CFMoto's new 650MT 'adventure-tourer' gets top marks as a LAMS legal sports-tourer. Test by Tony ‘Pommie’ Wilding, Photography by Graham Bain and Finn Wilding
It had been six years since I’d ridden a Chinese built bike, so when I was asked to test the new CFMoto 650MT I was not expecting much. However, from the moment I picked up the bike from Graeme Morris Motorcycles, I could tell this was a much better bike altogether.
2017 CFMoto 650MT
The first thing you notice is the sharp modern styling – the bike was actually designed by Kiska Design, who are responsible for KTM styling. The build quality also looks pretty good, with neat welds on the steel tubular frame and a quality finish on the body panels, but obviously time will be the critic.
You also get super bright LED lights and indicators, an adjustable wind shield and a handy USB charging port, which would be handy for running a GPS on a bike like this. The MT also comes standard with ABS and surprisingly braided brake lines.
2017 CFMoto 650MT – Front forks offer compression adjustability, with preload and compression on the rear
The suspension offers plenty of travel too, with 140mm at the front and although the front is only adjustable for compression, the rear can be adjusted for preload and rebound and has 145mm of travel. All this travel is handy for our crap Aussie roads, but does result in having a tall 840mm seat height, but a lower optional 820mm one is on offer.
Sitting on the bike the ride position is great for my 180cm dimensions and the seat feels really comfy too. The dash is fairly basic, but has a handy gear indicator, clock and fuel gauge and trip meter. The dash is easy to read, but for some reason the speedo is small, smaller in fact than the gear indicator.
The speedo reading on the 650MT is smaller than the gear indicator, which streams a strange choice
My only other small gripe is it’s really hard to use the function buttons on the move with gloves on, or to adjust the wind shield on the move. You have two modes to choose from, Sport and Economy, but to be honest I struggled to tell the difference between them, so just left it in Sport.
Pressing the start button I was greeted to the quiet burble from the low slung two into one muffler and the customiser in me couldn’t help thinking that a nice aftermarket exhaust system would make this engine roar. In saying that, the noise police would have no complaints in stock form.
Selecting first gear I head off for some country roads to put the MT through its paces. As soon as I move I can tell instantly that I like the bike, it just feels well balanced, the clutch is light and the gearbox is slick, even with only 40km on the clock. There is quite a long throw movement between the gears on the lever, but you get used to it in minutes.
2017 CFMoto 650MT – Optional panniers
My MT is fitted with quality Shad panniers. The panniers are lockable and easy removable, you just lift the handle then lift the catch and they are off. I chose to keep them on as it was freezing in the morning but getting warmer, so I’d be removing a few layers, plus I had a load of camera gear to carry and they are certainly handy for that.
I love the engine on the MT, it’s really quite torquey for a 650, and moving through traffic is a breeze, especially leaving cars behind at the lights. The Bosch fuel injection system does a good job of feeding the twin 38mm throttle-bodies and results in smooth throttle acceleration.
Minimal vibrations, good rear vision and a strong engine ensure the 650MT is happy on the highway
On the freeway the bike is really happy, the mirrors offer good safe vision and the engine vibrations are minimal, the ride position is perfect for me and the seat is spot on, with a small scalloped hump behind my backside, which keeps me from sliding back. I could see myself being capable of doing some massive kilometres on the MT and relatively pain free thanks to the great ergonomics.
The MT is marketed as an adventure tourer, but with 17in mag alloy rims I’d say it was more focused on the touring side, although I did take it on some light gravel roads and it was fine, but with Adreno Sport road tyres, anything too off road my result in some unwanted body repairs or dented rims.
The 650MT is definitely more sport-touring orientated than adventure-touring
The roads that the MT does shine on are our typical rutted, bumpy pothole ridden country ones; the long travel suspension loves these. I was thinking that the bike would be too softly sprung, making it wallow in the corners, but nothing could be further from the truth. The MT handles really well, which was the biggest surprise for me.
I love tight twisty roads and the MT shines here, the MT is not overly light at 213kg, but feels nowhere near that and flicks from side to side with minimal rider input and fells well planted and stable, even when encountering some nasty raised tarmac sections mid corner the MT powers through.
