QJMotor SVT650 (2025) – Technical Review

A mid-capacity twin-cylinder adventure bike is a key component of any mainstream motorcycle manufacturer’s range and that means the SVT650 is a vital element of QJMotor’s lineup as the Chinese brand makes its entry to the UK market.

Offered in two forms – the alloy-wheeled base model and the wire-wheeled SVT650X – this is the machine that’s intended to take on stalwarts like Suzuki’s SV650 and like other models in the brand’s range its signature is a combination of strong specs and an eye-catching price tag.

Pros & Cons

2025 QJMotor SVT650 - Price & PCP Deals

Price is the big attraction here and with the base model sliding in at £5699 (plus £200 on-the-road, so £5899 is the real tag) it’s substantially more affordable than its established rivals. Suzuki’s aging V-Strom 650 lists at £7749, for example, while a Yamaha Tenere 700 starts at £10,404. Even Honda’s NX500, a class lower in terms of capacity and performance, is £1000 more than the QJMotor at £6899. To find pricing parity, you need to look at other Chinese-made machines like Voge’s DS525X (£5499) and DS625X (£5999), Benelli’s £6499 TRK702, or Moto Morini’s £5799 X-Cape 650 and £6799 X-Cape 700.

Stepping up to the SVT650X pushes the RRP up to £6199 – so £6399 once the mandatory OTR charge is added – if you want a more convincing offroad look.

2025 QJMotor SVT650 - Engine & Performance

If a 645cc V-twin with around 70hp sounds like a familiar recipe that’s probably thanks to the fact that Suzuki’s SV650 debuted more than quarter of a century ago and its powertrain has since evolved across a broad array of models – with Suzuki only now starting to supersede it with the brand’s 776cc parallel twin.

While the engine in the SVT650 is built in-house by QJMotor, there’s no doubt its inspiration comes from Suzuki’s hugely successful design. It’s common in China to see engines copied and built by multiple brands: unless there’s a technical element in an engine that’s patented, intellectual property laws don’t provide protection to stop companies using the same layout and dimensions of an existing engine, shortcutting a substantial part of the development process. In this instance, it’s clear the SV650 engine has provided the template, as the QJMotor V-twin has the same 81mm bore and 62.6mm stroke as the Suzuki motor, as well as generally similar overall design.

The QJMotor twin promises a peak of 75hp at 9000rpm and 48lb-ft of torque at 8000rpm, driving through a conventional six-speed box.

2025 QJMotor SVT650 - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

The trellis-style steel tube frame is paired to adjustable upside-down forks that can be tweaked in rebound and preload, plus a preload-adjustable rear monoshock, and despite the more offroad-focussed look of the ‘X’ model both versions share the same geometry and dimensions.

A 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel, regardless of whether they’re the ‘X’ version’s wire spoked versions or the base model’s alloys, mean that this isn’t a serious off-roader in the mould of some of KTM’s more extreme adventure bikes or even Yamaha’s Tenere 700, but more of a dirt road-capable adventure machine. It won’t be stopped by a bit of broken asphalt or a gravel path, but might not be suited to crossing vast wildernesses. In other words, there should be more than enough ability for the vast majority of adventure bike buyers who won’t really stray too far from a surfaced road.

Like many of QJMotor’s bikes, the SVT650 uses Brembo brakes, with four-pot radial calipers on dual 320mm front discs, paired, of course, to ABS.

Both versions weigh the same, a fairly hefty 236kg, but bear in mind there’s a large, 20-litre fuel tank and that measurement is taken when it’s full.

2025 QJMotor SVT650 - Comfort & Economy

The final judgement will have to wait until we’ve tested the SVT650, but its adventure bike stance and relatively low 795mm seat height bode well for accessibility and long-distance comfort.

The screen can be adjusted, with two positions available, and there’s a big luggage rack that doubles as handholds for a pillion behind a spacious-looking passenger seat.

There’s no data on fuel economy at the moment, but the familiar engine layout and 75hp peak power doesn’t indicate that it should be any less parsimonious than rivals in its class, and that 20-litre tank promises plenty of range between filling stops.

2025 QJMotor SVT650 - Equipment

In typical Chinese style, the electronics are well appointed, with a large 7-inch colour display that can be paired to a smartphone via Bluetooth for navigation, calls and music control. Tyre pressure and temperature monitoring is also fitted, with alarms if the pressures drop out of a normal range, as well as a gear position display, and there there’s a rocker switch on the left bar to navigate the screen’s menus and settings. A USB port provides power to your phone, and all the lighting is LED.

2025 QJMotor SVT650 - Rivals

Realistically, if you’re opting for a QJMotor you probably already have other Chinese-made machines on your radar, like the Benelli TRK702 (Benelli is part of the same company as QJMotor, both are owned by Qianjiang, but SVT650 and TRK702 have different designs and engines), the Voge DS625X, or the Moto Morini X-Cape 650.

Powered by a parallel twin, 581cc engine, the Voge is a little less powerful than the QJMotor but also a lighter machine. Like the QJMotor, it’s strong on tech and spec, including adjustable KYB suspension, traction control, and even a built-in 1080p dash cam set into the nose below the screen.

Another bike that follows the Chinese trend of coming with a built-in dashcam, the Benelli TRK702 has a 698cc parallel twin with 70hp. The base version is road-oriented with 17-in wheels at both ends, but there’s a pricier 702X (£6899) that adds wires and a 19-inch front.

Another close rival, the X-Cape 650 is a little behind on power at 60hp, but has a similarly affordable price and a more familiar brand name. Newer X-Cape 700 ups the power to 71hp and torque to 50lb-ft, but costs £1000 more at £6799.

Voge DS625X | Price: £5999

Read more

Power/Torque

63.8bhp / 42lb-ft

Weight

206kg

Benelli TRK702 | Price: £6499

Read more

Power/Torque

70bhp / 51.6lb-ft

Weight

215kg

Moto Morini X-Cape 650 | Price: £5799

Read more

Power/Torque

60bhp / 39.8lb-ft

Weight

213kg

2025 QJMotor SVT650 - Verdict

On paper the SVT650 looks like an attractive proposition, and QJMotor’s rapid growth in China and other markets suggests that customers haven’t been disappointed in areas where the bikes have been available for a while. It will take time to establish key elements like the dealer and parts backup and the long-term reliability, though, as with any brand that’s new to the country.

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2025 QJMotor SVT650 - Technical Specification

What is MCIA Secured?

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MCIA Secured gives motorcycles a rating out of five stars (three stars for bikes of 125cc or less), based on the following being fitted to a new bike as standard:

• A steering lock that meets the UNECE 62 standard

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The higher the star rating, the better the security, so always ask your dealer what rating your bike has and compare it to other machines on your shortlist.

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