CFMOTO 450 SR Review – Impressive new offer from CFMOTO Tested

Review CFMOTO 450SR

Wayne Vickers’ CFMOTO 450 SR Test

I’m calling it right now. Not only is this the best CFMoto product I’ve ridden to date (comfortably), but I think this bike announces that the manufacturer has officially appeared as a legitimate option for the masses. they. This one is not only good for the price. It is good. Stage.

I was honored to attend the launch of the new LAMS legal sports car from Australia and was impressed. It’s well-built, sleek, comfortable, powerful engine, and intuitively good handling. It’s a FUN bike to ride.

Let’s start with the engine. Developed in-house by CFMoto, this tiny 450cc parallel engine is a powerful machine. Super smooth, thanks to the two balancer shafts, it spins smoothly and eagerly with plenty of hum from the bottom. In terms of peak power we’re talking 46 Hp and almost 40 Nm with a 270-degree crank that ensures the ‘proper’ twin exhaust sounds like a significantly larger engine. One of the bikes at the launch had a slouchy little Verex muffler that sounded pretty shrill.

Not only does it have good power, but it’s also important to CFMoto, and what sets it apart from some of the company’s other recent models – refueling was activated at launch. This feels accomplished. Solids. Arrange. Ready.

And while those peak power numbers alone don’t sound great compared to some of the larger engines, that Torque figure is marginally better on the Ninja 400. And it’s true. just pushing a wet 179 Kg bike with a full tank of gas. fuel would certainly help. They did well there. It has a 14 L fuel tank so my quick calculation is about 168 Kg with no fuel. And it feels light. Yay for light bike

It doesn’t feel small though. Not cramped at all. And the seats are surprisingly comfortable. Way more comfortable than I expected. We spent the morning at the track taking some photos while getting a feel for the bike and then doing a road run to get a feel for how it would feel in the real world. It proved to be more than capable in both tasks.

The bikes we rode were almost brand new and were all a bit ‘crammed’ when we jumped on them, the gearbox was a little reluctant to shift gears without a clutch, and the FCC slipper clutch was fine as well. is a compact part when released when shifting difficult. But in the space of an hour or two, the two start to loosen up on a good note. So much so that both shifting up and down gears without a clutch becomes a pleasure. Another cool feature here is that the gear lever can be quickly flipped to shift into reverse. It’s almost as if they have a mind of an exciting race with these scammers….

Australian motorcycles have been approached regarding the CFMOTO 450SR homologation for the ASBK Supersport 300 category and we could see one going in the right direction before the end of 2023….

It takes some time to really get used to the engine. I kept hitting the rev limit on the track at the beginning of the day, it worked just as well (peak power hit 10,000 rpm, limit exceeded 12,000). However, down low it offers a lot of jostling. It will happily roll when you get a feel for it. From as low as two thousand spins. Lower than you think. The balance is so beautiful. Nice and tall makes for fun.. And the pictures make the marketing guys happy.. A little more time and I guess I could have taken third place. Reeeaaaally flat delivery within the rotation range. Very user friendly. Even so, I can’t help but wonder what a cam can do for the mid-range in the race…

Handling wise it feels good for brevity. And by the way, that succinct bike isn’t a race weapon – it’s a road bike. An equally exciting thing around town, as well as it’s pushing your favorite back road. While being a right to giggle on the track.

Steering is light and natural. You can put this on a postage stamp in the middle of the ring round after ring if you want. Change direction quickly without turning around. A lovely bike to really learn the skill to use – and then push the boundaries a bit.

That front screen also works pretty well, I’ve seen 170 km/h and it’s still pulling – I’ve been known to top 190, but like most twins, it doesn’t feel as tight. straight or hasty in execution. The first time I bothered to look at the speedometer during our dry run, I was surprised to say the least. It runs along pretty sharp without breaking a sweat.

The 37mm front fork is non-adjustable but feels pretty good. The rear is adjustable for preload, which I should have started to wind up a bit to help keep the rear in line during heavy braking if we had had more time on the dry road – but the skies opened up. with us.

On the road, both ends perform well and soak up the usual surface changes, potholes, ripples and filth we have to endure. All without much fuss. And that responsive on-track handling leads to plenty of options on the road. Go through a wet spot or a pothole (or a bit of a new stretch like I did that day) and there’s no drama to cut that row and avoid it.

Brakes are also good. A single 320 mm Brembo up front makes me raise my eyebrows at first glance, but it seems up to the task. The stopping power is good and shows no signs of fading on the track. Both the front and rear levers have a lot of feel and like the rest of the bike seem to work as expected.

And I need to talk about style a bit. They knocked it out of the park here. Styled in European style at the hands of former Ducati and MV folks, it balances out superb finishes and attention to detail. Sure, the front wings might be a bit unnecessary, but they look cool 🙂 And they obviously add a bit of downforce, so at least they still work.

Specifications are quite complete with the set

• TFT dash with two layout options (both look pretty)
• CFMoto App with GPS tracker & data logger
• Backlit switch blocks are also my favorite (why isn’t it a common thing now?)

There are a lot of options, one of the bikes is equipped with a rear set, rear seat cup, rear tidy, slide, folding lever, color screen and a taller seat (which increases the height of the seat equivalent to rear sets do so much of the comfort is retained). Heated handles and heated seats are also available. Tick ​​the boxes, trick it up.

Negative? I accidentally turned on the headlight switch without knowing it. Not sure if I’m the only one there, but I don’t think my way of holding hands is particularly weird…

And those CST tires (which I know are owned by Pirelli), seem pretty grippy when dry, but not the stickiest when it’s cold, on wet roads. Don’t ask me how I know… Don’t push too fast, too soon…

Overall – as I said at the beginning, I think this is a turning point for the brand. This is their first bike that feels like it can actually take on Japanese rivals. Sure, it’s a new model and the engine is still untested, but it feels solid and comes with a three-year warranty. Eight big rides is much less than the value of the bike. I think a lot of young riders will be happy with these before it’s too long.

Wayne likes the CFMOTO 450SR because…

• Adorable little engine – refuels on the spot, blares the exhaust for the reserve man (and with the slip on it the horn!)
• It’s nice and light with great handling – it feels very ‘right’
• Well invested and finished – And in terms of style, it looks mint

Wayne would rather CFMOTO 450SR if..

• I’ll probably throw some even softer rubber on it with a bit more tread depth for all driving conditions. It’s nice and light, so be gentle when the tire is worn.
• Is it possible to revisit that high beam switch position? Or is it just for me?

Specifications CFMOTO 450SR 2023