CFMOTO XO Papio Trail 2026 Review

If there was ever a time that a low-capacity, compact-sized road bike made sense, it’s now. With fuel prices volatile and future availability shaky, a thoroughly approachable 126cc commuter could be an inexpensive solution for commuters growing tired of the increasingly crowded public transport system.

I’ll come back to its price, but there are plenty of features which make CFMOTO’s Papio XO Trail a pretty decent commuter. The high-bend handlebar, long seat and low-mounted footpegs mean most body shapes will find it relatively comfortable, and the sheer compactness of it means it’s nimble through traffic, easy to park and immediately removes a lot of the intimidation that comes with two-wheel peak-hour commuting.

The 760mm seat height also means you’re not sitting as low as you’d probably expect. In fact, it’s the same height as the low-seat option on the Triumph Speed Twin 900, and more than 10mm taller than the Indian Scout Bobber, so visibility isn’t compromised. To top it off, there’s a solid grab rail wrapping around the decent-sized pillion pad, which can accommodate a bag or secure any errands you need to run.

But if we’re talking things that make sense in today’s economic climate, then the ride-away price tag is the jewel in the XO Papio Trail’s crown. At $4790 ride-away, or less than $4 a day through CFMOTO’s finance option, you’d be hard pressed to find cheaper transport that doesn’t have an unreliable timetable. And while you may be able to pick up a good-quality secondhand commuter for less, you certainly won’t get the three-year factory warranty offered if the bike is serviced through an accredited dealer.

The XO Papio Trail is $200 less expensive than its fully faired Papio Racer counterpart but, while it might not look as great, its exposed pillion perch, grab rail and higher 'bars make it a far more practical choice.

Now an outlier in the Australian market with the discontinuation of Honda’s popular Grom and Kawasaki’s Z125 Pro, the Papio XO Trail does boast features that the more expensive Honda or similarly priced Kawasaki didn’t. Most notable is the six-speed gearbox compared with Honda’s five-speed and Kawasaki’s four-speed, but there are a handful of others, too, such as dual-channel ABS (indeed, it was the lack of dual-channel ABS that contributed to the demise of those models in Australia) and traction control.

The Papio is powered by a 126cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine matched to a six-speed gearbox. Peak output is quoted at 7kW at 8250rpm and 9.3Nm at 6500rpm, which sounds puny, and it is, but it’s more than enough to propel the 114kg bike efficiently through urban environments.

Having a six-speed 'box compared with a five-speed helps the Papio make the most of its modest output by keeping the engine in its usable rev range and reducing the drop between shifts, which really adds to its responsiveness around town and its flexibility in terms of real-world use.

It’s at its happiest travelling at urban speeds. I did see 100km/h at one stage, but it took a long time to get there, and while the bike retained its composure and felt super stable at that speed, you’d probably be better off sticking to 80km/h signposted roads, where it will gladly sit all day long.

That composure has a lot to do with the suspension. The base setting of the non-adjustable front fork feels great and gives you a sense of quality that belies its sub-$5k price tag. There’s a heap of feel for what’s going on at the front tyre’s contact patch and very few of those hard hits at either end that you’d expect from a bike this size traversing our increasingly dodgy road surfaces. Turns out the suspension is the work of Chinese suspension manufacturer Yuan, which has been around since the late 1980s and is responsible for the suspension on Kove’s Dakar entry.

In terms of the braking package, it’s a basic but ample single 210mm disc and twin-piston caliper up front, matched to a 190mm disc and single-piston caliper at the rear. And because the bike arrived at my place with very few kilometres on the clock, they improved with each ride to the point where they bedded in to be strong and predictable.

At the time of writing, a full tank of 95 RON fuel will cost you less than $15 and, according to my economy calculations, will ferry you for at least 300km. That’s nothing short of excellent in this climate.

The three-inch circular analogue tacho has a small LCD insert which is very well equipped. As well as a digital speedo and the usual trip and odometer readouts, there’s a gear-position indicator, a gear-change warning light, a clock and a fuel gauge. You can adjust the brightness of the LCD readout, change the RPM at which the gear-change indicator illuminates and, according to the owner’s manual, switch off traction control. But while I could navigate to the traction control setting, I couldn’t work out the series of long and short presses required to deactivate the rider aid.

There’s so much to like about the Papio Trail, but the styling and the paintwork could prove polarising. Because it’s essentially a pared-back Papio Racer, my eye sees a few awkward-looking styling cues that admittedly became less of an issue the longer I spent in its company.

The underseat exhaust is right at home on the Racer, as is the tank shape and large tail section, but when the bodywork has been stripped off, a higher-bend handlebar added and block-pattern tyres fitted, I feel the overall silhouette of the bike slightly misses the mark. And while the pixelated red-and-white finish really plays to the playful nature of what is a super-fun bike, when you understand that it and the "XO" represented in the dual headlights are both nods to the retro gaming era, I can’t help but wonder if such a niche period in time might actually turn some would-be buyers away.

Certainly not a deal breaker, and fun all the same.

If urban mobility and low running costs are high on your priority list, then CFMOTO’s XO Papio Trail plays a really strong hand. It’s agile and approachable, a lot of fun at sane speeds and a playful, more engaging alternative to a twist-and-go scooter.

While it may not offer the storage and weather protection that a scooter can, it packs a decent practicality punch for its size, and its price makes it a compelling option. And I’ll guarantee you’ll turn up to work in a much better mood than your co-worker who was forced to stand on a crowded bus.

ENGINE
Type: Single cylinder, 4-stroke, air-cooled
Capacity: 126cc
Bore x stroke: 57mm x 49.4mm
Compression ratio: 9.0:1
Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection 

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 7.0kW at 8250rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 9.2Nm at 6500rpm 

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

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Tubular-steel frame
Front suspension: YUAN upside-down fork, 96mm travel
Rear suspension: YUAN centrally mounted single shock, 96mm travel
Front brakes: Single 210mm disc with dual-piston caliper, ABS
Rear brake: Single 190mm disc with single-piston caliper, ABS
Tyres: Aluminium alloy wheels, 120/70-R12 front, 130/70-R12 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Dry weight: 114kg
Seat height: 760mm
Ground clearance: Not listed
Wheelbase: 1214mm
Fuel capacity: 7.0 litres 

OTHER STUFF
Price: $4790 (ride-away)
Warranty: Three years