The dual-sport segment is one of the most versatile in motorcycling. It’s all in the name—dual and sport. These bikes do it all. They're light enough for tight trails, tame enough for city streets, and rugged enough for weekend adventures. But beyond capability, they’re also incredibly approachable.
Newbies love them because they’re easy to ride. Veterans love them because they can take a beating and still rip. That’s why bikes like the Suzuki DR-Z400 and Honda CRF300 Rally have become modern-day staples.
So naturally, Chinese manufacturers are starting to circle—and they’ve gotten good at grabbing the low-hanging fruit. They’ve done it with nakeds, scooters, sportbikes, ADVs, and now they’re setting their sights on dual-sports. CFMoto has the 230 Dual. And now QJ Motor wants to take a bite out of Honda’s market with the all-new SRT 300 DX.
And look—we’ve got to talk about the styling first. From a distance, you might think it’s a weird-looking Africa Twin. The tall stance and those dual headlights scream mini-AT. And that’s not random. QJ Motor has been using that design language for a while now, especially during its collaboration with MV Agusta on the Lucky Explorer Project, which would later morph into the MV Agusta Enduro Veloce. So yeah, it might feel like a copycat—but they’ve been rehearsing this look for a few years now.
But let’s get into the specs. The SRT 300 DX packs a 292.3cc water-cooled, four-valve, single-cylinder engine producing 29 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 19.6 pound-feet of torque at 7,000 rpm. That gives it a small edge over the Honda CRF300 Rally, which makes around 27.3 horsepower and 19.6 pound-feet of torque. Coincidence? Maybe. But it’s hard to ignore how close those numbers are.
It’s also built with real off-road intentions. The SRT gets a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheel setup, wears CST knobbies (90/90 front, 120/80 rear), and offers a generous 10.8 inches of ground clearance. Suspension travel hasn’t been published yet, but it’s safe to assume it’ll be close to the 8 inches of travel offered by most rivals in this category.
Despite a steel frame, it keeps weight down to a pretty respectable 157 kilograms (346 pounds). That’s lighter than you’d expect, and definitely welcome when you’re picking it up off the trail. Seat height is 35 inches, so yeah—definitely not for the inseam-challenged.
Power-wise, it’s running a short-stroke engine (78 mm bore, 61.2 mm stroke), which should make it a little zingier up top than the CRF’s more torque-forward mill. Whether it’s as smooth or refined is a different story—QJ Motor has come a long way, but Honda’s still the benchmark in this class.
Some smart design touches help the SRT stand out. A quick-release front wheel is a nice addition for trail riders or anyone who regularly hauls their bike around. It’s rare to see that feature on budget bikes, and it shows QJ’s thinking beyond just spec-sheet bait.
But of course, the biggest kicker is the price. In China, the SRT 300 DX is listed at just over $4,350 USD. That’s a massive undercut compared to the Honda CRF300 Rally, which sells for around $7,600 USD in Europe and even more in some markets. Even other contenders like the Voge 300 Rally hover around $5,000 USD, so the QJ still holds the edge.
So—is it a blatant CRF copy? Possibly. QJ Motor (and its parent company Qianjiang) has a reputation for reverse-engineering successful bikes. The CB500 twin has already been cloned more times than we can count. But at the same time, this doesn’t feel like a lazy ripoff. It feels like a calculated strike at a popular segment, and frankly, the spec sheet is hard to ignore.
The SRT 300 DX likely won’t hit the US anytime soon, but for markets like Southeast Asia and parts of Europe, this could be a game-changer. Especially if QJ gets the price and dealer support right.
