Is there any more iconic Harley-Davidson motorcycle than the hot rod Fat Boy?
From Hollywood stardom to being immortalised as a Lego toy, the Softail Fat Boy is the “most copied motorcycle of all time” according to Harley spokesman Kevin Hintz.
It was introduced in 1989 as a 1990 model and designed by legendary Harley stylists Willie G. Davidson and Louie Netz as a modernised version of the 1949 Hydra-Glide.
The next year, it was ridden to instant stardom by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
Arnie’s Fat Boy
The movie featured a chase scene in which the bike performed a spectacular jump in the LA sewers. Next to The Great Escape jump, it’s probably the most famous motorcycle stunt in cinematic history.
The 3m jump is impressive as stunt double Peter Kent is riding a 300+kg Fat Boy beast, not a relatively nimble little Triumph dirt bike like in The Great Escape.
However, Hollywood trickery did assist as the Fat Boy was supported by 3cm cables. So when bike and ride hit the ground, they weighed only about 80kg. The cables were later digitally erased.
The Fat Boy also played an integral role in the marketing of the film with posters depicting Arnold in leather jacket and pants straddling the bike and carrying his lever-action Winchester shotgun. It’s an image for all time that has bestowed the Fat Boy model with intrinsic and monetary value.
In 2017, Harley made major changes to its Softail range with lighter weight, improved suspension, bigger Milwaukee Eight 107 and 114 engines and two new and very stiff frames.
The wider frame accommodates the massively wide 240mm-section rear tyre of the Breakout and Fat Boy, up from 200mm.
For 2021, the Fat Boy gets minor styling updates and drops the 107 engine, only coming with the 114 plant.
The styling changes would only be noticeable to a Fat Boy tragic.
They include some cosmetic changes, a wet weather “sock” on the hi-flow air filter and a digital fuel gauge in the main instruments, replacing the analogue dial in the “dummy” left fuel cap on the tank. Traditionalists may not like that, but the old gauge was difficult to read.
Sadly, they have also dropped the cruise control that was on the previous S variant.
The remaining styling elements are very similar to those of Arnie’s Fat Boy: Solid Lakester wheels, fat forks, heavily chromed headlight nacelle and wide handlebars.
It’s a style that divides opinion, but there is no doubting it has many steadfast fans and even a legion of young fans.
I’ve ridden every Fat Boy model for the past couple of decades and have always noticed the admiring glances it gets from riders and non riders alike.
But is it a case of form over function?
Certainly the major chassis and powertrain changes of 2017 have improved its function … to a degree.
Yes it has better suspension with an external preload adjuster and dual-bending valve telescopic cartridge forks, smoother transmission and 161Nm of grunt yet even better fuel economy!
But that 240mm, low-profile rear tyre is never going to work well.
The low profile results in a harsh ride, despite the improved rear shock.
It also means you need Arnie’s biceps to counter steer the bike and hold your line in corners as the flat profile tyre tries to stand the bike upright.
We’ve all heard it said that Harleys won’t go around corners. That’s rubbish. Many modern Harleys handle quite well, albeit with limited cruiser-style clearance issues. After two weeks with a Fat Boy test bike, the wide floorboards are copping a hammering.
But the Fat Boy also has issues riding in a straight line on anything less than perfect road surfaces.
If there is a camber in the road, the rear tyre will follow it downhill.
If you hit a bump, the rear tyre will push away from it.
And if you ride over any longitudinal crack, the rear tyre will follow it.
This all makes riding the Fat Boy a tiring experience; a bit like an arms session in the gym.
But isn’t that what really appeals about this bike, anyway? Its need for some muscle behind the bars is intrinsic to its macho appeal.
I attended the international media launch for the LiveWire in Portland, Oregon, in July 2019, and it has taken almost almost two years before I could get one in Brisbane for a local road test.
It’s certainly been worth the wait.
The 100km launch ride was electrifying with the LiveWire living up to its name as a lively motorcycle capable of reaching highway speed in just three seconds. And that wasn’t on a drag strip with a professional racer aboard and a high wind at his back. We were able to do it easily on a quiet stretch of highway.
MBW riding the LiveWire at its launch in Oregon
This is not an electric toy! It’s a real bike.
The LiveWire also impressed with its build quality, handling, technology, braking and sheer stunning looks.
