The Adventure Bike Unicorn - CFMOTO IBEX 450MT?
The CFMOTO 450MT or IBEX 450 as it will be known in the USA (this was filmed and uploaded on patreon before the office release). Could this "beginner" Adventure bike actually be the unicorn adventure bike many have been waiting for? The numbers look good, weight, suspension travel, ground clearance, 21/18 spoked tubeless wheels, and more. But will that 450cc twin be enough out on the open road? Will the it hold up out there deep in the trails. Can we trust CFMOTO that this will be reliable? Lots of questions still remain but the IBEX 450, 450 MT definitely has my interest.
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0:00 Intro
0:16 Back Story
1:05 Missing the Mark
1:45 Current Adv Bikes
2:47 Road Adv Bikes
3:10 Enduro Adv Bikes
3:47 Small cc Adv Bikes
4:34 Dual Sport Adv Bikes
5:44 GT BIG Adv Bikes
6:52 Big Dual Sport Adv Bikes
8:05 "Lightweight" Adv Bikes
9:03 What Goes There
10:16 Is CFMOTO our Hero
11:39 IBEX 450MT Unicorn
13:53 Adv Bike for Mortals
14:20 What's Your Unicorn
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450cc cross plane with tubeless wheels? Hell yes. We desperately need more competition in the dirt bike scene because the prices are insane compared to road bikes. I consider anything over 150kg/330lb too much for offroad use though. Another big consideration is parts availability and cost being how beat up offroad bikes get.
CFM MT450's actual dry weight is about 180kg according to Europe or SE Asia specs. I think NA spec weight is with base alloy wheel or without wheels.
You're paid.
@@GrizzlyDaddams who is and for what?
@@TheGardenSnakeyou should check out their ATV’s as well. For the price point, they are killing Polaris in the touring segment. They just released their 3rd gen 800 and 1000 touring models. Best tech I’ve seen on a ATV, ever!
@@GrizzlyDaddams you are a troll
Ibex 450 is probably the bike Im most excied about for 2024.
Shrill 👆
Jake I appreciate you keeping up with the channel
About the MT450 weight... The specs here in New Zealand/Australia say 175kg (386lbs) dry weight. Most of the other CF Motos are listed in wet weight. But, the 450MT has a pretty large 17.5 litre gas tank for it's size. Perhaps CF Moto thought people wouldn't understand that, and make allowances. If we work on 17.5 litres weighing 12.9kg (28.44 pounds), and 3 litres of oil weighing 2.66kg (about 6Ibs). So wet weight (fully fuelled) should be around 190kg (about 420 lbs).
too optimistic. it will be around 200 kg
175 kg dry is waaaayyyy toooo much for such a bike. That's the common sign of purely design motorcycle. It's too heavy. For example the first version of F800GS was 205 kg with full tank.
@@jaroslavmandik2554its the lightest adv twin. Weighs 25kg more then a ktm690. "For such a bike" what are u saying it is and what are u comparing it too?
By "Such a bike" I mean 450cc 2 cylinder. If it will be the same weight as 800 cc bikes, it's too much. And it's not only about weight but also it's distribution. A few examples of dry / wet weight: - KTM 790 Adventure 189 / 204 kg - BMW F800GS (2008) 178 / 207 kg - Yamaha T7 186 / 205 kg
@@jaroslavmandik2554 surely but the price diff gonna matter aswell if this bike comes on $7K then its going to be hit
Another comment to put US residents at ease. CFMoto has been in Oz for years and years, we used to be worried about reliability, but they have proven themselves now. I have zero qualms buying one.
I like it! I've done close to 35'000km riding SE Asia on a selection of XR250's, an XR400, CRF250L's and a tidy DRZ400 in Cambodia. I got them all dirty and enjoyed parking beside clean GS's at fuel stops however I longed for something more modern and with a more road friendly engine. Interestingly, my average on-road speed in Asia is 45km/h so it;s not about speed, it's about pulling strongly away to make a break in heavy traffic, grinding up an eroded trail, carrying 35kg of luggage, torquing through heavy sand and mud and purring on those days when it's 400km of bitumen to get back before the visa expires. All of that takes some low down grunt and I think a 400-450 twin in the more off-road oriented style of frame would be just about perfect!
Certainly it is
Great review, thanks! I need to get this bike asap, I think it will be a great addition to my T7.
i'm 220 5 11 and i ride a 125cc xtz and it's 13/14 hp and that bike will do what ever need done you don't need a big bike to have fun !!!!!!!!
