Adamchildchad Forties, 5'7, has been professionally bike testing for 20-years and has attended more than 350 bike launches and covered over a million road test miles. International road racer, with race wins at Oliver's Mount, podiums in NZ and two top ten TT finishes. Chad is just as happy off-road or on a classic bike.
CFMoto has come a long way in the 35 years since its creation. The Chinese bike manufacturer, which now has 3000 dealers globally and employs over 5500 staff, is emerging as a serious contender as we move into 2024.They are even a competing manufacturer in both Moto2 and Moto3 this year.
The all-new CFMoto 450MT (for Multi-Function Touring) is their latest offering: a parallel-twin powered adventure bike aimed at the A2 market that sits alongside their 650MT, 700MT and 800MT. Engine capacity is just 449.5cc but it has purposeful, big-bike styling to go with an appetite whetting spec featuring long-travel multi-adjustable KYB suspension, 220mm of ground clearance and a dirt focused 21-inch/18-inch front/rear wheel combination. There's also a 5-inch full-colour dash along with Bosch traction control, dual-channel ABS and an adjustable rally style screen. Price: a seriously impressive £5699.
We took four flights over 29 hours to get to the small Island of El Nido in the Philippines to see if the new 450MT goes as well as it looks. Our test was conducted mainly on dusty trails and in blistering heat and became a true adventure for both bike and rider.
Pros and Cons
Hugely attractive on price alone
Big-bike feel and comfort
21/18-inch wheels give true off-road potential
Chinese tyres are not the best
Engine lacks refinement
Bulky and heavy for a 450
2024 CFMoto 450MT: Review
The 450cc parallel-twin powered adventure bike gets a thorough going over by Adam Child over in The Philippines.
Price is the unique selling point of CFMoto brand (which is part of the Pierer Mobility Group that also owns KTM, Husqvarna and MV Agusta among others), and as expected the new 450MT undercuts the competition. Prices start at just £5699, which is shade under the £5750 of the Indian-made Royal Enfield Himalayan, which historically has been the budget option in this class. Furthermore, after an initial PCP payment of £923, the all-new CFMoto will set you back just £49 a month – that is cheap transport.
Triumph’s new Scrambler 400 comes in at just £5595 but has a less dirt-capable 19-inch front wheel. Both the Honda CRF 300 Rally and KTM 390 Adventure are over £6000 (that's £6549 for the Honda and £6299 for the KTM). The Honda gets that all-important 21/18-inch wheel combination but is nearly a grand more expensive.
The 449.5cc parallel twin features a 270° crankshaft and is designed and produced by CFMoto themselves in China. The motor is already used in the 450SR and 450NK similar across the range but CFMoto have introduced key updates to the camshaft, intake system, fuelling and exhaust to make it more adventure-focused.
The result is 31kW/41.57bhp at 8500rpm and 42Nm at 6500rpm: less peak power than the MT's sister machines but more torque across the low- and mid-ranges. For comparison, the sporty 450RS makes 34.5kW at 10,000 rpm (3.5kW more, 1500rpm higher in the rev range) and 39.3Nm at 7750rpm (2.7Nm less torque, 1250rpm higher).
As expected for the price, the MT has a relatively simple set up with no riding modes to control the power, and a straightforward mechanical throttle without ride by wire. This old-school simplicity means there’s relatively little technological wizardry to go wrong in the middle of nowhere, but also results in a rather snappy throttle response, especially off the bottom of the rev range. Once the throttle is open and any slack in the cable is taken up, the power delivery is relatively smooth and the bike feels eager to get on with the ride. Yes, there's only 31kw/41.57bhp available but I was surprised by the liveliness of the twin – and the exhaust sounds pleasingly fruity too.
Above 30mph I found myself instinctively short-shifting into fifth and sixth gear, and letting all that well-distributed torque do the work as I sat back and enjoyed the ride. The roads in the Philippines can turn from Tarmac to gravel without warning, meaning road speeds are relatively low, but the MT was totally at home chugging along in top at 40mph to 50mph. With the revs nestled in the engine's sweet spot between 4000rpm to 7000rpm, and the laid-back local traffic trundling along at an easy pace, the MT and its gurgling exhaust made for great riding companions.
