CFMOTO 450SR 2023 Launch Review

The CFMOTO 450SR might just be the best sportsbike to hit the market in 2023. Yes it’s made in China, yes it’s learner-approved, and yes there are loads of other examples at various capacities that pack more power, more technology, and, well, more everything.

So how can it possibly be the best sportsbike on the market? Well, it’s lightweight, it’s high-tech, and it’s ridiculously easy to ride. Plus, it checks in at just $7990 ride away and is a much more sensible option in today’s climate when compared to more-expensive Japanese or Euro equivalents.

It will also make you a better rider. While a big 1000cc beast might give you more street cred and a higher top-speed down the straight, it won’t necessarily improve your skills or make you faster. A bike like the 450SR will not only save you money, but potentially improve your lap times. As they say in the classics, if you can’t ride a small bike fast, don’t bother riding a big bike.

And while this little sportsbike is cheap and easy to ride, it is also surprisingly refined, well-built and heaps of fun. Forget the made-in-China tag – this bike is a genuine contender. If the 800MT adventure tourer was CFMOTO coming of age, then the 450SR is the Chinese brand breaking down the door and demanding respect and attention. Trust me, the hype is real.

As above, the CFMOTO 450SR has a starting price tag of $7990 ride away. That includes a comprehensive level of equipment, and a 3-year factory warranty.

Perhaps the 450SR’s closest competitor is the Kawasaki Ninja 400, which checks in at $8641 ride away. The pair are very similar on paper. In fact, it is almost like CFMOTO has copied Kawasaki’s homework and bettered it. The Ninja is lighter, but the 450SR trumps it in almost every other spec category and is cheaper.

Another close competitor is the Honda CBR500RR, but that bike is priced at $11,142 and doesn’t really offer any significant advantages on the spec sheet.

Moving up in capacity, you have the Honda CBR650R which starts at $13,885 ride away and the 655cc Yamaha YZF-R7LA which starts at $14,599 ride away. In the smaller capacities, you’ve got the Yamaha YZF-R3 and the KTM RC 390, but both of those bikes start above $8500 ride away. And if you’re looking for superbike-level performance, expect to pay upwards of $29,000 ride away.

There is also the CFMOTO 300SR which starts at $6290, but by the brand’s own admission, that is designed more as a learner-friendly commuter than a pure sportsbike.

CFMOTO’s relationship with KTM is well documented, however CFMOTO Australia assures us that the 449.9cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin motor is completely developed in-house.

There were rumours last year that the 450SR engine would be used in a range of KTM “490” models, however the factory has downplayed this, suggesting that CFMOTO could instead build a separate platform for KTM. Either way, it is obvious that the arrangement between the two brands is a two-way partnership.

CFMOTO recently revealed a naked version of the 450SR, with the 450NK expected to arrive later in 2023 or early 2024. Other 450 models could indeed follow too, with a dirt-friendly 450MT on this writer’s wishlist.

The 450SR motor puts out a relatively modest 34.5kW (46hp) at 10,000rpm and 39.3Nm at 7750rpm, but as you’ll see shortly, the bike is a lot more sprightly than the spec sheet suggests.

For a motorcycle at this price point, the 450SR is very well-equipped. It sits on a lightweight chromoly frame and is supported by a 37mm inverted fork and preload-adjustable rear shock, while braking is handled by a Brembo M40 four-piston caliper and 320mm disc at the front and a single-piston caliper and 220mm disc at the rear.

Keeping the bike rolling is a pair of 17-inch alloy wheels that are fitted with CST Adreno HT tyres. CST is a Taiwanese company that is in the same stable as Maxxis, another tyre company that is popular in the off-road world.

The 450SR also has a smooth-shifting six-speed gear box with a CF-SC slipper clutch, while there is also the option to switch to GP-shift, which reverses the shift pattern to allow for quicker and more controlled changes in a track setting. Unfortunately there is no quickshifter available at this stage.

CFMOTO has also optimised the aerodynamics of the bike, with GP-inspired winglets helping to improve downforce and stability at high speeds.

As well as the obvious Bosch ABS system, the 450SR has a few cool tech tricks up its sleeve. There are no ride modes or traction control, but there is a full-colour 5-inch TFT display which is easy enough to navigate and read and presents a wealth of information.

Complementing the TFT display is the company’s clever T-Box system, which enables Bluetooth smartphone connection via the CFMOTO RIDE app.

As well as music and phone calls, the T-Box system provides the owner with navigation, lap times, ride history and statistics, bike location, and fuel level. Updates to the bike can be made over-the-air, while users can also create a geofence to alert them of bike movement or theft. And if your bike is stolen, you can simply track its whereabouts via the app. Clever, huh?

