2024 CFMOTO 450MT Aussie Review – Motorcycle Test

2024 CFMOTO 450MT Review

Motorcycle Test by Ant – Images by Fstyle

Australians love adventure bikes. We’ve embraced the segment seemingly at the same pace we’ve embraced designer dogs over the past 10 years, and just as it’s hard not to visit the local shops without patting a giant Schnoodle or Cockapoo, it’s difficult not to take a drive in the country and not see a gaggle of adventure bike riders and wonder what cool shit they are off to do or see. It seems to be the most popular segment of the motorcycling market, and also the most competitive.

It’s a stroke of genius then on the part of CFMoto to drop a feature-packed, competitively priced, low-mid capacity LAMS-compliant adventure bike to shake up the affordable end of the segment.

Who are CFMOTO? The short version, they are a Chinese manufacturer of engines, ATV’s, quad bikes, high end yachts & motorcycles. They hold the top spot in Europe as the biggest seller of ATV’s claiming 25 per cent market share. In 2017, they announced a joint venture with KTM, establishing a shared manufacturing facility in China, producing both KTM & CFMOTO motorcycles, while collaborating on new product development. They’ve had a presence in Australia for 19 years now, so it’s safe to say if you’re worried about investing in a motorcycle from a brand you may not have heard of, you needn’t be. They’re heavily invested in the Australian market and are kicking some serious goals here.

Manufacturers don’t like the dirty C word much, but CFMOTO are bringing the competition hard and fast to the other major brands in the form of this well-thought-out and cleverly styled entry-level adventure machine. There’s a lot of folk who will write off the new CF Moto 450MT before they even set eyes on it purely because it’s Chinese and pretty cheap. Another c word manufacturers don’t like…

In the flesh, it’s a bloody impressive machine. Styling and graphics are on point. From side on, the cut of the front fairings and tank is similar to the Husky Norden 901, which itself is a handsome machine.

The headlight cluster reminds me of Bender from Futurama. Put a photo of the two side by side and tell me you don’t see the resemblance. I dare you! That aside, the headlight actually works very well.

My only worry on my initial walkaround of the bike was the spindly section of frame running down below the engine, but as the engine is a stressed member, its only job is to mount the factory bash guard, and I’m sure it’s up to the task.

If your time poor and just want to know if the MT450 is any good without reading on, I promise you it is. It’s basically a rolling smile factory. Apologies for gushing, but it’s honestly hard not to step off the MT450 and not be grinning from ear to ear. Sure, it helped that 80 per cent of the riding we did was up in the Victorian High country on some great fire trails with spectacular views (big thanks to All In Dirtbike Adventures for planning and guiding the ride), but this little ripper would be just as comfortable assigned serious duties as an inner city commuter, just as it was a bit of a demon in the dirt.

If you’ve been on the fence about dipping a toe into the adventure bike realm, this is the bike to try. I’m also convinced that with a better set of off-road rubber, the majority of experienced adventure bike riders would feel more comfortable and confident pushing their off-road capabilities on more difficult terrain than those on heavier, larger-capacity machines.

The first time I climbed aboard the well executed saddle was for a cold early morning run down to Melbourne from Eildon. My buns were instantly comfortable in the sculpted seat, which is shaped to keep you forward in the saddle. The modest seat height of 820 mm was comfortable enough at my 5’10″ height and gave me plenty of confidence off-road later in the day. You can easily get both feet down flat-footed when off balance.

Taller riders are catered for with an optional taller and flatter saddle which raises the seat height 50 mm to 870 mm. An adjustment in the rear suspension link allows you to lower the seat height a further 20 mm for dwarves and midgets. I can’t comment on pillion comfort levels; however, I doubt you’d be doing long journeys two up.  The adjustable screen works pretty well.

The most endearing feature of this machine by far is the character of the rev-happy 449 cc water-cooled DOHC parallel-twin engine with its 270-degree offset crank. It may only have 44 horsepower and 44 Nm of torque, but that torque is delivered in such a linear way through the mid-range that it feels like more. The throaty bark from the exhaust as you wind on the rpm is pure aural sex. Seriously, even with the standard pipe, this bike sounds amazing. Trev was taken aback by just how good it sounded when I rolled in.

Packaged in a 190 kg wet motorcycle, it’s never going to be a speed demon, but riding it through twisty roads becomes a game of challenging yourself to carry more entry speed and get on the throttle sooner while holding gears longer to squeeze every bit of that torque. The combination of the upright riding position and overall balance of the chassis makes it such a playful machine on the road. It gives you confidence to take on twisty roads with more gusto than you normally would….even on the standard Chinese rubber. It’s an involving ride that tickles the senses while making you feel like you’re going faster than you actually are.

Off-road, that 44 hp is more than enough and my only little niggle was the slightly snappy throttle response when needing to feel for traction in the lower gears. Despite it only being a 450, don’t expect to ride it like an enduro bike. You’ll definitely feel the limits of the KYB suspension if you go sending it off washouts at speed, but ride smart and pick your lines through obstacles and you’ll be rewarded with a surprisingly nimble off-road experience.

The standard foot-pegs have removable rubber inserts which once removed, provided plenty of grip and comfort. That large 17.5-litre tank can be a little hard to hug between the knees when up on the pegs, but the modest power the 450MT delivers means your arms don’t get too fatigued.

