As with most QJMotor machines, its suspension is by proven Italian brand Marzocchi”
The SRK 921’s handling is, on the whole, impressive, too. As with most QJMotor machines, its suspension is by proven Italian brand Marzocchi made under licence in China and comprises trunk-like 50mm inverted forks along with a remote reservoir rear monoshock with both ends fully adjustable. Steering geometry is sportily sharp, the wheelbase is a fairly stubby 1,425mm and it’s reasonably light at just 218kg wet. That all adds up to a fairly aggressive, sharp-steering weapon with a firm, sporty ride as any self-respecting super naked should be, although in this case that sensation is numbed slightly by a fairly intrusive steering damper. Other than that few complaints, the presence of quality Pirelli Diablo Rosso tyres another reassurance.
Expert rating: 5/5
Reliability
“QJMotor has been around for over 40 years and has long produced reliable bikes”
This is a tricky one. On the one hand the SRK921 is a brand-new bike from an unfamiliar manufacturer while the performance levels might also raise fears. On the other, it’s based on a proven bike from well over 10 years ago, its cycle parts are all top-notch and, if not familiar on these shores, QJMotor has been around for over 40 years and has long produced reliable bikes. We have to dock one mark, purely out of caution. As it stands, though, we have few causes for any genuine reliability concerns.
Expert rating: 3/5
Warranty & servicing
“As with nearly all of QJMotor’s new UK-bound models, the SRK 921 comes with a two-year warranty”
As with nearly all of QJMotor’s new UK-bound models, the SRK 921 comes with an unremarkable two-year warranty, this at a time when more established manufacturers are offering longer ones. Servicing is a similar story. QJMotor currently has around 40 dealers UK wide able to undertake the initial ‘break-in’ service on your SRK 921 at around 600 miles, followed by regular services every 6,000 to 8,000 miles or annually, whichever comes first. Again, nothing remarkable either way in that!
Expert rating: 4/5
Equipment
“No bike costing at this level has boasted such high specification equipment”
No bike costing at this level has boasted such high specification equipment – until now. As well as the flash Marzocchi suspension, Brembo brakes and single-sided swingarm, the SRK 921 also has LED lights all round, riding modes, cornering ABS and switchable traction control, quickshifter, cruise control (slightly bafflingly), fancy bar end mirrors, GP-style lever protectors, and, perhaps fanciest of all, a big, five-inch full colour TFT dash which looks premium and is clear and easy to navigate. You simply can’t get more for less.
Expert rating: 5/5
Why buy?
“The one thing is hasn’t got is the MV Agusta sticker on the tank”
If you always fancied an MV Agusta Brutale but couldn’t afford it or stomach the worry of a used buy, now you can. Brand new and for less than nine grand! In that sense the SRK 921 has it all. Of course, the one thing is hasn’t got is the MV Agusta sticker on the tank but, at this price, you’ve seriously got to ask yourself how much you care…
