My Review of the CFMOTO 650NK

Here is my review after driving the 650NK for about 400km. I had quite a lot of rides in the past, and the latest was a CB400 vtec1 with Jiangsu plate that I drove for about 2 years in Shanghai.
I applied for the 沪A license plate (inner ring downtown Shanghai) as I didn’t want to play cat n mouse with cops no more: been there, done that.

Attachment 8716Attachment 8717Attachment 8718Attachment 8719

So I will try to give my most honest impression on each important characteristic of this machine:

Design:
Personally I’m a fan of the design of the 650NK (thank you M. Kawasaki): it’s an aggressive naked bike with a contrast of colors on the structure and rear suspension. A bit too much plastic to my taste though, plus I’m not a big of the fake carbon protections: I’ll paint them black in the near future.
I changed the exhaust system too as the sound and the design didn’t convince me (changed with IXIL OVS Silencer black mat). The brand’s stickers that are all over the bike are removable and have been removed.

Performance:
Overall it’s a good to go, the acceleration are powerful, don’t have to go up in revs to enjoy that feline, of course it’s followed by a good roar from the exhaust pipe (a bit like the “Buell music” for the adepts). This bike is perfect for streets, if you go upper than 100 you won’t be surprised by the acceleration anymore but below that: it’s big fun! The power pulls around 3000rpm +, no need to go berserk on each gear to feel the fun: between 3000 to 5000rpm you’ll get a satisfying and steady acceleration which will provide a feeling of safety.

Comfort:
Drove it for long rides already and didn't have a sore ass nor squashed balls, I’d said it’s quite comfortable for the driver. On the contrary, the passenger seat is just for emergency only; don’t expect your girl to go for long ride with you unless she’s enjoying the upped ass, lower back position (or go find yourself a contortionist). The hand grips in the back are not well designed, consequently, the passenger can’t really stick to the seat, he/she will balance back at each medium/strong acceleration unless he/she is holding u: one thumbs down to CFMOTO.

The bike is really easy to control and turn, it’ll react exactly the way you want it: very smooth feeling: a nice balance in deep turns and quite maneuverable in short turns.

Brakes:
One of the strong point of this NK (from my point of view), no ABS of course (too cheap for that) but with a good balance of the front and rear brakes you’ll obtain a very efficient braking system. One note: when I received the moto I thought the rear brake was shit, almost useless, came back to the shop, the mechanic corrected it and put it on the highest position and then I would no longer complain: Not mentioning that the double disc brake in the front is fantastic: progressive and strong.

Suspension:
Hmmmm, for me it’s honestly quite a disappointment, you won’t have any problem with holes, sewer’s cover and bumps on the road below 70-80km/h but once you drive upper than that on casual Chinese streets: the bike literally jump with the bumps: there is no absorption from the front suspension that’s why I’m planning to change it (told the store’s boss, Jeff, about it, he told me that for the moment it’s not possible, won’t forget it though…will keep that in mind).

Transmission:
The clutch and clutch pedal are smooth, neutral is easy to find, reaction to fast passing gear is quite enjoyable: it’ll do the job in normal or race situation. When asked, the transmission clicks exactly into gears and I never missed a shift in 400km: good job!

The lights:
the LED system is very cool and give a good look to the front of the bike: one remark though, when driving at more than 100km/h headlight start to lack efficiency, as a matter of fact the “position light” turns itself off when you use the “headlight”: my opinion is that keeping both “on” in headlight position would give a perfect luminosity to roads at high speed. With a good electrician that might be corrected? Will keep u posted.
Another remark: on the 12 small red LED clustered in the rear brake light: 3 are already broken (bought the bike 1 month ago): it’s a detail but still…it’s disappointing.

The tires:
CST from Taiwan, new version: CST Radial ZR-17 (they changed them as they got too many bad reviews from shops, owners and testers) and I’ll admit I’m quite satisfied with it: it takes about 10 min to heat them and then I got a good grip on the road. I went through a big rain 2 weeks ago: and it did the trick. Of course white lines and crosswalk lines need to be avoided (raining or not), but this apply to China only (as those safety lines have no grip ability here: it’s like driving on a skating ring when it’s raining…Chinese nonsense…)

Consumption:
Ah, found no information about this point so I’ll tell u: it’s a gluttonous ride, I’d say 11-12L/100km with 17L fuel capacity and I’m not an aggressive driver: you’ll drive about 150km with a full tank. You got 4L to find a gas station when you’re in the red (drove 25km in the red already before finding one). The manual say she’s drinking 93 octane gasoline, but I’d been advised by CFMOTO to give her the 97 one.

The speedometer:
Heard a lot of cons about it, I admit it, the digits are quite small but to the point that you mix 50km/h with 80km/h??? Unless you drank 5 Pints yeah, it might be. It should be more inclined that’s a fact, 20° higher would do the trick. I heard that in 3 month a new speedometer will be released for the NK (cfmoto is listening to reviewers and critics, I’ll give them that). Might buy, will see.

Protection:
I added an alarm, a gps tracker, 1 imported disc lock, 1big imported U of 18mm plus 1 Kryptoflex cable: total of more than 2500RMB, I won’t go cheap on locks as I know by experience that Chinese are swift with tools…

That’s it guys, will keep you posted if I have any more critics toward my bike: overall I’m quite satisfied but the front suspension is a problem that I have to fix.

One last note, as I heard some guys telling me that they wanted to buy the 650NK as their first bike: forget about it, it’s no toy: it’s a powerful/aggressive bike in terms of acceleration, not the usual 600 we use to find on the market few years back.

Don’t make the mistake to buy an overpowered bike just cuz you fancy the design, first ride should be all about gaining skills/confidence/experience. Go with a 250/400 with a low centre of gravity like the Suzuki GW250 (for the one leaving in China) for about 1-2 years (acceleration is OK and handling is so intuitive) it’ll give you the right know-how without risking your life (it applies in Europe/States, so imagine in China…). Not mentioning the fact that repairs will be cheap.

Cheers,


Z.

Cool review! Thanks, keep the information coming.

Once one LED bulb goes they all will eventually fail, that’s because the bank of bulbs are rated to a specific resistance, so one going causes the remaining to burn out at an accelerated rate. They have to replace the whole set, it either had a bad bulb that started it or a bad resister.

"the 12 small red LED I have on the rear" Can you post a picture of this? Are they clustered in the rear brake light? That should be something the dealer would replace for you easily.

Thanks for the review topmanda, looking fairly good so far! Will keep an eye on this thread to see how you get on with it long term.

Regarding fuel consumption, you sure you got the figures right? 11-12L per 100km seems extremely high, especially since the kawa er6-n that it's based on gets about half that figure.

http://www.motostat.eu/vehicle-stats/36531

Nuhaus: yes they're clustered in the rear light, it's easily changeable plus I have a 3 years guarantee from the store which cover about everything but the tires and the fairing.


Felix: With a full tank of 17L I drove about 150km, which makes about 11L/100km. I'll try with a full tank of 97 (I use to put 93) and come back to you. Is there any relationships with the breaking in period, that I don't know?!

Very good review.

I am looking forward to when the NK, TR and hopefully the adventure model are available in the US.

Great review, something ain't right with that fuel consumption :eek2:. Is it 3 years unlimited mileage warranty? Would be interested to hear how you feel after a 400 kilometre day in the saddle.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers!
ChinaV

on the odd occasion when my fuel consumption figures look like that
it turns out somebody stole some of my gas

Yeah I confirm you that It's a 3 years unlimited mileage warranty. As my biggest issue with this bike was the longevity (it's a chinese bike after all) but with such a warranty I thought wtf. :scooter:

Regarding the consumption it is odd I admit it: I'm wondering if there's any relationship with the breaking in period. In any case, I'll double check this fact quickly and come back to you guys.

the latest issue of Magazine Motorcyclist has the review of CF650NK.

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/fi...k/viewall.html

CFMoto 650 NK | First Ride
By Alan Cathcart, Photography by Stephen Piper

They say: “Meet China’s first full-sized motorcycle.”
We say: “Comparable quality for less cash.”


The Chinese-made CFMoto 650 NK can’t help but remind you of the Japanese invasion of the 1960s. Just as Honda’s game-changing CB450 was the first Japanese motorcycle Western customers saw as fun as well as functional, sporty in addition to affordable, the naked NK appears to be the first “real” bike to emanate from the world’s largest motorcycle market that is the People’s Republic of China.

Powered by a parallel-twin, 649cc engine that matches Kawasaki’s ER-6n in almost every respect—there’s little denying that this is a knock-off of a proven Japanese design—the NK is still the first motorcycle to come out of China with an engine larger than 250cc. And after riding the NK, I’m convinced that it’s worthy competition for any budget or beginner’s bike from Asia or Europe, and available at a significantly lower price. In Australia, the 650 NK will sell for just more than half as much as its Kawasaki competitor.


CFMoto’s parent company, Chunfeng Holding Group, was founded in 1989 but didn’t start making complete motorcycles until 2000. Development of the 650 NK began in 2009 and the bike was launched in Asia early in 2011. Pending EPA homologation, shipments of China’s first middleweight motorcycle will begin steaming for America. Because the bike hadn’t passed Australian homologation yet, my test ride took place on the Broadford circuit in Victoria. I admit I approached the CFMoto armed with every possible prejudice against Chinese-made motorcycles, all born from hands-on experience riding various poorly made 250cc singles.

So from the first moment I first saw the CFMoto 650 NK, I was ticking mental boxes. Styling: hmm, not bad, in fact pretty sharp with its stubby R6-type exhaust, bright red frame and black bodywork that’s so reminiscent of the ER-6n. The paint depth and overall finish look equal to any Japanese-made budget bike, though the plastic switchgear still seems a little low-rent, and unpolished aluminum brake and clutch levers look rather drab.
But the whole bike has an air of substance—it feels solid and well put together, not flimsy. It starts and idles smoothly, with a fairly meaty exhaust note and an effective counter balancer that does a better job of eliminating engine vibes than the Kawasaki mill it’s modeled after. The riding position is rational, and the footrests are low enough to provide room for taller riders without limiting cornering clearance.


The transmission clicked precisely into gear and during some 45 laps of the Broadford circuit I never missed a single shift. For what’s sure to be a very inexpensive bike, the 650 NK works better than it should. The parallel-twin engine is torquey, free-revving and smooth. Acceleration is determined rather than assertive, but it’s sufficiently strong to be satisfying, and the torque peak is spread widely enough that there’s no point in revving it anywhere near redline. The motor pulls from 3000 rpm upwards, with power building all the way to the rev limiter at 10,800 rpm.

With Kayaba’s Chinese affiliate providing the 41mm telescopic forks and centrally mounted shock (not offset, as on the ER-6n and Ninja 650), the 650 NK’s suspension compliance was frankly much better than I expected, with good ride quality and the ability to absorb bumps and ripples in the road surface without affecting the steering. And the way the bike steers is indeed excellent, delivering poise plus stability and allowing me to pick lines that would avoid the oil patches left by the previous weekend’s vintage bike races. Equipped with Cheng Shin tires labeled simply “Radial,” I was quite cautious entering corners on the NK. The tires stuck, though, and as I added speed and lean angle, the long hero tabs began dragging and soon I was using the toe sliders on my Kushitani boots.


The brakes on other Chinese bikes I’d ridden were awful, and to begin with the NK’s twin-piston calipers and 300mm petal discs simply didn’t work very well. When I pulled in after a dozen laps, I could smell fumes coming off the brakes, and assumed I’d glazed them. I continued riding, and the brakes began to improve to the point that they worked as well as any comparable setup from Europe or Japan. I hadn’t glazed the brakes, I was bedding them in!


Which leaves just one key aspect I couldn’t answer in my one-day Broadford bash—how well will the 650 NK wear the passage of time and miles? It’s impossible to guess after even a thorough test ride, but if it’s as well manufactured as it has been engineered, then this bike may have the same impact on the marketplace as the Honda CB450 did 47 years ago, becoming the bike that introduces Chinese motorcycles to the Western world. The NK could well be a game changer.

Oy mates,


550km now and just had a problem with the fuel injection system which seems to have a malfunction. I had difficulties starting the bike yesterday, it seemed to me that the automatic starter wasn’t working well, but today shit hit the fan after driving 2km:

The fuel injection indicator turn itself on while driving, then off, meanwhile the bike started to puff and I literally stalled after few seconds on the road. Had a hard time starting it again as the Fuel injection system seems to be totally fucked up, I drove the 2 last kilometers with the clutch lever half gripped to avoid stalling a 2nd time.

Will go to the store for the maintenance tomorrow and see wtf is going on. :taz:

I hope you've just got a case of poor quality fuel and maybe a blocked injector rather than anything wrong with the bike. Good luck.

After an electronic check-up of the bike it seems that the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) was malfunctioning and has been replaced: problem solved, the bike is behaving normally again.

Plus the LED system has been corrected, now on headlight position both LED are ON (headlight and position light) which is a way more efficient than the standard.

Rear light has been changed with a new one as 3 small LEDS were dead.

The mirrors have been changed with Rizoma’s, will post pictures in the near future.

Cheers.

Ok Here it is, headlight position has been electrically corrected so that all LEDs are ON + new mirrors Rizoma
Attachment 9095Attachment 9096

Where are the mirrors?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zorge

Where are the mirrors?

---

They're on there. Just low profile.

has anyone seen this baby,,,,,,,,,,so cool, was taken at the quangzhou fair

How cool these colours go togetherAttachment 9110

Nice! Is it a special edition or what?

I dunno if its a special or what, my friend took the pics, i dont think he knows either

Looks like the plastic panels are not painted.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Robeta

has anyone seen this baby,,,,,,,,,,so cool, was taken at the quangzhou fair

How cool these colours go togetherAttachment 9110

---

I like this look better. The standard red frame just doesn't do it for me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by david3921

I like this look better. The standard red frame just doesn't do it for me.

---

Does anyone else think that the handlebars look shitty on the CF?

Topmanda, nice review and mods. Being the owner of the same bike (in Nanjing), I'm very interested in that speedo assembly you wrote about. Is that an aftermarket thing or CFMoto made? Where did you get the info from? Will it be available at the dealers or do I have to go through taobao?
And, yes, I think you got your mileage correct. I keep mine fuelled with #97 gas and the results are around 10-11L/100 km in the city traffic. Not really a problem, since I use it to commute to work and back, but could be annoying in a long trip.
Oh, and one more about EFI: you said there was a problem with TPS, how long did it take the shop to diagnose it and deal with that?
Cheers,
Keep us posted!

Oy Steve,

the speedometer will be released beginning of 2012 (Jan/feb). It's my dealer (wuzhong lu, Shanghai) who told me to wait a semester as cfmoto planned to release a new version. I wanted to install the Kawa er6n 2012 speedo which fitted perfectly to the NK.

They did a full review of the bike with computer and stuff, took them 30min to notice the malfunction of the TPS, about 20 to change it.
Have another problem: it seems that my speedo inform me of an empty tank (“E” is flashing) when there’s 6L left, not 4L as written in the guide (full tank 17l), will try to correct that.

Hope it helps

Z

I wonder if they're going to release the speedo separately as a necessary upgrade or together with a new bike, say, 650NK-1. I mean, what's the use of just upgrading a speedo by itself? Is t like the buggiest part or something?
Speaking of an ER6N speedo, you said it fits perfectly. So have you finally installed it or not? And how much does that retail for? I know that on 650NK the speedo is connected to the main circuitry by a huge plug. Do you mean the plug fits the speedo from ER6N or do you have to modify the connections somehow?
I think we're experiencing similar problems: say, I had to change the speedo assembly after that misting problem occurred (as seen in my review of the bike). A couple of weeks later it started showing weird fuel levels - the readings were always lower than what was in the tank. And I had the same problem with the tank being read as "empty" when in fact it was half full. Then it disappeared all by itself and now I have the readings right and what I see on the gauge is (pretty much) what I have in the tank.
But then there's another thing: when I turn the key and engage the engine killswitch (the big red knob on the right handlebar), the red EFI warning light blinks about 7-10 times and then shuts off. The bike starts and rides just like it did before, no changes. I wonder what that might be because that light wasn't blinking before. So is it like my speedo started doing a right thing or the readings are off the wall - I know not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve_Halt

A couple of weeks later it started showing weird fuel levels - the readings were always lower than what was in the tank. And I had the same problem with the tank being read as "empty" when in fact it was half full. Then it disappeared all by itself and now I have the readings right and what I see on the gauge is (pretty much) what I have in the tank.

---

It's probably not fault of the speedometer, but of the sensor or it's float which is located in the fuel tank.

I also think it's the tank fuel sensor, but again, I don't know if the speedo has any signal postprocessing system built inside. I'm too lazy, should probably finally start reading/translating the bike's manual into English...

Agreed with Zorge, it the floater that's fucked up
Speedomeer of the Kawa 2012 er6n has exactly the same size/volum, you'll have to adapt some cables for sure.
didn't buy it yet, th new speedo is supposed to have a better reading + more functions, so I'm waiting for that one before investing in the jap one

No need to go through your chinese manual, go through the english one to save you some time ;)
http://www.cfmoto-us.com/uploads/fil...1d4e1e515b.pdf

for your problem with th EFI light, I had the same and it finished with what I described before: change the the TPS.

good luck,


Z.

.