Chinese-made motorcycles tend to catch a lot of flak for being sub-par, but over the last few years, a brand from the Zhejiang Province in China has been growing out of the norm. CFMoto has grown substantially as a brand by spending the recent past expanding to new markets and by introducing some unique, fun-to-ride motorcycles.
The latest addition to its portfolio is the retro-styled CFMoto 700 CL-X. Our friends at motorbikewriter.com recently rode the motorcycle, and you can head here to check out an in-depth review.
Visually, the 700 CL-X draws inspiration from other neo-retro scramblers, like the Ducati Scrambler and the Yamaha XSR700. Speaking of, it’s these middle-weight motorcycles that the 700 CL-X will take on in the market.
Visordown reports that the 700 CL-X is powered by a 693cc parallel twin-cylinder engine that produces 74bhp and 50lb-ft of torque – right around what its counterparts are capable of. The bike also features some unique elements like self-canceling indicators, LED lighting all around, and fully adjustable suspension.
There’s no official information on when (or if) the CFMoto 700 CL-X will be available in the North American market. That said, the manufacturer has updated its European websites to feature the model. Prices in the UK start at £6,299 (approximately $8,669)
Chinese manufacturer CFMOTO has been steadily making inroads in Australia over the past decade with its learner motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles.
Australian importer Mojo Motorcycles is one of a growing list of companies that are no longer members of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries so their sales figures for CFMOTO are not counted.
But when they were last an FCAI member CFMOTO had laudably and surprisingly crept into the top 10 manufacturers.
And that is despite not having any scooters or motorcycles with an engine capacity of more than 650cc. In other words, no non-learner models.
Until now.
With the recent arrival of the 700CL-X range — their first non-learner motorcycles — many in the industry will be nervously and enviously monitoring sales of this bike and the coming 800cc models next year powered by KTM engines under their special arrangement with the Austrian motorcycle company.
And well should they be nervous because the 700CL-X Heritage is a handsome and well-appointed motorcycle arriving at $9490 ride away.
That includes Pirelli MT60RS “scrambler” tyres as used by Ducati and Triumph, two engine modes, cruise control, USB charging port under the seat and full LED lighting including a headlight that adapts illumination to ambient conditions.
The Hertitage naked bike will be followed by a Sport cafe racer later this year and the Adventure all-roader next year.
It is no coincidence that the “X” from the model name features heavily in the styling which really does have an X factor.
The bike is styled by Kiska Design House in Australia which is responsible for the famous orange brand’s futuristic form.
That design aesthetic is mirrored in the 700CL-X from the futuristic LED headlight with its “X” illumination to one of the tidiest of tail designs on the road today.
Not only is it well styled, but there is a lot of attention to detail in the build quality from neat frame welds to little grommets in the headstock to channel the cables. A lot of bigger manufacturers could take notice of this orderly cabling.
The 700CL-X also has the most attractive standard exhaust pipe on the market (apart from MV Agusta) with its stubby, brushed aluminium exhaust, although the catalytic convertor tucked underneath the bike is massive.
Another plus is the growling exhaust note which is pleasing without being a public nuisance. No need for an aftermarket replacement.
While this is the first non-learner CFMOTO motorcycle in Australia, it is powered by the same inline twin-cylinder water-cooled engine as in their 650cc range.
It has been stroked 4mm to 693cc with other updates including Bosch fuel-injection, split connecting rods, a slipper clutch and forged pistons.
The optimised intake system improves efficiency and increases the peak power from 41.5kW to 55kw and torque from 62Nm to 67Nm.
The result is a much punchier unit that will happily keep pace with other models in the midrange naked bike market.
In fact, it will pop the front wheel if you get a little too eager in the first couple of gears.
That’s not just the result of a punchier engine, but also gearing which I believe is too low for Australian conditions.
First gear will hit the 6000rpm limiter by the time you get to 60km/h and your hands and nether regions will be tingling excitedly at “cruising” speed on the highways with the engine revving at 4500rpm in sixth gear.
It may mean rapid acceleration, but it also results in numb hands after an hour’s ride and disappointing fuel economy of about 5L/100km with the fuel warning flashing after just 160km, despite a 13-litre fuel tank.