Bought my 2021 GSA brand new at 25, knowing I'd be seen as an old dude. I've enjoyed this bike more than any bike I've ever owned. Sure the weight has gotten to me on occasion (you can see instances on my channel) but this bike has opened me to a whole new world of riding. Recently got a 300L that I've been tinkering on all winter to get ready to take to more hard core off-road areas and OHRV parks.
Came here for aquick info dip on the cf moto and learnt so much more. just subbed. keen to go test ride the cf's now
Welcome welcome
Great vid, thanks. Funny watching the ADV market explode. I went from a KTM 790 to a SWM 650 Superdual which is an updated old husky TE630. 50 plus HP, lots of stock features, very good off road and will rip 85 plus MPH all day long if need be. I'm really enjoying the versatility as I explore the west coast this last year. So many good bikes to choose from these days.
Great video ! Thank you for confirming that it's not just me that's stoked about the Ibex 450. I currently ride a CRF300L RALLY and a CB500X. My hope is this bike combines the best parts of both into one. I already have a deposit on the first one my local dealer gets in ! Can't wait for Fall release date ! Cheers !
Sold my new crf300l 2023 after couple months. It was ok for slow wood riding but useless on road no fun at all and can't keep up with my buddys in single track on ktm and Husqvarna. At least sold it well. My privius DRZ400SM was much more fun but outdated. Price range 5000-6000€ not more. So big hope on Ibex450.
This CF Moto is a great option for many people that are between the small engines but dont want too small, and between the middle engine but is way too expensive ALL WHEN IS ABOUT TO DO SOME ON AND OFF ROAD nothing extreme but with in the boundaries of off/on. At a very very competitive price USD 6500 with great technology and awesome looks. Adjustable suspension? 200mm displacement rear and front? Ground clearance 220 mm? Tubeless Spoke wheels 21 and 18? Torquy engine? TC and REAR ABS on/off while riding? 5''TFT gorgeous display? and many many little features to make your life on/off more enjoyable. Perhaps its weight and fuel consumption are not the best but not the worst either (194 kg and 25/liter) This was by far the best review with out having actually the motorcycle for it. Super entertaining and useful. Deserved like!!!!
I just crossed 2300 miles on my Ibex 800T. I bought it last July and it's been absolutely flawless! I realize it's heavy for offroad use, but my main purpose is being able to cruise comfortably to the mountains and then hit some fire roads and camp with it. I'm doing the Washington BDR on it this summer 😬
Some guys had two 800mts, thats whatbthey call them over here, here in Greece for a year and drove the he'll out of them, on and especially off road. The dealer who lent them told them to break them and they tried, but the worked faultless. Only one of them had a software issue that was resolved by the dealer
@@NickKolythasφίλε έχεις πληροφορίες για το κανάλι ή το βίντεο; Ευχαριστώ
I love the fact that a motorcycle company is listening to us. Yes, it would be better if it was a USA company (Harley-Davidson) but this will drive better competition and right now I’m willing to support that. Can’t wait for your test video. Thanks for doing these types of videos!! Well done.
Great video. BTW you forgot to mention the Royal Enfield Himalayan in your whiteboard overview (especially the new 450 model).
Great channel, also with the name Jacob, I hated being called Jake the Snake growing up. I'm glad you have embraced it. Now I laugh about how angry I would get back then. I am very interested like you in the Ibex 450 but I'm coming from a different perspective. I'm older, had 3 different ADV bikes (BMW F650GS, F800GS, and KTM 690 on which I spent a lot of money trying to make it the perfect ADV bike). I'm looking for a smaller bike now, mostly due to weight and seat height, the 690 I always felt was too tall for me. Those moments when you really need to get a foot down don't happen a lot, but when they do the lower bike helps a lot. I want a bike that will take me from the US to Ushuaia ad back. CFMotos are very common in latin America so I would feel comfortable from a support perspective, and what's not to like about the price. What is the service interval and where is the air filter on the NK, is it hard to get to? Thanks
lol cool to see you watch riding with tom. i almost bought a 690 but saw him blow his up twice got a KLR instead
Hats off to CFmoto for coming up with something nobody else has come up with.
