2021 CFMOTO 300SR Review

The only thing better than getting your first bike is getting your first brand new bike. The new 2021 CFMOTO 300SR is built on this premise and, as a value proposition, it stands up well.

There are better-known, faster-moving LAMS bikes on the market, but none which carry a ride away price of $5790. Suzuki’s GSX 250 and Honda’s CBR300 are similar money before you start registering your pride and joy.

The coin buys a bike with adequate performance, stopping power and handling. Just as importantly, the CFMOTO looks good. The race-replica styling, clip-on bars, LED lights and TFT screen will have the blood pressure rising in a lot of teens, though I’d be removing the “More Fun” logos on the flanks of the fully faired machine out of a desire to look a touch more cool.

Those who really want the boy-racer look can fork out another $699 to add sports alloy lever guards and protectors, alloy footrest assemblies (including alloy brake and gear lever), alloy fuel tank filler surround and fuel cap and alloy upper triple clamp dress-up bolt. However, until August 31, 2021, CFMOTO is including all these extras free of charge.

Related Reading:
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The CFMOTO brand may be new to Australia but the company has been around for more than 30 years. And every new bike from the Chinese manufacturer represents a decent improvement in design and execution, meaning that much like their four-wheeled counterparts, they are starting to demand widespread global attention.

CFMOTO has traditionally focused on learner machines but is venturing into the local full sized market next month with the launch of the 700 CL-X. That will be followed late this year by the first result of their partnership with KTM – the CFMOTO 800MT – which is built around the 799cc LC8 parallel-twin engine used in the KTM 790 Adventure R.

In the meantime, the growing company has offered up the 300SR – the first fully-faired dedicated sports bike in the range.

This 300SR is more about the passion than the power. It uses a single-cylinder engine good for 21.4kW and 25.3Nm, both of which are accessed close to the 10,000rpm redline. That translates into hard acceleration in the first few gears, then easing back on the revs and flicking the slick-shifting gear lever up on other couple of cogs once you’ve matched the surrounding traffic speed. That will get you up and about at a reasonable rate without being a threat to the likes of Yamaha’s R3.

ABS brakes are there for reassurance and the modulation is pretty good, which helps offset the lack of feel from the front stopper. Building LAMS bikes with a fair bit of play in the front brake lever is obviously considered a safety issue given how many manufacturers do it. The downside is riders stepping down from a full size bike will get a shock when they first tap the brakes expecting to only need a few mm of travel. Conversely, LAMS riders moving onto a bigger bike will experience that machine’s ABS functionality they first time they grab a handful.

The upside down front forks can’t be adjusted but they do the job on patchy streets or corrugated back roads. It takes a fairly big hit to shunt the 300SR offline and even then the lightweight (165kg) machine tucks back in without much drama.

The trellis frame chassis isn't just there for looks and the more time you spend on the bike the more you appreciate how easy it is to operate. The slim tank makes it easy to lock into without forcing you to spend the entire commute locked into a racing crouch. The optional rear sets fitted to bikesales test unit pushed that crouch a little lower than the standard footpegs without being uncomfortable over decent rides.

A full-colour TFT screen conveys plenty of information and that data is displayed in two different layouts depending on which mode you’ve activated on the left switch block. It is worth noting that the modes only change the display, not the engine mapping.

The screen itself could do with a cowl at the top. Sunlight directly onto that display makes it almost impossible to read. Thankfully adjusting bike or rider angle usually gives you intermittent glimpses of the speedo.

One other bugbear is the fuel cap – it needs a lock. Bikes like this will spend a lot of time in underground apartment carparks and parked around the back of flats. Having 12 litres of unsecured fuel on show is going to end in siphonage and walking out to a motorbike without juice is always a crap way to start the day.

It is hard to argue against the CFMOTO 300SR as a value buy. If you don’t want the potential headaches that can come with buying a second-hand bike, but don’t want to spend more than you have to, this is the bike for you.

ENGINE
Type: Single cylinder four-stroke, four valve DOHC
Capacity: 292.4cc
Bore x stroke: 78mm x 61.2mm
Compression ratio: 11:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 21.4kW at 8750rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 25.3Nm at 7250rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Steel trellis
Front suspension: 37mm upside down fork, non-adjustable
Rear suspension: Monoshock, non-adjustable
Front brake: Single 292mm disc with four-piston caliper, ABS equipped
Rear brake: 220mm disc with single-piston caliper, ABS equipped
Wheels: Black spoked alloy – 17-inch front, 17-inch rear
Tyres: Front: 10/70 R17, rear: 140/60 R17

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed wet weight: 165kg
Seat height: 780mm
Wheelbase: 1360mm
Rake: n/a
Trail: n/a
Fuel capacity: 12 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: from $5790 ride away
Colours: Nebula black, Turquoise blue
Test bike supplied by: CFMOTO Australia
Warranty: 3 year factory warranty