There are two engine modes — Eco and Sport — although Eco does not improve fuel economy. I suspect it just softens throttle response which is handy in slippery conditions.
On my two-week test I found I was rapidly clicking through the cogs to fourth and fifth around town and sixth from 80km/h. An aftermarket smaller rear sprocket would sort out the gearing issue.
Thankfully the 700CL-X gearbox is slick and clutch pull is moderate, although neutral can be difficult to select.
Another concern about the powertrain is that service intervals are a low 5000km.
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 also say an oil change is so simple it can “easily be done at home”, so you could save some money doing your own services.
Riding position is upright and fairly neutral for most riders although at 183cm tall my knees became sore after a few hours in the saddle due to the high pegs.
The seat is 800mm high, but narrow enough for me to put both feet flat on the ground when stopped with my legs still bent.
It feels like a soft saddle, but you sink down on to a hard and flat platform underneath which can become uncomfortable after a couple of hours.
There is also hardly any room for a pillion who only gets the seat sash to hang on to. That also means little room for a tail bag and the tidy tail means there are no tie-down points for luggage either.
Straight bars and high and wide mirrors make it a pleasure to filter through traffic. But on the highway the mirrors create some head buffeting and the engine revs blur the rear-view image.
Riders will enjoy the convenience of the easy-to-use cruise control. However, it will lose speed up hills and pick up speed going down, so be aware.
Despite only having one 320mm brake disc up front, the bike weighs just 183kg dry (196kg wet), so it has quite effective braking.
The round instrument pod has a plethora of information and the LCD screen is easy to read in even the brightest sunshine.
However, I have some issues with the instruments.
The “SEL” and “ADJ” buttons on the left of the instruments do not stand for select and adjust. Instead, the top button toggles through information on the bottom of the screen and the bottom button toggles through info on the top off the screen.
If that isn’t weird enough, a couple of the displays have no meaning at all. One is “-=2” and the other is “P- – – -“. Neither varies and neither is explained in the owner’s manual.
While there is a lot info (clock, instant and average fuel economy, average speed, engine temperature, clock, odometer, battery volts and hours of use) there is only one trip meter.
I would gladly sacrifice the two unexplained displays for a range and/or a range-to-empty display.
Perhaps that could be modified with a software update.
My test bike had only just received its 1000km service, so the engine may loosen up and provide slightly better fuel economy and the KYB suspension may also lose some of its stiction and provide a more compliant ride.
I found the suspension fine for smooth roads, but harsh and choppy on bumpy roads, although there was no bump steer or chattering.
The forks are adjustable for rebound and damping, but it didn’t seem to make a lot of difference and the rear shock is adjustable for preload with a C-spanner which is difficult to access.
CFMOTO says the bike is designed for 20% off-road with its scrambleresque tyres and basic suspension. That’s about right and fits in with other road-oriented scramblers from companies such as Yamaha, BMW and Ducati.
This is a fine entry into the non-learner sector for CFMOTO and portent for bigger bikes to come.
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.
CFMOTO Australia includes a two-year unlimited kilometre warranty plus an extra year if servicing is done by an authorised dealer.
CFMOTO 700CL-X tech specs
Price: $9490 ride away.
Warranty: 2 years/unlimited km.
Engine: liquid-cooled, 693cc twin.
Power: 55kW @ 8500rpm
Torque: 68Nm @ 6500rpm.
Gearbox: 6-speed, chain drive.
Weight: 196kg.
Suspension front/rear: 41mm KYB upside-down fork, fully adjustable, 150mm travel; KYB rear shock with preload and compression adjustment, 150mm travel.
When CFMoto’s 700 CL-X Sport, Heritage, and Adventure premiered at the 2019 EICMA Motorcycle Show, the Chinese bike made waves with the company’s clever sourcing of inspiration.
CFMoto was already well-known in the industry for a series of smart bikes that lived up to their spec sheet, the most notable being the 800 MT – an adventure bike based on the KTM 790 Adventure.
For the 700 CL-X series, CFMoto created a surprisingly compact bike with a KTM-inspired design, transmission gleaned from BMW roots, and architecture inspired by the engine of the Kawasaki Z650.
