Launched in China back in June 2023, CFMoto is breaking new ground in foreign markets. The Philippines is the first country outside of China to receive the brand-new naked sport bike from the brand in Zhejiang province.
Back in June, CFMoto launched the 450 NK in its home country, and now the naked bike find its way to the Philippine Archipelago.
Slated to replace the popular 400 NK in the South-East Asian nation, the 450 NK is a remarkable style, performance, and generational upgrade over the brand’s best-seller in the region. CFMoto Philippines, distributed by MotoStrada, is also tagging its launch event as a “Global Launch” for the brand.
The Chinese brand in the Philippines held on to its 400 NK and its bigger brother, the 650 NK, for a while, that is until the 800 NK signaled the progression of the NK lineup into its next generation.
Based on the 450 SR, otherwise known as the 450 SS for the rest of the world, the new naked sportbike adopts the engine, most of the geometry, and the same frame as the sportbike. Aimed squarely at other Japanese rivals like the Kawasaki Z400, the Honda CB500F, and even cousins from Austria like the KTM 390 Duke (to name a few), CFMoto might have an ace in the hole with this one.
The bike's design is reminiscent of the 800 NK, with a new headlight, a new aggressive set of fairings, a bold color scheme, and a tail similar in concept to the 300 and 450 SS. As the smaller bike compared to the 800 NK, its design features are also shrunk down to match the overall proportions of the motorcycle.
Gallery: CFMoto 450 NK Philippine Launch
Engine-wise, the 450 NK follows in the footsteps of its bigger brother, the 800 NK, in which it features a parallel-twin engine that has a similar firing order. The 450 NK has a similar engine to the 450 SR/SS, in which it has a 270-degree crankshaft. The power from the engine is pinned at 46.9 horses, and 39 Newton meters of torque (28.7 foot-pounds) as per the European A2 license restriction. Bore and stroke are listed at 77 by 55.2 millimeters. The exact displacement of the engine is 449ccs, and it is mated to a six-speed transmission with a slipper clutch.
The bike’s dimensions sit at 2,000 by 810 by 1,130 millimeters, in length, width, and height respectively, and it is sat on a short wheelbase of just 1,370 millimeters, in imperial, that’s 78.7 by 31.8 by 44.4 inches on a wheelbase of 53.9 inches. Seat height is approachable at just 31.2 inches (795 millimeters). As for its curb weight, it’s listed at 165 kilograms or 363.7 pounds.
Grip is handled by a 110/70/R17-sized tire, while the rear is handled by a 150/60/R17-sized tire, and the brand that CFMoto chose to go with for the Philippine market is CST, particularly the Adreno HS AS5 sport tires.
Damping duties are taken care of by KYB with an upside-down telescopic fork in the front, and a central mono-shock in the rear. Braking is assured with a 320-millimeter single disc clamped by a J.Juan four-piston caliper. The rear brakes are a 220mm single disc with a single-piston caliper, CFMoto Philippines also assures safety with anti-lock brakes as standard. Finally, traction control is also part of the electronics package for this motorcycle.
Three color variations are available for this motorcycle, which includes Zephyr Blue, Nebula Black, and Nebula White. The price for this bike in the Philippines will set customers back 262,800 PHP or about $4,650 USD give or take.