2023 CFMOTO 300SS | Review the first trip

news7g05/24/2023

5 7 minutes read

Last year, CFMOTO returned to the US market with a lineup of seven models. The company’s list of models has grown to 10, ranging from 126cc Papio small motorcycles to Ibex 800T adventure bike. CFMOTO’s best-selling product worldwide is the 300SS, a lightweight sports car with a complete bodywork.

One of CFMOTO’s value propositions is affordability. The 300SS has an MSRP of $4,499, $400 less than the Honda CBR300R and $1,000 less than the more powerful Yamaha YZF-R3. But CFMOTO will have to do more than offer a better price to compete with brands that have won the trust of many American racers.

Still, out of curiosity to know what made the 300SS so popular, I spent a month driving it on a variety of city roads, highways, and winding country roads.

Swing one leg over

The 300SS is powered by a Single 292cc engine that produces 29 hp at 8,750 rpm and 18.7 ft-lb of torque at 7,250 rpm, figures that are almost on par with the CB300 series bikes. by Honda. It’s fairly light at 364 lb and has a narrow seat at 30.7 inches tall and has a 3.2-gallon fuel tank. Riding on a steel trellis frame, the 300SS has inverted fork and a single rear shock with five-position preload adjustment. For 2023, the color options are Nebula Black with red accents (as tested) and Ghost Gray with blue accents.

When I picked up my test bike and swung my foot over it for the first time, I was immediately struck by how it looked. The well-finished body lines, color stripes on the wheels add personality and the air vents under the passenger seat make the 300SS look like it makes business sense. Besides the eye-catching look, it also has a good fit and finish.

The only thing about it that seemed odd was the reach of the mirrors. It’s not something I usually think about with a new bike, but when I reach for the mirrors, they’re too far away for me to touch. However, I can place the mirrors where I want without having to adjust them during the trip, so that’s not a big deal.

Unscrew it

Since I picked up the bike in suburban Nashville, it took me several miles before I could actually open it up and see what it could do. Immediately, I felt comfortable riding the bike and that was true when I was able to accelerate. Its small size and easy-to-handle clutch make it agile and responsive. The feel of the dialed gear shift is just right. The 292cc engine has more than enough power to pull through a red light and take me down the interstate, but it never feels like it’s trying to get away without me. The 300SS’s smaller size, versatility and affordability make this bike a smart choice for new riders.

For a bike priced below the competition, the 300SS has some surprisingly nice extras. For example, it is equipped with two driving modes: Eco and Sport. I started using Eco mode but switched to Sport mainly. There isn’t a big difference between the two modes, but Sport is a bit more fun and exciting. And here is a bike for fun. It gives me confidence in curves and makes me grin from ear to ear. The smooth gearshifts and sporty seating position make it feel like I’m driving faster than I actually am – in a good way.

However, that sportier seating position isn’t ideal for longer rides. Perhaps if I had gotten used to more sporty ergonomics, I wouldn’t have gotten tired so quickly. That way, I could drive the 300SS for about 45 minutes to an hour before I started looking for a place to pull over and shake off the pain. For commuting around town or a quick sprint near home, the narrow styling and firm seat are perfect and put me in control.

At twists and turns through rolling hills in rural Tennessee, the suspension was just right. The only time I regretted the hard suspension was on Interstate 40 through Memphis which was full of potholes and bumps, but that stretch is notoriously rough for all vehicles. Elsewhere, the suspension offers an excellent balance between controllability and comfort.

Take off

While cycling around town, several people approached me to ask about the bike and told me they thought it looked great. They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but there’s something to be said about a bike that’s both fun to ride and fun to look at, and the 300SS is both.

More than expectation

Another nice touch for a cheap bike is the 5-inch TFT display. The display shows everything you’d expect: odometer, tachometer, speed, fuel level, voltage, temperature, time and numbers. When switching ride modes, the layout changes, making it easier to tell the mode has changed, but it can be a bit harder to find what you’re looking for if you’re used to a different layout.

The screen is easy to read as long as it is not in direct sunlight. When the sun was behind me, I found myself having to move my head to cover the screen to read it, which was a bit annoying. The display also connects to the CFMOTO RIDE app for navigation and music playback. One feature I appreciate is the security alert. Once connected, the app will alert your phone if the bike is rolled without the key inside, a useful feature if someone tries to take it out of your hand when you’re not around. .

My only difference with the screen is that, while using navigation, once the distance to your next turn or destination is less than 0.1 mile, that distance is measured in inches instead of feet or yards. Maybe you judge distance better than I do, but if you asked me to walk 5,864 inches in one direction, I would have to use a calculator to figure out how far I need to go. That’s not a problem on sparsely populated country roads, but when driving in downtown Memphis, it’s hard to tell if I should turn into the next block or the next block. While I prefer measurements in feet to inches, navigating on a budget model is welcome and I appreciate all the other information and features available through the CFMOTO RIDE app .

Stopping force comes from 4-piston calipers and 292 mm discs at the front and 220 mm discs and single-piston calipers at the rear, and ABS is standard. The rear brake works well, but the front brake is a bit weak. Fortunately, such a small bike is not difficult to slow down, but if it was much heavier, I would like to have more stopping power up front.

Along with Bluetooth connectivity, ride modes and a TFT display already mentioned, the 300SS is equipped with LED headlights, taillights and turn signals. This is not a naked and cheap bike; it’s a well-built machine with thoughtful additions that make the driving experience even better. All in all, the 300SS offers a lot of money for you.

CFMOTO’s 300SS has given me confidence that this brand is on the right track to make a name for itself on American streets. It’s a fun ride with good looks and an affordable price: the perfect formula to attract new riders, whether they’re new to the car in general or new to CFMOTO. If you have never ridden a CFMOTO before, I recommend you give it a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised, and with over 200 CFMOTO motorcycle dealers in the United States, there’s probably one near you.