The result? A veritable chimera of style, speed, and sound that has kept the masses eager for access.
Now, we’ve just gotten wind fromRideApartthat the 700 CL-X Sport variant is on its way to the Central and Eastern Hemispheres – specifically, Australia and Europe.
Riding on the successes of the CL-X Classic released to the global market last year, the Sport variant will purportedly showcase a sharper style marrying retro to the modern via a newer aesthetic and a more aggressive riding position (courtesy of clip-on handlebars and rear set controls).
The bike will also sport (pun intended) 17-inch cast-aluminum wheels, as well as a very nice set of Brembo brakes, Adjustable front and rear suspension, and an aluminum alloy swingarm designed to keep things light.
With the bike tipping the scales at 196 kg and CFMoto’s 693cc parallel-twin engine sporting a neat 73 horsepower, the bike is a solid steal at $9490 AUD or the equivalent of $6,939 USD – a factor that has played big into the series’s popularity, and one that could be extremely profitable, should CFMoto ever decide to expand to the Western Hemisphere and include US Dealerships in their contracts.
The 700 CL-X Sport variant will likely see its Australian debut in the fourth quarter of this year. Make sure to stay tuned for further releases, and stay safe on the twisties!
The first model on CFMoto’s new 700 platform, the 700CL-X Classic, has already arrived and gone on sale here in Australia at $9490 Ride Away. This is CFMOTO’s first motorcycle platform aimed outside the learner legal market and is powered by an all-new 693 cc parallel-twin making a claimed 73 horsepower at 8500 rpm and 68 Nm of torque. With a dry weight of just over 180 kg that promises decent performance.
CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport
At under 10k Ride Away you get adjustable KYB suspension, J.Juan four-piston radial brakes with Continental ABS, Bosch ride-by-wire with riding modes, and DRLs along with a slipper clutch and cruise control. That’s an impressive spec’ sheet at this price point and we assume this new 700 CL-X Sport will be equally as value packed.
CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport
The 700CL-X Sport you see here runs more road performance biased 17-inch rims at both ends while the already launched Classic runs a chunky 18-inch front.
CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport
700CL-X Sport also runs clip-on bars and bar end mirrors.
The influece of Austrian styling house Kiska can be seen in the design language and I reckon it looks very smart indeed.
CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport
The petal style disc rotors are the only things I am not too keen on. Oh, and using a pug in a backpack in the promo shots…
CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport
I am really interested to see how well balanced this new platform is and that largely depends on whether CFMOTO have used the right testing and development riders to arrive at a real handling sweet spot. That’s the final piece of the puzzle that can often be missing in products coming from newer brands on the market. If they’ve done their homework on that score in regards to dynamics, then this could really elevate the CFMOTO brand as a whole.
We expect the final specifications and Aussie pricing in the coming weeks ahead of a local launch of the model later this year.
With pricing of the CFMOTO 800MT having been recently revealed as $12,990 ride away for the Sport, and $13,990 ride away for the Touring, we’ve now seen some of the genuine accessories that will be on offer when the bikes land later this year.
2022 CFMOTO 800MT Touring complete with luggage accessories
21 items will also be available across the full accessories’ gamut straight off the bat, including luggage, protection and ergonomic alternatives such as a higher seat, handlebar riser mounts and oversized rally pegs. In other words everything you’d expect to further adventurise your machine.
CFMOTO 800MT Luggage
For those looking to tour or adventure and in need of luggage, there’s a number of options, from an aluminium top box or side cases, through to a tail bag or side bags. Both the 800MT Sport and 800MT Touring will go on sale with factory-fitted pannier mounts.
Hard luggage is available for the CFMoto 800MT in the form of a 36L top case or side cases
36L Aluminium top case – $699 RRP
The 36L aluminium top case features high-strength reinforced corners for the shock and stress of off-road riding and is designed to perfectly match with the original mounting bracket, while running a waterproof, dustproof scratchproof inside lining.
Aluminium side cases – $699 each
Like the top case, the aluminium side cases have high strength reinforced corners with the right case offering 28L of storage and the left case offering 35L. Both likewise match the mounting bracket and have a waterproof, dustproof and scratchproof lining.