There’s excitement to be had on the 650MT despite being a LAMS compliant 650
The CFMoto’s engine has just enough grunt to make riding exciting, with 62Nm available at 7000rpm and driving out of corners you can pin the throttle without fear of high-siding, making use of every one of those 55 horses. In fact, the power is there from tick over and it’s not one of those engines that you really need to flog to get the most out of it.
In saying that, at 6000rpm the power really come into the meaty part of the rev-range and this is where the fun is at. It’s even possible to get a wheelie out of the mid-range parallel-twin, with the help of a few revs and a bit of clutch action.
Spanish J. Juan brakes feature braided lines
Another positive on this budget bike are the brakes, you get two 300mm steel discs with twin-piston calipers, the brakes are made by Spanish J.Juan, which to be honest I’ve never heard of, but they work really well, they offer good power and feel at the lever, plus are fitted with a Continental ABS system. I grabbed a handful of brake on a gravel road and the ABS did what it was supposed to do so I ticked it off the list as tested.
After doing a day ride with my mate Graham on his Fireblade, I know who was fresher at the end and I was happy to not have the stiff neck. I think that this type adventure/touring style of bikes are getting more popular, especially with the riding conditions we are faced with in Australia and our heavily policed roads, you can have some fun on a bike like this without breaking the speed limits too much and feel a lot more relaxed doing it.
Pommie and the 2017 CFMoto 650MT
There is a fair bit of competition for a bike like this, with the main contenders being the Suzuki V-Strom 650 and the Kawasaki Versys 650, which the CFMoto engine is a good copy of, but these Japanese bike are around $3000 more expensive. I guess the main challenge for CFMoto dealers will be to get people to test ride these bikes and see how good they really are for such a budget price.
2017 CFMoto 650MT
TECH TALK: 2017 CFMOTO 650MT
The CFMoto MT engine is basically a copy of the Kawasaki’s own 650cc parallel-twin, eight-valve engine, from their ER6 bike. This motor has been painstakingly copied even down to the same engine mount positions, which CFMoto seem quite happy to replicate down to amazing similarities.
649.3cc parallel twin, with a 180-degree crankshaft
The CFMoto is 649.3cc and has a 180-degree crankshaft, which puts out a handy 62Nm at 7000rpm. All Australian delivered bikes are LAMS-legal and produce 41.5kW at the crank at 9500rpm, but they may bring in a full powered version if there is demand. I’m told that the LAMS restrictor is only a stop on the butterfly valve so I can’t see it being a huge drama to remove, when you get a full licence that is…
2017 CFMoto 650MT exhaust headers
The full power version adds an extra 4.5kw across the rev range so it’s not a massive difference anyway. The fuel is supplied by a Bosch ECU for its injection, which are matched to dual 36mm UAES throttle bodies, the older model had 38mm ITT items, which helps smooth out the power and provide more fuel economy, handy on a tour/adventure bike like this.
2017 CFMoto 650MT
Specifications: 2017 CFMoto 650MT
Price: $6990 Ride-Away ($7500 as tested Ride-Away with panniers)
Warranty: Two years/unlimited kilometre
Colours: White / Blue
Claimed power: 41.5kw [55.6hp]@9,500rpm (LAMS Restricted)
Claimed torque: 62Nm [45.72ftlb]@7,000rpm
Dry weight: 213kg
Fuel capacity: 18L
Engine: Liquid-cooled, DOHC, eight-valve, parallel-twin four-stroke, 180-degree crankshaft, 649.3cc, Bosch Fuel injection, dual 38mm throttles bodies
Gearbox: Six speed
Clutch: Multiplate wet
Final drive: Sealed chain
Chassis: Tubular steel diamond frame employing engine as fully-stressed member
Suspension: USD fork (max travel 140mm) Extruded steel swingarm with tubular steel bracing, cantilever monoshock (max. travel 145mm)
Brakes: 2 x 300mm steel discs with twin-piston calipers with Continental ABS system, rear 1 x 240mm single disc with single-piston caliper
Wheels & Tyres: 120/70ZR17, 3.5 x 17 MT alloy (f) and 160/60ZR17, 4.5 x 17 MT alloy (r)
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 1415mm
Seat height: 840mm
Instruments: Digital display
2017 CFMoto 650MT Gallery
The Verdict | Review: 2017 CFMoto 650MT
Excellent value
A sensible, fun bike…
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August 26, 2017
Being a ‘mature age’ solo rider I have one of these machines at the top of my list to replace my soon to written off 2014 BMW G650GS Sertao following an accident on Tuesday. I don’t do anything tougher than the odd gravel road these days, always ride solo and can no longer physically cope with a larger bike.