It took 17 months before the first LiveWire was available to buy in Australia at a whopping $A49,995 (plus $295 if you want the orange one, not the plain black). Only their limited edition CVO models and Tri Glide trike are more expensive.
Here is what I found living with the bike on a two-week road test.
Living with a LiveWire
After two weeks of riding the LiveWire, I found there is a lot more to like about the experience of living with an electric motorcycle, especially the high-performance, hi-tech LiveWire.
Despite the absence of the traditional Harley sound, I actually enjoyed the mindfulness and alertness of riding around town in near silence.
Harley has given the motor a slight “pulse” to try to satisfy traditional riders who like an engine to have some “feeling” and installed a bevel geared primary drive to provide a whining sound.
But ironically the ringing in my ears caused by years of riding loud bikes is actually louder than the LiveWire’s Revelation motor.
Out on the highway all you hear is the wind noise. It’s like flying a glider close to the ground.
The experience magnifies your joys of acceleration and moving through the rolling landscapes.
It also means you can hear music, GPS directions or phone calls on your helmet intercom at lower and safer levels.
Steering the bike up my favourite piece of road to Mt Glorious, the near-silent LiveWire is in harmony with the pristine forest and in sync with the twisting tarmac.
It handles and performs as well as most litre-plus naked bikes; better in some respects.
Although it’s on the heavy side at 251kg, it feels quite nimble. One of the benefits of electric motorcycles is the weight distribution is more flexible and Harley has centred the weight down very low.
It steers with precision and there is little centrifugal mass to overcome when turning. However, the front wheel will follow longitudinal cracks and there is some bump-steer.
Showa suspension provides crisp handling, if a little abrupt over high-frequency bumps.
LiveWire simply loves corners and the sticky purpose-built and Harley-labelled Michelin Scorcher tyres are well up to the task.
The Brembo brakes are excellent and ably assisted by the motor resistance or “engine braking” when you wind off the throttle. This also helps to regenerate power back to the battery.
In fact, I rode all the way up and down the mountain with rare brake application because of the strong regenerative braking effect. That means no brake fade and long brake pad and disc life.
Since engine braking is so significant, the rear stop lights flash when you roll off the throttle to warn those following.
There are no gears and therefore no clutch; just a twist-and-go throttle which results in instant acceleration at any speed and makes it eminently suitable for a complex series of turns.
I didn’t miss changing gears and only reached for the clutch once in my two-week stint with the bike.
It all adds up to an electrifying experience on your favourite stretch of winding tar.
It’s also a hi-tech experience with cruise control, self-cancelling indicators and Bluetooth capability.
You can pair with a “HD Connect” Android and iOS phone app that will remotely check battery and charging status, show the nearest charging stations, provide service reminders and notify you if your bike is being tampered with. If it is stolen, a GPS tracker will follow its location.
Another cool feature is the fact that the water-cooled motor and battery is cool to the touch.
So it doesn’t just look cool and represent a cool trend in motorcycling, it’s literally cool on your legs on a typical Queensland summer commute!
MBW rides the LiveWire in Portland, Oregon
LiveWire quirks
But there are quirks to living with the electric LiveWire, too.
The LiveWire comes with a 3m charging cable under the seat that costs a whopping $A1100 to replace, so make sure you always lock the seat with the key.
I also found it difficult to fit the charger and cable in the limited space and close the seat without pinching and damaging the expensive cable.
At $1100 you would think Harley could make a more convenient charging module with retractable cables that easily and neatly fits under the seat.
Since many Australian houses have lock-up garages with mains power, it is convenient to park and charge an electric vehicle. It may be more difficult without a secure garage.
The supplied type 2 charging cable plugs into the AC mains wall socket at one end and at the other end it goes into a socket on the bike where a normal petrol cap would be.
The charge cable is also CCS2 for DC Mennekes quick charging.
Harley says it will not operate on the free Tesla charging network that can be found at many urban shopping centres.
However, the plug and socket look the same as the Universal Mobile Connector (UMC) used by Tesla, so I tried it and on two occasions it worked.
On a third occasion it threw up an error message and failed to charge.
This was when I discovered that the so-called issue of EV “range anxiety” is real.
Harley claims LiveWire’s 15.5kWh Samsung battery is good for 235km of city range or 152km of highway range.
That should make it suitable for a narrow range of activities such as cafe runs, short blasts up your favourite mountain road and commuting. Mind you, $50k is a lot to pay for a commuter bike.
