Richard Hammond stunned by Chinese sportsbike after Ducati Panigale V2 showdown
Richard Hammond travels to China to test the ZXMoto 820RR against a Ducati Panigale V2, and admits Chinese motorcycles have come a long way.
Richard Hammond has been given a rather convincing reminder of just how quickly China’s motorcycle industry is catching up with established European manufacturers, after putting the new ZXMoto 820RR head-to-head with an older-spec Ducati Panigale V2.
Hammond travelled to China to meet ZXMoto founder Zhang Xue, with the pair spending a day testing the 820RR against Ducati’s middleweight sportsbike across a series of challenges. While Hammond was happy to admit Zhang was considerably quicker than him, he also seemed suitably impressed with the supersport machine itself.
The test began with a motorcycle gymkhana, to test the agility of the 820RR. Zhang threw the bike around the tight course considerably faster than Hammond, who admitted he took around 50 per cent longer to complete it.
That led to the two talking about the bike’s chassis, including its adjustable rake, which Hammond noted could significantly alter the handling dynamics of the bike. Things got considerably more interesting, though, when they hit the track. Despite admitting he had not ridden a motorcycle on a circuit for around 20 years, Hammond praised the 820RR’s stability, front-end feel and the way its three-cylinder engine delivered its torque.
“This thing does feel properly planted,” Hammond said, later adding that the front end had “masses of authority”.
A professional rider was then brought in to set fastest laps on both bikes, allowing Hammond and Zhang to compare the data. The 820RR was apparently able to carry more speed through several corners, while the Ducati gained ground under acceleration. That’s hardly surprising, given that this is the previous spec Panigale. Powering this bike is the 955cc Superquadro V-twin engine generating 155 hp and 77 lb-ft of torque. Had this been the new generation 890 V-twin, the straight line perfomance would likely have been closer.
There was a fly in the ointment on track, though, with Mr Zhang explaining that the ZXMoto’s brakes were designed for road use rather than repeated track riding. That does lead to some brake fade after one or two hard laps, although it’s refreshing to see the guy who owns the company pointing out one of the shortcomings of his own bike.
For Hammond, though, the comparison highlighted just how far Chinese motorcycles have come.
“It’s incredible to think Chinese-made motorcycles not that long ago were not held in high esteem in Europe,” he said. “They really were seen as a cheap alternative. Not very good, just cheap.”
His conclusion now appears rather different.
“But now, much like the cars coming from here, they’ve discovered not just how to build them, but how to build them well.”
Hammond also identified the next challenge for Chinese manufacturers. As their bikes improve, they can no longer rely solely on being cheaper than established rivals.
“At some point they can’t sell only on being cheap. They have to sell on being good, and then they have to cost more,” he said.
When the possibility of the 820RR coming to Europe was raised, Hammond had a simple response.
“Yeah, hurry up. Get on with it.”
Quite the endorsement from the ‘Hamster’.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