Obviously, away from the Philippines, a country where a 450 is considered a large bike, you’ll have to use more revs and gears to stay with the faster traffic – and you soon realize that revving the 450MT to the redline results in lots of vibration and noise but little else. On one rare occasion, I saw an indicated 130kph/80mph on the dash, but not for long, and I suspect that, 75mph-or-above cruising might be a seriously vibey experience, and anything it manages above 90mph will be hard going indeed.
On dirt, that sharp throttle gives the Chinese-made CST Ambro rubber a hard time, but equally it’s fun having enough grunt to slide the rear. The MT's low and mid-range torque gave the MT real purpose and drive off on the dusty trails encountered on test and allowed the rear to break free easily and predictably (once the traction control had been switched off). However, popping up the front wheel to clear an obstacle isn't as easy as the press shots make it look, especially when the 17.5-litre fuel tank is full.
The chassis components are all new and bespoke to the 450MT and feature a tubular steel frame that has a removable underslung section and subframe which can both be replaced relatively easily should they get damaged.
KYB suspension has 200mm of travel at both ends and is supposedly fully adjustable, although I could only find adjusters for the rebound damping and spring preload on the rear shock and gives an impressive 220mm of ground clearance that's only 10mm less than the Enfield Himalayan. As noted, the wheels are spoked and have a 21-inch diameter front and an 18-inch diameter rear, while the MT's dry weight is a claimed 175kg.
Despite that tall suspension, the seat height can be set at either 800mm or 820mm (adjustable by changing the linkage bolt position) and accessible even for short riders. For reference, Honda's CRF 300 has a quoted seat height of 885mm, KTM's 390 Adventure, 855mm, and the Himalayan, 825mm. Once onboard the seat is wide and soft and there’s noticeable sag in the suspension, making it even more of a prospect for the less tall amongst us. I’m 5ft 7 on a good day and even riders of 5ft 5 will have no problem with the seat height on standard settings.
CFMoto may claim a 175kg dry weight but with solid (optional) crash protection installed and that 17.5-litre tank brimmed with petrol, it felt like 200kg or more. It’s not a heavy bike, but I wouldn’t describe the MT as agile or fast steering. The weight is carried relatively high in the chassis and you’re very much aware that you are turning the bike via a large-diameter and, I suspect, relatively heavy 21-inch front wheel.
At first the CFMoto felt a little choppy and harsh on El Nido's testing road surfaces, and the suspension struggled to cope with the uneven roads at pace. The comfortable seat did its best to disguise the harshness of the KYB units but at lunch I opened out the damping adjusters to allow more flow and travel, which proved beneficial. Now there was a little more transfer through the suspension and more feel too, but the biggest drawback was the tyres which lacked the connection to make me confident in low grip conditions.
Obviously, the riding environment didn't favour peg scraping angles of lean, but even back in the UK I’m sure the standard CST Ambro rubber would be lacking. I just didn’t know where the limits were. I’m sure the MT's OE tyres will last forever but I’d promptly change it for higher quality road or off-road rubber as soon as possible.
That said, the 450MT coped well off road. Some 90% of our route was on trails comprising of dusty tracks, so nothing too serious, but when we did push on a bit, the CF soaked up the terrain superbly, that long-travel suspension quite unfazed. Presented with steep inclines, the twin's torque pulled us fuss-free to the top (but only after I'd switched off the TC). Faced with mud, sand, deep water, the bike just chugged along, completely unflustered and showed itself to be a solid and robust off-road bike – particularly for the price.
Push too hard, though, and the tyres feel overinflated and struggle for grip, while the suspension lacks the control it has during normal trail riding. Experts will probably say it’s too top-heavy to be perform properly off road, that you can’t turn off the front ABS, only the rear, and that the suspension is too limited in range – but the CFMoto 450MT undeniably does a job. It’s a drop-it-in-the-mud, bounce-it-off-a-rock solid as well as a doddle-to-ride-off-road. I would predict that 90% of customers are going to appreciate that it’s built to a price, and just enjoy its uncomplicated qualities as a decent trail bike. The 10% who don't and won't, can change the rubber, tweak the adjustable suspension, and end up with an adventure bike with possibly more off-road potential than the competition.
