CFMOTO 650MT ‖ The 650 twin for Meteor 350 money... 

Hi Sean, MT stands for "Multi Touring" and as such it is not an adventure bike and not designed for off road riding. The 700MT is available in 2 colour schemes: perlesent white and black. The 700 was only released last month (May) in Europe and depending which country you buy, the bike comes with different options as standard: handguards, crash bars, aluminium luggage and warranty. There are no rider modes on the 700 (not that I would have used them). I'm 172cm tall and can just about get the balls of my feet down. The 700 in comparison to the 650 has a redesigned fairing that takes the hot air from the engine away from you. The pannier rails at the back allow you to buy colour matched SHAD SH36 panniers that slip on using only 1 hand. I've currently managed just over 3000km in 4 weeks and for me the only things that I have found to be shortfalls with the bike are: no centrestand and no cruise control. As for handling probably the best bike I've ever owned it absolutely loves any type of curve and eats them all day long, truly superb. The 650 as you say is the outgoing model however it comes at an excellent price, I paid around £6200 for my 700. To-date I have found no flaws in the build quality of the bike and would happily recommend to anyone who has a vision for touring. I would also as you suggest recommend anyone considering purchasing the 650 or 700 join a forum group before buying, with any bike you hear of many bad experiences but for me that has not been mine so far. This week I'm off on a 2000km roadtrip to visit friends and I look forward to the trip with relish😮😊😊 RC

I have seen so many different reviews on these CF Moto's and I am afraid I am still not convinced about their longevity. If you keep up with the news they're telling us that the Chinese economy is falling apart at the seams so logically the supply chain will be affected by this too. Also, CF Moto is a relative newcomer to the motorcycle scene and as such most of their machines are only a couple of years old and as such reliability would be a big issue. If given the choice of an older low mileage Kawasaki or this bike, I would probably go with the Kawasaki as they are a well known and loved brand. Having said all that, I really do like the 800MT Adventure but, I'm not sure about paying money out for a relatively unknown brand. Maybe in a few years when or if they prove themselves to be reliable and trustworthy.............

Another great review thank you Sean and I can't believe the price of this 650MT. I hope Suzie feels better soon.

I'm a bit disappointed. When you said you were going to demonstrate the cowboy style of getting on, I imagined you running up from behind the bike, then vaulting over the tailpiece and landing squarely astride the saddle! Your method works of course, just less spectacular. 🤠

Oh well now I have to comment after your generous shout out 😅 I was thinking a side by side comparison to an ER6F, but that bike will sell quickly. I did see a 650MT in my local Kawasaki dealer back in January, I think it was apx £5k even then, and was silver/blue and looked great. I'm not gonna lie, yes I do wonder if I made the right decision to buy an 8 year old ER6F for a little less money than a brand new CFMoto with warranty, either way is a gamble. In this modern age I wonder if we all overthink things when we simply should go with our instincts and not go through a whole pros and cons process. I've spent an afternoon riding round some stunning scenery today up in the Hope valley, perfect BSA footage opportunity 😉

Let's be honest having had experience with Chinese bikes from working for a dealer, they don't supply spares after 3 years, hence why they don't hold any value in the second hand market plus, and this a big one, their chrome is very thin, as is the plating on the bolts also although they have improved slightly the bolts are of poor general quality. So I'd say buyer beware.

I have only one comment on this excellent video. Prayers @ our supper table that Suzie will heal. Thanks be to God! Amen. Cheers!! Illinois, USA

Great review mate 👍 cant believe youve lost an inch though! 😱 love to Sooz x

i had one nice bike i did GPR exhaust and it was a blast. Biggest minus was radiator fun constantly blowing on city start stop ride

I won’t be mounting cowboy style at my age or on soft grass but you certainly opened my eyes to a market sector I have never associated with. If you took the badges off to me it just disappears into a sea of similar generic cousins. And I simply don’t get why you need a bike sitting so high. Saying that, I do get the versatility and VFM. And CFMoto have come up from nowhere and successfully, so well done.

Great review, thanks. CFMoto certainly seems to be the stand-out brand amongst the Chinese manufacturers. They've been making ATVs and quads for over 20 years, so I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise that they've moved into the two-wheel market. If they can establish a wide dealer network and prove good customer service, then I think they will be able to break out into the mainstream. Who'd have thought, ten years ago, that Indian and Chinese manufacturers would now be going toe-to-toe with the big boys?

I am very open minded to chinese bikes, however I do have my issues with CFmoto but will hold back my thoughts until I get a bigger picture. I had the chance to do a bit on the bikes but didn't want to at the time due to not knowing anything about them.....since then I have a small portfolio building on the brand. The Meteor looked nice ha! I hope you spared me a thought when you saw that one : ) Are you going to ABR ? get well soon Suzie!

The BSA doesn't have a sight glass because it has a dry sump engine. Good review.

Well done. Again. :-) I am fortunate here in commiefornia, to have a CF Moto dealership. I recently sold my 1200 Sportster to my brother and was then directed by him to purchase an '08 HD Ultra Classic on which I hope to one day attach a sidecar as I now have 3 grandchildren and I also have a physical handicap with the sidecar will help me out with. I have spoken with a couple of CF Moto owners and both had nothing but praise for their motorbikes. There are more than a few folks out there that readily spit their displeasure with the Chinese origin of these bikes but keep in mind that their motors are basically made some by Kawasaki and some by KTM. And the Japanese were treated with the same disdain more than 60 years ago. And now they are well known for their quality and longevity. Why would Kawasaki and KTM both allow CF Moto source their motors from each (respectively) if they though the marque worthless? I can hear some say, "But what about resale?" and that is a valid concern but I have never looked at a motorbike as an investment in anything but MYSELF! Not even Harleys hold their value like they did in days of old. Get over it and either ride the bike until you are ready to move up/down/sideways to your next bike. I know people understand what I am saying but there will be some that don't care. Fine with me. Thank you for a look at this very nice and very affordable motorbike! Oh! And just because the bike is "used" doesn't mean the bike and the memories you make with aren't new to you. SS

I've got a very nice BSA T-shirt but I do like your sweatshirt version in that Royal Blue were did you get it from ?

Question,,,wot would be better, this bike or a second hand versy ,or even a clx ,needs are for shopping, and going to work, any advice greatly appreciated,

It comes standard with the shad 3p side cases system

If memory serves, that same ER-6 derived engine powers the Moto Morini 650 models. It seems to be a rock solid option for middleweight machines that value absolute reliability rather than the bragging rights of class-leading performance. Having said that, I think a highly built variant of the same engine is what powers the Paton motorcycle that has seen Michael Dunlop claim multiple wins in the Super Twins class at the TT.

I dropped my iPad when you compared the RE to the Indian It’s ok your forgiven 😉

Cf Moto will be a force to be reckoned with

Nice review Sean I do believe that CF Moto are at the vanguard of the quality Chinese made market..... I have noted of late that the naysaying sinophobic comments are subsiding 👍

Question. I’m 50, just past A licence but no idea what bike to go for. I don’t fancy anything too fast. I want something more enjoyable. What do you suggest?

unbeatable value ;;;

Morning Sean thought I had already commented 😳 poss never sent it. TRex arms 😂 good rundown of an interesting bike looks well screwed together, the gearbox on those motors I always found to be a bit notchy , so they must have sorted it, any idea re service intervals, be nice to know, I’ve always used puig handlebar mounted screens and usually takes 4 - 5 rides carrying around a Tbar hex to get the airflow over the shoulders, to upright and you will always get buffeting and a lot of noise, get the airflow just right which you can with the Puig screen ( lots of adjustment) and you will never notice it, the RE screen for the classic is awful for buffeting and noise, cheers Sean hope suzie feeling better soon … Pete🇫🇷

Great review. Lot's of bang for your buck. Love the jacket too. What's the name & brand? 🙏

A turbulence free screen needs to be nose height and shoulder width which is why all 'adventure ' stylee bikes are compromised.

Oh no, what have you done?! 😱 I'm taking an interest in Chinese motorcycles now😮

Unbeatable value…but like you said…not many left

You get what you pay for so no thanks.

So you present a bike you don't even took the time to check what tyres comes with it. I call that lazy. Here's my thumb down for you