Noting the range limitations, I still experienced range anxiety because of the unique realities of riding an electric motorcycle and the variables that can have a huge impact on your journey.
For example, I rode 20km to meet a mate for coffee, but the stylish tablet-style instruments showed I had ridden almost 30km and used almost 15% battery because I was riding mainly on the highway.
On another occasion I rode 23km through the suburbs for a coffee, but the battery charge indicator showed I had used only 18km of range and 10% of the battery.
These quirks mean you are constantly making calculations in your mind to determine whether you will reach your next destination and get home again.
It all gets even more complicated factoring in your rider behaviour, carrying a pillion and the engine mode you select which not only varies the ABS and traction levels, but also throttle response and engine braking.
There are seven rider modes to choose from: eco, sport, rain, highway and the three customisable modes.
On a recent open-roads ride with some mates, I had to leave early when I became anxious about being able to get home, even though I had been riding in “eco mode”.
As it turned out I made it home with just 14km of range and 7% battery remaining, so it was wise to prematurely cut from the pack.
On a traditional internal-combustion-engined motorcycle, it wouldn’t really matter if I ran out of fuel. I could walk to the nearest petrol station and get a 5-litre jerry of fuel, or a mate could do it, or I could phone the RACQ breakdown service as many thousands of members do when they run out of fuel.
On the electric LiveWire, I would have to find the nearest level-one 240V mains charging points with the HD proprietary app or any of the many other available apps such as PlugShare, ChargePoint, NextCharge, Chargemap, etc.
There is a surprisingly large number of these points available in urban areas, but not in the bush.
Once I found the charging point, it would take about 90 minutes to replace enough charge for about 20km worth of charge.
That’s not so bad, as you can grab a coffee or a meal while you wait and answer the many questions about the bike from interested bystanders.
A full charge on 240V mains power takes about 11 hours, but if you can get to a level-three quick-charge point, you can charge the battery to 80% in 40 minutes and 100% in 60 minutes. The RACQ also has some rescue vehicles with quick chargers.
However, it should be noted that while the “Rechargeable Energy Storage System” does not limit the number of times a Level 3 DC fast charger (480V) can be used, Harley warns that more frequent DC fast charging will “stress the battery more than Level 1 charging”.
They recommend you avoid using DC fast charge, exclusively.
The suggested best practice is to alternate charging between Level 1 and Level 3 DC Fast Charge in a 4:1 ratio (4 Level 1 charges to every 1 Level 3 fast charge).
The big high-voltage Lithium-ion recyclable battery made up of Samsung battery modules has a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.
Harley says it should last 10 years without significant loss of capacity unless it is frequently quick-charged, not treated well or used extensively in extreme cold conditions.
The company could not tell me how much a replacement main battery will cost, probably because you won’t need to pay for one if you need a replacement in the next five years as they are covered by warranty. They may also not be able to predict the retail cost of a battery five years from now, as it would be a lot cheaper!
While 235km sounds like good range, that’s purely for riding around the city where there is a lot of regenerative braking.
If you want to go for a ride with your mates, don’t count on riding 152km with them as you may already have ridden 20km or more just to meet up for the ride.
Conclusion
If you love the sound of a Harley and the flexibility of long-range touring, the LiveWire is not for you.
In fact, it is so far removed from the type of bike so beloved by traditional Harley diehards that the company is creating a separate LiveWire brand for their urban electric motorcycles.
Harley doesn’t really state a financial case for the LiveWire, either. That’s because the colossal initial purchase cost far outweighs the economic advantages of low running and servicing costs.
The cat of fully charging the bike is less than $4 at Queensland’s rate of 25c/kWh. That’s about a quarter of the cost of an equivalent-range, high-performance ICE bike.
Harley says an 8000km service will cost about $400 plus any consumables such as tyres, brake pads and a drive belt.
As for the environmental benefits, it depends on how you derive your electricity, but at least it adds no tailpipe emissions to polluted urban areas.
Harley is simply targeting cashed-up early adopters who will appreciate the thrill of a unique riding experience.
LiveWire may have limited urban uses, but it performs those tasks in an exhilarating manner. Yes, it’s electrifying.
Key facts
Price: $49,995 ride-away (+ $295 for orange).
Warranty: 5 years/unlimited km on main battery, 2 years on bike.
The brand name “Harley-Davidson” currently adorns the electric LiveWire motorcycle, but future electric bikes from the iconic American manufacturer may not feature its venerable name.
Instead, they will be branded “LiveWire” and will initially target urban riders.
Harley has announced the new all-electric brand will kick off with a new model to be launched on July 8, 2021.
It makes sense that Harley would look to dissociate its name from electric motorcycles given the resistance from some traditional Harley diehards.
They may view the LiveWire with suspicion, given its lack of “potato-potato” V-twin noise … or any noise except a slight whirring.
LiveWire certainly turns heads
However, Harley is not totally divorcing itself from the LiveWire brand with the brand being physically housed in their facilities and the electric technology finding its way int future Harley models.
In a press statement, Harley says LiveWire “draws on its DNA as an agile disruptor from the lineage of Harley-Davidson, capitalising on a decade of learnings in the EV sector and the heritage of the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world”.
“LiveWire will be headquartered virtually, with initial hubs in Silicon Valley, CA (LiveWire Labs) and Milwaukee, WI,” the statement says.
And it appears they are looking for staff.
The brand will initially focus on the urban market, but will also “pioneer the electric motorcycle space, and beyond”.
Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson, says the LiveWire brand strategy fits int his six pillars of The Hardwire Strategy.
“By launching LiveWire as an all-electric brand, we are seizing the opportunity to lead and define the market in EV,” he says.
“With the mission to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world, LiveWire will pioneer the future of motorcycling, for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond.
“LiveWire also plans to innovate and develop technology that will be applicable to Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles in the future.”
LiveWire will be sold through current Harley-Davidson dealers as an independent brand with some dedicated EV showrooms as well as online purchasing.
After a long wait, the handsome CFMoto 700CL-X range will be launched in Australia in July at $9490, ride away.
The bike was to be launched last year, then the launch was pushed back to early this year, presumably because of the pandemic.
More than 8000 have now been produced in China, so they will start to roll out around the world.
When it does arrive, it will come with a pack of accessories including classic-style panniers, a diamond-stitched seat, protection and bar-end mirrors, as well as a collection of rider gear.
It will continue CFMoto’s reputation as one of the most affordable brands on the market.
There were to be three models: Sports with bar-end mirrors, lower bars, solo seat and mag wheels; Classic with more complex mags, round mirrors and wide bars; and Adventure with a screen, wire wheels and knobby tyres.
However, CFMoto Australia director Michael Poynton says the 700CL-X will arrive in the Classic model only in a choice of grey or blue.
It will include a two-year unlimited kilometre warranty plus an extra year if servicing is done by an authorised dealer.
The Adventure and Sports will arrive later this year.
“The 700CL-X is extremely important to us,” Michael says.
“It will be the company’s first non-LAMS model, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg of what we can expect from CFMOTO as a result of its relationship with KTM,” Michael says.
“Underscoring that relationship is a significant joint venture built on bricks and mortar.”
Last year the company opened a new office and R&D building, in Hangzhou, China, as well as a new manufacturing facility nearby.
CFMoto 700CL-X
Most CFMoto models are now designed by Kiska, the contemporary Austrian design house that does KTM’s design work.
This Euro-designed bike features a mix of modern and traditional influences.
For example, the traditional round headlight has LED lighting and the round instruments have an LCD readout that can display fuel consumption and incoming call.
Interestingly, the X design in the headlights and the LCD instrument are quite reminiscent of the popular Ducati Scrambler.
The CFMoto 700CL-X has a lightweight frame that weighs just 16.5kg and the swingarm weighs 6.7kg. All up, it weighs 183kg dry.
Technology includes ABS, electronically controlled throttle, sliding clutch, cruise control , USB charging port under the seat and “electronic protection control” (an alarm, we think).
Its lighting system automatically switches on/off according to ambient brightness.
New engine
The 700CL-X is powered by a newly developed 692cc inline twin-cylinder water-cooled engine.
It is the latest evolution of the CFMOTO 150/250/400/650 displacement platforms, featuring split-type connection rod, forged piston, electronic throttle, sliding clutch.
The optimised intake system improves efficiency and increases the peak power from 41.5kW to 55kw and torque from 62Nm to 67Nm.
Thankfully it is one of the few adventur-ish motorcycles that has an easy-to-access air filter for cleaning.
Just remove the right plastic panel.
They say an oil change is so simple it can “easily be done at home”.
CFMoto also has a range of accessories to customise the bike, including luggage for the Adventure model.
