Steve's CFMoto 650 NK（春风 650 NK）

[QUOTE=Steve_Halt;74551]I

Hi Steve

This sounds like a classic tale of buying the wrong piece of equipment for the job required.

Take your CFMOTO to Yunnan or Sichaun and enjoy the open road!

The fuelling issue you mention at low speed: we never experienced that in stop-start inner city riding with either the 650NK or the 650TK. In fact, we were highly impressed with the bottom-end fuelling on these bikes - way better than many European machines we have sampled. It seems getting the fuelling correct just off idle is quite a tricky thing.

Now, what is this business about the price of plates? Do you buy a plate for a car or motorcycle in China and then not have to pay an annual license fee? What is the procedure?

There are differences between the Benelli and CFMoto export model versus domestic market machines. The export models from both companies are not exactly the same as the inferior shiet sold here - despite 'us' paying about the same for the privilege when all said and done. A Benelli 600GS or GT as well as the CFMoto 650NK or TR/TK has a similar MSRP inside PRC as they do in most overseas markets - despite the export models being supplied with upgraded/better components e.g. higher spec suspension, brake components etc. Effectively the two local companies could be accused of some WTO violations IMHO.

As for fuelling issues this is something more common with EFI, due to fuel loops/maps built into the ECM/ECU, compounded and influenced by fuel, air, temp as well other factors which all come into play. There is also the advent of ride-by-wire wherein the 'ol throttle cable is replaced by an electric wire or two. As such this might explain why the likes of 'Power Commander's' and 'ECU flashing' e.g ECUnleased etc are anecdotally increasing in popularity. Often applied to remove the low end stumbles off idle or in the lower RPMs that some EFI MC's experience. Add to that the restrictions (catalytic converters) that manufacturers put in place to gain meaningful emissions standards EU-III+ etc.

Not to say that carburettors don't have issues too.

In terms of plating/rego... it is similar to NZ's, albeit far from as user friendly as it is in Godzone. One cannot just simply plate/rego the bike at the dealers with a simple completion of paperwork. PRC is made up of many little kingdo0ms, with every part having slightly/vastly different rules or interpretation of 'the rules'. The whole situation is complex and what I write here is just the simple basics...For starters, insurance, one cannot ordinarily get full comprehensive insurance cover for their vehicle, much less a MC - unless it is a LEGAL BMW, HD, Ducati etc, where the importer or distributor have made an arrangement with one of the Insurance companies - case in point is my BMW GS I bought late last year - I'm able to get full comprehensive insurance through PICC organised nationally through BMW Motorrad China. Otherwise it is a type of compulsory third party insurance which has to paid annually.

In some places it is quite easy and inexpensive to plate vehicles, but some places it is a right farkin PITA. You can forget about simple processes in the middle kingdo0m unless one has some good connections or stumbles across someone with influence.
FWIW ... PRC=the simple/easy things are complicated/difficult, while the complicated/difficult things are simple/easy.

It costs a lot (generally double to sometimes triple) for imported MC/cars in PRC, unless they are sourced from ASEAN countries - hence why MC manufacturers are setting up manufacturing plants in Thailand and India (aside from the lower risk of IP infringement etc.). MC's arriving into PRC from those S.E.A. nations do so at 35-40% above MSRP compared to the 100-200% above MSRP from elsewhere (USA, Japan, Europe). If only NZ manufactured MC's, with the PRC-NZ FTA, such MC's would land in PRC free of duty, instead, PRC offloads its MC's to NZ.

Plating and insuring vehicles and even dealing with inspections (WOF) is anything but straight forward. To plate a car or MC in most jurisdictions in PRC may cost 500-1500 CNY (a one off cost - not to be confused with taxes), but not so in Shanghai (SH) nor Beijing - where supply of motorcycle plates are tightly controlled, and only trade-able on a second hand plate market. For example, in SH car/MC plates are somewhere north or 120-130K CNY (NZ$24-26K) with MC plates more expensive than car plates currently.

