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CFMOTO, long a force in ATVs and side-by-sides in the United States, continues ramping up its motorcycle line with two adventure-touring models and a lightweight sport bike for 2023.
The Chinese manufacturer now has about 550 dealers across the country, with almost 300 of them now carrying motorcycles, as well as four-wheelers. CFMOTO is carving out a space in the U.S. market with motorcycles that don't skimp on features but cost less than Japanese and European competitors. When ZLA's Brandon Wise tested the CFMOTO lineup last year, he was pleasantly surprised to see the bikes didn't leave him disappointed, as previous encounters with Chinese machines had done.
2023 CFMOTO Ibex 800 S and 800 T
Now the largest-displacement machines in CFMOTO's U.S. lineup, the Ibex 800 models add an adventure-touring component. The S and the T are the same under the skin. Both are powered by a fuel-injected 799 cc parallel twin that makes a claimed 95 peak horsepower. The offset crankshaft and firing order give the engine the character of a V-twin, CFMOTO says. The Ibex models are both nicely equipped with LED lights all around, including fog lights, a seven-inch TFT display with connectivity, standard crash bars and luggage racks, and cruise control. There are two standard riding modes, rain and sport. The Ibex 800 S stays in the four-figure range, with an MSRP of $9,499.
For $1,000 more, the T adds several additional features, some of which are aimed at making the Ibex more capable off-road. One of those is spoked aluminum wheels that accommodate tubeless tires (replacing the alloy wheels on the S model). The T is also equipped with a skid plate, a steering damper, hand guards, heated grips, heated seat, a quickshifter, and a tire pressure monitoring system.
The three-piece aluminum luggage set costs an additional $1,699.99 and holds 28 liters in the right-side pannier, 35 liters in the left, and 36 liters in the top box.
We'll have to see how the two Ibex models work once we get a chance to test them, but on paper, at least, they offer a potential challenge to European competitors with a price that's a couple thousand dollars lower and with features such as cruise control that some buyers really want.
2023 CFMOTO 450SS
The other new entry in CFMOTO's U.S. lineup is the 450SS, a lightweight, full-fairing sport bike listing for $5,499.
The 450SS has a 450 cc parallel-twin engine with a 270-degree crankshaft and racy styling. Does a sub-half-liter sport bike need winglets? "Need" is such a base word. Will some entry-level sport bike buyers lust after fairing protrusions that call to mind MotoGP bikes or lineup-leading superbikes? Probably. In any case, CFMOTO claims the wings do provide meaningful downforce.
Also keeping up with the sporting look are the radial-mount Brembo brake calipers and an inverted fork front suspension. Suspension is not adjustable, however. You still get a five-inch TFT display, LED lights all around, and a slipper clutch.
In a spec-sheet shootout, the 450SS doesn't undercut the competition quite so much on price. It's only a couple hundred dollars less than a Kawasaki Ninja 400 equipped with ABS, for example. The CFMOTO 450SS is a bit larger in displacement and claims a little more power. Given the all-around goodness of the Ninja 400, that's not a bad target to equal.
At Common Tread, we've ridden a few Chinese motorcycles that, in the end, didn't have much to recommend them beyond a low price. But remember that at one time Japanese motorcycles were considered toys not suitable for a serious rider and we all know how that evolved. CFMOTO is trying to rise to the level of the competition while still offering a better price. As our testers found out last year when they compared a CFMOTO 650 ADVentura head to head with Japanese and British competition, the Chinese bikes aren't 100% there yet. But they're getting closer. And they probably bear watching.
| 2023 CFMOTO 450SS | 2023 CFMOTO Ibex 800 S and 800 T | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $5,499 |
$9,499 800 S $10,499 800 T |
| Engine | 450 cc, liquid-cooled, parallel twin | 799 cc, liquid-cooled, eight-valve, parallel twin |
|
Transmission, final drive |
Six-speed, chain | Six-speed, chain |
| Claimed horsepower | 50 @ 9,500 rpm | 94 @ 9,000 rpm |
| Claimed torque | 28.8 foot-pounds @ 7,600 rpm | 56.8 foot-pounds @ 7,500 rpm |
| Frame | Alloy steel | Steel tubular |
| Front suspension | 37 mm inverted fork | KYB inverted fork adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping; 6.3 inches of travel |
| Rear suspension | Single shock | KYB shock adjustable for preload and rebound damping; 5.9 inches of travel |
| Front brake | Single Brembo M40 four-piston caliper, 320 mm disc with ABS | Dual J. Juan four-piston calipers, 320 mm discs with ABS |
| Rear brake | Two-piston caliper, 220 mm disc with ABS | J. Juan two-piston caliper, 260 mm disc with ABS |
| Rake, trail | 24.5 degrees, 3.74 inches | 25.0 degrees, 4.06 inches |
| Wheelbase | 53.5 inches | 60.3 inches |
| Seat height | 31.0 inches | 32.5 inches |
| Fuel capacity | 3.7 gallons | 5.0 gallons |
| Tires | 110/70R17 front, 150/60R17 rear | Maxxis MaxxVenture MA1, 110/80R19 front, 150/70R17 rear |
| Claimed weight | 370 pounds | 509 pounds; 548 pounds with three pieces of luggage |
| Available | Spring 2023 | Spring 2023 |
| Warranty | 24 months | 24 months |
| More info | cfmotousa.com | cfmotousa.com |
