CFMoto’s new V4 SR-RR superbike has entered another stage of development after previously recording an impressive top speed during testing. The 212bhp machine has now been spotted testing on track with the Aspar race team, wearing a camouflage livery.
Among the riders to test the new superbike was David Alonso, who is set to move to Honda’s MotoGP team in 2027. He was one of three riders to sample the V4 SR-RR during the latest testing session. The track outing follows a high-speed test conducted by CFMoto in June, when the V4 SR-RR reached 315.82kmph. That figure is just short of the current MotoGP top-speed record set by Jorge Martin on the factory Aprilia RS-GP at Mugello earlier this year.
The run also established a new outright top-speed record for a Chinese motorcycle powered by a combustion engine. While CFMoto has yet to announce pricing, the 997cc V4 SR-RR is expected to eventually reach the production market.
More importantly, the superbike could represent CFMoto’s first step towards competing in the World Superbike Championship. The Chinese manufacturer has made no secret of its interest in moving into the premier levels of international motorcycle racing, with both WorldSBK and MotoGP understood to be potential targets.
CFMoto already has a presence in the Moto2 and Moto3 championships, making a move further up the racing ladder a logical progression. The company was also reportedly interested in taking KTM’s place in MotoGP if the Austrian manufacturer’s financial problems had forced it to leave the championship, although that situation ultimately did not materialise.
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MotoGP could remain an option for CFMoto in the future, but the V4 SR-RR appears more naturally suited to a potential WorldSBK programme because of its engine capacity. From 2027, MotoGP regulations will reduce engine capacity to 850cc as part of a major technical overhaul, which will also see Pirelli replace Michelin as the championship’s tyre supplier.
Regardless of whether it eventually leads CFMoto into WorldSBK, the V4 SR-RR is set to become the company’s new flagship superbike. When it reaches the market, it will enter a segment occupied by the Ducati Panigale V4, Honda CBR1000RR-R, Yamaha R1, BMW M1000 RR and Kawasaki ZX-10RR.