For SH car plates, there's a lottery system where all purchasers go through an 'agent' to bid on a finite number of plates released by the SH Government each month, supposedly as a means for the local SH Government to control vehicle numbers. By the same token, the SH Government do not issue motorcycle plates, so anyone looking to buy and rego a MC in SH has to find someone willing to sell a second hand plate which can be traded and sold from one to another. Consequently since MC plates are noy issued - there are a finite number of MC plates in circulation. Added to this is the fact that a SH MC plate can be exchanged via the SH Traffic Management Dept. for a SH car plate, meaning there'd be one less MC plate in circulation - however, SH car plates cannot be exchanged for a MC plate. This is why SH MC plates are so expensive (supply vz demand) - pure capitalism at play here. It is the reason one can find any number of inferiorly constructed 50-150cc MC's with a legal SH plate going for some ridiculous amount of kuai. It's not the MC that has any value - it's the plate, the MC is just a way to park the plate. Plates have to be on a MC.

Here in the Middle Kingdo0m, MC's cannot be ridden on all roads, nor can they be ridden on many of the Expressways (motorways with Tolls). Instead motorcycles are banned from these infrastructure components, including from something like 123-127 cities (forget the number now). MC's are even banned from some sections of Highways (think, NZ or OZ State Highways), so effectively MC are thought of as scrap (a very temporary disposable commodity - mind you it's not like the locals actually think too far ahead). The temporary status of motorcycles used to be the same for cars, though that no longer applies, likely a result of the number of high end luxury brand/model cars plated in ever increasing numbers. Since the changes to the duration that applies has changed, whereby a car simply is required to pass an annual inspection effectively after the sixth year till eternity - the same rule changes might be adopted for MC's too. But this is a LFZ, so no matter I paid three times the cost of my BMW GS here than if I'd bought it in NZ or OZ... I'll be forced to remove it off the road in 11 years time (see below)! I paid significantly less for my XT1200 Super10 in OZ compared with the wee GS

Effectively MC's also are issued plates for a finite period of time in PRC, which is determined by the jurisdiction that the MC is plated in. Roughly the finite period is 9-13 years, usually it's 11 years. Once that anniversary date comes up, the plate is surrendered/taken back (or in the case where a plate can be transferred e.g. SH or BJ, - the plate is sold), and the MC in question cannot be used legally on the road any longer, effectively turning into a scrap commodity or heavy door-stop.

Vehicles including MC's have to undergo inspections - with the duration between inspection differing based on new vehicle versus second hand and how old the vehicle is since new. Different categories of vehicles can also face restrictions e.g. vans, utes (pick-ups), mini-buses, buses and trucks all of which face various restrictions... so MC's aren't the only category singled out.

It's a farkin can of worms... nothing like NZ where buyer and seller simply complete a bit of 'paper work' and send it in to complete plating/rego/insurance or drop into a local Post Office, VTNZ, or other convenient method etc. Nope, in PRC it will take at least half to a full day, and require various visits to different dept. counters, and a pretty good understanding and ability in conversational Mandarin - or co-dependence on a local Mandarin speaker e.g. GF - even then that's no guarantee of a smooth experience.

To say nothing of the driving etiquette of the local population which is to put it mildly or bluntly (take your pick), utter bull faeces. Seriously, the self centred ego centric driving behaviour (actually all behaviour!) is ridiculous. Very few if any local gives a rats arse about any other road user (or anyone else in any capacity - outside of the family structure or some Government official), resulting in a very passive aggressive driving/riding experience. By contrast, my observations of the northern Thailand road user etiquette/driving or road user behaviour trumps PRC by a factor of 1000 IMHO, based on two trips of 2 months duration per trip in both 2014 & 2015. To my mind based on that experience, Thai's actually have a clue about appropriate driving/riding etiquette - at least they have heads on a swivel, and bother to look left, right & behind aside from just straight ahead (straight ahead - is seemingly the only co-ordinated head/eye movement the local population can accomplish in PRC) - and seemingly the Thai's give a shiet! Stopping at intersections, giving way, stopping, merging or moving over to let others pass etc, all totally opposite of the norm in PRC. To ride safe in PRC requires the rider to adopt a very passive aggressive mindset IMO.

Nope PRC is a LFZ (Logic Free Zone) and titled a 'DEVELOPING COUNTRY' for a reason, and deservedly so IMO.

...YMMV

Steve there is nothing bad about the NK. The reason it's hateful (for you) in town is because you've been riding a scooter which has been designed for the job it does and you've gotten used to that bike.

