Exclusive interview with TAIMU MOTO’s Shi Jian: Breaking through with in-house R&D to put Chinese off-road motorcycles on the world stage

October 2026, Chongqing — As the 24th China International Motorcycle Trade Exhibition was in full swing in Chongqing, major brands were drawing the eyes of global buyers with flashy lighting and eye-catching models. At the TAIMU MOTO booth, the scene was somewhat different: no attention-grabbing decorations, just one distinctive motorcycle, while an overseas buyer crouched on the ground, carefully feeling the frame welds and suspension structure of the S300R.

“We refuse to use open molds. We took the in-house R&D path, spent three years on it and lost money for three years before we finally completed the product line.” In an exclusive interview, TAIMU MOTO founder Shi Jian opened with an extremely candid statement. At a time when domestic motorcycle brands are striving to move upmarket and globalize, TAIMU has used its own stubborn drive to carve out a path of in-house R&D breakthrough for a new Chinese off-road brand.

From selling bikes to building them: no compromise, because of passion

Shi Jian’s connection with motorcycles began at age 29, around 2011, when short-video platforms were just emerging. He saw videos online of foreign riders riding motorcycles. “At the time I couldn’t even ride. Watching his videos, I went crazy. Without even knowing how to ride, I immediately bought a motorcycle and started down the stunt-riding path,” Shi Jian said.

From buying parts and assembling his first bike himself, to later starting a company and becoming a dealer, and then transitioning into a manufacturer in 2018, Shi Jian says he never thought about giving up. “I love the motorcycle business. If I didn’t do this, I don’t know what I could do — I’d probably be even more lost and unable to find myself.”

Originally an importer and dealer, Shi Jian saw too many Chinese motorcycles being low-ended and stereotyped in overseas markets. “It’s not that China can’t build motorcycles as good as those from Europe and Japan. The key is whether the people building them put their heart into it, or just treat it as a business.” So he decided to step in himself.

He named the brand TAIMU, and chose Dazu, Chongqing — home to a complete motorcycle industry chain — as its birthplace. The first choice before him was whether to take the shortcut of “open-mold bikes.”

“Those bikes assembled from bought parts require no R&D, bring quick money and carry no risk. But we rejected that from the very beginning.” Shi Jian knows well that assembly alone cannot build an internationally competitive brand. To forge genuine Chinese off-road strength, he embarked on a long and painful R&D period. From 2023 to this year, more than 10 million yuan in real money was poured in without even a splash to show for it — he even sold his house.

“Building motorcycles is not speculation; it’s real industry. Doing long-term business is the only way.” It is this commitment that treats quality as life itself that has enabled TAIMU to build its technical barriers step by step.

On the real racetrack, Made in China never flinches

In Shi Jian’s view, you can’t build good bikes behind closed doors; products must be tested in extreme environments. So TAIMU entered the Red Bull Romaniacs hard enduro with unmodified factory production bikes.

This was the first time in the event’s 23-year history that a Chinese factory production motorcycle and a Chinese rider competed on the same stage. Facing rocks, mud and steep treacherous slopes, this Chinese bike priced under 30,000 yuan at times overtook many modified bikes costing over 100,000 yuan. Although the team ultimately withdrew due to the rider’s physical condition, rider Yang Songyi’s words — “this bike’s handling and power far exceeded expectations” — gave Shi Jian peace of mind.

“A factory Chinese bike going to a world-class race — Made in China never flinches.” Shi Jian applied the race data brought back from Romania directly to optimizing production bikes: suspension tuning, engine calibration, electronic fuel injection system upgrades, and even a full upgrade from carburetors to EFI. This closed loop of feeding the racetrack back into R&D rapidly raised TAIMU’s product strength.

Today, TAIMU has formed an off-road motorcycle product matrix covering full-size, youth, children’s and other categories. It offers not only hardcore competition fuel bikes, but also full-size electric off-road bikes that align with the green mobility trend.

It is worth noting that the Malaysian police even purchased TAIMU police off-road motorcycles — undoubtedly a high recognition of its product durability and manufacturing craftsmanship.

A new challenge for going global: winning over global channel partners with sincerity

As its product line has expanded, TAIMU has also set its sights on the broader global market. But in the AI era, the traditional low-price volume approach and B2B platforms can hardly win over high-quality overseas channel partners.

“In the past, companies going global focused on B2B wholesale and lacked brand content aimed at overseas C-end riders, making it hard to convey original design and manufacturing craftsmanship,” said Mr. Su, head of the TAIMU brand. To this end, TAIMU began relying on a young team, using GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and localized short videos to try to reshape the image of Chinese off-road motorcycles in front of overseas audiences.

In terms of dealership cooperation, TAIMU offers great sincerity: support for small-batch sample bike testing, permission to mix different models in one container, and provision of OEM complete-vehicle manufacturing and ODM custom development services. “Channel partners fear tying up capital in the first order most. We allow them to test multiple products with one shipment, minimizing risk,” Shi Jian said.

“Daring to do what others haven’t done — that is true craftsmanship.” As for the future, Shi Jian’s wish is simple: “Passion can overcome all difficulties. I hope that one day, when the world mentions TAIMU, what comes to mind is not how rich the boss is or how big the factory is, but a factory with a craftsman’s spirit, and a group of people who truly dare to send their race bikes onto the track.”