CFMOTO Australia tells us that the T-Box system and app are voluntary, and customers do not have to sync their motorcycle with the software. And, like an iPhone, users can determine when and where their location and data is tracked. Additionally, data taken from the app has never been used for warranty cases or similar purposes. There is also an official privacy policy online.

The CFMOTO 450SR was launched to local media at the Murray Valley Training Centre circuit in Barnawartha near Wodonga. Incidentally, it was my first ever track day (yes, I know), so I sourced some brand new leathers from the legends at RST and made the nervous drive up from Melbourne.

Of course, I had absolutely nothing to worry about, because the 450SR was the perfect bike for my long-awaited track debut. It feels very light and agile, and is ridiculously easy to ride. A big rain storm and a wet track didn’t help the cause, but the bike still performed flawlessly nonetheless.

Despite the relatively low weight and small appearance, the 450SR still maintains the stability of a lager motorcycle. At speed (we managed roughly 160km/h with a tailwind) the bike still felt solid and far from unstable or loose.

Aside from the lightness, the 450SR’s biggest advantage is its engine. The little parallel-twin packs a bigger punch than you’d expect. It accelerates smoothly and quickly in a linear fashion and is both action-packed and incredibly user-friendly.

That said, the Murray Valley circuit is quite compact, and I imagine the bike might feel a tad mellower on faster tracks. But even in our jaunt on the fast-flowing roads around Lake Hume, the bike never felt underpowered or underwhelming. It isn’t blisteringly quick, but is more than enough.

If I had to nit-pick, one thing that bugged me slightly was the fuelling. It was far from terrible and didn’t rob from the experience, but it was a touch disjointed at times and it seems to be an ongoing issue with CFMOTO models. It’s absolutely not a deal breaker though.

The ride position on the bike is comfortable in a track setting. It has crouched-over race-bike style ergonomics but it isn’t too crouched over making it very accessible to new riders. There is plenty of room to move your body around on the bike when cornering, while the controls are all positioned nicely. Admittedly, I did start to feel some discomfort after a few hours on the road, but that is hardly unusual or surprising for a sportsbike.

Elsewhere, the brakes do their job without fuss, the suspension is solid on both the track and the road, and the stock tyres had plenty of grip, even in the wet.

Perhaps the biggest question marks for many punters when it comes to a Chinese-built motorcycle is build-quality and reliability. Well, let’s set the record straight – the 450SR feels very well built. The bike is in no way cheap or nasty and everything feels well thought out and refined. Long term reliability is obviously hard to predict at this stage, but the early signs are good.

One rider actually came unstuck on the wet Murray Valley track and sent the bike sliding into the gravel. When he returned to the pits, we discovered there was very little damage aside from a couple of scrapes and a bent gear lever. The machine held up incredibly well.

If you are a beginner track rider, then you should buy this bike. If you are an intermediate track rider, then you should buy this bike. And if you are an experienced track rider, but not racing for sheep stations, then you should probably still buy this bike. Put simply, the 450SR is a sensible and blissfully affordable sportsbike that does its job and then some.

Of course there are riders who will want more displacement, more horsepower, more torque, and more tech, but the 450SR will still get you around the circuit with a smile on your face and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

I could see everyday motorcyclists owning one of these as a cheap weekend track bike, or even regular track riders who just want something that they can throw around without worrying about how much it will cost if they crash.

The best part of all, though, is that the 450SR is one of CFMOTO’s best two-wheel efforts to date and it still costs less than $8k. If this is what we have to look forward too, then expect to see this Chinese brand become a motorcycling superpower in the very near future.

Specs: 2023 CFMOTO 450SR

ENGINE 
Type: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC parallel-twin, 270 degree crankshaft
Capacity: 449.9cc 
Bore x stroke:72mm x 55.2mm 
Compression ratio: 11.5:1 
Engine management: Electronic fuel injection 
Emissions: Euro 5 

PERFORMANCE 
Power: 34.5kW (46hp) at 10,000rpm 
Torque: 39.3Nm at 7550rpm 

TRANSMISSION 
Type: Six-speed 
Final drive: Chain 
Clutch: Wet, multiplate, CF-SC slipper 

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR 
Frame: Tubular chrommoly 
Front suspension: Inverted 37mm fork, 120mm travel 
Rear suspension: Multi-link central single rear shock, adjustable spring preload, 130mm travel
Front brakes: Brembo M40 4-piston radially mounted caliper, single 320mm floating disc
Rear brake: Single-piston caliper, 220mm disc
Tyres: 110/70 R17, CST ADRENO HS (front), 150/60 R17, CST ADRENO HS (rear) 

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES 
Claimed wet weight: 179kg 
Seat height: 795mm 
Fuel capacity: 14L

OTHER STUFF 
Price: $7990 ride away 
Warranty: Three years, unlimited kilometres (if serviced within authorised dealer network) 
Colours: Zircon Black or Nebula Black