CFMOTO 1000MT-X 2026 Review

There is a new sheriff in town. CFMOTO’s 1000MT-X is one of the best all-round adventure tourers on the market. Period. And it costs just $18,990 ride away.

But forget the price for just a moment. It’s kind of beside the point.

The 1000MT-X is capable, rugged, packed with tech and high-spec running gear, and it’s an absolute belter in the dirt. The bargain price tag is just the icing on the cake.

If you still think that the only appeal of buying a Chinese motorcycle is the price, then think again. This bike is the real deal. It will compete with any of the major players in the adventure segment, regardless of how much it costs.

CFMOTO is one of the best-selling brands in the country and has won a legion of fans and plenty of positive reviews. It is a genuine powerhouse and has paved the way for a flurry of established Chinese motorcycle brands that are about to hit the Aussie market.

This is a familiar story. Remember when Japanese and Korean vehicles were overlooked for their inferior quality? Well, tell that to Toyota or Hyundai owners now.

Will other established brands from Japan, Europe and America take note and respond? Maybe, maybe not. But CFMOTO and the other Chinese players aren’t waiting around.

We’re in the midst of change. You know the drill. The revolution will not be televised.

We used to say things like, “it’s good for the price” or “it’s built to a price point”. But the 1000MT-X breaks that mould. Even if it was $5k dearer, I’d have the same opinion.

The $18,990 ride-away price tag is not an introductory price either. That is the full estimated price with 12 months of registration and a three-year factory warranty.

You get a KTM-derived 946cc parallel-twin motor (as found in the 990 Duke and 990 RC R) with a claimed 83kW/105Nm, a tubular steel frame, fully adjustable KYB suspension, Brembo brakes with dual-channel Bosch ABS, and 21- and 18-inch wire-spoked wheels clad in legendary Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres.

There is also a full electronics suite including a Bosch six-axis IMU, a vertically mounted 8-inch TFT touchscreen display, smartphone connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, five ride modes with adjustable traction control, ABS and throttle response, a 20-level adjustable steering damper, and an up-and-down quickshifter.

You can also count on heated grips, a heated seat, cruise control, USB-A and USB-C charging, tyre pressure monitoring, off-road protection, an adjustable windshield, and a 22.5L low-slung fuel tank which offers a claimed range of more than 500km.

And all of that is standard. If you read it out aloud, you may be out of breath like me.

To put it in perspective, the CFMOTO 1000MT-X’s competition includes the Honda Africa Twin (from $24,999 ride away), KTM 890 Adventure R (from $25,995 ride away), BMW F 900 GS Adventure (from $23,470 ride away), and Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro (from $26,390 ride away). It matches, if not beats, all those examples on paper in most areas.

The other interesting comparison is with CFMOTO’s own 800MT-X. The 1000MT-X is very similar to the 800 and shares some components. But there is a $2000 price difference, and for that you get a bigger engine, better suspension, brakes and tyres, more technology, and more creature comforts as standard. That is still very good value.

As you’d expect of a bike derived from KTM’s all-conquering Adventure R platform, the 1000MT-X feels like a serious adventure machine from the moment you climb aboard. Sitting or standing, the 1000MT-X is equal bits comfortable and ready to attack any off-road trail thrown in its path. It's tall, but there is a low seat height option and different seat options too.

Its off-road performance really is impressive. I’ve long had the KTM 890 Adventure R as the best off-road adventure tourer on the market, with the Aprilia Tuareg 660 a close second. The 1000MT-X doesn’t quite match them in the dirt, but it’s not far off.

Adding dirt-ready and fully-adjustable KYB suspension is a masterstroke by CFMOTO. While the Yuan gear on the 800MT-X was far from bad, the relative anonymity of that brand in Western markets would have turned a few people away. But KYB is proven in Australia, and it does a mighty fine job here.

As is typical of a KYB fork, it is quite firm through the top of the stroke, which helps prevent diving under brakes. But once it moves deeper through the travel, it feels nice and progressive, giving the rider plenty of confidence and control in a wide variety of terrain. It handles just about everything short of launching off big jumps. But if you're a bit lighter than me, you'll probably get away with that too.

The chassis also contributes to the bike's dirt chops. It feels compliant and stable over most obstacles, but with enough flex to give the bike a loose and playful feel. Like with the 800MT-X and KTM equivalents, the low-slung fuel tank helps the handling dynamic tremendously too, making for a superbly balanced and agile machine.

The Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRs are an equally great addition. This legendary tyre provides plenty of grip and suits the 1000MT-X’s design brief perfectly. I also can’t complain about the Brembo brakes, which offer up great feel and control at both ends.