He tenido motos trial, trail y maxitrail desde hace 45 años. La CFMoto MT 450, en mi opinión posee potencia suficiente para casi todo, buen equipamiento de serie, larga autonomía, capacidad de carga viajera, carenados austeros pero sificientes, actualizaciones de software vía app de móvil, ABS y DSC desconectables, tubeless, filtro de aire fácilmente accesible, buena ergonomía, manetas regulables, pantalla ajustable, tomas de energía, escape alto, capacidad de carga, subchasis desmontable, estriberas, cambio, y espejos retráctiles, suspensiones largas solventes y adecuadas para uso mixto, electrónica comedida, altura de asiento polivalente desde solo 80 a 87 centímetros y sobre el papel buenos materiales y acabados. A mí personalmente, por mi uso predominantemente asfáltico, me gustaría con opción a llantas de aleación, pero es casi perfecta. La CFMoto 450 MT es como las Dominator, XTs, DRs, KLEs, DRZs, de los 80s-90s pero inyectada, modernizada, con gran autonomía, cómoda y bicilíndrica. Creo que solo la KTM 390 Adventure, la Honda CB500X y la RE Himalayan II, están a la altura, aunque con distintos enfoques. No son motos endureras sino traileras asfálticas con algunas posibilidades camperas. Con algo de dinero se pueden camperizar, pero en mi opinión, siguen siendo motos muy pesadas para los estándares del off road duro. En general, no somos Pol Tarrés ni tenemos sus repuestos y asistencias. 😅 Solo le falta ofrecer Quickshifter y color verde que me encanta para moto trail. 🙏😊 Incluso los japoneses, tendrían que tomar ejemplo en cuanto a diseño y equipamiento de serie. Habrá que esperar a ver su fiabilidad, intervalos de mantenimiento y precio. Estas nuevas motos chinas, tienen actualmente una relación calidad precio muchísimo mejor que las japonesas. Esta CFMoto 450 es lo que podía haber sido la ansiada y abortada KTM 490 Adventure presuntamente fabricada en India por Bajaj, que asoma la patita en otra ventanilla asiática del también socio colaborador de KTM CFMoto. Con la marca austriaca, probablemente, hubiese salido con algún caballo más y algún kilo de menos. Hay muchísima expectación en Iberoamérica, asia y España sobre esta CFMoto 450 MT. Aunque muy contento tras 20.000 kms con mi 390 Adv, la altura excesiva del asiento, a 85.5 centímetros del suelo, a veces se me hace incómoda e incluso peligrosa. Los chinos lo están haciendo muy bien en estas categorías, cubriendo nichos de mercado a precios razonables. El peso excesivo de las maxitrail, nos amarga el uso utilitario, la ruta, la salida, el aparcamiento o el alzamiento de la moto del suelo cuando cae, y es por esto y las restricciones e imposiciones globalistas y agendatarias que, en Occidente, estas comedidas cilindradas se están convirtiendo en maxiventas y motos lógicas para los que van y para los que volvemos. No obstante, me encanta esa moto y estaré atento a su evolución. Los chinos lo están haciendo muy bien también en estas categorías, cubriendo todos los nichos de mercado a precios razonables. Saludos desde España. ✌
I get the Chinese stigma but CFmoto is different. They are swinging hard and I think it’s working. I bought a 450ss and absolutely love it. It’s such a fun bike for what it is and all the flaws can be fixed for a fair price. I also want to say my CFmoto 450 was my 23rd bike. I got it as a little in town ripper and it’s blown me away with how fun it is. I sold my Kawasaki zh2 because I stopped riding it. That’s saying a lot and personally I’m a fan and I’m picking up the ibex 450 once it comes out
what are the flaws that required fixing?
Excellent video. Many of our customers who buy CFM buy another one when wanting a bigger engine or a different style of bike. Initial quality of their bikes are very good.
Dropped in to say the older F800GS’s are ADV beasts. 21/17, not 19, with 9/8.5” clearance, spoked wheels (that can be modded to be tubeless), 85hp, low rpm tractor torque, 450lbs but pretty easy to shave them down further weight wise. If you’re easy cruising 200mi on a tank is possible. The gas tanks on them is below the seat so weight feels super low and is really manageable. I have almost 45k mi on mine and still loving it. Newer parallel twin GS’es and the 700s are definitely more on-road biased, but the 800 has been a sweet spot for me for years. Done single track and wilderness in the same trip as 90mph for hours across montana with power to spare. Excited to see how the new F900GS is. More to your video though, I’m in WA and pretty remote (east side, dry, flat, barren, sparsely populated) and any ADV trip is going to involve hours or days of highway, is a 450 going to be enough there? And will you actually enjoy that highway time without feeling like you’re whipping the bike like a mini pony in a horse race? Honest question, haven’t ridden a modern engine around that size before.
