Illustration: The mechanic builds a car that beats century-old giants, Zhang Xue's counterattack journey

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In 1987, Zhang Xue was born into a rural family in Tianjiawan Village, Jiangkou Market Town, Ma County, Huaihua City, Hunan Province.

In 1990, at the age of 3, Zhang Xue’s parents divorced, and he has been raised by his grandmother since then.

In 1997, at age 10, Zhang Xue lived alone with his sister in a dilapidated house.

In 2004, at 17, Zhang Xue graduated from junior high school and found an apprenticeship at a motorcycle shop in Huaihua City to learn motorcycle repair.

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In 2006, at 19, Zhang Xue began seeking help to realize his dream of becoming a rider. He would call Hunan TV’s “Evening” program frequently, recommending himself and saying he wanted to showcase his motorcycle skills on TV.

In October 2006, after persistent efforts by Zhang Xue, the show’s production team decided to meet him in person. However, during the first shoot, due to wet roads and fields after rain, Zhang Xue failed to demonstrate his driving skills, and the team was disappointed and left.

But Zhang Xue was not discouraged. The next day, he rode a 20-year-old, older-than-him Honda motorcycle, and followed the filming crew, racing in the rain for over three hours.

Zhang Xue told a reporter from the “Evening” program that as long as he could join a team, he could endure any hardship. He was willing to repair bikes, cook, and do laundry for the team.

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In April 2007, at age 20, Zhang Xue took 60k yuan in savings to report to a team in Siyang, Jiangsu.

In 2009, on CCTV’s “People and Society” program, Zhang Xue successfully assembled a motorcycle engine while blindfolded.

In the same year, Zhang Xue participated in the national stunt competition and reached the finals. But training and competing made him realize the harsh reality: his physical condition was far from that of a professional rider. A more immediate problem was that participating in a race at his own expense cost 200k yuan, which he simply couldn’t afford.

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In early 2013, at age 26, Zhang Xue brought his entire savings of 20k yuan to Chongqing, found a motorcycle parts market, and used all his money to buy a batch of motorcycle parts, assembling a motorcycle according to his own ideas.

In 2017, at age 30, Zhang Xue co-founded Tibet Kaiyue Industrial Co., Ltd., which later became Kaiyue Motorcycles, with Liao Tao and Wen Fa Mo.

In August 2018, Zhang Xue led Kaiyue Motorcycles to launch its first mass-produced motorcycle, Kaiyue 500X, with a standard price of 32,800 yuan and an adventure version priced at 37,800 yuan.

In September 2020, at age 33, Zhang Xue led the team to initiate a 400cc four-cylinder engine development project. On January 26, 2022, the 400cc four-cylinder engine was successfully ignited.

From late 2022 to early 2023, at age 35, Zhang Xue led the Kaiyue team to participate in the top-level off-road race—the Dakar Rally. The Kaiyue team became the first Chinese motorcycle team to complete the Dakar, showcasing China’s motorcycle strength to the world.

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On March 1, 2024, Zhang Xue announced his resignation from Kaiyue Motorcycles: “After careful consideration, I have decided to resign and pursue my stars and the sea. The future is friends and rivals. See you in the martial arts world.”

In April 2024, at age 37, Zhang Xue founded his own motorcycle brand—Zhang Xue Motorcycles. During the startup period, Zhang Xue borrowed 7 million yuan to pay salaries.

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On March 15, 2025, Zhang Xue’s 500RR motorcycle was officially launched, with a starting price of 27,980 yuan, shocking the market. It received over 3,000 orders immediately after release.

In just about a year, Zhang Xue completed the feat of building his startup team and launching products. He said he must succeed because he has no way out.

In March 2026, Zhang Xue Motorcycles’ 818.8cc inline three-cylinder water-cooled engine was produced.

On March 28, 2026, at the Portugal round of the World Superbike Championship (WSBK), Zhang Xue Motorcycles’ factory team rider drove the 820RR-RS to a dominant victory, winning by nearly 4 seconds and breaking decades-long monopolies held by European, American, and Japanese brands, writing a new chapter in Chinese motorcycle manufacturing at the top level of competition.

“Whether you fail or succeed, if you didn’t do it when you were young, you’ll definitely regret it when you’re old.”

Zhang Xue tearfully said this in an early documentary, and it still rings true today.