I just brought a new CFMoto CF250T V5 home last week. I tried not to like it. I was ready to buy another Chinese bike, a Regal Raptor DD250G-2. When I went to the motorcycle market in Jiangmen a few months ago I saw the CFMoto V3 and V5. I was not interested. When I returned about a month ago to put a deposit on a Regal Raptor my traveling buddy kept telling me to look at the CFMoto bikes when we were in the shop. The salesmen readied the V5 for a test drive. Not one to turn down a test drive, I took it for a spin with a boy from the shop shadowing me on another bike. I tried the RR again too and left the shop a little confused. I tried not to entertain the thought of a cruiser. I tried to fight the idea of a CVT transmission. However, this is not an adventure bike for me. It is my commuter and run around town rig. Looking at the traffic in Humen, where I live, the auto transmission just made sense. And since I have been riding every day in my local traffic since I bought it, I am more convinced this is a viable option for China driving. I like conventional motorcycles with clutches and shifting but in this mayhem I like the twist and go bike.

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The engine is clone of Honda's Helix water cooled 244cc scooter engine which has been, for Honda, very rugged and reliable. This means the engine is directly under the seat on the swing arm as with a scooter. However, CFMoto lengthened the unit so that a 150/80-15 tire could be used.

The transmission is perhaps the most unusual part of this motorcycle, and yes, I am calling it a motorcycle and not a scooter. It shares the CVT transmission with scooters but not much else. CVT's are also used in cars and light trucks but also in heavy farm tractors. After reading and getting my mind around the principles of continuously variable transmissions, they are the utterly simple and have proven to be durable. There are thousands and thousands of these engines with CTV's all over the world in scooters and go karts. Aftermarket performance accessories are easily obtainable like clutches, variators, and weights/sliders.(Most are made in China!) You can tune the transmission somewhat for better acceleration or top end speed. Oh, and top speed on mine so far, hauling my big butt down the road is an indicated 125kph or 77+mph. Allowing for a 10% optimistic speedometer that's about 70mph.

Its not the high speed I like from this bike, but it is the stop and go, in and out, dodge and weave ability in Chinese traffic I like. On a busy street I am lucky to run 20kph.

OK so here is my one week likes and dislikes list: (subject to change)

LIKES:
17 liter (4.5 gal.) tank.
Acceptable build quality
front and rear disc brakes
tires seem decent
starts first time, every time
reasonable acceleration for my driving needs
CVT transmission for city driving
center stand
low speed stability is very good
having Chinese motorcyclist talk to you at traffic lights about the bike


DISLIKES:
taking all the plastic off to get to the engine
foot boards (will try fitting regular foot pegs soon)
MP3/radio (actually never used them but have no need for them)
getting used to the rear brake being on the left handlebar and no foot brake pedal (first few times I found out the brake is NOT the clutch on this bike and you can stomp with your right foot but, surprise, no brake there!)
having Chinese motorcyclist ask you at traffic lights how much it cost

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