I think those are individual choices we all make. Im at the other end, do I need all that extra power and weight offroad? And yes the early gs's were nice, also looking forward to the new 900, too much power for me but shes a looker.
Any cool trails near the Moses Lake area?
Hey honestly the big names had every chance to build the lightweight adv bike we all want. I am JACKED about this one AND the 800 coming from Kove!
My KTM 690 is my unicorn bike. Done rocky hill climbs, rode in sand dunes, and gone through canyons roads with it. Yeah it costs a little more but I didn’t need to spend any extra money for it to do what I want and do it well. Like suspension adds to the cost real quick to close the price difference between a tenere 700(near me dealers charged a big mark up for most Japanese bikes and I didn’t see any bs with KTM so it can out cheaper for me from the start). And I have a bike that’s about 100lbs less now. Maybe not as reliable, but it’s the price I was willing to pay since there isn’t much that can go wrong any way.
New to your channel..... awesome summary!!!
Is there a reason why you left the Kove 450 Rally out?
It's not really street legal yet in the US but I think they've fixed that now, not sure
I've been riding for 15 years (on and off, with no offroad experience) and I'd like to start doing some offroading. I've given the Versys 400 a lot of thought and after Revzillas Triumph 400 video, I think that size may be a sweet spot for what I want to do.
Nice one Jake, I liked your mature perspective on the CF Moto near the end something a lot of naysayers could take on board.
love my KLX300 but the main guy i ride with has a 1190 adventure R and keeping up on the road sections of our trips it's full pin. hopefully the 450MT makes the other brands make similar modules so i will have more options when i finally decide I'm done with my klx.
I'm waiting for the Kove 800x. 👍
I wanna see what it really weighs
@@TheGardenSnake hopefully in the same range as the T7, but that claimed 95hp sounds like a good time.
Gladly subbed to a fellow tech
They certainly have their quirks but I think if you can only have one bike to do both dual sport and adventure riding, the 690/701 is the answer. Excited to see what CFMOTO is bringing to the table though. Even if you're somebody who hates chinese manufacturers, you should hope these bikes succeed because it'll push the big 4 to start making similar machines.
And they make KTMs now so even the 690 is Chinese now
@@TheGardenSnake yeah I'm interested to see if there will be any noticeable changes in manufacturing quality on the new models that will be assembled in China. Could be for the worse, could be for the better.
That last little thing you said in this is really an interesting talking point!
Thanks
Great job with the comparisons. I feel the new Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 also fits nicely into this list.
Yeah I talked about it in the patreon edit
It'll certainly be interesting to see a Chinese based brand be as well built and reliable as a T7. I look forward to what the market will bring in the near future and can't wait to see Jake on something giving us his thoughts
I’m definitely interested in the class of bike. Currently I am running a Tuareg 660 and just picked up a WR250R.
Big rock moto has a video with the IBEX450 at AIM the 386lbs was dry weight so he thought somewhere around 400 wet weight but yeah if you want i'd check out that video just due to it being like an in person view of the bike if you want to get a 'closer' view
Versys x300 is such a underrated bike, nobody even thinks about it because it’s a small 300, but it will go way more places than all those guys on the bigger adventure bike. A little grom will go places those big adventure bikers wouldn’t even dare.
It can be made WAY more capable too. I bolted on a KLR 650 front end and had a custom rear shock made. I then had 11 inches of ground clearance, ~8" travel front/rear, it worked well. I did end up selling it as I really wanted a bit more power.
@@pjm204 nice and same, only reason I sold is because I got a dr650
I'm selling the MV Agusta so I keep my licence 😊 and keeping the little Versys-X while I work out if my 450MT is better. Right now I'm waiting impatiently for my bike to arrive and being frustrated by the fact that even CFMOTO haven't listed optional accessories yet.
My life is complete! Ive seen myself in a jtgs video.... even if it was just the tail light ;)
I mentioned you in the Patreon version and you test with bike leaned over on a scale.
Also you’ve been in my videos 😂
@@TheGardenSnake I know, im just having a laugh. I'll rejoin your patreon if my new job comes to fruition
Great analysis mate but the Ktm 390 rally edition is the current best in the segment with adjustable suspensions, mt450's reliability will be a big ? In the first batch!
Your last point about not judging people by the governments of their country is a damn good point. I have the 450L and it ticks almost all the boxes for my style of ride and riding. But, I would trade it for a bike with more range if it came at the expense of a little less power and a little more weight (but not too much more weight).
I'm interested in the concept of this bike. I do think though that the real dream is an engine like that 450cc crossplane twin in a dirt bike frame with a big tank and a rally tower. Basically dirt bike plastics so there's no fear of dropping it and it looks like a Dakar bike
I have a sym nht 300 and im very happy with it although i wished for bigger aftermarket
I really liked your honest opinion of the bike and the brand. It's new and different so people will always have fears until rightfully proven otherwise. It's only a matter of time before you see brands like this racing motoX and SBK and changing everyone's perceptions.
I have the SS and NK (450's), I like the NK but it'll probably go in favor of the MT, can't get here soon enough!
The moment i have seen this bike it fills up all my boxes. Has it all for a small medium adv motorcycle at a very affordable price with all one needs and loads of technology. yes is Chinese but in Asia is a well known motorcycle brand. Certainly will cause some shock waves in the market mostly amongst the Japanese and European brands.
On the twin side, Tenere 320 sub 400# wet would be amazing.
One thing I found that my crf 300l does better than real dirt bikes offroad , is fast trail riding , while they jump with every bump on the road i float trough those bumps without even lifting of the ground , I've had 2 husky guys that couldn't keep up because the bumps on the road were making them sore
Like with the stock suspension? I could go too quick at all with the stock set up.
@@TheGardenSnake yeah with stock suspension , i only weight 67 kg / 150 lbs so it doesn't bottom out that much
@@OFFROADOVERDRIVE oh ok, well I'm like 210 all geared up hahaha
I love the 300l, own one along with a Beta 250rr, I can’t get down with this statement. My crf has rally raid suspension, but stock, it definitely wasn’t staying on the ground through whoops unless you’re crawling. It’s an amazing bike and there’s a lot to love about it, but in the case I think your husky buds are just weenies
I have a CF Moto (400 NK) and I truly love it specially on long trips. If I ever buy another bike it will be another CF Moto.
I've had the Dr since 08 ❤❤❤
Your position of the KLR is funny.
To me the KLR is a bit of a unicorn bike because I'm very tall. As too big a guy to ride any Harley, when I compare bikes I want something that can keep up with traffic on the road and not be helpless on dirt and also be comfortable. Kawasaki checked all the boxes with the KLR and made it cheap and bulletproof to boot. Mine even looks good.
The perfect ADV bike is the bike that makes you want to ride it everywhere and puts a smile on your face for me it's going to be my new vstrom 1050de or An Africa Twin
Great video. The CFMOTO Aus website lists the 450MT potentially being $9,500 ride away. Or $8,000 pre-order. If it were $6k kanga nuts i'd for sure snatch one up in a wink!
I came up with $6k by looking what the Aus price was then converting to USD. But they released the US price now and it's $6500.
this is def the sweet spot and it's kinda nuts it took these companies so long to find it. the ibex 450mt and the RE himalayan 450 are both "it" and they're gonna have a profound impact on the market
also look up KOVE 800 Adventure Rally concept , upgraded in-house suspected to be sold at 165kg dry if will be as was presented at EICMA(?)
You speak out of my heart. Such a motorcycle is needed and there is very likely a reason why none of the big manufacturers is not making it. Based on my experience you should have put F800GS in the middle with T7. It's 21/18 configuration, good clearance, 200 kg, reasonable off-road capability. What about Kove 450? It's not in your list.
I didn’t put the Kove on since it’s not actually street legal in the USA.
@@TheGardenSnake It already is. Check it out. My friend in California is getting one in April.
