CFMoto 450 MT First Impressions

CFMoto is making a comeback in India and recently gave us a chance to ride the 450 MT, which seems to be quite a popular adventure tourer in International markets. The bike has still not officially launched in India and we were invited to give the company feedback about the product before its official launch. After a few hours spent riding the motorcycle, here is what we think.

Design 

CFMoto has gone for a rugged yet modern look with the 450 MT. The unique LED headlamp, high-mounted front fender, and sleek fairings give it a good ADV look. The tall stance is paired with a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel setup. The build quality is quite good with well-finished components. The bike actually looks really big and surely catches attention wherever it goes. Two colour options will be available when it is launched. 

Ergonomics & Comfort

The seat height stands at 820mm and with the narrow profile of the seat, does not feel intimidatingly tall. Riders will also be able to lower the seat to 800mm with an adjustment on the monoshock, making it manageable for shorter riders too. The tall, wide handlebars give good leverage, and the footpegs are placed in a neutral manner, offering a relaxed riding posture, ideal for long hauls. Standing up on the pegs to ride offroad also feels natural. I rode for almost 80kms and the seat was so comfortable that I did not feel fatigued. Additionally, the windscreen provided decent wind protection for my 5’7 height and could easily be adjusted even on the go. 

Engine & Performance

The CFMoto 450 MT makes use of a 449cc parallel-twin engine producing 44 hp, 44 Nm of torque and that 270-degree crank gives it a grunty and torquey feel. The power delivery is smooth, with a really strong midrange pull. The 6-speed gearbox is slick, and the slipper clutch is extremely light and it feels like an effortless motorcycle to ride. The engine feels refined and will be enjoyable for long-distance travel. It was also tractable, allowing me to do around 50kmph in 6th gear without any juddering. Only as you rev the bike upwards of 7000 is when you feel a slight buzz on the bars, but it's not something that bothers you at all. Keeping the bike at around 5000rpm is its sweet spot to cruise at. 

The unit I was riding seemed to have a drop in power after 7500rpm so I tried another unit and the same issue did not exist. Upon talking to the brand, we were informed that they were testing different ECU settings on these motorcycles for India, which is why there was a difference. Off-road, the bike has enough grunt to tackle all kinds of trails without breaking a sweat. What I really like about this motorcycle is that you have a button on the left-hand side switchgear to disable rear ABS and TC together, making it convenient to switch back and forth. And, it makes use of a mechanical throttle compared to a ride-by-wire system which gives you a nice old-school feel.

Ride Quality & Handling

One of the biggest highlights of the 450 MT is its fully adjustable KYB suspension. With 200mm of travel at both ends, it soaks up bumps in a plush manner, whether on tarmac or trails. The chassis feels good but the limitation was the tyres. The bike we were riding had CST tyres which did not offer good grip, especially while cornering. As the bike was nearing the edge of the tyres, it did not inspire confidence. CFMoto did tell us that they were thinking of different tyre options for India. Off-road, the bike feels really light, despite its bulky appearance. The bike also gets tubeless spoked wheels as standard, which will make fixing punctures less painful. And, the brakes also worked fairly well to get the bike to a halt with good calibration from the ABS.

Features

The 450 MT makes use of a curved 5-inch TFT display that displays information in a crisp manner and offers Bluetooth connectivity, navigation support, ride stats, and more via an application. This display is also easily visible even in harsh sunlight. It does miss out on ride modes and cruise control but that is not a dealbreaker as the motor is very smooth and tractable. It is also the first bike in its segment to get foldable mirrors. Additionally, it gets a USB charging port and an easily adjustable windscreen. The only other thing I feel would sweeten the package was if a quickshifter system was offered as standard.

Verdict

This ride experience with the 450 MT was fun, but there will be a bunch of changes before the bike is officially launched so we shall wait to give you a proper verdict. Considering that it has a twin-cylinder engine and will come in as a CKD, we can expect pricing to be premium. It will go up against the likes of the Himalayan 450 and the new KTM 390 Adventure, so CFMoto is going to have to be competitive with pricing to make waves in the Indian market. As far as first impressions go, this motorcycle has good off-road and touring abilities. We look forward to riding the finalized product for India in the upcoming months when it is officially launched.