Soft luggage options include a tail bag and side bags
40L Rear tail bag – $399 RRP
The 40L tail bag is constructed of waterproof and wear resistant nylon, with a range of internal pockets and strapped, with a top access point that includes a waterproof zipper, as well as an internal nylon waterproof bag. The double-end roll mouth ensures plenty of access, while the bag can be converted into a backpack when not fitted to your 800MT.
Side bag assembly – RHS $599, LHS $499 RRP
The side bag assembly includes an isolation plate to protect the bag and its contents from exhaust heat or melting, with a 1000D water resistant fabric and waterproof zippers used to offer a waterproof and dustproof seal Like the tailbag the side bag assembly can be used as a backpack, or alternatively as a tail bag, with a 10 kg load capacity.
CFMOTO 800MT Protection & Ergo accessories
There’s a wide range of protective accessories available, designed to keep your CFMOTO 800MT Sport or Touring in tip top shape, regardless of how adventurous you get.
A headlight protector, as well as caliper guards are available as well
That includes the headlight guard which is available in silver or black for $179.00 RRP, or the spotlight guards for $99.00 RRP. Lower crash bars are also available in silver for $299.00, with radiator protectors available in either silver or black for $169.00 RRP.
Ensuring braking isn’t at risk is the front brake caliper guards for $59.00 RRP, and front and rear brake fluid reservoir guards for the same price. To help cut down on wear and tear is a protective film for the dash for just $12.00 RRP.
A tall seat can also raise seat height to 855 mm, with ‘bar risers also available
If you’re looking to tweak the ergonomics there’s also a number of accessories on offer, like the tall seat for $199.00 RRP, which raises the seat height by 30 mm to 855 mm in total. Plus there’s handlebar riser mounts for $89.00 RRP, with oversize rally pegs for $119.00 RRP.
Also available, just for the Sport model, is the oversize side-stand seat for $59.00 RRP, with a front fender extension ($39.00 RRP) helping cut down on road fling, as well as a device extension bar for $99 RRP.
Contact your local CFMOTO dealer for more information about the 800MT and accessories and keep an eye out for the arrival of the CFMOTO800MT Sport for $12,990 ride away and the 800MT Touring for $13,990 ride away, which both expected to be on sale in Australia by the end of 2021.
CFMOTO Australia is gearing up for the launch of their first non-learner adventure motorcycle models, the 800MT Sport and 800MT Touring, late this year.
Last month they announced pricing and now they have unveiled a wide range of accessories.
The 800MT Sport in Starlight Black will cost just $12,990 ride away and the up-spec Ocean Blue 800MT Touring is only $1000 more.
They will come with a three-year, unlimited kilometres warranty under CFMOTO current ‘2 plus 1’ deal.
Now the importers have announced a wide-ranging line-up of genuine accessories for the Aussie-bound duo.
In addition to a huge catalogue of standard-fitment features, 21 items will also be available across the full accessories’ gamut: luggage, protection and ergonomic alternatives such as a higher seat, handlebar riser mounts and oversized rally pegs.
The accessories range is as follows:
LUGGAGE
Aluminium top case (36 litres): $699
• High-strength reinforced corners for the shock and stress of off-road riding
• Perfect match with the original mounting bracket
The 800MT Sport and 800MT Touring are powered by KTM’s 799cc parallel twin, which produces 70kW (95hp) at 8000rpm and 88Nm at 6600rpm.
The 800MTs also have a slipper clutch, Bosch electronic fuel injection and a ride-by-wire throttle with three riding modes: rain, off-road and road.
The 800MT Sport and 800MT Touring share the same 19-litre fuel capacity, expansive rider and pillion seats, tubular steel frame, fully adjustable KYB suspension, crash bars, 825mm seat height, adjustable screen and Spanish J.Juan brakes with ABS.
The major point of differentiation between the two is in the rolling stock: cast wheels on the Sport as opposed to spoked tubeless wheels on the Touring. Wheel sizes are 19-inch front and 17-inch rear – an ideal compromise for road and off-road riding.
