Motorcycle or Scooter? The best of two worlds?

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05-01-2008, 01:10 PM
Supersignet

Motorcycle or Scooter? The best of two worlds?

Motorcycle or Scooter?
The best of two worlds?
A look at the CFMOTO V3
by Jacine Smith

For those who want sport or cruiser style automatic motorcycles, then the CFMOTO (Baron) is a good bike to consider. I've had my 2006 for a while now and it has met and exceeded expectations.CFMoto has produced bikes and scooters for the European and Asian Market since 1985 and the scooters have been marketed in the US for several years. In 2005 (summer of 2004) the CF V3 and V5 were created for marketing in Europe and the US.The initial 2005s had remote control alarm systems and starters, but tended to draw off the battery approximately 1 AH. If the bikes weren't ridden within two weeks, the batteries had to be recharged. The 2006s no longer have the remote and starter.I normally ride a Yamaha 650 V* but in city traffic, shifting was becoming more of a nuisance. Plus a heavy cruiser is not at its best in stop and go traffic. So the search for an automatic that could perform as well as one that I could flat foot. I'm 5' 7" and the V3 has a 28 inch seat height unloaded. (26 inch loaded) and works perfectly. I've had 6' 3" friends on it who say it is very comfortable with the forward equipped floor boards.

http://www.scootdawg.com/image/obj985geo699pg45p2.png

http://www.scootdawg.com/image/obj705geo705pg45p2.png

So how is it?

The V3 styling is European sport, and very eye stopping. It resembles the BMW 1200 sport cruiser styling. It has full fairings that are easily removed for maintenance, held on by good quality chrome plated hex screws. I have added star washers to these to prevent over tightening on the plastic and remove any vibration.

Engine - The engine is a 250 (242) cc water cooled 10:1 single cylinder 4 stroke that puts out 18 horse. The main jet is a 110, which I will probably increase in time to a 112.5. The carburetor is a Kehein 30 mm continuous vacuum draw. The same carbs are used in the Honda helix and reflex, as well as many sports bikes and racers. I had to adjust the idle when received since it was set at 1000 from the shipper and was stalling out. These bikes recommend 1500 +/1 150. Once adjusted to specs, no more problems.

Electrical - The bike meets US dot standards. All parts are actually American (Chinese made). The bulbs are standard brake and signal lights that can be purchased at Walmart. The Headlight is a H4 (Phillips) again purchasable anywhere locally. I felt this was important for repair issues and self maintenance. The bike's electrical is on par with the Japanese V*. All wires are sheathed, shrink wrapped, and connections are good quality. There is no "twist and solder connections" on the bike as in some Chinese products. The spark plug is the same as used on the V*. DPR7EA-9 NGK with the same gap. Rectifier is larger than that on the V*, with a full fuse box, unlike some Chinese bike with one fuse for all. There are several open slots to allow additional mods. The alternator is the same as the V* 240w. However this is at 7000 RPM.

Wheels - are chrome solids, no spokes so the tires are tubeless. The bike has high end Chinese tires on front wheel 100/90/18 and rear 150/80/15. Name brand tires from Dunlop, Metzler are readily available for this size. Another consideration and a plus.

Brakes - Brakes are front and rear disk hydraulic. DOT 4 fluid is used in the master cylinders and the brake lines are run through wire wrap for protection. Brakes work well and are of standard type so can be upgraded in pads or bimbo brakes etc. Brake levers are on the handle bars, no foot pedal for the rear brake. Not sure if I miss it.

Continued at..... http://www.scootdawg.com/page45
05-04-2008, 02:13 AM
CrazyCarl

Maybe a scooter-cycle? I think the styling will be love it or hate it but I hear it uses the old Honda Helix 250cc scooter engine. It could make a niche market but would need to be improved. Sat on one of these in China and it didn't seem too bad but felt damn heavy for a 250 scooter engine!

CC
05-07-2008, 08:49 PM
petedeuxwheels

It's a unique looking machine but for some reason has not been a popular choice over here where people tend to go for the less expensive geared Lifan and Jinlun bikes. Those two makes, along with Regal Raptor, have sold thousands in the past few years.

I love scooters and use one most of the year but this isn't really one or the other - the storage space associated with a scooter is lacking, as is a bit of protection from the elements. That, added to the price (it's at the very top end of the Chinese market price-wise) have maybe caused it to flop.

Pete
05-08-2008, 01:10 AM
CrazyCarl

Pete,

Those are some very good points. It's like an oversize scooter with no convenient storage or rider protection. Someone sure spent a lot of money on the plastics though! Sheesh!

The first few are bound to fail, but it seems like the companies are slowly getting themselves more in line with the market.

CC
05-08-2008, 06:35 AM
petedeuxwheels

It's amazing how a bit of rider protection and a luggage box, or even a saddle bag type of add-on thing, can suddenly make a scoot more appealing :biggrin:

But it depends where you're selling them I suppose. It rains a lot in Europe and autumn and spring can be pretty cold, so people do think about the
elements (as well as snazzy looks, which this one really has) when going for a scooter.

