A New Year with the Street Fighter, CFMOTO 650NK Naked Bike 2013

The Chinese-made CFMoto 650 NK can’t help but remind you of the Japanese invasion of the 1960s. Just as Honda’s game-changing CB450 was the first Japanese motorcycle Western customers saw as fun as well as functional, sporty in addition to affordable, the naked NK appears to be the first “real” bike to emanate from the world’s largest motorcycle market that is the People’s Republic of China.

When seated on the 650NK riders will be in a relaxed racing position allowing for easy handling and control, while the low 795mm seat height will appeal to a broad spectrum of riders.

For a name that is being common in this country, CFMoto already have a pretty broad product portfolio. 2013 has seen new additions to the range, and the most talked about of these has been the 650NK.

ROCK SOLID

The 650NK’s engine is a 649.3cc parallel twin with double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, gear-driven counter balancer and electronic fuel injection that matches Kawasaki’s ER-6n in almost every respect - the NK is still the first motorcycle to come out of China with an engine larger than 250cc. And after riding the NK, it’s worthy competition for any budget or beginner’s bike from Middle East, Asia or Europe, and available at a significantly lower price. In UAE, the 650 NK is for more than half as much as its competitors.

CFMoto’s parent company, Chunfeng Holding Group, was founded in 1989. Development of the 650 NK began in 2009 and the bike was launched in Australia, USA and United Arab Emirates early in 2012.

 

CLEAN LIVING

The parallel twin is Euro 3 emissions compliant as well.

The moment when see the CF Moto 650 NK; it’s pretty sharp with its stubby R6-type exhaust, bright red frame and black bodywork that are so impressive. The paint depth and overall finish look equal to any Japanese-made budget bike, polished aluminum brake and clutch levers looks perfect match.

STRONG CHALLENGER

The whole bike is solid and well put together. It starts and idles smoothly, with a fairly exhaust note and an effective counter balancer that does a better job of eliminating engine vibes than the others. The riding position is balanced, and the footrests are enough to provide room for taller riders with limiting cornering clearance.

It’s for sure to be a very inexpensive bike, the 650 NK works better than it should. The parallel-twin engine is torquey, free-revving and smooth. Acceleration is determined as firm and it’s sufficiently strong to be satisfying, and the torque peak is spread widely enough that there’s no point in revving it anywhere near redline. The motor pulls from 3000 rpm upwards, with power building all the way to the rev limiter at 10,800 rpm. . Vibrations are kept to a minimum thanks to the internal counterbalancer, rubber bushings and relatively thick handgrips. You won’t have any problems flicking this bike around, as it changes direction with ease, has plenty of ground clearance, and soaks up everything in its path. And there’s no sacrificing stability either – it really feels rock solid.

About the only real sports bike the 650NK has the LCD digital screen. The analogue tachometer does its job.

With Kayaba’s Chinese affiliate providing the 41mm telescopic forks and centrally mounted shock (offset), as on the ER-6n and Ninja 650, the 650 NK’s suspension compliance is much better than anyone’s expectation, with good ride quality and the ability to absorb bumps and ripples in the road surface without affecting the steering. And the way the bike steers is indeed excellent, delivering self-confidence plus stability and allow to pick lines that would avoid the oil patches or slippery points.

 Transmission on the 650NK is a 6-speed manual, which has been identified as a very accurate, smooth-shifting unit Brakes are decent-sized discs: twins on the front with twin piston calipers; and a good-sized ventilated rear disc as well. The NK is roomy, with the pegs mounted quite low in the frame, and the seat is a pearlier: you’ll travel in comfort as long as the 17-litre tank will hold out

Riding position is described by CFMoto as “relaxed racer”, and road tests have agreed that while upright, the seating position, bar reach, etc., is both comfortable and natural. It’s as well manufactured as it has been engineered, then this bike may have the same impact on the marketplace as the Honda CB450 did 47 years ago, becoming the bike that introduces Chinese motorcycles to the Western and European world. The NK could well be a game changer.

Tech Spec

Engine type	650cc parallel-twin
Valve train	DOHC, 8v
Displacement	649cc
Bore x stroke	83.0 x 60.0mm
Compression	11.3:1
Fuel system	EFI
Clutch	Wet, multi-plate
Transmission	6-speed
Claimed horsepower	70.70 bhp @ 8500 rpm
Claimed torque	45.7 lb.-ft. @ 7000 rpm
Frame	Tubular-steel perimeter
Front suspension	Kayaba 41mm telescopic fork
Rear suspension	Kayaba shock with adjustable spring preload
Front brake	CFMoto two-piston calipers, 300mm discs
Rear brake	CFMoto single-piston caliper, 225mm disc
Front tire	120/70ZR-17 CST Radial
Rear tire	160/60ZR-17 CST Radial
Rake	24.5°
Seat height	31.3 inch
Wheelbase	55.7 inch
Fuel capacity	17 Liter.
Claimed curb weight	206

 Here's the video: