An unexpected invite to a ‘chosen’ few, strict terms to adhere by, and even stricter terms to test what I was supposed to; a car waiting for us at the airport to whisk us away to a facility on the outskirts of the city, a brief about the ‘mission’ at hand — all sounds like a plot of some spy movie, doesn’t it? And the fact that I am forbidden to disclose any details of how the company plans to enter India (again) makes it all the more interesting.
After the debriefing, I geared up to meet the weapon I would be testing — the CFMoto 450MT. On paper, the bike had everything to obliterate its enemies, but spec sheets don’t win wars — performance does. Noticing the finer details of this 450MT was a bit difficult with all that camouflage wrap and masking tape, but I was promised a chance to see this ADV in its full glory — sans the camo once I am back from the test route marked for me.
So, I warmed up the 449.5cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin powerhouse and it brought a wicked smile to my face. The 270-degree crank was rendering a sinister, characterful exhaust note, and I could foresee the terrorised faces of the civilians as I blasted through the narrow lanes of this sleepy neighbourhood.
As I settled on the 820-mm tall saddle, everything seemed just tailored to my 5’11 frame; the handlebar was wide enough and well within my reach, the footpegs’ position didn’t make me feel cramped. Yes, the 17.5-litre fuel tank looked quite big but it tapered near the seat, allowing me to grip the bike easily. It was time for the takeoff!
But I had to be mindful about not attracting too much attention on this mission, so I tried going slow and blend in with the traffic. Needless to say, I was unsuccessful — the throaty exhaust note, and my attire were turning too many heads. So far, the engine was playing along, too; it didn’t mind going slow or being in a gear or two higher, but when I saw the open stretch and decided to peel off from the crowd, the bike surged with urgency that I didn’t expect.
It didn’t take me long to run through the six-speed gearbox before I momentarily glanced at the 5-inch TFT display that flashed speeds that I shouldn’t have been doing on those roads. With no traces of vehicles around me, I dropped the anchor from 140 kph… and the bike came to halt with no drama — the J.Juan brakes were sharp and communicative enough, and the CST Ambro tyres surprisingly stood their ground. So, naturally my confidence to do more stupendous stuff with this Chinese bike just shot up.
I was fooling around with the bike with its factory-tuned suspension settings. The 41-mm KYB USD forks and monoshock are adjustable for preload, rebound and compression, but with the limited time, I had to make do with the stock settings and they seemed just apt for the day’s job.
Before I knew it, a speed breaker felt more like a ramp beneath the 450MT — all I had to do was stand on the ’pegs, give it a ‘little’ throttle and the front wheel graciously came up. Even after proper air time, the suspension would soak it all up at landing.
Now, with the newfound trust on the CST rubber and knowing that the brakes wouldn’t let me down, I went through the first set of corners, being wary of the suspension. But the bike didn’t feel wallowy, at all. So, a few more runs followed, each with more speed than before, and the bike took it all just fine. I mean, for an ADV with a 21-inch front wheel, it was enjoyable. But the tarmac is not the place to test it, right? So, I was escorted to a trail nearby.
And the moment the tarmac ended, all I did was press the ABS button that also switched off the traction control and put the bike in Off-road mode. The punchy bottom-to-mid-range grunt meant I could power through anything without much effort. Tight turns? No issue. Moving the bike around without any assistance from the engine? Easy. With the 175-kg dry weight, I expected it to feel light, but this almost felt like the KTM 390 Adventure. And it wasn’t top-heavy at all, making manoeuvering a lot easier. This felt like THE adventure bike for a one-bike garage.
It was now time to spend time with the non-camo version at the facility. And that’s where I got to notice and admire the little things like the foldable mirrors that come stock. Though the seat is adjustable between two settings — 800 mm and 820 mm, it will have to be done at the service centre since it involves removing the monoshock bolt from the linkage and fixing it at the lower setting. The non-camouflaged unit I saw had some uneven panel gaps, and the bike that I rode had an ECU issue where in the engine would surge to the redline, drop the revs by 4000 rpm, and rush back to the redline, all while I kept the throttle pinned throughout. Of course, these issues can be fixed, but we’ve seen the company’s fate last time around.
This time though, it seems like everything is being cautiously and meticulously planned. And starting with the 450MT seemed like a calculated move. The sub-500cc ADV segment is heating up, with the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and KTM 390 Adventure already in the mix. By this year’s end, the BMW F 450 GS and Aprilia Tuareg 457 could join the fray. CFMoto chose to strike at the perfect moment — before the Bavarian and Italian parallel-twin ADVs arrive. But will the bike have the right backing from the brand? And will it be priced well? My guess is as good as yours.