If you thought Harley-Davidson CVO (Custom Vehicles Operations) models were exclusive, the company has now introduced and even more exclusive range called the Icons Collection.
While CVO release three or four models in limited production every year, the Icons Collection will present only one or two models annually, with a single production run for each motorcycle model.
Unlike CVO models, Icons model will never be resumed or repeated.
Each Icons Collection motorcycle will be serialised, and the buyer will receive a certificate of authenticity.
Only 1500 will be built, arriving in Aussie and New Zealand Harley-Davidson dealerships at $A40,495 rideaway ($NZ43,995).
It is inspired by the 1969 Electra Glide with Harley’s first batwing fairing and saddlebags in white moulded fibreglass.
The Electra Glide Revival replicates that look with a Birch White painted finish with Hi-Fi Blue and Black Denim tank and Hi-Fi Blue fenders and side panels, plus period-inspired tank medallion and Electra Glide script on the front fender.
It has a solo saddle with a black-and-white cover and a chrome rail, mounted over an adjustable coil spring and shock absorber, which is a nod to Harley-Davidson FL models from the 1960s.
Chrome steel laced wheels and wide whitewall tyres add to the nostalgic look, as do chrome front fender rails and saddlebag rails, front fender skirt, Ventilator air cleaner cover, fork covers, and auxiliary lights.
Harley released the following model details:
The Electra Glide Revival offers classic style, but its design and technology is absolutely modern. The foundation of the Electra Glide Revival model is the single-spar Harley-Davidson Touring frame with a rigid backbone design to sustain the weight of luggage and to support current engine power. The entire chassis is designed for the long haul. A single knob hydraulically adjusts the pre-load of emulsion-technology rear shock absorbers for optimal ride and control. The 49mm forks with dual bending valve suspension technology deliver linear damping characteristics for a smooth ride.
The classic Bat Wing fairing features a tall clear windshield and a splitstream vent to help reduce rider head buffeting. Electronic cruise control holds a steady speed for comfort on long rides, while a halogen headlamp and incandescent auxiliary lamps provide outstanding illumination and maintain the nostalgic styling of the Revival model.
A Boom! Box GTS infotainment system with colour touch screen powers two fairing-mount speakers and features advanced navigation and hand and voice commands (when paired with a compatible headset) plus Android Auto application and Apple CarPlay software compatibility.
Also, standard is the suite of Harley-Davidson RDRS Safety Enhancements, a collection of technology designed to match motorcycle performance to available traction during acceleration, deceleration and braking, including:
oCornering Enhanced Anti-Lock Brake System (C-ABS)
Triumph Motorcycles has honoured Hollywood star and motorcycle fanatic Steve McQueen with a tribute model Scrambler 1200.
The British brand has made many marketing miles out of the fact that McQueen not only rode and liked Triumphs, but starred in The Great Escape jumping a TR6 over a brand wire fence to escape the Nazis.
The stunt was actually performed by friend and bike fettler Bud Ekins, but the brand name has been indelibly linked with NcQueen ever since, bringing marketing and advertising gold to Triumph.
Steve McQueen during filming of The Great Escape in 1962
Now they have honoured McQueen, a talented off-row rider who represented America in the 1964 International Six-Day Enduro Trials in Europe.
The Scrambler 1200 Steve McQueen Special Edition will go on sale in Australia later this year with pricing closer to the date.
Scrambler 1200 Limited Edition Steve McQueen
It is a limited version of the new Euro5-spec Scrambler 1200 with improved emissions and lower heat on the rider’s legs.
Only 1000 McQueen versions will be made, all numbered with special branding on the tank and handlebar clamps, brown bench seat with premium accessories fitted including stainless steel engine bars, laser-cut and pressed-aluminium radiator guard.
The “competition green” bikes come with a certificate of authenticity featuring the signatures of Triumph CEO Nick Bloor and Steve’s son, Chad.
The new 2021 Scrambler 1200 XC and XE are available in three colours: Cobalt Blue with a Jet Black stripe, Matt Khaki Green with a Jet Black stripe or the single tone Sapphire Black option.
Scrambler 1200 XE
They now come with more than 70 accessories for style, practicality, comfort, luggage, protection and security.
Ducati Australia has confirmed we will get some of the 800 limited-edition and numbered edition Desert Sled Fasthouse model.
