CF Moto 800MT Is a Fantastic Takeaway From Chinese Brand.
CF Moto 800 MT Touring A Fantastic Takeaway From The Chinese Brand.
China is an emerging motorcycle design and manufacturing nation, and its brands, such as CF Moto, are not frightened to take on the big boys. Previously, we have seen Sinnis and Lexmoto, but there have always been concerns over their build quality and reliability. The models coming over from CF Moto, such as the 800 MT Touring, are capturing much attention from bikers looking to get a good quality bike for much less money than a German or Italian model.
CF Moto differs from the other Chinese brands that produce 125cc machines, as it offers 300cc to 800cc models in all different specs. The bikes share parts from the Austrian firm KTM, using older engines and bits, such as the old 790 Adventure twin in the new CF Moto 800 MT.
The bike has a smart design and modern technology with a TFT display and riding modes, and it often comes with luggage at decent prices. The 800 MT comes in at £11000 ish. Is it enough to make it stand out from other established manufacturers?
Road tests and reviews took a CF Moto 800 MT Touring on a few trips across the South Coast to find out what it is like to live with.
The CF Moto 800 MT Touring is based around a KTM 790 Adventure and provides decent handling with a great riding position, allowing you to relax and sit in the machine. It's upright, with plenty of leg room, easy to reach to the wide-ish adventure bars, and comfortable for two. Unlike the Guzzi V85TT, KTM 890 Adventure or Yamaha's Ténéré 700, it sits nicely as an Adventure Tourer focused mainly on-road riding.
Riding along the twisties on the A road of the South Coast, I found the handling acceptable and could cope with entering corners at speed. It also allowed for nippy changes when filtering in traffic and towns. The bike easily handles two people with luggage, which is standard on this touring model, and both riders sit in comfort on extended rides.
The DOHC, 799cc, 95bhp parallel twin comes from the old KTM 790 Adventure and delivers adequate power for the weight of the bike and the type of riding required from an Adventure Tourer. At lower Revs, it is a bit rustic and clunky, but it starts winding up, and it becomes smoother. You find a good turn of pace that can be made with slick gear changes.
You buy a CF Moto 800 MT Touring, knowing that it is not the latest engine technology available and may fall short on top-end power, but it is only ten bhp less than the current KTM and similar European rivals. But these machines are more expensive even before luggage packs, etc
The MT is good-looking and classy, so you could assume it is European or Japanese. The KTM 790-derived MT Touring appears substantial, a genuine two-up tourer.
The CF Moto 800 MT Touring is the brand's most ambitious, largest, impressively performing and lavishly equipped bike, but it's a budget machine whose main grab is value for money. However, if you look into the costs and what you can get for similar money, you have to think hard about your best option.
At £11,349 (including OTR costs), the 800 MT Touring comes in at around the same price. You can get a Kawasaki Versys 1000 Tourer for £11,679 or a fully kitted out Versys 650 Grand Tourer, which is around £10000.
The CF Moto 800 MT Touring is well-equipped, good-performing, smart-looking, and versatile. The £11,099 Touring version has off-road style alloy-rimmed wire wheels, with semi-knobbly tyres by Maxxis; three-box ally luggage, a quickshifter/blipper; functional crash bars, a centre stand, hand guards, steering damper and riding lights. This comes on top of the base model's impressive specifications, including a TFT dash, adjustable windscreen, twin riding modes, USB charging point, etc. The 7-inch colour dash is of decent quality and reminds me of KTM's version of the MT's 'sister bike', the 790 Adventure. The electronic goodies include cornering ABS, cruise control and a quickshifter.
The lined aluminium luggage avoids scratching your prized possessions, but, proportions-wise, it is small, particularly the right-hand pannier, and the top box isn't big enough to hold a full-face lid. The adjustable screen is welcome, but its two-knob adjustment system means you have to be static to change it, and it is also a little fiddly to operate even at a standstill.
Prices start from £11099.