@@TheGardenSnake It's street legal in AZ. I know because I have one 😆
Hi jake, great video. Is it possible to get a link to that article posted about ktm moving production to china? I Feel like you may have potentially missed the mark on it. In December of last year there were articles posted about the owner of ktm (Pierer Mobility Group) letting go of and moving production of a number bikes to china. They apparently cut 300 European jobs, and sold Raymond and Felt bicycles. And nothing else. Of course the headlines were basically "ktm ends 300 jobs, moves production to china". I'll just touch on the adv side as this is what the video is about, As far as I'm aware, the 790 adventure platform is coming back for 2024 to add to the linup which has the 890 still since 2021. The 790 Adventure will be built in china, and the 890 adventure R will be built in Austria as far as I'm aware. Previous model years they has a 790 Adv and 790 advR (2019-2020) both made in Austria. 2021-2023 890 adventure and then Adventure R. So now there will be a diversion where one spec of model (790 adventure) is built in one place, and the 890 adventure R is built somewhere else. This article and the way you worded it makes it seem (to me at least) that they are just flat out moving production to china which is what some of us on the 790/890 forums/groups have been battling for years. Every other day someone comes in and asks "are they made in china" on top of the every day question "are they reliable" and it's gotten too repetitive to say "no, the 7/890 have always been made in austria" "yes, it will change. Yes I know that headline told you otherwise". I understand that it basically doesnt matter, and its just a matter of time until they do move full production over there. But I just want to know for my sake when people ask me, as I haven't been abke to find the article you cited. I may make a video for my channel soon going over the topic and I just want to make sure I have everything straight. Side note, definitely try to get your hands on that mt 450 thing if possible! Would be an awesome comparison bike for your channel. Good vid comparing the use cases for all these bikes. I agree that the parallel twin market is super strong right now which is great to see, but they did sneak back up in weight since 2021 which is unfortunate as I was hoping they would go the other direction. And I do hope that the lighter single cyl, -360lbs are the next to take flight in popularity like this Ibex, the Kove, a 390 adventure R that may be a 490 AdvR with taller clearance, higher seat hight, better suspension, 21" front. Stuff like that. And maybe yamaha, honda, and kawasaki will pull their head out of their ass and start making bikes again in the coming years as they could rock this segment if they don't miss the bus🤞. Cheers.
This whole who is build who’s bikes is a bit more cloudy then we know actually. I have a reliable source that was at the cfmoto factory in China a few years ago and told me KTMs where being fully built there back then. Apparently they head over to Austria for “ final assembly”. I think KTM will do what they can to keep Austrian vins on those frames considering the clients. Let’s be honest, ktm owners are not going to be down for their bikes being made in China.
Expect to see the cf 675cc engine in one of these. Mt-x concept that was at eicma is reported to be coming.
You may not be familiar with it, but the Yamaha FZ6 is listed as a dual sport. It's got the ability to be a good road bike, or if you throw some knobbies on it, it has the suspension travel to do well off-road. It is a heavy bike, but it has the torque to handle itself. They're also reliable and pretty cheap.
It has less than 6 inches of ground clearance, I'm not sure it's good for anything more than a light gravel road.
We already have this spec of bike: the Original Honda Transalp 600xl. 175 kg dry weight, 50hp twin engine. Don't know if many are available in the states.
Never got them over here
They were here for 2 years. I had one and loved it. My buddy called it the James Bond escape vehicle.
My guess is wet weight of the ibex 450 will be 430ish lbs, but damn on paper the other specs are delicious! 😮 I’m debating between the Ibex450 or Himalayan 450 for my next 2 wheel purchase as no one else seems to want to truly be competitive in the 400-500 cc class of Adv motorcycles.
I really want the cf450 as a scrambler - really hope they make it!!
I ordered the CFMoto 450MT. I should have it within the next 2 months.
I cant wait till we get the cf moto. I think it could be perfect for me.
I'm looking for a first bike as an older rider. Might wait until the Ibex 450 shows up at the dealers.
I was hoping Kawasaki would introduce a Versys 450X or Honda a NX500 that was more dirt orientated. It seems like CFMoto got the message. Looking forward to the review 👍
I think you should have included the Himalayan on the list, especially considering they've already released a new rendition over seas that sounds kind of like what CFMOTO is trying to produce. The Himalayan 450 is now water cooled, makes 40HP, and claims a similar dry weight. I suppose it will be a single cylinder, but I've ridden the 401 and 390 and those have a great motor in my opinion, so I wouldn't ding the 450 just because of that.
Sounds like it could be what everyone was hoping for out of the Kove. I personally can not speak to if the Kove lives up to the hype or not. But I certainly would love to find out. If CF Motos claims are true a sub 400 lb punchy 270 degree p twin adv is exactly what the market needs. Light enough to rip a single track and powerful enough to long haul. I’ll patiently wait and watch how the 1st couple years go with it. Then get myself one if they live up to the hype.
I don't own one but i think the coast thing we have to a unicorn is the Husky 701 Enduro
Price!?!?!? Bike for 11k € and not relaibal.
The Kove 800X Rally is where its at. 93bhp at 179 Kg kerb weight. And looks the part too.
I’ll believe that weight when I weigh one myself.