The motorcycle was created to celebrate the collaboration between Ducati Scrambler and the American clothing brand Fasthouse, which in 2020 took the rider Jordan Graham to victory in the Hooligan class of the Mint 400, the oldest and most prestigious off-road race in America.
Despite the American connection, Ducati Australia confirms the Desert Sled Fasthouse will be available here in August and have a ride away price of $A20,290.
That’s $1000 more than the current white model, but it does look more racey and has a couple of extra features.
They include a non-slip coating on the seat and off-road inspired foot pegs with removable rubber pads.
The black spoked wheels measuring 19” at the front and 17” at the rear are fitted with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres in sizes 120/70 R 19 M/C 60V M+S TL front and 170/60 R 17 M/C 72V M+S TL rear.
The collaboration with Fasthouse on this bike also includes the launch of a capsule collection of apparel consisting of short and long-sleeved t-shirts, jackets and caps.
They will be available from the end of April on Fasthouse’s sales channels, in Ducati network dealers and on the Ducati Online Shop.
Harley-Davidson’s first adventure motorcycle, the Pan America 1250, is heading to Australia and New Zealand later this year.
There are two models (pictured above) in the new family, but Australia and New Zealand will only get the up-spec Special model, arriving in Harley-Davidson dealerships in the third quarter of 2021.
The Pan America Special is priced at $A31,995 ride away ($NZ33,995).
Harley-Davidson Pan America Special
Harley-Davidson Pan America Special
That’s fairly competitive when compared with rivals from BMW, Ducati, KTM and Triumph.
The base model has mag wheels and is more road oriented, while the Special is an adventure tourer with electronically adjustable semi-active suspension, tyre pressure monitors, centre stand, multi-position rear brake pedal, hand guards, aluminium skid plate, Daymaker headlight, heated hand grips and steering damper.
Options include tubeless spoked wheels like BMW’s GS and adaptive ride height.
Both are powered by the new Revolution Max 1250 engine which will also feature in the Bronx streetfighter which has been delayed until the end of this year.
The liquid-cooled 1250cc V-Twin is designed for low-end torque and low speed throttle control that is useful for off-road riding.
Despite this being a new bike and new territory for the company, their launch video featuring Hollywood action hero Jason Momoa points out that Harley’s roots are on dirt roads more than 100 years ago.
Yet chairman Jochen Zeitz also claims it is the first adventure touring bike designed and built in America.
He’s obviously not counting the electric Zero dual-sport motorcycles which are limited in touring capacity to less than 400km.
It will be interesting to see how the big Harley adventurer copes with Australia’s tough terrain, but on paper it stacks up pretty well against its main competition from BMW, Ducati, KTM and Triumph.
With 150hp or 112kW of power, it’s only beaten by Ducati’s Multistrada, while the torque monster BMW at 142Nm is the only with more grunt than Pan America’s 127Nm.
And while many may expect the company which previously boasted it made “heavy motorcycles” would have characteristic lard, it sits in the middle of the pack at 245kg, 23kg less than the market-leading BMW R 1250 GS.
However, in Australia, we get the Special with all its extra tech and comfort features which nudges the weight up to 253kg which is still less than the BMW and Triumph.
All the tech is controlled through the 6.8 inch TFT display with speedometer, gear, odometer, fuel level, clock, trip, ambient temp, low temp alert, side stand down alert, TIP over alert, cruise, range and tachometer indication BT capable – phone pairing to access phone calls, music, navigation through the H-D app.
Harley-Davidson dealers will offer an extensive line of accessories, including three durable luggage systems, and new technical riding gear for men and women developed in collaboration with respected European motorcycle apparel specialist, REV’IT!.
“More Fun” reads the decal on the CFMoto 300SR tail section.
I wonder how much fun you can have with a 292.4cc sports bike with just 21.4kW of power at a screaming 8750 revs.
But with its race replica decals, aggressive styling, light weight, upside-down forks and clip-on handlebars, they’re not kidding.
It is a delight to flick around the city streets and up into your favourite twisting mountain road.
This is the first fully faired bike from the Chinese manufacturer and one of several firsts for the company in coming months. Other firsts are a range of 700cc bikes, a 1250cc adventure bike and even an electric range.
CFMoto is imported to Australia by Mojo Motorcycles who have kept prices competitively low on all their bikes and this is no exception at $5790, ride away with a three-year warranty.