Aussie actor Shane Jacobsen who famously starred in Kenny and fronted the short-lived Australian version of Top Gear is now a brand ambassador for CFMOTO Australia a Chinese motorcycle and all-terrain brand.
Despite the only promo shots supplied by CFMOTO Australia being Shane with a farmer’s ATV, importer PR honcho Mark Fattore confirms the petrol head does indeed ride motorcycles and they are lining up a second photoshoot now.
“Ambassadors don’t overload you with availability times,” he says.
It could be a good PR move to employ such an iconic Aussie actor as the face of a Chinese company during these days of strained relationships.
Michael Poynton, director of CFMOTO importer Mojo Motorcycles told us last year during the height of the trade war with China that they had not experienced any backlash against Chinese products with their retail numbers still increasing.
And why not?
The “cold war” is between the Australian Government and the Chinese Government (or Chinese Communist Party which is effectively the same thing), not the people of the two countries.
Besides, it hasn’t stopped Aussies buying Chinese-made products from Harvey Norman in record amounts (if you’re reading this, Harvey, give the Jobkeeper funding back!).
Michael says having Shane Jacobson in the “CFMOTO family” is a “is a massive shot in the arm in terms of expanding our brand recognition and supporting our ever-expanding two and four-wheel portfolios”.
“Since we entered the Australian market, we’ve had an unwavering focus to be the best we can in some hotly contested battle grounds. The farm sector is one of those.”
Shane Jacobsen face of CFMOTO Australia
“In many ways that hard work has paid off and we’re already a strong force, but having Shane as an ambassador for CFMOTO is a massive shot in the arm in terms of expanding our brand recognition and supporting our ever-expanding two and four-wheel portfolios.”
The official press release from CFMOTO Australia says he is eager to “play with the entire product range it has – which is a lot!
“I can’t wait to share my stories and experienced of enjoying the bikes and vehicles in the CFMOTO stable with the world and, let’s be honest: it’s not a job, it’s a joy and privilege, but hey someone has to do it.”
Shane is best known for his breakout performance as Kenny in the eponymous 2006 movie for which he won an AFI award for best lead actor in a feature film.
Since then, his body of work across film, television and theatre has been voluminous.
Highlights include his portrayal of Brant Webb in the telemovie Beaconsfield, playing the role of Barry Tregear in Irish Jack on the ABC, starring alongside legendary Aussie Paul Hogan in Charlie & Boots and working with Jeremy Renner in The Born Legacy and Kate Winslet in The Dressmaker.
His theatre credits include Rocky Horror Show, Mother and Son, Shane Warne The Musical and Guys N Dolls.
CFMOTO Australia has announced the competitive pricing for its adventure motorcycle models, the 800MT Sport and 800MT Touring, which will arrive later this year.
The 800MT Sport in Starlight Black will cost just $12,990 ride away and the up-spec Ocean Blue 800MT Touring is only $1000 more.
They will come with a three-year, unlimited kilometres warranty under CFMOTO current ‘2 plus 1’ deal.
At the heart of both bikes is KTM’s 799cc parallel twin, which produces 70kW (95hp) at 8000rpm and 88Nm at 6600rpm.
The 800MTs also have a slipper clutch, Bosch electronic fuel injection and a ride-by-wire throttle with three riding modes: rain, off-road and road.
The 800MT Sport and 800MT Touring share the same 19-litre fuel capacity, expansive rider and pillion seats, tubular steel frame, fully adjustable KYB suspension, crash bars, 825mm seat height, adjustable screen and Spanish J.Juan brakes with ABS.
The major point of differentiation between the two is in the rolling stock: cast wheels on the Sport as opposed to spoked tubeless wheels on the Touring. Wheel sizes are 19-inch front and 17-inch rear – an ideal compromise for road and off-road riding.
800 MT standard features:
A seven-inch TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity and a navigation function (as well as complementary App);
Cruise control;
Adjustable screen;
Fog lights;
Crash bars;
USB and 12-volt charging; and
LED lights and turn signals.
800MT Touring features:
Tyre pressure monitoring;
A two-way quickshifter;
Handguards;
Alloy bashplate;
Steering damper; and
Keyless start.
