2026-on QJMotor SRT 450 RX review

QJMotor SRT 450 RX expert review

3 out of 5 (3/5)

BMW F450GS and Kawasaki’s KLE500 re-entry to small adventure bikes are in danger of being stymied by QJMotor’s SRT450RX: higher spec, arguably more suited to purpose and better value.

An asking price of £5499 for a 46.9bhp parallel-twin with a faux V-twin 270-degree crank sounds good, but not outstanding… until you read the spec sheet – maybe twice to be sure. The suspension is not only fully adjustable all round, but it’s also from Marzocchi. The radial four-piston caliper is a Brembo; the spoked wheels are tubeless 18/21in, which are a spendy option on the BMW.

Is the QJMotor SRT 450 RX right for you?

Reasons to buy:
+ Premium components (Marzocchi suspension, Brembo brakes, and tubeless spoked wheels) at a very competitive price.
+ Comfortable, well-balanced ride with strong and progressive braking.
+ Smooth, flexible midrange engine that’s easy to use on the road.

Reasons to avoid:
– Short gearing makes motorway cruising feel busy and slightly fizzy.
– Confusing traction control and ABS menu system.
– Some budget finish details and weaker plastics reduce the premium feel.

From the seat, you’re informed by a TFT dash with a manually adjustable screen. If you’ve absent-mindedly tested the switchgear, you’ll be aware of a hot sensation on your palms and posterior: yep, heated grips and seat as standard. If those cause you to faint in surprise, standard crash bars will catch the bike. Alloy panniers and topbox will be handy for carrying the bags of tenners you’ve saved, too.

Good componentry is underpinned with decent R&D, with only minor quirks rather than any glaring issues. It’s low-slung and well-balanced, so it doesn’t intimidate short-legged colleagues, yet the riding position doesn’t cramp or stress my 6ft form, and it’s fit for hours in the saddle. Oddly, the wide, rearward sweep of the bars and the overall rider triangle reminds me of an R1300GS.

More bizarrely, the poised yet comfy ride reminds me of the big Beemer. QJMotor and Marzocchi are part of the same company, and it shows. There’s minimal harshness, but it takes a big fist of Brembo (subtle response to gentle strokes and plenty of power at a squeeze) to use much travel, and there’s no wallowing nonsense from the shock either.

No mean feat – some Chinese offerings tend to be crashy, but QJ have got it as right as you can without electronic damping.

The A2-compliant adventure motor sits pretty in the chassis (functionally, not visually – it’s lacking a little aesthetic appeal), with just the right kind of power. The first touch of the (cable) throttle is a little gruff, especially if you engage the pointless ‘Sport’ mode – leave it in ‘Normal’. Above 2500rpm it’s smooth, with midrange-centric delivery at its best up to 8000rpm.

The only drivetrain issue is the gearing: it’s short. 70mph is a slightly fizzy 6800rpm. A more relaxed cruising cadence would be nice. Longer final drive gearing might cure it – all the ratios come earlier than you’d think. The upside is impressive flexibility. You can pull sixth cleanly at 30mph, and it’s easy to roll it on for overtakes on A-roads without downshifting.

Wind protection is OK, but not great for a rider of my height (6ft). I’d like a bit more to reduce blast and noise.

Bad stuff? There isn’t much. Turning off the traction control and rear ABS for trail use is possible, but the menus and terminology are confusing – TC is ‘open’ or ‘closed’; ‘closed’ meaning ‘off’, as it turns out, and the TCS symbol means it’s on, not off, like every other bike.

An easy-reach, dedicated ABS button would be nice, too. The screen mechanism is pretty crude. The handguards are functionally good, but they’re brittle plastic, so they are unlikely to survive a drop, and they contain the front indicators too. The front mudguard is more malleable, but the white finish is paint with poor adhesion: a jet wash made light work of it. An established rival would have body-colour plastic.

If trail riding is on the cards, it’s pretty good, within reason. The centre stand can skim the ground over lumps and compressions or snag the feet in ruts, though the OE bash guard takes a clouting like a champ.

It’s well balanced, friendly and generates reasonable grip if you drop the pressures, though the CST tyres will be a limiting factor in many conditions, and the weight/clearance (we measured it at 206kg fully fuelled, minus the 16kg luggage set) means it’s more of a gentle greenlaner than more dirt-focused rivals.

Tech Details

Clear yet confusing TFT

Speed, revs, gear position, two trip meters, clock and tyre pressure/temperature are offered numerically, plus a bar-type fuel gauge. The menus are faffy to use.

Impressive ride quality

Suspension quality defies the price tag: the Marzocchi suspension has 200mm of travel (plenty for much of the UK green lane network, not enough for really rough work).

Chinese lanterns

Diddy LED is surprisingly effective on dipped beam – it has good spread and reasonable illumination, and the high beam pushes it a bit further. But the spotlights increase that drastically.

MCN Verdict

‘Rivals need to worry’

BMW, Kawasaki and CFMoto need to worry: it’s expected a Chinese bike will undercut rivals, and it’s not unusual for them to come laden with accessories. But the 450 RX takes these points and underpins them with a competent, well-developed package.

The £1500 saving over a basic F450GS leaves a lot of money to improve and maintain it, while Kawasaki’s KLE500SE is £1000 more, but the SRT arguably delivers a greater depth of ability for an adventure bike with a road focus.