CFMOTO 450NK – MODERN ROADSTER - Road Rider Magazine

ROAD RIDER TEST 2024 CFMOTO 450NK

CFMOTO’s 450 twin-cylinder engine lands in a practical, all-round chassis

BY PHIL JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIGEL PATERSON/SUPPLIED

Last year we were impressed with CFMOTO’s 450SR, its sports 450… and now we have the NK, which uses the same engine in a modern roadster
configuration.
Looking at the 450NK for the first time in the well-padded ARR garage, it presented as a pleasingly different small naked bike — and it is small. Not tiny, but definitely compact. The 450 twin engine is much the same as the one we sampled at the 450SR launch (Issue 174, Oct 23). However, it is more efficient, making an additional 2.5kW (37kW/9500rpm) at 500rpm less than the SR’s 34.5kW/10,000rpm.
The frame and swingarm are manufactured from steel (typical at this end of the market). Braking is via a single front 320mm disc gripped by a four-piston, J Juan radial-mount caliper. The rear has a single piston acting on a 220mm disc. ABS and switchable traction control are included, as is a slipper clutch.
The feature list is extensive for a sub $8K machine. There are quality adjustable levers, LED lighting package, rear hugger, TFT screen (featuring over the air updates via CFMOTORIDE phone app), premium mirrors and euro design. Other touches not usually found on inexpensive bikes include aluminium triple clamps and a full stainless exhaust to the muffler. All this comes in at just $7790, ride away.
CFMOTO wants the 450NK to be a compete motorcycle, not just a budget-conscious commuter. As such, it should possess more than congestion-filtering prowess and s small parking footprint. To add some sparkle to the ownership experience, it needs both dynamic ability and a bit of X factor. For complete satisfaction, it needs reliability and durability (both mechanical and cosmetic). Before the test we were rooting for it, but you never know till you have a go…

THE RIDE
The first thing we did with the 450NK was fiddle with the adjustable levers and ’bar position, hunting for ergonomic bliss. The adjustable levers are good, with a simple design allowing the rider to quickly find their sweet spot. The handlebars are very flat though, so rotating them in their clamps doesn’t shift the grip position that much (I’d hoped to get them a little higher and closer — I’m vertically challenged).
We noted the ergonomic layout is a bit quirky, with a longish saddle-to-bar dimension. Consequently it’s better suited to longer-armed people. Yet the saddle is low and the pegs relatively rear set, suiting the shorter legged; for the longer legged, the knee angle may be tight.
The result is that on longer rides, taller pilots may find their legs cramp, and shorter individuals may find the stretch to the bars becomes fatiguing.

Fortunately, if it’s a problem, the arrangement is easily changed. CFMOTO offers high and low seat options for $169, and a set of bars with more pull back (moving them back 15/25mm) will cost around $150. So, as an issue of concern… move along, there’s nothing to see here.
The engine is often where cheap bikes show their cheapness. Refinement and a low price rarely go together. Not so with the CFMOTO. It’s an impressively smooth engine at all revs, with no discernible transmission noise. The 270-degree crank gives it a fruity burble that brings joy to most hearts. It very nicely hits the aural target of noise visibility without being offensive, suggesting a bit of serious sonic engineering has gone into muffler design.

Unless it’s mounted in a pushbike frame, a 450cc twin is never going to be fast. However, it is an eager engine, always giving the rider predictable and satisfying throttle response. The 39Nm of torque produced at a reasonably low 7600rpm gives a linear power delivery all the way to the redline. When coupled with a good gearbox and slipper clutch, velocity is quickly attained or lost as needed.
Where it shines compared to a single (and many other twins) is smoothness at 110km/h. We were really impressed with this engine and if there was a podium for sub 500cc twins… the 450NK would be on it.
The only issue we noted was a reluctance to find neutral when stopped. The clutch was correctly adjusted, so this could be due to the running in oil used prior to the first service. We did around 600k on the bike and returned it before that service.

One more point about the engine. At the SR launch, we were told CFMOTO regards this as an important engine for the company. As such, they put a lot of time into development and, particularly, destruction testing on a dyno. Using that approach should produce a very robust design and if serviced correctly… a long-lived one. With our engineers’ hats on, we applaud them for doing quality work.

Having a great engine is all well and good, but if the chassis doesn’t complement it (or has issues), the market will see it as fatally flawed. Consequently, it would only sell on the strength of affordable price and be burdened with
poor resale prospects. Happily, we can report CFMOTO has not made this mistake. There are talking points with the chassis and set-up choices, but from a holistic point of view, it is a good fit for the performance on offer.
As this bike will be mostly owned by riders in the early years of their bike journey, it needs to be easy to ride, predictable in its response to rider inputs, and stable without being ponderous. CFMOTO has ticked all those boxes.

The low seat, wide bars, lowish centre of gravity, short wheelbase and friendly powertrain work in unison to make it a joy to get around on. The commendably tight turning circle allows easy parking in tight spots, and pushing backwards while sitting in the saddle is easy. At higher speeds, some of its potential short wheelbase agility has been traded for stability via steering geometry. We think this is a good call as flickability is all well and good for a skilled rider willing to accept the odd headshake, but it can be terrifying for the less experienced. While the geometry figures aren’t given, it feels like trail length is long enough to provide notable weight to the steering, but not to the point of becoming heavy. The caster angle feels like it is few degrees shallower than a pure sportsbike setting. This takes some directness from the steering but it isn’t vague — it just isn’t pin sharp either. If owners are confident enough to want sharper steering, they need only slide the forks 5mm to 10mm through the triple clamps to get a noticeable change in steering feel.
The 450NK’s brakes are the one area where it lags some of its more established competition. It’s not that they’re weak, but the feel on offer isn’t as good as some. Initial bite isn’t that powerful, requiring a hard
squeeze for quick retardation. If there’s a need to improve this, it may be a simple matter of swapping to performance pads, or it could be something more complex like CFMOTO’s master cylinder choice. While this issue jumps out for us (as we ride all sorts of bikes), we think most owners (riding just one bike) will live with it and not consider it a problem.
The ABS system is entry level and for the most part it works fine… as long as the road is smooth. Doing some 100km/h crash stops on a country road revealed a slower re-engagement time than we’d like. Basically a bump can induce potential wheel lock; the ABS releases and then takes a bit too long to reapply brake pressure. Consequently, stopping distances are increased compared to premium ABS systems. If you set up and squeeze the front brake (which is how learners are trained to brake these days), loading the front tyre before really hard braking, the problem is less likely to manifest because you’re less likely to activate the ABS.
Suspension on sub $10k bikes tends to reflect the lower price. Typically, basic damping control is offered, with budget bikes prone to wallow, harshness, bottoming on sharp bumps, and a generally unpleasant ride on any below- par surface. CFMOTO doesn’t usually follow that play book; the models we’ve ridden have had decent suspension. The 450NK continues the tradition. It’s not premium by any means, but neither is it budget to the point where the first set of challenging bumps grabs the rider’s attention and sphincter.
It is best suited to a rider of roughly 80kg and mostly delivers a firm controlled ride with only occasional wallow. Sharp-edged bumps aren’t absorbed in the same way higher-spec suspension does and the hit works its way through to the rider’s butt.
This is true of every bike at this price point. Running minimum preload with slightly more static sag does improve ride quality and small bump compliance a little. I took a couple of turns off the shock spring adjuster, which helped things, but the bike is a tad over sprung for my 65kg weight. Typical- sized riders may find no advantage in this.

PERIPHERAL THINGS
The 450NK comes with a modern, easy-to- read TFT screen featuring two graphic layouts. A big point of difference between the 450NK and competitors is CFMOTO’s T-BOX system. When paired with the CFMOTO RIDE app, the bike’s software can be updated over the air (as opposed to plugging into a dealer’s software tool). There’s also route recording and anti- theft functionality. Once linked to a user account, the user will always know the bike’s location, even if stolen. Handy for the rider, his insurance company… and (potentially) police.
Blingwise, the NK has a lot to offer, with euro styling, LED lighting and eye-catching rim stickers. Paint and fastener plating quality looks good. The 450NK will likely resist the damaging effects of time at least as well as others in the class.