And the engine is a beauty, of course. It offers more grunt than its 800MT-X sibling but is still easy to ride and tractable, making it perfect for on- and off-road use. If this is something of a preview of the upcoming KTM 990 Adventure R, which will use the same engine, then I cannot wait to ride that bike too.

On-road performance is arguably not the focus here, but it’s still good. The engine and chassis combination is a lot of fun in the twisties and, while it’s not the absolute fastest dual-sport on the tarmac, it strikes the perfect compromise between on- and off-road.

The vertical TFT screen might be a novelty for some, but I love it. It is clear and easy to read while on the move, even while standing. And I’m rapt with the addition of Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto, if you swing that way). Not too many brands are doing it, so full marks to CFMOTO. It also works a lot better than CFMOTO’s own connectivity system, which proves to be a bit confusing to set up.

Grip and seat heating, cruise control, adjustable steering damper, adjustable windscreen, foldable mirrors and a quickshifter are all much appreciated and help bolster the 1000MT-X’s credentials as a serious dual-sport adventure tourer.

And when you frame all that goodness around the $18,990 ride-away price tag, it would be silly not to consider the 1000MT-X when shopping around for a new ADV machine.

From a mechanical perspective, the 1000MT-X is hard to fault. The bike works so well in just about any situation. But in the tech and electronics department, there are a few little teething issues.

Firstly, while the touchscreen functionality is welcome, it only works while the bike is stopped. I suspect this is a safety decision, but it soon becomes annoying as you try to change settings on the fly.

“Just use the switchgear,” I hear you say. Well, that’s another issue – the switchgear is fiddly and overcrowded, making it a little difficult to use whilst riding. This is further complicated by the fact that CFMOTO’s standard menu system is hard to navigate. It features a lot of icons instead of clearly labelled menus, and the meaning of each icon isn’t immediately obvious. Hence why I’d rather use the touchscreen.

Fortunately, the Apple CarPlay menu is easy to navigate, but you still have to exit back to the main menu to change any bike settings. Plus, connecting your phone to the bike is a little more complex than it needs to be.

I suspect that owners will get used to all these quirks quickly, but it doesn’t inspire confidence right out of the box.

The ride modes work well for the most part, but due to the complexity of the menu system, it is a little tricky trying to work out which modes have what settings. And even more confusing is that only some settings are retained when the ignition is switched off.

All-terrain mode acts as a “rally” mode. It allows you to fully switch off ABS (even at the front) and traction control and sharpens the throttle response. But the fuelling in this mode feels a little unpredictable and peaky, so I opted to stay in the regular off-road mode.

Traction control also seems to be too intrusive on the dirt, even in the “lowest” setting. The solution is to just switch it off completely, which you can do separately to the ride modes. The bike offers enough mechanical traction that traction control isn’t completely necessary on the dirt anyway.

There is also a “master” mode that allows full customisation of the settings, but you can only unlock this through the CFMOTO RIDE smartphone app.

Finally, the heated seats and grips were fantastic on our cold and wet test ride, but they reset every time you turn the bike off. This means having to trawl through the complicated menus to turn them on every time you restart the bike.

I suspect most of the issues I’ve mentioned can be fixed through firmware updates, so I wouldn’t be too concerned as a prospective owner.

If you’re in the market for a dirt-friendly adventure tourer, then it’s a no-brainer, really. The level of spec on this machine would normally command a price tag around the $22-25k mark, but at $18,990 it is almost too good to be true.

Yes, there are some electronic niggles, but owners will quickly adapt, and future firmware updates will hopefully address some of them.

While CFMOTO’s coming-of-age took place years ago, there are likely some riders that still have hesitations about the brand. But that thinking is outdated, and the 1000MT-X is just the latest masterpiece from this juggernaut brand.

This is a serious adventure tourer. Don’t sleep on it.

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke DOHC parallel twin
Capacity: 946.2cc
Bore x stroke: 92.5mm x 70.4mm
Compression ratio: 13.5:1
Engine management: Bosch electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 111hp (83kW) at 8500rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 105Nm at 6250rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Slipper

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Tubular steel frame
Front suspension: KYB 48mm upside-down fork, fully adjustable, 230mm travel
Rear suspension: KYB monoshock, fully adjustable, 230mm travel
Front brakes: 320mm discs with Brembo four-piston radial calipers, ABS
Rear brake: 260mm disc with Brembo twin-piston caliper, ABS
Tyres: Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tubeless – front 90/90-21, rear 150/70-18

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed wet weight: 222kg
Wheelbase: 1525mm
Seat height: 870mm (LS: 830mm)
Ground clearance: 240mm
Fuel capacity: 22.5 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $18,990 ride away
Warranty: Three years, unlimited kilometres