Stopping power is provided by a single 320mm disc and four-piston caliper, with two-channel ABS provided by Bosch. The ABS can be switched off on the move, but at the rear only. On the road, there's enough stopping power to make the front tyre squeal and skip on straight-line braking but, once again, there's lack a bite and feel. (Our test bike had almost zero miles showing, meaning the discs and pads were brand new, so the braking performance may improve over time.) The ABS works to the same parameters whether off-road or on-road so kicks in predictably early when you hit the loose stuff, but for new riders this will add extra safety. Due to the test conditions and location, we couldn’t test high-speed braking or chassis stability.
The 450MT has a big-bike feel and looks but with a low and comfortable seat. You sit more in the bike than on it. The bars are wide, there is a manually-adjustable screen on a ratchet system and, on the whole, a CFMoto MT is not a bad spot to spend a few hours on. It even looks like pillions have been taken care of with a wide rear seat and sturdy grab handles. And while the suspension lacked a degree of refinement on test, it should be noted that the roads in The Philippines would test many a set up! The 800mm seat height is low for this class but is adjustable by changing a linkage bolt up to 820mm. Then there’s an optional high seat which takes it up to 850/870mm.
Economy-wise, our bike averaged 5.6 litres/100km or 50.4 mpg, which isn’t bad, but I would expect a little more in normal conditions. With a large 17.5-litre petrol tank, fuel range ran close to 200 miles on test, but again I’d expect more in the real world.
In fact, I can’t see why the 450MT couldn’t take on some serious miles. The dash is neat and informative and has Bluetooth connectivity. The only question mark is the bike's ability at higher speeds and the potential discomfort of caused by vibration. I’d predict that 70mph-and-slightly-above speeds shouldn’t be a problem, but anything more might be a little too much for the 41bhp twin. Add some luggage, maybe a pillion, and again you might be asking a little too much of the A2-compliant adventure bike, but I guess that ultimately depends on where and how you ride.
The excellent TFT display has a charging point tucked into its side and contributes to an overall sense of quality you might not expect for a bike under six grand. If you didn’t know the price and spec, you could easily mistake it for a 600cc or larger, with a price north of £7000. Hand guards are standard, so are the grabrails, a neat rear rack, an adjustable screen, off-road pegs with removable rubbers, and distinctive twin-stacked headlights. And it’s a handsome looking bike, too. Up close, there are a few giveaways that it’s been built to a price – the dated switchgear is the most obvious – but from a few yards you’d never guess.
Crash protection, including a bash plate, is only optional. There is also a larger taller screen, taller seat and a range of soft luggage which looks robust.
The Royal Enfield Himalayan has to be the MT's closest rival. It has a 21-inch front wheel like the CFMoto but a 17-inch rear, not an 18-incher, and it’s a single-cylinder not a twin. Honda’s CRF 300 is nearly a grand more, has less peak power but is lighter and more manageable off-road. The KTM 390 Adventure has a 19-inch front wheel, makes similar power, but carries a raft of electronic rider aids and less weight.
It’s easy to highlight niggles or focus on faults with the all-new CFMoto 450MT. The Chinese-made CST Ambro tyres are underwhelming, the switchgear is dated, the engine - even in this entry-level class - lacks refinement and zip, you quickly reach the limitations of the suspension when riding hard.
But, and this is a huge but, this otherwise competent adventure bike is priced at just over £5500 or £49 a month on PCP and represents great value for money. For the price of a meal out with my wife or my son's monthly phone bill I could have a brand-new adventure bike.
I think many people are going to be tempted by the 450MT, especially by its authentic big-bike feel and looks, its simple, robust build and no-nonsense work ethic. It's easy to ride and maintain, and with a few tweaks has the potential to take on some tough off-road conditions.
It’s a cheaper alternative to the new Royal Enfield Himalayan, with arguably more off-road potential and sharper adventure styling. The Enfield has sold by the bucket load, and I can see the CFMoto doing the same in certain markets. However, the big question mark will be whether its performance and handling are enough for alternative environments than the sandy trails of The Philippines. If it can take the fight to the competition on the streets and green lanes of the UK, CFMoto could really be on to something. Watch this space.
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