Fold in mirrors and adjustable reach levers as standard are also clever additions as are the tubeless 21” front and 18” rear rims. We experienced some slippery clay and mud sections as well as a heap of rocky and rutted trails and even a bit of icy sleet up in the hills and the MT450 never faulted through all conditions. No doubt the fully-adjustable KYB suspension plays a big part in keeping the machine so well composed.

In a perfect world, the rear pre-load could be easily adjusted via a hand-wheel as a c-spanner is called for to fettle the spring. It is a fairly taut machine on standard settings, not stiff, just about right. Which means there is plenty of adjustment left to allow for the bike to be loaded up with luggage, without the suspension then getting overworked and sloppy.

At 100 km/h on the highway the 450MT sits around 5800 rpm, that raises to 6300 rpm at 110, which seems high but is probably to be expected from a small parallel-twin. At these revs you can start to feel some slight engine vibrations through the bars, however, it’s only a small niggle and it doesn’t continue to get worse as the speeds ride further. At a standstill there is very little mechanical noise emanating from the engine, it sounds, well, solid.

Overtaking from 110 in top gear doesn’t require a down-change, even uphill, which is pretty impressive from a learner approved motorcycles. In urban areas that top gear can also be used, it will pull top without the slightest grumble or hesitation from even lower than 45 km/h.

So far, across mixed riding conditions, I’ve averaged 4.5L / 100kms, which should see a safe 380km range from the pretty generous 17.5L fuel tank.

The gearbox shifts smoothly and easily through the cogs once warmed and up-shifts can be made clutch-free, despite the lack of a quick-shift. The clutch has an extremely light pull and is an FCC slipper.

Braking duties are taken care of by a single 320 mm disc up front squeezed by a J.Juan four-piston caliper. Initial bite is pretty strong, however, it requires a little more effort at the lever on the road if you want to pull up to a full stop in a hurry, but it’s ample, especially at this price point.

You won’t find any rain, gravel, or off-road riding modes either, just a simple single button on the left switch-block to disable/enable both traction and ABS on the rear wheel. Full marks to CFMoto for making disabling traction and rear ABS so simple! And also for fitting the 450MT with back-lit switch-blocks as standard. No more fumbling in the dark navigating unfamiliar switches.

The only thing I found lacking in the controls was the option for heated grips, but I believe these may be coming as an optional extra in the near future. Both USB-A and C ports are conveniently built into the side of the dash and come standard. Surprisingly, the 450 MT is not ride-by-wire so there is no option for cruise control.

The large five-inch TFT screen looks much like a tablet and clearly displays all the necessary info neatly in both of its display modes. Thankfully, the menus are easy to navigate, and while the features are modest, it’s not overcomplicated and feels just right for this level of motorcycle. It does have Bluetooth connectivity; however, it doesn’t display turn-by-turn navigation from a smartphone.  We believe this might come in a future firmware update.

It does have a nifty CFMOTO Ride App, which is paired to your specific motorcycle using its VIN number and tracks and records your ride data for viewing later, including ride duration, distance covered along with max and average speeds, and remaining fuel range. It also tracks your ride and gives an overlay of your route on a basic map. It’s not pinpoint accurate, but it requires zero user input; it just does its thing in the background as you casually enjoy your ride.

Another impressive feature of the CFMOTO 450 MT and the Ride App is its ability to send notifications if your motorcycle is bumped or moved when parked. You can even set up a geo-fence around your home, so if your motorcycle goes outside the 500-metre radius set in the app, you’ll receive an alert. If you do happen to fall prey to thieves or simply forget where you’ve parked, you can also track your motorbike’s location from the app. Amazingly, this feature has already helped in the recovery of stolen 450 MTs in Australia.

CFMOTO also issue updates to the motorcycle ECU via the app, which you can install to the motorcycle OTA – over the air. Simply open the app, switch on the ignition of the motorcycle and press install, no need to visit the dealer. We actually tried this feature out ourselves when we were alerted that a new update was available to ‘optimise the throttle performance in low-speed’. It took less than five minutes from go to whoa without needing to plug anything in. Impressive.

As a whole, I’m thoroughly impressed with the CFMOTO 450 MT as a package, especially at the $9500 ride-away price point. For younger riders looking for a LAMS-compliant bike, it ticks all the boxes: Cheap, looks cool, sounds cool, good on fuel, has heaps of accessories available, and isn’t overly complicated or intimidating.

It has the ability to turn urban spaces into playgrounds with that 200 mm of suspension travel and 21” front, while also offering the flexibility to get off the beaten track safely and easily. It’ll reward you for honing your riding style, while building your confidence to take the step up to a larger capacity adventure bike down the track.

Also, for those more experienced riders looking to transition to more off-road adventure style riding, or those simply looking to take a step back from hard-core off-road riding but still wanting to get out in the bush, I’d still urge you to give the 450 MT serious consideration.

Aussies are already loving it. With over 600 sold here since the 450 MT went on sale in May, it’s fair to say that the CFMOTO 450 MT is currently the biggest-selling adventure motorcycle in the country. Big Brother 800 MT is also doing well, with more than a thousand sold here in the first 12 months of its going on sale.

And no wonder, this is some serious bang for not too many bucks.

Head to the CFMOTO Australia Motorcycles website for more information (link).

2024 CFMOTO 450MT Specifications

2024 CFMOTO 450MT Images