From four fails to Guinness World Record: ZXMOTO founder rides 25.3 miles on open water

Chinese motorcycle entrepreneur Zhang Xue has set a Guinness World Record by riding a modified motorcycle 40.74 kilometers (about 25.3 miles) across open water, completing a challenge that dunked him four times when he first tried it 17 years ago.

Zhang, founder of motorcycle maker ZXMOTO, made the ride on a river in his hometown of Mayang Miao Autonomous County, in Huaihua, Hunan Province, on Sunday, Oct. 25. The distance topped the previous record for a modified motorcycle on open water, 31.8 kilometers (about 19.8 miles). It stands as the greatest distance traveled over open water by a modified motorcycle.

A record in about 32 minutes

Zhang set off at 11 a.m. and finished shortly after 11:30 a.m., about 32 minutes later, on a course of repeated back-and-forth runs and turns. Guinness officials on site checked GPS tracking, timing data and video, and adjudicator Xiong Wen confirmed the record. Rescue boats and medical teams stood by throughout.

That works out to an average of roughly 47 mph (76 km/h), though Zhang said he purposely held back on speed to focus on finishing safely.

How the bike floats

The bike was based on ZXMOTO’s MX450, which has a company-developed single-cylinder engine rated at more than 60 horsepower. The team kept the standard frame and powertrain but added an amphibious ski system underneath, an enlarged fuel tank and waterproofing for key parts, including the intake and exhaust. Special paddle-style rear tires push water backward for propulsion, while the front ski works as a rudder. The motorcycle builds speed on land before skimming across the water.

Engineers spent five months refining buoyancy, waterproof sealing and power matching, and repeatedly tested the bike on water. They changed the flotation boards from wider to narrower designs to improve both lift and steering. Keeping the engine strong while keeping water out was one of the main challenges.

From four falls to a world record

In 2009, 22-year-old Zhang appeared on a CCTV program and tried four times to ride a crudely modified motorcycle across water. Each attempt ended with a fall. His best run covered about 20 meters (66 feet) of a 26-meter (85-foot) target. He later entered the motorcycle industry, helping found Kove Moto in 2017 before launching his own brand in 2024.

“I have strong faith that I can make it happen,” Zhang said afterward. “Even if I fail, I will pursue it without hesitation.” He rated his own ride 99 out of 100, saying he wanted to “leave one point” to avoid becoming too proud.

A hometown showcase

Zhang chose Mayang partly to draw attention to the area. “The spirit of perseverance comes from this land,” he said, adding that he wanted to fulfill a dream there and let the world see it.

A day earlier, he was appointed a tourism ambassador for Huaihua, and the city’s Party secretary met with him and his team to invite him to help promote local tourism and products.

Source: https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/zhang-xue-zxmoto-motorcycle-water-record-40-74-km