The seat is banana shaped, limiting the flexibility to move forward and backward. This will bother some more than others, and as
it’s a bit narrow, those with wide pelvic bones may find long stints generate numb bum syndrome. Regarding the rear seat, pillions will immediately notice an absence of rear grab rail (the price paid for that smooth and stylish rear end). There is a token grab strap living under the pillion seat awaiting deployment if needed, but it’s a token effort and largely useless.
Another quirk was the blinker switch. For some reason I often had to push it twice to get indicators to cancel. Close examination when stopped didn’t reveal any obvious issue, and it could be a pilot problem, but it was a bit irksome for me. In every other way all the controls were fine.
CFMOTO has made a real attempt to give this bike presence with its styling, and we think most punters will agree it’s a pretty good effort. As is the way with modern bikes, it doesn’t quite work from all angles. Take the front mud guard; from the side it’s a bit visually challenging, yet from the front it meshes with the tank’s wind deflectors, providing a flowing, unified design. The nebula black-coloured variant may be more appealing as the eye won’t be drawn to the more extreme styling elements as quickly. What we would say is, don’t draw conclusions until viewing it in the flesh.

CONCLUSION
CFMOTO has hit the mark. From an engineering perspective, the 450NK equals any of its peers available in today’s market. However, in Australia, motorcycles are usually about more than that. Unlike cars that have largely evolved into white goods on wheels, most motorcycle purchases still involve buyer passion. Interestingly, it’s this provision of passion where we think CFMOTO has made the biggest steps forward. The NK has genuine X-factor, maybe not for everybody, but there’s enough to possibly sway people from long-established brands.
Regarding features for price, the only conclusion to be reached is the 450NK offers excellent value. That value comes without quality concerns and, as stated above… enough X-factor to make things interesting.
By now astute readers have deduced we liked the CFMOTO 450NK, and its true… we do, and it’s not just for learners — there’s enough here for anyone looking for an inexpensive, lightweight roadster, no matter what your experience level.

SPECIFICATIONS

2024 CFMOTO 450NK

ENGINE

Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4-valve, parallel 2-cylinder, 270deg crankshaft

Power: 37kW (PS) @ 9500rpm

Torque: 39Nm @ 7600rpm

Capacity: 449,5cc

Bore x stroke: 72 x 55.2mm

Compression ratio: Not given

Fuel system: Fuel injection

Ignition: Digital

TRANSMISSION

Type: 6 speed

Final drive: Chain

Clutch: Wet multiplate, assist and slipper function

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR

Chassis: Steel

Swingarm: Steel

Front suspension: 37mm upside-down fork, 130mm travel

Rear suspension: Single shock, 130mm travel, preload adjustment

Front brakes: Radial-mount 4-piston callipers, semi-floating 320mm disc, ABS

Rear brake: Single-piston calliper, 220mm disc, ABS

Tyres: Front: 110/70ZR17; Rear: 150/60ZR17M/C

ELECTRONIC RIDER AIDS

Brake control (ABS): Yes

Traction control: Yes

Quickshifter: No

Cruise control: No

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES

Rake: Not given

Trail: Not given

Length x width x height: 2000 x 810 x 1130mm

Claimed dry weight: Not given

Claimed wet weight: 173kg

Ground clearance: Not given

Seat height: 795mm

Wheelbase: 1370mm

Fuel capacity: 14L

ETCETERA

Price: $7790 ride away

Colours: Nebula Black, Nebula White

Test bike supplied by Mojo Motorcycles Australia

Warranty: 3 years.

COMPETITION

Kawasaki Z500 — $7994 + ORC ($1500)

A new 2024 model and growing from the Z400, this bike has the history of Kawasaki behind it and a long history behind the motor.

Honda CB500F — $10,500, depending on location

A good-looking and proven package with decent spec and a long history. Showa USD forks, 190kg. Only available in yellow and it’s a bit more expensive than the CFMOTO.

KTM 390 Duke — from $8195 RA