SMALL CAPACITY SCALPEL
Is CFMoto’s small capacity streetfighter as capable as it looks? We spent a few weeks with one to find out.
We all knew it was inevitable sooner or later, but it’s finally happening: a Chinese manufacturer has cemented its place on the world stage. And there’s no denying CFMoto’s a serious contender in an increasingly busy marketplace, with its eclectic range of small and mid- capacity motorcycles. We got our hands on its latest machine, the 300NK, and put it through its paces over the course of a couple of weeks, taking on a daily commute across Lincolnshire’s fenland, some B-road blasting and the occasional bit of traffic busting in and around town.
Lean,, mean ( street) fighti ing mach hine
The new CFMoto 300NK looks the part, don’t you think? I love its aggressive looks and sharp edgy lines. There’s a definite KTM feel to it. And there’s a reason for that. CFMoto has joined forces with KTM to produce a range of the Austrian brand’s small capacity machines for the Asian market – and it’s even bought the rights to build its own motorcycle using KTM’s 999cc 75-degree V-tw twin motor as a base. Oh, and in case that’s not enough of a reason for their similar styling, the 300NK’s been designed by the Austrian team at Kiska (who have looked after all of KTM’s designs for years).
It’s kitted out with a stylish full LED headlight, LED indicators and an LED tail-light. It also comes with a full colour, auto-dim TFT display, which displays speed, odometer, tachometer, battery level and trip meters, along with fuel gauge, gear indicator and a clock. It even has switchable ‘Sport’ and ‘Rain’ riding modes. It’s a properly modern motorcycle, which might come as a bit of a surprise when you consider its cut-price costing. For reference, that’s £3399.
Powered by a 292cc single cylinder four-stroke powerplant, the 300NK kicks out a respectable enough 27bhp at 8800rpm and 25Nm of torque at 7000 rpm. While those figures aren’t earth shattering, for a rider taking a first step up from a 125cc machine, there’s plenty of power to make solid progress. And even if you’re used to a larger machine with more beans, there’s still enough going on for you to hustle the little bike and have some fun.
The CFMoto 300NK sits on a steel tubular trellis frame, which is exposed along the sides. Seat height is a perfectly accessible 795mm, and with a claimed kerb weight of just 151kg, shorter and less physical riders won’t have a problem shifting the little streetfighter around.
It also gets a sleek, angular 12.5-litre fuel tank, which CFMoto claim should return well over 200 miles from a single top up. More on that later.
It comes with five-spoke alloy 17” wheels, which are clad with a CST 110/70-17 at the front and a 140/60-17 at the rear. For braking, the 300NK gets a single disc brake at both ends and dual channel ABS as standard.
Suspension is provided by inverted, non-adjustable, retractable forks at the front and an adjustable cantilever monoshock at the rear.
Dealing with the damp
The 300NK was well and truly christened on my first ride home from work; a nice little 27-mile commute on both A and B roads. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Well, it would have been, aside from the fact it hammered it down the whole way. Needless to say, my wet weather clothing turned out to be just that – wet clothing, right through to the skin. A torrential downpour followed me from Horncastle all the way home, but it was only the clothing that let me down, as the bike was genuinely faultless. Tons of standing water, wet lines, slippery manhole covers – but it never let me down, offering plenty of feedback. Ok, so I was glad to get home and get changed into dry clothing, but the bike was awesome.
In fact, my stepson turned up on his first big bike, a Kwaka 650, having recently taken his direct access course – and I told him: “You should definitely get out in the rain and see how the bike handles in the worst conditions. That way you’ll know exactly what to expect when you get caught out’.” And after that first ride, I felt I had a pretty good feel of the little CFMoto. Now I’ve got to confess, I wasn’t sure exactly how to find the aforementioned ‘Rain’ mode on the 300NK on that first ride. I rode in all that nasty weather in the ‘Sport’ mode. But after getting home and drying off, I soon mastered the system. And it’s a good one. ‘Rain’ mode helps to control skids and slides in the wet, and gives more fuel economy than the full, fat ‘Sport’ mode. How cool is that?
Finally, some dry roads and a chance to really see how the NK handles. I’m impressed. Steering is sharp and positive with great feedback. It’s nippy and smooth through the gears, and being so light, it’s so easy to throw into a bend and then power on the throttle. It’s a doddle to ride. I’ve had 78mph out of it on a dual carriageway and even though you’re working it hard, it doesn’t feel strained or out of breath. I found the suspension perfectly capable, too – neither too hard nor too soft, it’s just right. There was no need to adjust the rear mono-shock for little old me.
The CST tyres have been equally impressive, proving themselves on both dry and damp Tarmac.
The brakes aren’t hugely sophisticated, but they’re capable enough to stop the NK without too much trouble. Admittedly, they don’t bite especially quickly, so before you start really pushing the bike to its limits, it’s worth getting a good feel for them with some testing on some quiet open roads. Additionally, it’s a bit of a stretch down to the back brake pedal. I felt like I was on tiptoe at times trying to feel for it, but it wouldn’t be too much of a problem to adjust it and raise it up a smidge.
The seat’s comfortable, too. It’s not exactly plush, but as good as you’d expect for a little, lightweight streetfighter. Although there is a pillion seat, I wouldn’t feel too happy taking a passenger on board. There’s not much room back there. Under the seat there is a very small toolkit hidden away, which is a nice touch. The mirrors are decent, too – stylish, sleek and stable even at speeds in excess of 65mph.