CF Moto had launched the BS6-compliant 300NK in March
Chinese motorcycle manufacturer CF Moto had entered India in July 2019 with a total of four motorcycle models- one 300cc and 3 650 cc bikes. The 300cc naked bike (300 NK) had got its BS6 engine upgrade in March and now the manufacturer has brought in the BS6-compliant MY21 650 range as well. CF Moto’s 650 middleweight portfolio consists of the 650 NK (streetfighter), 650 MT (ADV) and 650 GT (tourer), all of which now come with cleaner engines.
As a matter of fact, CF Moto is late in making the leap towards BS6, as almost all of its competitors here had completed this transition long back. The key reason for this could be the ongoing pandemic and its ‘apocalyptic’ influence on Karnataka, where CF Moto has its plant running.
Noteworthy Hikes In Prices
The BS6 range of CF Moto 650 bikes comes with price hikes of up to Rs 30,000. The 650NK was earlier priced at Rs 3.99 lakh (ex-showroom) but now retails at Rs 4.29 lakh, marking a hike of Rs 30,000. The 650 MT also has a similar story to tell, as it is now priced at Rs 5.29 lakh, ex-showroom. The GT 650 stands the lowest in terms of price-hikes. Having had a hike of just Rs 10,000, the GT now has a sticker price of Rs 5.59 lakh.
Even after having these price revisions in place, the CF Moto trio is still on the affordable side of middleweight bikes. The key competitors to these include the likes of Kawasaki Versys 650, Benelli TRK 502, Royal Enfield 650 twins, and Honda CB 500X.
Key Mechanical Revisions
Quite a lot has changed on the mechanical front (or the engine to be more specific) of the new 650 range. The 649.3 cc, 2 cylinder, liquid-cooled mill has been recalibrated for cleaner emissions at the cost of overall output! This engine now produces 56 hp at 8250 rpm and 54.4 Nm at 7000 rpm.
A model-wise breakdown would reveal that the new figures are 5 hp/ 4.5 Nm chop-offs for the 650NK, 6.5 hp/4.1 Nm loss for the GT650 and a serious 14 hp/ 7.6 Nm drop for the 650 MT adventure bike! These are sure to have their impacts on the actual performance and rideability, more of which we could tell you only after we get to ride them in real. However, based on pure on-paper speculations, the 650 MT could be the most affected of the lot, especially considering its niche/overall nature.
Almost everything other than the engine remains identical to those of the BS4 bikes. The gearbox continues to be a 6-speed unit and the bikes get things like an all-digital instrument cluster, LED headlamps, dual-channel ABS etc. Suspension duties on the 650 NK and 650 GT are handled by telescopic front forks, while the 650 MT gets tougher USD forks at the front. All three bikes have cantilever units at the rear.
