QJ Motor SRC 500

Why to buy it?

- Looks stylish

- Enjoyable engine performance

- Comfortable ride at highway speeds

Why to avoid it?

- Lacks features

- Expensive price

Chinese two-wheeler maker, QJ Motors, and its Indian partner, Adishwar Auto Ride India, are aiming to take a share of the retro-style motorcycle market with the SRC 500. This middleweight, single-cylinder, thumper from the Chinese brand carries a retro charm in terms of styling, while the engine packs a very enjoyable character. But is it enough to attract attention in a segment that is dominated by Royal Enfield? We tested the motorcycle for a week, over a few hundred kilometres to bring you a detailed road test review. And similar to every other review on our website, we are going to start with its styling.

As mentioned above, the SRC 500 competes in the retro-style market in India, and it thus packs the necessary styling cues. The motorcycle features a single-pod headlight in a round shape, round-shaped rear-view mirrors, a twin-pod instrument cluster, a tear-drop-shaped fuel tank, a single-piece saddle with a dual-tone seat cover, and a peashooter exhaust.

Now, there are subtle hints of chrome highlights, but they do not overpower the visuals, while the red and white paint theme makes the motorcycle more likeable. That said, the chrome elements on the SRC 500 include garnishing for the headlight and taillight, rear-view mirror housings, fuel-filler cap, pillion grabrails, and turn indicator body. Meanwhile, the blacked-out finish to the engine gives it a more mature look. The styling is complemented by good paint quality that features a metallic flake finish, making the QJ SRC 500 look like a premium product.

However, a closer look reveals some flaws in the motorcycle. The lack of panels around the instrument cluster, for example, exposes the wiring on the digital display and it isn’t very visually pleasing on an otherwise good-looking motorcycle. This also seemed to have affected the function of the display that briefly froze and would stay on despite turning off the key. The issue was resolved by itself, and the only possible reason behind this malfunction could be attributed to the post-wash moisture that may have affected the unit.

Then, there are the rider footpegs that look like they belong to a much cheaper commuter motorcycle rather than a premium product with an expensive price tag. To further add to the fit-and-finish complaints is a buzzing noise that was noticeable from the area around the instrument cluster. Now the question is, d is this a deal breaker? Well, not really, because there are other likeable bits on the SRC 500 to make up for it.

This retro-style Chinese product is designed for relaxed riding, and the ergonomics are spot-on for the task. The handlebar is easily reachable, while the footpegs are slightly forward-set. This delivers a very comfortable rider’s triangle. Further, the seat height of 800mm makes it fairly approachable, and at 5’10” of height, reaching the terra-firma flat-footed was not challenging. Now, it does tip the weighing scale at 205kg (kerb), which translates into some inconvenience while moving it in traffic or parking it on the centre stand. But the motorcycle hides its weight efficiently once in motion.

The suspension setup, too, complements the relaxed riding aspect as long as you put enough pressure on the springs. This can be done with the added weight of the pillion or by riding the motorcycle at a faster pace. Thus, at highway speeds, around 60-80kmph, the front forks and twin rear springs iron out minor undulations efficiently. At slower speeds, however, say around 30-40kmph, the setup at the rear feels firm, especially when riding solo. Notably, this motorcycle isn’t something that can be labelled as a canyon carver, and it isn’t very stable at high speeds. But achieving a high-speed record or settling lap times isn’t a key responsibility of the SRC 500. What this motorcycle aims to deliver is a relaxed ride experience – and it does that efficiently. But does relaxing mean being slow and lazy?

The engine performance will surprise you, and in a pleasant way. The SRC 500 is powered by a 480cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine with two valves and a single overhead camshaft. Linked to a five-speed gearbox, this motor delivers a maximum output of 25bhp at 5,750rpm and a peak torque of 36Nm at 4,250rpm. The motor feels comfortable anywhere above 2,500rpm and builds power at a commendable pace all the way until its redline of 6,000rpm. In the top gear, the SRC 500 can ride at 80kmph at just 3,000rpm, while 100kmph comes just 1,000 rotations later at 4,000rpm.

The light clutch and a relatively low turning radius are a blessing, especially when riding in bumper-to-bumper traffic. However, the only thing that felt missing from the package was a crisp feeling from the gear shifts. Then, as mentioned earlier, the motorcycle feels uncomfortable when pushed hard around corners or while riding above 120kmph. But cruising at 80-100kmph is almost effortless and as long as you are going easy around the corner, it feels well-behaved.

What also feels inadequate is the feedback from the braking setup that lacks the confidence-inspiring bite, especially when dropping the anchor from high speeds – say 80-100kmph. Notably, it gets 300mm front and 240mm rear discs along with a dual-channel ABS. But the feature list isn’t as comprehensive as some of the other retro-style products in India.

The retro-styling is accompanied by basic features such as halogen lighting all around, a digital display, and the aforementioned dual-channel ABS. While the console packs a twin-pod digital display, the data on the screens is very limited. The left side of the instrument cluster shows the speedometer, odometer, and a fuel gauge. Meanwhile, the right side displays the tachometer, gear position indicator, two trip meters, a digital clock, and tell-tale indicators. The adjustable levers and hazard light functions add a hint of premiumness to the package, but the SRC 500 will not give you bragging rights among fellow riders – say people who would show up at the café on the likes of the Royal Enfield Classic 350 or Honda CB350 RS.

In our internal test, the QJ SRC 500 returned a fuel economy of 34.8kmpl. During the fuel economy test, we faced moderate traffic and as our standard operating procedure, rode the motorcycle under 4,000rpm, turning off the engine at signals more than 30 seconds long. This fuel economy, along with a 15.5-litre fuel tank, gives the SRC 500 a range of 540km. This is a commendable number considering the Royal Enfield Classic 350, with a relatively lower displacement and power output, delivered 32kmpl in similar conditions.

The QJ SRC 500 is designed for a specific purpose – laid-back riding – and it does that job efficiently. The ergonomics are comfortable, while the ride quality is plush at highway speeds, and all of this makes the experience from the saddle very likeable. At the same time, it looks appealing as well, especially in the red and white paint theme that you see in the pictures. Further, excluding the very few concerns such as the wiring under the console and the basic footpegs, the motorcycle feels premium.

Its engine also packs enough grunt throughout the rev band for laid-back, as well as spirited riding, and it feels more enjoyable than the likes of the Royal Enfield Classic 350. But the braking and suspension setup feel uncomfortable while trying to keep up with high-speed demands. In all honesty, these aren’t deal breakers. In fact, it makes a surprisingly strong case when considering the target audience and the performance edge it has over the single-cylinder thumpers in the Indian market.

But it has two red flags in my books. The first issue is the premium price tag of Rs. 2.69 lakh, which puts it very close to a well-established product from Royal Enfield the Interceptor 650 that packs a higher displacement, twice the number of cylinders, and produces more power than the SRC 500. Secondly, the dealer and service network, or the lack of it, may make the ownership experience less pleasant. The company will eventually address the dealer and service network, but currently, it has a major presence in the southern part of the country.

So unless you are specifically looking for a middleweight thumper that has a very likeable performance along with a retro charm, and can live with limited service network availability, we recommend considering the Royal Enfield models at the same pricing.

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi