You may have forgotten that the once Italian bike brand Morbidelli was still around. Well, it is, and under QJMotor’s Chinese leadership, it has been on an upswing of sorts – especially in European, South American, and Asian markets. Now, it looks like the company is headed to America … with two exciting adventure offerings.
How do two brand-new 1-liter V-twin adventure bikes sound? Both with features like adjustable suspension, multiple riding modes, heated grips and seats, and Pirelli tires.
QJ North America Inc. has received EPA validation to sell the T1002V and T1002VX in the US. Both these motorcycles will be 2026 model year bikes – which means Americans will be getting the same units with identical specs to the European models, technically.
That starts with the engine, a 997cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, 80-degree V-twin that puts out a claimed 88.5 horsepower at 7,750 RPM and 65.6 lb.ft (89 Nm) of torque at 5,250 RPM. It comes mated to a conventional six-speed transmission and a chain final drive with a slipper clutch.
When you pit it against more established liter-class adventure bikes, those numbers appear rather tame. For comparison, the likes of Honda’s Africa Twin and Ducati’s Desert X offer both more power and torque – 100.5 hp and 82.6 lb.ft (112 Nm), and 110 hp and 68 lb.ft (98 Nm), respectively.
But then again, you’d be paying a fraction of what you’d typically pay for premium adventure bikes like the Africa Twin and the Desert X. So I don’t think most buyers will be complaining about a lack of performance.
Other bits, too, look good so far. You get a 19/17-inch wheel setup (cast alloy with tubeless rubber on the V and spoke-type with tube rubber on the VX). Suspension comes from KYB – 43-mm upside-down adjustable forks and an adjustable rear monoshock.
The 32.3-in (820-mm) seat height and 584-lb (265-kg) curb weight is the same on both models, which only differ in styling. The T1002VX is more off-road focused compared to the standard trim, but it’s barely limited to the wheel and tire upgrades.
And as you’d expect from Chinese motorcycles, the T1002V and T1002VX also come packed with plenty of amenities. There’s a big 7-inch TFT instrument cluster that comes with phone connectivity, which can be controlled by backlit toggles on the handlebars. You also get heated seats and grips, an adjustable windshield, a tire pressure monitoring system, cornering ABS, traction control, and all-LED lighting.
As for pricing, the T1002V and T1002VX start at £8,299 in the UK. That’s US$11,284 per direct conversion. And that includes a full kit of aluminum luggage – something you’d be expected to shell out around $1,500 over and above.
That pricing alone is on par with most middleweight adventure bikes. That’s incredible value. To put it in perspective, the Ducati Desert X can be had for $18,995, while the Honda Africa Twin, although more affordable at $14,799, is still a whole lot pricier than the T1002V.
Of course, as CycleWorld points out, tariffs will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the bikes' cost and appeal, and although the EPA approval indicates that they can be sold in the US in 2026, we’re still awaiting an official word from Morbidelli.
And if you're looking for something unique, you'll not find it here. It looks like a lot of adventure bikes out there. For starters, that side profile reminds me a lot of the Triumph Tiger and the Ducati Multistrada. There’s even a hint of the Suzuki V-Strom, and its Chinese sibling, the Benelli TRK 902, for that matter.
Source: Morbidelli via CycleWorld