Apenas llegue la compro¡ es la moto unicornio para mi,saludos¡
Indeed, except Kove has a 500x that's pretty capable with 178kg dry weight and has been battle tested off-road at Basella Spain (under MacBor Montana XR5) And has a 47.5hp twin used in Honda cb500x ... Let's see how the CfMoto compares to it when it comes out
I didn’t know made a 500x
I actually pretty much recognize cfmoto as a main brand now, kove is another brand entering the market in the moto world but they also have a rally 450 adv bike coming to market. Don’t know much about kove though
Are 270 parallel twins consistently smoother than singles? If so, how much smoother? Is it worth the added weight?
Yes, it worth, less vibrations and better for long distance sections ...
Another Unicorn chinese manufacturer new to US market is the Kove 450 and soon to come 800. I think it falls in the middle like the Ibex but towards off-road and the Ibex in the middle but towards on-road. The Kove is 9K though waaay cheaper than the competition but 3K more than the Ibex if that estimated price is accurate. The Kove is 80+ lighter than the T7 too not quite as comfortable or powerful but close. Comparing these two unicorns it comes down to how you want to ride, for longer trips I'd go Ibex but for weekend more off-road trips Kove. If I had to choose only one and I had the money it'd be the Kove 450 mainly because I don't like being in any kind of traffic and spend most time off-road.
I got rid of my vstrom 660 XT and picked up a KTM 390 adventure SW it’s the best swap I’ve made in terms of adventure bikes The vstrom is underpowered and grossly overweight and the 800 DE is heavier I like what you’ve done with the comparison but for me it’s a single motor all the way even if it’s down on power you will still have a ton of fun 😊
Cool cool
i believe the cfmoto ibex450mt is going to be selling like hot cakes if they can get the wet weight around 375-400lbs. I like the engine is a twin and sounds like there t7 too. I have a 2021 tenere 700, 2022 crf300l rally, and 2022 crf450rl now. Besides the mainetance intervals of crf450rl it'd be the unicorn bike (with modifications of course). They all have a purpose for me.
No thoughts in the Himilayan 450 in this scale?
I’ve been saying it for years! Kawasaki needs to update the Versys 300X with a Ninja 400 engine…and now they have the 451cc engine! 21/18 in wheels with good suspension and you have the unicorn bike.
I'm in the position of being able to buy a 450 Mt but cfmoto will not allow demo bikes and no bikes given to reviewers , I've talked to the supplier in Aus and he told me this , and was shocked when I told him I have to ride one or see a review of it from a reputable source that's not just a reaction to the spec seat before I'd buy one. There selling the first 150 bikes for 8k (sold 120 of them) most will arrive next weekend and the rest in March apparently after that the price goes to 10 or 11k and you won't get one until September! It seems strange that they haven't given any review bikes out considering that this is the unicorn everyone has been scrambling for, and that makes me weary of blindly buy one 🤷
That’s pretty wack:/ not the way to sell bikes
Thats odd, the USA side of it seems all about getting these bike in our hands. But it looks like its gonna be a 2025 model over here so will have to wait.
@@TheGardenSnake If it's half as good as it is on paper it will be awesome! And if it sells I can't wait to see what bikes come in the next few years, can't wait for the ktm 490 adventure r rally 6 days Dakar edition starting at $47,990 ☠️🤣
My understanding is the price will go up $500 after April. The dealer I spoke to said they would love to have bikes on the floor but demand is too high right now so...
If that is 175 dry weight includes the crash protection and the sumpguard is actually functional, then that is impressive... if it doesn't, then it isn't really going to be much lighter than the Aprilia Tuareg 660, but the seat height is much more accusable... but the service interval is a bit rubbish... 6000 miles for the Tuareg, 3000 miles for the CF Moto... and in the UK, the warranty requires us to pay a dealership to service it rather than being able to home service. I hope the weight is including the engine guards and a substantial sump guard... I can cope with the 3000 miles servicing as I have multiple bikes... I def need to grab a demo on one if I can when they come out in the UK.
3000 mile oil changes? I’m fine with that. I never go to the manufacturer miles. Honda has my little 300 at 8k miles haha. No way.
@@TheGardenSnake It is a bit restrictive when you look at the bike as an ADV bike where they are supposed to be able to tour as well as they can trail ride... If it is just oil and filter, it is not so bad, although my local CF Moto dealership charges around £100 p/hr ($130) for labour, and we have to pay it if we want the warranty... But it is still viable, would be nice if they were a little streched out to 5000 miles even though 🙂 Be ace to see you review one if you can when they come out... I prefer the CF Moto to the Kove 450X Rally.
