Chinese bikemaker, 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, earlier, 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.
Interestingly, in October 2017, CFMoto partnered with KTM to develop mid-capacity bikes for the Chinese as well as global markets. 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.
Also Read: CFMoto 250NK: All you need to know
In Australia, the CFMoto 650MT retails at AUD 7,990 (INR 4.06 lakh). The motorcycle will rival the Kawasaki Versys 650, Benelli TRK 502, SWM Superdual and the Suzuki V-Strom 650XT.
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