The 24th China International Motorcycle Trade Exhibition runs from 19 to 22 September 2026 at the Chongqing International Expo Center. The organizer expects more than 1,000 exhibitors, 100-plus motorcycle and electric two-wheeler brands, over 3,000 vehicles and an exhibition area above 170,000 square meters, which would make it the largest edition since the show started in 2002.
It arrives in a year when exports, not the domestic market, are carrying the Chinese motorcycle industry. That shapes what international buyers will find on the floor.
How much bigger is it, really
The 2025 edition closed with 950 exhibitors across 160,000 square meters and seven indoor halls. The organizer reported 250,000 visits including more than 40,000 trade visitors and 3,861 overseas attendees from 94 countries. The 2024 edition had 877 exhibitors on the same footprint.
The 2026 show adds an eighth indoor hall and roughly 10,000 square meters, which works out to around 5 percent growth in exhibitors and 6 percent in floor space. Real expansion, but incremental rather than a step change. The outdoor experience area stays at 80,000 square meters. The genuinely new element is a general machinery zone making its debut, widening the show beyond two-wheelers into engines, generators and pumps.
All 2026 figures are organizer forecasts issued before the show. Treat them as targets until the post-show release.
The export numbers behind the buyer program
Chinese customs data reported by the South China Morning Post shows motorcycle exports in the first half of 2026 reached 26.2 million units worth 11.28 billion US dollars, up 23.2 percent in volume and 26.3 percent in value year on year. Shipments to the United States rose 40 percent to more than 3.9 million units worth 1.13 billion dollars, still subject to tariffs. ASEAN volumes climbed 43.2 percent, with value up 55.1 percent to 980 million dollars.
The domestic picture is the opposite. MotorCyclesData reports first-quarter registrations in China fell 9.3 percent to 2.65 million units, with the electric segment down 5.5 percent. Urban restrictions and consumers moving to cars continue to shrink domestic volume, while the premium segment above 250cc grows.
This is why the organizer has put the Global Motorcycle Supply Chain and Trade Matchmaking program at the center of the 2026 edition. Manufacturers with shrinking home demand and expanding export orders have a strong reason to take international meetings seriously this year.
Who the matchmaking is aimed at
The program targets buyers from 21 named markets, including Mexico, Argentina, the Philippines, Colombia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Brazil, the United States, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand, India, Vietnam and Russia. The organizer says buyers from more than 20 countries have registered so far, sourcing complete motorcycles, spare parts, riding gear and electric mobility products.
The concurrent 2026 China Motorcycle Chongqing Forum covers international expansion strategy, technology and changing usage patterns.
What this means for international buyers
Start by checking whether you need a visa at all. China’s unilateral 30-day visa-free policy covered 50 countries as of 17 February 2026, when the UK and Canada were added, and runs to 31 December 2026. Chinese consular guidance confirms that attending conferences and exhibitions is a permitted purpose under the waiver. Buyers from most of Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Argentina can therefore attend CIMAMotor on a passport alone, with no visa and no invitation letter. The United States is not on that list.
If you do need an M business visa, the rules changed four days before the show opens. China’s new Regulations on Exit and Entry Administration, State Council Decree No. 841, take effect on 15 September 2026. The stated purpose of an application must be truthful and lawful, immigration officers can request supporting documents or electronic data to verify it, and the organizations issuing invitation letters are now accountable for their accuracy, with fines for false information. Get your invitation directly from the organizer rather than a third-party agent, and make sure the purpose on your application matches what the letter says. Separately, the Ministry of Commerce and eight other departments announced in March 2026 that approval procedures for foreigners attending exhibitions would be simplified, including removing inviting-party commitment letters, though implementation detail is still pending.
US buyers and others outside the 30-day list have a second route. Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is a designated port for China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy, which permits movement across 24 provincial regions but requires an onward ticket to a third country. A Chongqing stop routed onward through Hong Kong works where a direct return home does not. The eligible-nationality list for transit differs from the 30-day list and has changed several times this year, so verify yours with the National Immigration Administration before booking.
On timing your meeting requests: ASEAN and Latin American buyers are the fastest-growing customer group for Chinese manufacturers right now, which means the strongest supplier interest but also the most competition for matchmaking slots. Buyers from smaller or slower-growing markets should submit sourcing requirements early rather than relying on walk-up contact at the booth.
Trade visitor pre-registration is open through the official registration page. Full show details, venue information and industry context are on the CIMAMotor 2026 event page, alongside other Chongqing trade shows and automotive and mobility exhibitions across China.
Source: CIMAMotor press release via PR Newswire; 2026 scale and hall count from ichongqing; China customs export data reported by the South China Morning Post; 2025 edition results from MEGA CHINAMOTOR; domestic registration data from MotorCyclesData; State Council Decree No. 841 analysis from Newland Chase.
