Ever since I saw CFMoto's jaw-dropping V4 SR-RR at EICMA last year, I knew the company was edging ever closer to serious racing. There were rumors we might see CFMoto in MotoGP and that we'd see the V4 SR-RR in World SuperBike (WSBK) even sooner. I was so caught up in following the company's short circuit progression that I never stopped to think the Chinese brand could also be eying up a road race. It turns out it was, and not just any road race: the biggest of all time.
The Sportbike class is a new addition for the TT this year and gives a home to bikes like the Triumph Daytona 660, Yamaha R7, and CFMoto 675SR-R, to name but a few. For many of the bikes in this category, it'll be their first time around the Mountain Course, barring models that competed in the Super Twins category previously. What makes CFMoto's 675SR-R entry significant is that it'll be the first time that a bike designed in China, branding a Chinese logo, will tackle the 37.73-mile course—the logo aspect of this is important, and I'll tell you why further down.
The three-cylinder sportbike is paired with the Moto Twelve Racing team after the pairing achieved a relatively successful season racing in the Sportbike class in the British Superbike (BSB) championship. But the IOMTT is a totally different animal from short circuit racing, and as such, you need different animals piloting the bike.
Moto Twelve used its BSB riders to develop the 675SR-R but recruited Shaun Anderson and Jamie Cringle to aid in the hunt for podium success around the Mountain Course. Anderson brings 54 TT starts to the team and the 130 mph average speed badge, which is a fairly exclusive club. Cringle rounds out the team with plenty of local knowledge, as he's from the Isle of Man and five years of TT racing under his belt.
Jamie Cringle said, “Born and raised on the Isle of Man, this is a huge opportunity for me and one I’m incredibly grateful for. I’m really looking forward to learning more about the bike and working with the MotoTwelve team. I’m already excited about racing the CFMOTO 675SR-R. around the Mountain Course.” Anderson followed up by stating, It’s an exciting challenge to be part of a new project like this at the TT. Bringing a new manufacturer to the Mountain Course is something different; our focus will be on building consistency and developing the bike throughout the week ahead of the two races.”
The funny thing is, a CFMoto machine already raced in the IOMTT as far back as 2013, but very few people know about it. A UK-based importer, WK Bikes, sourced motorcycles from China as a platform for entries in the twin-cylinder category. The bikes had CFMoto DNA, but they never wore the logo, making this 2026 entry to the IOMTT the official debut for the brand.
