CFMoto seems to be planning a
comeback in the Indian market as the CFMoto 650MT has been spied road testing
in India for the first time. Last month the CFMoto 250NK naked streetfighter was spotted testing
in the country. While the spotting of the test mules is a strong indication of
the company's foray into the Indian market, there's presently no information on
which company is CFMoto associating with to launch its products. The company had a collaboration with Hyderabad-based Eider Motors, which turned
out quite badly.
Coming back to the bike, the CFMoto 650MT is an
adventure tourer that is based on the 650NK naked, and is already on sale in
international markets like Australia and China. The motorcycle is designed by
‘KISKA Design’, which is the firm that designs KTM and Husqvarna bikes. The CFMoto 650MT features the typical ADV design with a semi-fairing
and a tall windscreen. The bike features a sizeable 18-litres fuel tank,
slightly raised tail section and a single-piece seat.
Suspension components include long-travel
non-adjustable upside-down forks and a preload adjustable rear mono-shock. The
CFMoto 650MT comes equipped with a full crash protective guards as standard.
The motorcycle rides on 17-inch alloy wheels; however, we would have been happy
if it had come with wire-spoke wheels, which offers stability while going
off-road.
The Australian-spec CFMoto 650MT is powered by a
649cc DOHC parallel-twin engine that generates 56.4 PS of power at 9,500 rpm
and a peak torque of 62 Nm at 7,000 rpm. The output figure (PS) on the
Australian model is restricted for the LAMS (Learner Approved Motorcycle
Scheme). Considering that India doesn’t have such restrictions, the Indian
version will develop slightly higher power figures. That said, the motor is
paired with a 6-speed gearbox.
In Australia, the CFMoto 650MT retails at AUD 7,990. The motorcycle will rival the Kawasaki Versys 650, Benelli TRK
502, SWM Superdual and the Suzuki V-Strom 650XT.
