Bikerdocs 650TR/TK review

CFMoto CF650TR/650TK taller custom screen fabrication.

Basic design concept:

650TR screen RHS.JPG

650TR screen rider view.JPG

Finally got somewhere with CFMoto today. After multiple calls to CFMoto factory over the last month or so, in which CFMoto has denied the existence of a taller screen option or it's availability in PRC, we were referred to a specific individual in CFMoto.

Initially this reps response was that there was no tall screen option. When he was informed of the various links where tall screens were commented on including 'the motorcycle obsession blog' and 'the great ride of Ch!na' the CFMoto rep finally admitted that there was indeed a tall screen.

However the screen is undergoing some design element changes including the mounting method and will be available as a general release/upgrade including for those of us inside PRC due for release after October 2013. The rep also acknowledged and admitted that the 650TR released, available and sold inside PRC differs from the model sold to export markets. The latter of the two products gets numerous upgrades and better level components than the model sold on the mainland. The rep agreed that this was plainly unfair but that almost all companies in PRC were guilty of this practise. Shame, shame, shame! It makes sense then that most more discerning Chinese shy away from locally manufactured products in favour of imported ones. Who can blame them?!

This reminded me of my first CFMoto buy, a CF250T-VIP maxi scoot back in 2006. I'd gone to my local motorcycle shop (Suzuki) and viewed a number of CFMoto products and felt a 250 maxi scoot would be a great ride for these parts. When I said I wanted to buy one, but none of the ones that had clearly been sitting on the shop floor, most of which were 150cc anyway, and that I wanted a brand new 250cc from the factory, the head salesman made a call (likely to the factory or distributor) and I was dutifully informed I had two choices. One was a regular 250-VIP for the domestic market or the second choice being a 250-VIP for the export market at a additional 50% premium. I chose the latter.

I'd forgotten about that until this telephone call with the CFMoto rep. I guess I'd come to believe that CFmoto with all it's increasing export marketing and so forth, would be upping the ante and looking after it's domestic market consumer - but obviously not! My bad!

Well back to the screen, apparently there are 4 to 5 components that are being redesigned and planned for release after October. Some of the items are related to the screen and how it mounts, though it is unclear if all items are exclusively screen related.

Later today I'll be speaking with a Taobao seller who deals in motorcycle screens, who has offered to have a prototype taller screen fabricated at his screen suppliers factory.

I'd initially considered to have the additional 100mm at the top also made slightly wider than the rest of the screen below, but decided that for now I'd leave it to the most simplest design/fabrication, to see how it turns out. If it seems the fabricator can handle this task easily then I might go with the additional design elements.

Stay tuned...