2022 CFMOTO 800MT Sport & 800MT Touring tech specs
CFMOTO’s new 800MT range is due to arrive in Australia late in 2021, with pricing of the two variants now released and offering a competitive entry to the brand’s new larger capacity machines, starting at $12,990 ride-away for the Sport. The Touring version will be available from $13,990 ride-away.
The Sport version will be available in a Starlight Black livery, and the Touring in Ocean Blue, and both are powered by a CFMOTO built version of KTM’s 799 cc 95 hp/88 Nm parallel-twin with a ride-by-wire throttle and multiple riding modes, as the joint venture between the Chinese and Austrian companies.
2022 CFMOTO 800MT Touring
Wheel sizes are 19-inch front and 17-inch rear – as a compromise for road and off-road riding – with the Sport tracking on cast wheels and the up-spec Touring on spoked wheels.
The rolling chassis is completed by fully adjustable KYB suspension, Spanish J.Juan radial brakes and a tubular steel frame.
2022 CFMOTO 800MT Sport
A range of impressive features are also included, such as a seven-inch TFT display with BT and navigation functions, cruise control, an adjustable screen, fog lights, crash bars, USB and 12V charging, as well as full LED lighting.
The CFMoto 800MT Touring adds a host of additional features for the $1000 premium, aiming to fill the needs of longer distance touring riders as the name suggests, with a tyre pressure monitoring system, heated seat and grips, centre-stand, up and down quickshifter, handguards, alloy bashplate, steering damper and keyless start.
CFMOTO 800MT Touring
Both models are also backed by a three-year unlimited kilometre warranty.
While the CFMOTO 800MT boasts similar performance figures to the KTM 790 Adventure the bike is a bit more road focused, with a heavier 225 kg claimed wet-weight figure, compared to the KTM’s 203 kg figure, while the Sport runs cast wheels, with spoked wheels found on the Touring version. Maxxis tubeless tyres in a 110/80 – 19in front and 150/70 – 17in rear.
Interesting little prospect this one. CFMOTO continues to impress, offering a seriously good value proposition across a range of models – and this is no exception. So what exactly is the 650NK?
Who are CFMOTO you ask? Good question.
Hold up, let’s first talk about CFMOTO themselves for those who aren’t familiar. Arguably China’s premier ‘big’ bike manufacturer, not only do they produce their own models, but they also have a production relationship with KTM, building a bunch of models from the KTM line-up for the Austrian powerhouse.
That’s important from a bunch of aspects. It gives you an idea of their manufacturing quality benchmarks, but they also get access to some of the ‘previous model’ KTM engine tooling that they’re going to be using for their own models.
Plus they have a relationship with KTMs styling house Kiska – which explains some of the styling similarities between the nice blue 650NK and some of the orange mid-weight models from KTM… Incidentally, blue and orange are on opposite sides of the colour wheel. Thanks design school.
Riders may notice the similarities to KTM styling…
Enough background. What is it?
The 650NK is a LAMS approved (learner friendly) naked bike sporting a 650 cc parallel twin that pumps out a pretty reasonable 41.5 kW (55 hp) of power and 62 Nm of torque. It’s wrapped up in a modern, sharp, aggressively styled package with a low 795 mm seat height, so it’s super easy to push around and throw a leg over. Doesn’t actually feel like you’re pushing around 193 kg (dry). It packs a 17-litre tank too which will get you around the 300 km mark depending on how you ride.
When you do throw a leg over, everything feels pretty normal actually. Levers feel natural, switch-gear all good quality feel about it, no surprises. Nice coloured LCD display too. The mirrors aren’t massive, but they do the job. Overall, it has a certain European brands’ look to it if I’m honest which is no bad thing.
CFMOTO 650NK’s offers an enticing entry level option at a price-point closer to the 300-400 cc models
It’s quite compact without feeling cramped. While it’s quite a comfortable upright seating position there isn’t a massive amount of space available to move forward or back, but it’s certainly not a case of your knees feeling like they’re getting in the way.
Moving off, there’s a very slight grab at the end of the clutch release but only from standstill, not noticed once moving. Gearbox shift is also fine. Not the smoothest, not the clunkiest – goes in, doesn’t miss shifts, does the job. No need for a quick-shifter, this bike is about the fundamentals.