Pete
04-17-2009, 09:23 AM
logan

CF Moto

Hey guys just to let you know - id just test drived the V and have to tell you that s she s feeling good but the product quality is still a lil bit poor.
Besides that she is a scooter (techn.) with the nice feeling of a small chopper.
The lil gimmicks on borad like sound system ( ready to plug in usb) sound well if you do not expect too much.
The Control panel for the sound system is a lil bit poor but better then other producer.
And CF bought the idea for these bikes ( every chinese dealer knows this )

Greetings from Chengdu :scooter:

Logan
05-05-2009, 08:40 PM
messenger61

I have one

You would not believe what kind of attention you get with a CFMOTO V3 in Germany.
Fun is that people ask a lot of questions. Others don't ask, but simply laugh.

Everybody tries to fit the bike into one category: big bike? small bike? bike or scooter? (and fails initially). I really liked the Porsche driver that tried to run a race with me when the traffic ligths changed to green. 200+hp vs. 15hp. The interesting part is the psychological reaction to this kind of mistake or the overall categorization problem. Some laugh (good reaction), others get angry.

For hardcore bikers this thing is a provocation because it's an automatic and tries to look like an impressive motorbike. Scooterists can't understand the somewhat impractical concept. Every person with a strong brand orientation dislikes its for its BMW-like look combined with the Chinese origin. And everyone else (including me) thinks it's crazy to drive a vehicle with "some minor" quality problems combined with an total lack of dealer support and spare parts (but I still like my V3).

And that's exactly what this post is about: Were can I order parts? I'm willing to pay for parts and shipping (worldwide). In the last 4 or so years i found different dealers selling cfmoto scooters, but nobody has parts.
Come on folks, any ideas?

Have fun with your bikes ...
05-05-2009, 08:59 PM
culcune

Messenger, I know that CFmoto has a US presence, and a Google search found their site, as well as the US brand 'Qlink' rebadges the CFMoto as their own brand (they don't rebadge the V3 anymore, but still carry the cruiser-looking CFMoto as their own, but should still be able to get parts). If the shipping from the US to Germany isn't too prohibitive, both should be able to supply parts to you.

http://www.qlinkmotor.com/
http://www.cfmoto-usa.com/
05-12-2009, 01:53 PM
iamcanjim

I have seen the CFMoto bikes at a shanghai bike shop. They were asking 12,000 RMB for the cruiser but I am sure you could get it cheaper. I haven't seen any on the roads anywhere, but CFmoto's Honda Helix clones are everywhere. I would be curious to know how much power the Honda Helix powertrain produces and whether the engine and tranny are mounted on the swingarm.
06-02-2009, 07:54 PM
messenger61

The power is about 10kW / 15 Hp, that's about 110 km/h or 72 mph max speed (not on hills). The engine and the swingarm are one part (exactly as on the Helix, only a little bit longer)
It is a nice bike when it works. Be prepared to invest in parts and time if you want to keep it working. Not exactly the everyday commuter bike (then you are better of with a helix).
06-03-2009, 03:07 PM
CrazyCarl

Messenger61,

Interesting the kind of reactions you get on the bike and am glad you enjoy it. What drew you to the CFMoto if you don't mind my asking?

CC
06-04-2009, 04:59 PM
messenger61

I think it was an unusual combination of the following factors:

I had a Cfmoto 125cc scooter before, then a motorbike and missed the (automatic) scooter. The V3 is something in between.

Then I like a "medium amount" of repairing, thinking about technical problems and searching for solutions. Currently I get a little bit more than a "medium amount" of that (with the V3).

And last but not least this thing is unusual and funny (see post above).
06-04-2009, 11:38 PM
Nuhaus

Can you post some pics of it? I'm curious to see it.
06-05-2009, 07:03 PM
messenger61

Quote:

Originally Posted by logan

And CF bought the idea for these bikes ( every chinese dealer knows this )

Greetings from Chengdu :scooter:

Logan

Hi Logan,

I had the e-jewel first and now the V3.
Even considering that the design of the e-jewel is a mixture of other scooters: The design seems to be much better than that of other chinese scooter/MC producers. Did CF do the design or did they also buy?
06-05-2009, 07:50 PM
forchetto

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuhaus

Can you post some pics of it? I'm curious to see it.

There are some here and some videos. Forget the specs, as usual they're wrong, like it says it's a twin cylinder...
06-06-2009, 06:18 PM
messenger61

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuhaus

Can you post some pics of it? I'm curious to see it.

Not mine, but lots of pictures (i have a silver one)
06-07-2009, 02:41 AM
Nuhaus

I'd love to go for a ride on one for a day just to see how it felt. The one I saw in Shanghai was a V5 model. Seemed really cool but we got nasty looks from the owner of the shop when my friend decided to sit on it. I especially loved the speakers for the mp3 player disguised as air vents. The build quality unfortunately did not look too great but perhaps the more recent models have been improved.
02-22-2010, 06:24 AM
testarossa

Re: Motorcycle or Scooter? The best of two worlds?

Wow.. very nice rides. Just planning to buy one this year.
05-07-2010, 01:17 PM
bikerdoc

Re: Motorcycle or Scooter? The best of two worlds?

