I’m of the belief that more options is always a good thing, and it doesn’t really matter where those options come from. This is especially true in the context of the motorcycle and powersports industry, where to be honest, we all just wanna go out and have a great time.
Over the years, we’ve seen tons of new entrants flood the market, some more noteworthy than others. But if one thing’s for sure, it’s that a certain brand from China’s been pushing the right buttons, and could very well be on its way to becoming one of the fastest growing motorcycle manufacturers in the world.
I am, of course, talking about CFMoto, a brand I’m pretty familiar with having owned and ridden quite a few of their bikes over the years. But the past two years have seen CFMoto transform. It’s kind of in its hot girl summer era, with bikes that aren’t so much focused on being cheap and affordable anymore, but rather, being fun to ride and boasting a lot of performance.
This became evidently apparent when it launched not one, not two, heck, not three, but four brand new motorcycles here in the Philippines in a grand event that could only be described as a product launch used as an excuse to throw a party.
As for the bikes, well, CFMoto had been teasing these bikes for quite a while now, and the launch event marked the first time these models were unveiled in Southeast Asia.
Suffice it to say that I think each of these bikes could be game-changers in their respective segments, so let’s take a look at what each of them brings to the table.
500SR Voom: a neo-retro sportbike in a class of its own
The first bike that was unveiled was the 500SR Voom, and you just know that folks all over the world are going to go crazy over this thing. It represents the intersection of two worlds—the small-displacement four-banger sportbike segment and the neo-retro segment. So yeah, you could say this thing’s in a class all its own.
On the one hand, you get the high-revving goodness of a small-displacement four-banger. And on the other hand, you get the 80s-inspired sportbike aesthetic. I’m talking about two round headlights that double as ram air intake ducts, and twin upswept exhaust pipes that really add a retro touch to the package.
675SR-R: The Triumph Daytona we actually wanted?
Up next was the 675SR-R, CFMoto’s interpretation of the ultimate middleweight supersport. We’ve talked about this bike before, and it’s a bike that I think could be a modern-day evocation of the Triumph Daytona 675R—perhaps even more so than Triumph’s actual Daytona 660.
Now, before you die-hard Triumph loyalists come at me with pitchforks, let me explain. The CFMoto 675SR-R is every inch a committed supersport—from its aggressive ergonomics to its high-revving triple, to its completely adjustable electronics—this thing doesn’t mess around. Heck, it even gets MotoGP-derived brake ducts. And come on, I know you’d be lying if you said you didn’t wish Triumph released a more aggressive, performance-focused Daytona.
150SC: a maxi-scooter with maybe a little too much tech
Of course, it couldn’t be all about performance and style, right? CFMoto also showcased its practical side with the launch of the 150SC, a small-displacement commuter scooter meant to lock horns with some of the industry’s biggest names—think Yamaha NMAX and Honda PCX. Style-wise, the 150SC looks like a maxi-scooter, with its large, angular bodywork giving it the illusion of size.
But as CFMoto usually does with its bikes, it decided to throw in a bunch of fancy tech features, easily making the 150SC the most technologically advanced scooter in its class. It gets Bluetooth smartphone connectivity, traction control, ABS, and even an optional TBox allowing riders to remotely access the scooter’s diagnostics, immobilizer, and real-time GPS location.
800MT-X: flex so hard you can’t go unnoticed
And just when we thought the party was over, CFMoto decided to surprise us all and unveil a bike that we’ve been waiting for for quite some time now. I am, of course, talking about the 800 MT-X, a derivative of CFMoto’s 800MT adventure-tourer, and one that’s ultimately based on KTM’s 790 Adventure platform.
It follows a similar formula as some of the other rally-inspired ADVs on the market—think Aprilia Tuareg 660, Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid, and yes, KTM 890 Adventure Rally. But in true CFMoto fashion, the MT-X is loaded to the brim with fancy tech—perhaps a little too much tech. This thing flexes pretty much anything you could imagine. From advanced rider aids to fully adjustable suspension, and yes, remote diagnostics, real-time GPS, Bluetooth, and all those fancy acronyms—the MT-X has it all.
Way more than anyone really needs.
So there you have it. Four new bikes, each with something unique it brings to the table. Personally, I think these things simply have way too much tech than anyone needs. Nevertheless, I think CFMoto deserves some credit for having the balls to do something different—particularly with the 500SR Voom, the bike which I think will do the best in terms of sales out of the four released during the event.
But what do you think? Is CFMoto going in the right direction with its new models? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