August 30, 2017
Hey William, you can’t go wrong with the CF Moto 650 range. There’s strong performance from their twin cylinder powerplant and it’s a very manageable machine. Especially coming from something taller like a GS. Hope you’re OK after your accident!
September 23, 2017
I took delivery of the very first 650MT registered in Australia and it is a brilliant bike , after owning a previous 650NK which was in its own right a lot of fun to ride i wanted the MT for its storage and higher positioning, The MT itself is fantastic, stable and smooth in every circumstance, comfortable seating, easy to read dash and generous storage, for the cost of this bike it cant be faulted.
As your review mentions, more people need to test ride these bikes and they will see that they are a great ride and build quality is good , on a price aspect you cant go wrong.
Ive been a rider for 27 years and owned bikes from scooters to 1000cc sports bikes , i think every bike in its own way has a place and most are fun to ride for what they are intended for, the CFmoto 650MT has been the most versatile bike ive ever had, storage by the ton, sporty feel and heaps of grunt off the line if you want to do that, smooth and comfortable for hours, I have no complaints.
March 6, 2018
How have past model CF Motos stood up to the test of time? Have there been any issues with parts supply, servicing costs, durability issues with mechanicals, body parts and electricals?
March 7, 2018
Hey Peter,
We’ve had a long term CF Moto 650 and never had an issue as far as durability or mechanicals, etc, in a year of riding. We did the basic servicing ourselves. One of our contributors owns a 650 NKS, we’ll find out how he’s found it long term and let you know.
May 19, 2018
I like the design of this bike a lot (although not so much the front lights cluster). I own a 2017 Kawasaki Versys 650 and was told the CF Moto engine is not a copy but indeed the very same engine of the Kawasaki, which is manufactured by…CF Moto. The rear sprocket is also incredibly similar to the Versys’ rear sprocket…to the point that I’d swear it is the same. The brake sustem is very different from the Kawasaki’s, though. As to the chassis… I seem to find some similarities. A very interesting bike, indeed, with a bargain price.
May 19, 2018
Hey Eduardo, rumour has it that Kawasaki sold the tooling for the first gen ER6N to CFMoto, which CFMoto have since continued developing for their own uses. We’ve always found the CFMoto’s we’ve tested very reliable, but I’m not sure you could say they use the ‘very same engine’, at least not in fairness to Kawasaki. It’s a bit more complex than that even if the rumours are true. But when we first saw the CFMoto 650 a few years ago we certainly thought the resemblance to the Kawasaki version pretty striking. Which makes sense, as the Kawasaki has been hugely successful.
June 13, 2018
Hello from sunny Greece,
My question is how good these bikes are? I really like to see a test comparison with Benelli TRK 502. I think TRK is one of its main competitors, isn’t it?
Also I didn’ t find any mention about fuel consumption.
June 13, 2018
Hey Michael,
We’ve always been very impressed with the CFMoto 650s, they’ve proven reliable and good value for money. There’s a bit of a trade-off with finish quality compared to a Japanese bike for instance, but that’s why they are priced so aggressively. The TRK502 is definitely competition with this model, we’ll see if Tony remembers fuel consumption and can give us a bit of a comparison of the two models, as he tested both.
October 1, 2018
How does the CF Moto 650MT with the panniers go in windy conditions? I have ridden a Yamaha TDM 900 with about the same size panniers as this bike and it was a terrifying experience on a windy day or if you over took a truck you almost involuntarily changed lanes.
November 13, 2018
Any chance we’ll see these states-side? CSC is testing Zongshen’s new RX4, a long-anticipated 450cc “big brother” to their popular 250cc RX3 ADV machine, which will do much better on the many and oft-unavoidable US freeways, especially here in Texas! Seeing how “Chonda” bike quality is now coming to near-par with the Japanese competition, I’m excited to see some other brands hit our shores, and CF Moto appears to be one of the most obvious to get there.