Quote:

Originally Posted by messenger61

The power is about 10kW / 15 Hp, that's about 110 km/h or 72 mph max speed (not on hills). The engine and the swingarm are one part (exactly as on the Helix, only a little bit longer)
It is a nice bike when it works. Be prepared to invest in parts and time if you want to keep it working. Not exactly the everyday commuter bike (then you are better of with a helix).

I had one of these CFMoto 250F VIP (Honda helix clone). It was an export model so cost a premium compared with the same model for sale to the domestic market. I ordered through one of the local bike shops that I have dealt with for scooters, and specifically requested the export model direct from the manufacturer rather than taking one of the aforesaid models they had in stock. My bike cost around 25-30% more than the same domestic only model. I received a call from the dealer several days later when the new scoot had arrived. Which was still in the unopened crate when I arrived at the dealership. I had the bike for more than 2 years and serviced it regularly, and covered some 40k km's with some of the rides lasting 16 hours with little stops. I've since sold the bike to make way for another purchase in the near future.
In summary... I luved the ride, even though it has a long wheel base etc. it was a fun and comfortable ride, and while not the most attractive of bikes on the road, I found it be bloody functional and well suited to what China generall has to offer. It had plenty of torque and even held its own when I'd sometime ride it with my big bore mates, or a couple of times when myself and a male foreign mate would ride it (combined weight of 180-190kg plus the bike) and it felt as though it was only riding with me on it. As for the comment about reliability, I never had any issues, but I am aware that there is another lesser brand around that has the same Honda helix clone, though it is far cheaper and basically doesn't have the same quality, which the dealer I bought my CFMoto from also had in stock.
If anyone is interested, I'd say give the CFMoto more than just a look, you may be pleasantly surprised as I was. It also converted me to scooters as well, which is why I'd like to get a legal/legit TMax500 with ABS here in PRC.
05-11-2010, 07:40 PM
messenger61

Re: Motorcycle or Scooter? The best of two worlds?

Hi,
nice to see that this thread is holding up...

I still have my V3, and urgently need spare parts.
Is there anybody able (and willing) to sell/send parts directly from China?
Maybe someone from Cfmoto is reading this forum and can give me some hints/advice ...

(and yes: I also think that Cfmoto's overall quality is way above average. But even a very small number of bad parts can seriously spoil the fun on a vehicle).

Greetings from Germany
05-11-2010, 11:43 PM
bikerdoc

Re: Motorcycle or Scooter? The best of two worlds?

Quote:

Originally Posted by messenger61

Hi,
nice to see that this thread is holding up...

I still have my V3, and urgently need spare parts.
Is there anybody able (and willing) to sell/send parts directly from China?
Maybe someone from Cfmoto is reading this forum and can give me some hints/advice ...

(and yes: I also think that Cfmoto's overall quality is way above average. But even a very small number of bad parts can seriously spoil the fun on a vehicle).

Greetings from Germany

I'd be happy to help you. I can access and likely get most of the parts you'd want through my bike shop contacts where I have bought my scooters in the past or have my wife deal with CFMoto. The former will be easier than the latter as my wife would need to know the names of parts you'd want in Chinese and that's not so simple. I also have some German friends and acquaintances that travel fairly frequently between China and Germany, so they might be able to help with transporting what you want, but that will depend on the size & weight of the parts and your vs their location in Germany. Let me know what you want first, we can take it from there.
05-12-2010, 05:37 PM
messenger61

Re: Motorcycle or Scooter? The best of two worlds?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikerdoc

I'd be happy to help you. I can access and likely get most of the parts you'd want through my bike shop contacts where I have bought my scooters in the past or have my wife deal with CFMoto. The former will be easier than the latter as my wife would need to know the names of parts you'd want in Chinese and that's not so simple. I also have some German friends and acquaintances that travel fairly frequently between China and Germany, so they might be able to help with transporting what you want, but that will depend on the size & weight of the parts and your vs their location in Germany. Let me know what you want first, we can take it from there.

That sounds great!.

Actually i already have ordered the most important parts (have still some wishes), problem is that the transport by container did not work the way that was expected.
I still hope I can get the parts with the next container load (and yes: there is a big and heavy part in my order).

I live in the south-west of Germany.

Is there a "personal message"-feature in this forum? I don't want to post my email here in the open (spammers).

Thanks a lot, FS
05-12-2010, 10:49 PM
jape

Re: Motorcycle or Scooter? The best of two worlds?

Quote:

Originally Posted by messenger61

That sounds great!.
Is there a "personal message"-feature in this forum? I don't want to post my email here in the open (spammers).
Thanks a lot, FS

Make sure you are signed in (automatic sign in cookies don't always work so just go to top right hand and login), then place your mouse over the persons name above their picture and click on it,a sub menu of options will show up so you can go to their 'profile' or 'send personal message' or email if they have allowed that. In your own profile, go to 'settings' and look for the option to 'save copy of sent message' if you require that feature and somewhere you can allow for members and moderators only to see your email address as an alternative to PMs.