I ride on provincial and mountain rides and I have absolutely no problem using the range of gears including the sixth. Also I have not problem carving city traffic either.

If you bought the bike for city commuting and never even think about going on a provincial road, mountain road, or track you simply bought the wrong bike, and honestly a real ER6 would treat you just as well or badly as the NK. Sure fuelling is snatchy in 1st but it's snatchy on all modern EFI bikes no matter who makes them as they have to run so lean for emissions. That's why I'm waiting for affordable powerful long range capable electric or hybrid motorcycles, because I want a programmable super smooth throttle.

Sounds to be like you'd ideally set up with a 4 cylinder 400 or a 4 cylinder 250. Sadly doubt you can find anything legal in that bracket.

Rewi Alley, see bikerdoc's write-up below - it's a great one!

bikerdoc, man, you have just systematized the chaos - not an easy feat! Great write-up! Actually I never thought that the export models have upgraded components... Any luck getting those aftermarket? Taobao maybe? I am interested!

ZMC888, it's not that hateful, I have had it for a long time and the bike has kind of grown on me. I mean, I took it apart and reassembled it and feel intimately familiar with the machine. I have a set of nice new tires on it and enjoy its character. Indeed, it feels different from a scooter, but it's comparing 2 different classes of vehicles - my write-up is more of an emotional escapade rather than a weighted article :) I would love to have a CB 400 (one of my favorite bikes of all times), unfortunately no luck getting a legal one...

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Originally Posted by Steve_Halt

Decisions-decisions...

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Knock yourself out - CF Moto NK 150.

Attachment 16922

Jokes aside. Simply, I have not found an appropriate topic for this.

Why do I mention this bike? First, it is CF Moto's NK, but nimble 150 cc, and the second, our local company, "Guevara" is expanding its business to CF Moto range. In addition to the two 650 cc and several ATVs and UTVs, they offer (in fact, at this moment - will offer) this NK 150. So far, they did not came out with the price.

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Originally Posted by Zorge

Knock yourself out - CF Moto NK 150.

Jokes aside. Simply, I have not found an appropriate topic for this.

Why do I mention this bike? First, it is CF Moto's NK, but nimble 150 cc, and the second, our local company, "Guevara" is expanding its business to CF Moto range. In addition to the two 650 cc and several ATVs and UTVs, they offer (in fact, at this moment - will offer) this NK 150. So far, they did not came out with the price.

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No joke, the 150NK has been available for sale for a couple of years. CFMoto pushes the model quite hard locally and in some other markets as an entry level bike for the racetrack. The 150NK from October 2014 onwards comes fitted with ABS as standard. MSRP in PRC... 元11980

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zorge

Knock yourself out - CF Moto NK 150.

Attachment 16922

Jokes aside. Simply, I have not found an appropriate topic for this.

Why do I mention this bike? First, it is CF Moto's NK, but nimble 150 cc, and the second, our local company, "Guevara" is expanding its business to CF Moto range. In addition to the two 650 cc and several ATVs and UTVs, they offer (in fact, at this moment - will offer) this NK 150. So far, they did not came out with the price.

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Surely you'd be nuts to consider this bike vs a Sundiro Honda CBF150. I agree the 150NK is no ugly bike and is probably fairly good, matter how far CFMOTO have come, surely the price difference (which there is I believe there is none, both bikes are 12,000 yuan as far as I know) the Honda must be a superior bike. I already had a CBF150, it's the most reliable bike I've ever had.

The first time I saw a CFMoto 150 NK for sale in Nanjing was December last year. It is a KTM in non-KTM colors. I like the design and the features, e.g.: inverted forks, ABS, headlight, but I think I'll look a bit big on a bike like that. I'd love to try one out of course!
As for the reliability of a CBF150 - no doubt about that - superb bike!

Can anyone help confirm for me what fuel injection plugs are the same as my 650nk cause I want to put a fuel managment thingo on it from dynojet the one where you can adjust air fuel mix with screwdriver but im not sure if I need the kawasaki er6 plug one or er6n plug one or ex650r plug please help greatly appreciated

Hello daniel5595, unfortunately I can't help you here since I don't know. Yet I am extremely interest in the project and the outcome of it. Please keep me posted somehow!