In fact, all CFMoto bikes purchased from until the end of 2020 receive the extended warranty, up from the standard two-year factory unlimited km warranty.
The main rivals to the 300SR are the Honda CBR300R at $5749, KTM RC390 ($5995), Suzuki GSX250R ($5790) and Yamaha YZF-R3 ($6299).
It comes in Nebula Black or the standout Turquoise Blue with race replica decals which I took for a squirt around the city and environs, looking every bit the boy racer, even at my mature years.
Complementing the racer style are distinctive LED headlights which give good coverage if you’re commuting home at night.
It also comes with a full-colour TFT display with comprehensive information, two-mode display and even mobile phone connectivity which tells you when you receive a call.
While the bike shares the same drivetrain and frame as the naked 300NK version, there are some subtle and strange differences.
Of course, it weighs more as the fairing adds 15kg, but it’s still a lightweight at just 165kg.
Strangely the liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine has 3.6kW less power.
That is offset by the 4.8Nm more torque which helps drive the bike off the line at the traffic lights and provides a fair bit of flexibility throughout the rev range.
However, it runs out of breath quickly, especially on hills, and you have to tap dance on the slick six-speed transmission to squeeze the most out of the buzzy little engine.
Yet it’s plenty for most novice riders and still great fun for those who enjoy a nimble bike they can flick through tight and technical bits of tarmac.
Surprisingly, the little donk generates a fair bit of heat which is something I did not find with the naked version. It seems the fairing traps the heat and pours it out directly on to your legs.
It comes with a balancer shaft, but still tingles your fingers, backside and toes and blurs the mirrors.
Riding position is not overly aggressive with the bars slightly lower than the 300NK, but the seat also 15mm lower which tucks you into the bike more.
The unforgivingly hard saddle reminds you that this is a sports bike and not a tourer and the narrow 12-litre tank invites you into an intimate jockey riding position.
Strapped into this position, you have a good command of the bars for counter-steering and quick changes of direction.
While the suspension is a little on the plush side and bottoms out on big bumps with my 75kg weight, it still handles quite well with little fork dive or deviation on big bumps.
It flicks easily into corners and holds deep lean angles where you will be using all the 140mm width of the rear tyre and scraping the hero bobs on the footpegs in quick time with confidence.
And tight feet-up carpark u-turns are simple with wide clip-on bars providing a generous turning circle without jamming your thumbs against the tank.
My only concern is the poor braking performance.
The brakes feel wooden with little initial bite and plenty of input required for effect.
In fact, I was surprised to find that despite the bike weighing more than the 300NK, it has slightly smaller disc rotors at 292mm (front) and 220mm (back) compared with 300mm and 245mm.
CFMoto 300SR tech specs:
Price: $5790 ride away
Warranty: 3 Year, unlimited kilometres
Engine: 292.4cc water-cooled single cylinder, DOHC with balance shaft
CFMoto is not only introducing a bigger adventure bike platform called the 800MT, but there will be two model variants.
Australian CFMoto distributor Mojo Motorcycles boss Michael Poynton confirms that there will be an off-road oriented spoked-wheel model and a more road oriented alloy wheel model.
Both will have 19-inch fronts and 17-inch rears, most likely with varying degrees of tread aggression to suit the terrain.
The bikes will be shod with 110/80 R19 and 150/70 R17 tyres.
“We are planning to release both variants in Australia in the second half of 2021,” he says.
Mojo has been importing the bargain-priced bikes since 2005 with sales of more than 250,000 and now has more than 80 dealerships across the country.
CFMoto’s road motorcycle range currently includes four NK naked bikes (150cc, 250, 300 and 650) as well as the 650MT adventure tourer, 650GT sports tourer and their first full faired bike, the 300SR which we will review shortly.
CFMoto also recently unveiled its 1250cc tourer with a KTM V-twin engine and announced a range of electric scooters will be coming to Australia from 2022.
Now we know that the 800MT coming next year will be in two variants, powered by KTM’s 95hp 799cc LC8c parallel twin from the 790 Adventure, now replaced by the 889cc 890 Adventure.
CFMoto and KTM have had a long association with the Chinese manufacturer producing small-capacity KTM bikes for the local market for several years.
And like most CFMoto products, the 800MT will likely be designed by Austrian designers Kiska who also design for KTM.
The 800MT adventure bikes will weigh in at a hefty 231kg, rising to 248kg when in touring mode with alloy panniers and a top box.
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