QJ Motor SRT 900 S review

If you’ve been paying attention to the influx of new models from QJ Motor recently, you’ll know the brand has been quietly building its UK presence. Among the growing list of nakeds, retros, and cruisers sits this — the SRT 900 S. 

It’s the touring sibling to the SRK 900 I recently tested in Bolton, and on paper, it’s packing some seriously premium kit for not a lot of money.

Think of it as an adventure-tourer with its priorities set firmly on long-distance road work rather than muddy trails. Heated grips, heated seat, full luggage, blindspot detection, and even a tyre pressure monitoring system — all standard. 

For around £7,500, that’s a lot of bike for the money.

Engine: familiar twin, familiar grin

The SRT 900 S shares its heart with the SRK 900 naked, and mapping tweaks seem minimal, but that’s no bad thing. The 904cc twin is properly gutsy at the bottom end and delivers a satisfying shove through the midrange. It’s not the most refined engine in the segment, but it’s willing, tractable, and perfectly suited to a big-mile touring role.

Throttle connection is direct without being twitchy, and it feels more polished than you might expect at this price point. Like its naked sibling, the gearbox is where things falter slightly. Push it hard through the gears, and it has a tendency to slip from second back into neutral — something that might be improved by rotating the gear lever around the spline to a more natural position.

When it’s working properly, the quickshifter and blipper are a treat, letting you shuffle up and down the box effortlessly. But when it doesn’t, you’ll notice it.

Electronics and equipment: premium kit, budget badge

If there’s one area where QJ Motor really stands out, it’s value for money. The electronics suite on the SRT 900 S would embarrass a few bikes twice the price. You get a full-colour TFT display, a USB Type-A port, LED lighting throughout, and a (sometimes) working up-and-down quickshifter.

But the real surprises are the luxuries. Heated rider seat? Standard. Heated grips? Standard. Blindspot detection? Also standard.

That last one is a bit of a mixed bag, though. Around town, the system is far too sensitive, lighting up and beeping at you for everything from passing vans to floating crisp packets. On the motorway, however, it behaves more intuitively, only triggering when there’s something genuinely in your blind spot. Thankfully, if you decide it’s all too much, you can switch it off completely.

You also get the usual trio of riding modes — Rain, Road, and Sport — along with switchable traction control and the ability to disable rear ABS. I found ‘Road’ to be the sweet spot, offering all the performance of ‘Sport’ without the choppy throttle response. The traction control, on the other hand, can be a bit overprotective, cutting in too early and taking its time to let go again.

Still, for the spec sheet alone, QJ deserves some serious credit. Heated everything, TFT, rider aids, and luggage — that’s a hefty list for a sub-eight-grand bike.

Comfort: long-haul ready, almost

As you’d expect from a big adventure-style tourer, the SRT900 S is extremely roomy. You don’t perch on top of it — you sit deep within it. The seat cradles you nicely, the bars are wide and easy to reach, and the whole riding position feels natural and relaxed, and you have a great view of the road ahead.

For my 5ft 7in frame, the ergonomics worked well. The footpegs are a touch higher than ideal, but that means they’re out of harm’s way if you do decide to take a gravel shortcut. The seat comfort is excellent, and after a full day in the saddle, I had no complaints. The heated seat and grips are very effective once warmed through, though they take a few minutes to reach full temperature.

The only real drawback is the windscreen — or rather, the lack of adjustment. It’s odd, because some lower-spec QJ models do have adjustable screens. The one fitted here is on the low side, so a taller optional screen would be a worthwhile addition.

On the plus side, overall weather protection is good. The fairing deflects most of the wind and rain, and the large handguards feel sturdy and functional. Combined with that 24-litre tank, you could easily chew through hundreds of miles between fuel stops in comfort.

Handling: road-biased and confident

Despite its adventure bike stance, the SRT 900 S is very much tuned for tarmac. The suspension is plush and compliant, soaking up bumps without ever feeling vague or wallowy. There’s a little movement under hard braking and acceleration, but nothing that unsettles the ride.

At 264kg with luggage, it’s not light, and you can feel that heft at low speeds. The steering feels heavy when manoeuvring or crawling through town, and the high centre of gravity makes slow-speed balance a bit of a workout. Once you’re rolling, though, it behaves far better than you’d expect.

Even the SX version, with its taller rear shock and 19-inch front wheel, turns in predictably and feels stable through corners. The SRT 900 S might not have the agility of a lighter middleweight, but it feels reassuringly planted and forgiving, especially when ridden briskly on the road.

Thankfully, given its chunky kerb weight, the braking system is good. Brembo supplies the hardware, with Bosch slotting in its two-channel ABS. The ABS is overly intrusive (as I also found on the SRK 900 naked), although the braking power and feel at the front and back are impressive.

Verdict: impressive kit, a few rough edges

Like a lot of modern bikes, the SRT 900 S has a few quirks. The gearbox can be clunky, the screen could be taller and adjustable, and losing 15 to 20kg wouldn’t hurt. But overall, QJ has built a genuinely capable touring motorcycle that delivers a lot of performance and comfort for the price.

The handling is stable and confidence-inspiring, the engine is punchy and characterful, and the comfort levels are right up there with the likes of Triumph, Honda, or Yamaha’s offerings. Sure, it’s not quite as polished or refined as the big-name rivals, but it’s not trying to be.

What really seals the deal is the spec sheet. You’re getting heated everything, blindspot detection, tyre pressure monitoring, luggage, and a punchy 900cc twin-cylinder engine for around £7,500. Compare that with a Honda Transalp at just under £10,000 or a Triumph Tiger that runs anywhere from £12,000 to £15,000, and suddenly the QJ looks like a bargain.

The big question is whether buyers are ready to take the plunge on a Chinese-made adventure bike when the established players dominate the sector. There will be early adopters, no doubt, but trust takes time — and that’s what QJ will need to build.

Still, as an opening statement of intent, the SRT 900 S is an impressive bit of kit. It might not win the showroom beauty contest just yet, but when it comes to bang for your buck, this one’s hard to ignore.

QJ Motor SRT 900 S spec