The first real-life English review of the much-anticipated CFMOTO IBEX 450 MT was released recently on YouTube. It’s creating a lot of discussion.
The person conducting this review mentions that he is not affiliated with CFMOTO and is not being compensated in any way.
Check out the video and my thoughts below. Let me know what you think – I’d love to hear yours in the comments!
Chinese unicorn?
Is this the unicorn bike that adventure riders worldwide have been waiting for?
From the specs, it sure looks like it:
- Two cylinders
- Enough power – 44 hp
- Lightweight – 175 kg / 385 lbs
- Low seat height – 170cm / 5’7 persons can flat foot it on both sides
- Range of 450+ km / 280+ mi, through a 17.5 liter / 4.6 USg tank
- 18-inch rear, 21-inch front
- Capable KYB suspension with 7.9” of travel, providing 8.7” of ground clearance.
Those are the most important specs; they check all the boxes, at least for me.
Why is this so special?
Because there is nothing quite like it at the moment. Let’s take a look at some bikes that people might compare it to:
KTM 690 Enduro
At the moment, I have a KTM 690 Enduro, which is great. Don’t get me wrong. But it has a few downsides for me. It’s tall… very tall. With my 1,79 / 5’10, I can just about tip-toe it on both sides. Being a single cylinder, it also vibrates a lot on the highway. And lastly, it only has a range of max 250km / 150mi. With the kind of riding I do, and where I live, I mostly have to take a good stretch of highway before arriving at the twisties and off-road. So, on paper, the 450MT looks to address all those downsides. I would lose some power (the 690 has 70-ish hp), but then again, 44hp will do just fine.
KTM 390 Adventure
Again, it’s a vibrating single cylinder. It has the same power and weight but is taller and has smaller wheels.
450cc and 500cc Enduro bikes
These aren’t really in the same class as the CFMOTO 450. The CFMOTO is an adventure bike, while the Honda CRF450 and similar bikes are single-cylinder bikes made for enduro. These bikes are high-performance, high-compression machines with much shorter service intervals.
Kawasaki Versys-X 300
Why am I mentioning this here? Well, it’s also classified as a small adventure bike with two cylinders that make around 40hp. But it comes from a smaller 300cc engine, meaning it screams high in the revs and has less torque. The kawa has smaller wheels, too, a lot less ground clearance, and ABS that can’t be turned off. So, from an off-road perspective, the 450 MT looks much better, while the Versys-X 300 is probably more comfortable on the highway.
Reliability
With a Chinese bike, reliability always comes up as one of the negatives. Without getting into too big of a discussion, there are a few bullet points I want to list here:
- CFMOTO has been around for quite a while and has partnerships with European (KTM) and Japanese (Yamaha) brands.
- Chinese bikes are coming, whether you like it or not.
- Some models of established brands are also made, assembled or at the very least have parts that are made in China, India, Vietnam, etc. This includes the KTM 390 mentioned above.
In the end, only time will tell if the 450MT’s reliability is comparable to that of the established brands.
Will I get one to replace my KTM 690?
Maybe! Once it’s here, I’m definitely going to check it out at the dealership. As for reliability… my 690 hasn’t exactly been the benchmark of reliability. I’ve had problems with the clutch slave cylinder, the front brake feeling spongy, and I currently have an oil leak at the countershaft for the second time—all common problems for the 690. I can’t imagine the CFMOTO being any worse. But who knows? I’ll wait until some longer-term reviews come out.
Share your thoughts
So, with all of that being said, I’d love to hear what you think. Is it the unicorn you’ve been waiting for? Let me know in the comments.
Low seat height on the cfmoto 450 report suggest 170cm/ 5’7” – seems a little tall!!
Ignore my comment – I misread!
If I can sell my BMW G310gs, I’ll have one
The difference between brand have parts if their products manufactured in China and China manufacturing their own is oversight of quantity control. But as you said, time will tell.