Seeing all of these 450s coming from cfmoto really makes me wish KTM/Husqvarna hadn't cancelled their entire 490/501 parallel twin lineup of bikes. Their ongoing partnership with cfmoto makes me think this engine might be the unit that was planned for those, and according to the leaked product roadmaps, they not only planned to release twin cylinder updates to the Duke 390, 390 Adventure, and Svartpilen/Vitpilen 401, but also a true dual sport and IIRC a supermoto version. Personally, while I like the idea of an adventure bike like the Ibex 450, I like the idea of a supermoto scrambler hybrid better, which is what I had imagined the Svartpilen 501 would be.
I'm looking to do the ultimate decision with will most likely cause me to lose friends and get harassed a bit when I trade my Victory Cross Country for the 450MT when it comes out, I need to get myself a lighter bike that I can enjoy commuting on and this one has captured my interest, I was looking at the honda 500x but this one has a different style that I'm into, looks like its on hold until the fall of 2024 though here in the states.
Tiger 900 Rally Pro belongs on the list too 😭 lol But yeah really looking to see what CFMoto can do.
Well like I said I didn't include everything. Those bikes are just representatives of bike in their class.
@@TheGardenSnake I had to say it lmao it's definitely one of the most forgotten about motorcycles, hidden gem IMO, I assume because 2020 was just not a great time to announce a new bike.
I do own an 701 enduro with rade garage rally tower and all the crap needed to make it « adventurized ». Its absolutely the unicorn, only complain is the end price is very high 💸 😅. I will give a try to the 450Mt but honestly my 701 already feels already a bit too heavy for off-road (i mean real offroad) so i have some doubts about the 450mt…
yes, they DID listen, they DID do what all the *big* companies DID NOT do, so here they come! -and glad it's CFMOTO, they have long since been making quads and engines not to mention making stuff for other big companies , so..
Is that motor totally in house cf moto? Or is there some ktm in there like the 800 Ibex. Whos manufacturing the motor? Does anyone know?
It’s there own from what I can tell.
@@TheGardenSnake Thank you. I've been digging for answers to this million dollar question. No one seems to know for sure. Wonder if cf moto would tell you if you asked them.
Ktm 690/701 enduro is the ultimate dual sport. 75hp 350 lbs low maintenance intervals. Not for the vertically challenged folk. throw a faring on it if you're wind-intolerant. Wheeeeeeliezz for days
I talked about
The price is very reasonable at under 7000 bucks but how many dealers are there going to be in the U.S.?
Psst, Jake… it’s “Shill” not “Shrill”. Love ya buddy.
Sorry I had the knowledge of the ancients downloaded into my fron.
Only concern is longevity and maintenance Frequency
I think, on paper, the upcoming Kove 800X looks to be the perfect lightweight ADV bike. I think they are fudging on the weight specs though. We will see. I am very interested in the CF Moto bike !
Remember in Back to the Future when 1955 Doc is trying to fix parts on the delorean and goes "no wonder its broke, it's made in Japan" then Marty says "what are you talking about Doc? All the best stuff is made in Japan!" I guess China is next.
Norden feels as light as 450mt (not on paper, but center of gravity means a lot). Maybe a bit heavier than 390adv. And on your list 890r should definitely be in the offroad section. 890s could stay where it is.
Interesting, I wonder where the newly redesigned Royal Enfield Himalayan would be on your chart.
What about the Kove 450?
Is that 450cc engine reliable from what we already know re other models that use it?
It’s a pretty new engine so it needs to prove it’s self. I did just film a video where o spent two hours on the highway with the 450nk. My average speed with going through two cities was 78mph 😂. It didn’t blow up. Video coming soon on that.
but jake what about the Kove 450 rally?
Not legal in the US yet, so I left it off
I have a Honda cbr500r (was looking for an x, but got it really cheap) and I'm making it into what Honda should have made the 500x into. Ended up with the 500 because, other than Honda reliability, that is such an understressed engine, crazy long mantinece intervals, parts for days, wicked fuel economy and if I drop it and break something, it's cheap to fix. Cf moto seems alright, but feel like they need to be around longer to know how they actually hold up
Idk why I can't put a pic up here of it, but already got a yz front end on it. Working on the rear end once it gets warmer.
The only problem with the Honda is the vibrations at higher speeds....really put me off getting one.
@@alrhodes5011 I have heard of that being an issue for some, but I've never really noticed it. A guy (for legal reasons not me) said he did 170km+ for a good 45 mins and the engine was crazy smooth. No noticeable vibrations at all. The engine seemed to enjoy it actually lol