At last year's CIMAMotor, the booth of Chongqing-based motorcycle maker Zonsen Group was packed with visitors. (Photo/CIMAMotor)

Chongqing - The global motorcycle industry will converge on Chongqing from September 19 to 22 for the 24th China International Motorcycle Trade Exhibition (CIMAMotor 2026), bringing together more than 1,700 overseas buyers from nearly 90 countries and regions, over 100 motorcycle and electric two-wheeler brands, and 1,120 exhibitors.

At a September 8 press briefing, organizers outlined preparations for CIMAMotor 2026. Yang Xuchao, Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Chongqing Committee, said the event is China’s only national-level motorcycle exhibition and has become the world’s second-largest professional motorcycle show, serving as a major platform for product debuts, cutting-edge technologies, brand showcases, trade and technical exchange.

Yang said more than 3,000 vehicles will be featured in static and dynamic displays, covering gasoline-powered and electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers and all-terrain vehicles. Exhibitors come from China, the United States, Italy, Japan and other countries.

International procurement and trade cooperation will be another major focus. Zeng Yu, Deputy General Manager of Chongqing Exhibition Center Co., Ltd., said buyers have expressed procurement intentions totaling 1.6 billion U.S. dollars, covering complete motorcycles, electric motorcycles, battery, motor and electronic control systems, among other categories.

Organizers have already pre-matched more than 100 purchase orders and will arrange one-on-one business talks between global buyers and Chinese companies during the exhibition.

Beyond its scale and international procurement, this year's CIMAMotor will highlight technological shifts in the motorcycle industry. Yang said products unveiled ahead of the exhibition show an accelerating move toward higher-end, smarter and more personalized motorcycles. Advanced automotive technologies, including electric powertrain systems, automotive-grade chips and large AI models, are increasingly being applied to motorcycles.

Zeng said China's motorcycle industry "has moved beyond the stage of simply catching up in products and is entering a new era of competition centered on technology and differentiation." She cited three technologies as examples.

The Benda P51 uses a 250cc horizontally opposed twin-cylinder engine paired with a dual-motor full-hybrid powertrain. The Kove 650RR features a lane-change assist system that works with the turn signals and displays blind-spot images on the instrument panel to improve riding safety. Naxeon uses an automotive-grade vehicle domain-control architecture capable of AI-powered vehicle control and full-scenario over-the-air updates. VOGE will also unveil a full-stack intelligent technology platform at the exhibition.

International brands will also bring new products and technology experiences. According to the organizers, Honda, Harley-Davidson, Moto Morini, MBP and Lambretta will exhibit alongside Chinese motorcycle brands.

In the past, multinational companies largely used similar exhibition as a venue to showcase new products. Today, they are bringing R&D achievements, technology roadmaps and hands-on vehicle experiences to the show, with Honda among the examples. Honda will unveil a new model during the exhibition and set up a 4,000-square-meter outdoor test-ride area, offering experiences across multiple models and technologies.

As the host city, Chongqing has a highly concentrated motorcycle manufacturing base. Zeng said the city produced 7.857 million motorcycles in 2025, accounting for 35.5% of China's total and ranking first among Chinese cities. Chongqing now has the capacity to produce more than 20 million complete motorcycles and 20 million engines annually and is home to more than 100 motorcycle manufacturers and over 1,000 parts and components companies.