Keen followers of the Moto3 championship can’t fail to be aware of the CFMoto name, the manufacturer’s rider David Alonso having just won the championship title in Japan, with four rounds still to run.
But what, beyond CFMoto being a Chinese motorcycle manufacturer with ties to KTM and competing in Moto3, does the average South African know about this brand, other than its current and wide range of side-by-side and ATV practical four-wheelers?
You might be interested to know that CFMoto is by no means a new company, celebrating its 35-year anniversary in 2024. In line with all Chinese automotive and motorcycling marques, it’s time we put away preconceived prejudices and reappraise the merits of the products because, quietly and very quickly, the Chinese are building vehicles that are increasingly fully capable of challenging the established European, American and Japanese manufacturers.
This was brought home very clearly thanks to a day spent in the company with the full range of CFMoto models at the Formula K circuit in Benoni. To say that we left very impressed would be a shameful understatement.
The day was as much for the brand’s new dealer network as it was for media but no less instructive for all that. An opening presentation left us in no doubt that CFMoto South Africa has keen and experienced dealers ready to commence operations, not to mention the fact that CFMoto SA has expert management and sufficiently deep pockets to hit the ground running with a full and comprehensive range of extremely competitively-priced models.
The proof of the pudding, of course, comes with the tasting and the real meat of the day – riding the bikes – got going without unnecessary delay. On offer were eight different models, out of a total of ten models in the range, ranging from the naked 300 NK to the 800 MT Explore adventure model, via various 450 and 700 models.
Right away, let’s state unequivocally that all preconceptions about Chinese motorcycles need to be laid aside in the case of CFMoto; in front of us was a line-up of good-looking, modern, well-built and well-equipped motorcycles. There were none of the rough edges that were a characteristic of previous generations of motorcycles from this country, while suspension, braking and electronic components are from respected experts in their fields – KYB, J Juan (Brembo’s Spanish arm) and Bosch.
Of course, anything can be made to look attractive on the surface; it’s what lies underneath that is important; engine and chassis architecture and that indefinable quality known as rider satisfaction, which is a product of performance, handling, comfort and the overall feeling of quality. To that, you might easily add price, which is becoming increasingly important in today’s economic climate.
I’ll stop short of offering an in-depth appraisal of each model, simply because we had insufficient time on each one and because, as excellent and impressive a venue as it is, Formula K’s extremely tight and twisty layout is not the ideal place to fully appreciate the qualities of performance, ride and handling of large-displacement road and adventure bikes.
Suffice to say – and we’ll have to confirm this later on this year or early next year, when we can get our hands on test models for a week or more at a time – that there was not one model that disappointed. Naturally, the 300cc and 450cc models were more at home here than the 700cc and 800cc models but, in truth, the day was enough to understand that all the models possess some impressive qualities, about which it will be very interesting to learn more in due course.
I couldn’t let this opportunity pass, however, without singing the praises of one particular model that not only really impressed me but which deserves to properly shake up the adventure market and this was the 450 MT.
Looking not dissimilar to the Yamaha T7, this R124,999 machine features a 449cc parallel twin engine, pushing out 43.5 horsepower and 44Nm of torque. Ground clearance is 220mm, there’s a 21” front wheel, a roomy, comfortable and natural riding position, a 17.5-litre tank, good comfort, excellent performance and handling, a clear TFT dash and simple-to-operate electronics provided, as mentioned, by Bosch. The KYB suspension felt well dialled-in and, in short, there was nothing I could see that would prevent this model becoming an important model in the low-to-middleweight adventure category.
CFMoto clearly has no qualms about going head-to-head with KTM (with which company CFMoto has a close working relationship) and its 390 Adventure or BMW and the G310 GS and, while I would hesitate to say the CFMoto has them both licked, on initial and brief acquaintance it is clearly as good as either of them. It would be instructive to conduct a head-to-head test with all three of them.
Similarly, ZA Bikers’ photographer Bjorn Moreira was very taken with the sporting 450 SR S, which uses the same engine as the 450 MT but re-tuned for a bit more power and a bit less torque, which he hustled around the track at a very impressive rate, with no drama or ever feeling as if the bike was out of its depth.
The two 300cc models proved to be equally as competent in these circumstances and promise to be just as much fun on the open road, but I would like to reserve judgement on the 700cc and 800cc models until they can be ridden under more suitable conditions. However, I can say that, on brief acquaintance, they gave the impression of being just as impressive as their smaller-engined stablemates in every measurable parameter, including price.
It will be later this year/early 2025 when CFMoto is fully operational in terms of the dealer network but let me state right here and now that this ‘new’ brand to South Africa that has to be taken very seriously and is deserving of your full attention. Whatever lingering prejudices you have about Chinese motorcycles will have to be properly reassessed and, hopefully, put to rest once and for all.
The European, American and Japanese manufacturers have every right to be concerned!
For more information, head to www.cfmoto.co.za, although please note that there are few details on the two-wheeled range as yet.