Btw, I’ve also noticed Fantic Motor’s new steeds sharing the RX4’s NC450 mill. That Flat Track machine really looks like a hoot! Of course, they’re Italy-based, so the value appeal isn’t quite the same, but it says a lot when you start seeing non-Chinese brands overtly using Chinese engines on new models.
Thanks!
November 13, 2018
Great question Nick, it looks like they’ve got a range of ATV machines available in the US, and you would think adding motorcycles would make sense as well. Here in Australia they do well as their motorcycles fit the Learner requirements, which all riders have to spend a few years on, making them a great value choice for that segment of the market. The Chinese made motorcycles have certainly really upped their game though, and it does speak well of them that their engines are being more widely adopted.
December 6, 2018
What was the fuel consumption like?
December 7, 2018
Hey Rob,
We more recently tested the 2018 model and were getting about 25km/L with a mix of around town, highway and country back roads.
You can find the more recent test here – Review: 2018 CFMoto 650 MT (LAMS)
August 10, 2019
Hola Amigos ,soy Daniel de Argentina y me son muy utiles sus comentarios para decidir la compra de la MT 650 , aca en Argentina hay pocas unidades en la calle y por eso da un poquito de miedo comprar esta moto
August 10, 2019
Hello, I wanted to know if the temperature of the engine so high can cause problems in the operation of the motorcycle
August 10, 2019
“Hello Friends, I am Daniel from Argentina and your comments are very useful to me to decide the purchase of the MT 650, here in Argentina there are few units in the street and that is why it is a little scary to buy this motorcycle”
Hi Daniel, great to hear you got the MT 650, such a fantastic bike. Should be perfect for Argentina, particularly if you can get out on some back roads and do some touring, also good in the city. They are a great all-rounder. p.s – Leandro Mercado is going well!
November 2, 2019
I recently bought the new 2019 650MT after trading in my 2015 650 TK. I’ve been riding for 30 years and like Brian, I’ve riden all brands, styles and sizes. The CF Moto brand has impressed me more and more. Without going into it all I can say that I never had a single problem, ever, with my 2015 TK. I wanted a more upright riding position hence trading it in for the MT and it is an amazing machine. It has smooth power delivery through the revs and available grunt down low. Super smooth suspension and a neat practical dash. There’s 1 thing I would like to see changed and that’s the choice of tyres. The stock tyres are not for offroad of any kind. They are grippy on tar but offroad, not so much.
For those unsure of the brand, spend some time researching this amazing company. They manufacture for many of the big brands out there and have been around for a long time. I won’t buy another Japanese big brand bike ever again. Did you know that Cfmoto competes in the Isle of Man TT and finished 4th in 2016 in its weight class. It’s a fantastic brand with quality products!!
November 11, 2019
Hi Russel, I totally agree. I too am a big fan of CFMoto and I’m looking forward to the new models and the future of this brand. Like you say, they make a lot of the parts in Japanese bikes anyway. Jeff.
December 13, 2019
Owner of 650TK (sport-tour version) here. Riding it for 2 seasons and 26k kilometers. No problems whatsoever, very comfortable, smooth and reliable bike. The only bike I’d want to trade it for is it’s next modification – TR-G. Sadly, looks like we won’t ever see it outside chinese market 🙁
December 15, 2019
Great to hear – top value bike and a good all-rounder. CF Moto are crazy if they don’t sell the TR-G globally… I hope they do.
June 22, 2020
Propriétaire d’une CF650MT depuis 9 mois, je peux vous livrer mes premières impressions. Si j’ai choisi ce modèle de moto c’est que son design m’a plu d’emblée. Après 6000km à son guidon je reste enthousiaste : tenue de route, couple du moteur en duo, suspensions PARFAITS. La dureté de la selle ressentie lors d’un essai à disparue, remplacée par une selle confort. Mon 1.83cm est bien protégé derrière la bulle relevée à son maximum. Reste maintenant une interrogation : que deviendront les plastiques avec le temps et quel sera le prix de revente de la moto sur le marché de l’occasion ?
July 17, 2021
Does anyone have a 2015 cfmoto 650tk shop manuals ?