New version of China’s World Supersport competitor revealed in approval document.

By Ben Purvis

Over the decades we’ve become used to the idea that motorcycles are defined by their model years and that updates will only happen occasionally and with much fanfare from their manufacturers. But as the Chinese motorcycle industry becomes more important, we might have to rethink that concept. Chinese brands often make unannounced spec changes as soon as improvements are available, and that appears to be happening with QJMotor’s SRK 800 RR.

Already competing in the World Supersport championship under the Next Generation regulations, QJMotor’s SRK 800 RR is the brand’s midrange sport model with a 778cc inline four-cylinder engine made in-house by the company. However, while the bike is already on sale in some markets including Europe and China, it appears to be subject to a continual program of improvements and the latest version, revealed in new type-approval documents, has a different frame and swingarm as well as a more powerful engine, even when compared to the SRK 800 RR that was on display at the recent EICMA show.

It appears that the changes are being made as the bike undergoes a public development process during its racing campaign, as the swingarm seen on the latest type-approval matches the version used on the competition version of the bike. It’s a cast aluminum design with extensive bracing, a sharp contrast to the very simple, straight swingarm of the existing production model. The frame also appears to be cast aluminum now, with a bolt-on tubular-steel subframe, where the original SRK 800 RR and the race version have a welded steel frame that is a close copy of the Honda CBR650R design. Even more confusion comes from the fact that the official QJMotor Global website’s SRK 800 RR page includes images of the bike both with the original steel frame and with the aluminum frame seen here, combined with the older swingarm, without making any reference to the differences between the bikes.

Another significant difference is the power. Originally, the SRK 800 RR was launched in China with 100 hp at 10,000 rpm, and the brand’s local websites in Europe and China still show the same level of performance. However, the company’s global website now lists the bike as having 120 hp at 12,000 rpm, and the latest version of the bike, appearing in the new type approval, increases that figure even more to 123 hp.

Weight is substantially reduced as well. The original SRK 800 was listed at 472 pounds, dropping to 456 pounds with the RR variant, and the new approval document shows a further reduction to 445 pounds. The wheelbase has been reduced too, from 57 inches to 55.5, presumably as a result of the new swingarm design. Meanwhile, the bike’s top speed has increased dramatically, from 137 mph for the original 100 hp version to 162 mph for the latest type-approved variant.

The updates all appear to relate back to QJMotor’s ongoing racing program and the company’s desire to be competitive on the track. The company made its debut in the World Supersport series in March this year, with its sole rider Raffaele De Rosa on its only SRK 800 RR racebike. He started that first race from last on the grid, with a qualifying time four seconds off pole, but the bike edged closer to competitiveness as the season wore on, with a highlight of a fastest time during a wet free practice session at Estoril in October, eventually starting 15th of 31 riders. That rapid development appears to be getting reflected on the road-going version of the bike in the form of continual, unheralded improvements.

Source ：CYCLE WORLD