Peak power from the parallel-twin arrives at 9500 rpm but torque signs off at 7000 rpm
The engine is more than decent too. Revs well, has nice fuelling and a good throttle feel. Get it above four-grand and it pulls solidly and sounds decent. It starts to tail off at a bit past the seven-grand mark (peak torque is actually at bang on 7,000 rpm) so that window of shove is plenty wide enough to play with… I’d imagine a cheap slip-on would work pretty well in terms of adding even more character to that exhaust note too.
CFMOTO instrumentation
Worth pointing out that it comes with two ‘modes’, as per the pics. I can’t say I felt any noticeable difference in power or throttle between the two though. And fuel consumption between the two wasn’t really conclusive either. So I reckon just choose your favourite dash display and keep it there.
The two mode options don’t make a noticeable difference
I found that the seating position confined my movement a tiny bit in the sense that I’d want to move back a smidgen every now and again but the seat shape itself is quite nice – if a little firm. Speaking of firm, the suspension seemed unnecessarily so.
It actually did a pretty good job for the most part, especially around town where its low(er) speed agility really stood out, but the rear shock didn’t particularly like corrugations or bigger hits. Certainly not as bad as some other bikes I’ve tested, but it’s definitely on the firm side. And the combo of the seat and the firm suspension made its presence known on my butt after an hour or so in the saddle. It’s not a tourer.
Suspension is non-adjustable from KYB, with a fairly firm rear shock
Get it on a smooth bit of road though and it works well. Combined with nice accurate steering that at first felt heavy (but once I got used to it, felt fine), the 650NK tips willingly into corners and feels perfectly comfortable on its side. Get a few ripples mid corner or pitch it in at serious speeds and the suspension shows its build level, but for everything up to 8/10ths is pretty damn good.
The seat is well sculpted but like the shock fairly firm
The stoppers work perfectly well too. Dual 300 mm discs up front with twin piston calipers and a single 240 mm out the back, both ends have ABS. A few repeated emergency stops didn’t show any signs of fade either.
Front brakes are 300 mm petal rotors with two-piston calipers
The only real negative I found that I’d want changed was with the headlights – low beam was pretty ordinary really and wouldn’t throw much light out past 40 metres or so. Which isn’t ideal in a lot of situations. I wonder what sort of wildlife they have around roads in China.. Probably not many roos I’d wager. Other than that.. It’s a pretty cheery little bike.
Obviously it’s not going to be as refined as something like the new Triumph Trident which is probably the class leader, but it isn’t trying to be a class leader. It’s fighting a different fight. It’s fighting a price war and it’s pretty well armed.
The 650NK may not offer the refinement of some of the competition but it’s hard to argue with the price…
At seven-grand ride away with a three-year warranty, the 650NK represents astonishing value whichever way you look at it. That’s a full six-and-a-half-grand less than the Trident. Comes with ABS and an LCD dash. And really, it’s build quality is better than that price suggests. Nuts.
An LCD dash offers two modes
And that’s why this bike is a winner in my book. As a genuine entry level option for those on a budget, or even a cheap commuter as a second bike, this has to be right up there in consideration. It was great in traffic and filtering and seemed in its element around town.
The headlight low beam was one area that was less than impressive…
In fact I see no reason that you couldn’t keep this bike for a few years, get the best out of it while still under warranty and then trade up for something else in a few years time when they’ve got the bigger 990 cc engined bikes released that they’re working on now… They look interesting. And that ‘old’ 990 KTM engine was pretty ace. Full of character. The future looks pretty bright for CFMOTO I reckon. They’re going to have some fans.
CFMOTO 650NK
Why I like it
Value. That price is amazing.
I dig the styling. Looks a bit like a blue Superduke…
No real mechanical weak points
I’d like it even more if
Headlights could be better, especially low beam
Suspension is unnecessarily firm, backing it off a notch would be an improvement
2021 CFMoto 650NK Specifications
2021 CFMoto 650NK Specifications
Type
Two cylinder parallel 4-stroke engine with 8-valve DOHC and counter balance
