CFMoto 450MT

[jellywrestler]

then somewhere else I cant spell with a P near the coast and down a bit.

everywhere up there has P, cheaper and easier to get than recreational tobbaco these days.

[F5 Dave]

I wish that was funny but it's actually a sad social statement, truth in jest.

[F5 Dave]

Did Turakina valley, might do a ride report. But of the CFM: well I've been a bit hesitant on gravel roads. It felt a little top heavy and like it was skating around sometimes. Eskimo's (OK ok) have lots of words for snow. There's 28 different types of gravel. Probably. Some are easy, some I bit scary.
I needed a decent trip to work out if this really is for me.
Funny thing is I'm quite handy on gravel on the dirtbike. But I've had some bad juju that depleted my general ability.

First day I struggled a little and even parked it at the side of the road, almost. Then I tried standing up. With tye mx bars and lower risers it feels more natural. Saturday I was better. Sunday not as much.
Monday and I'm not feeling it in the morning. Should I just take the easy way home?
Well it's more a dirt track. If your tyre bite they stay put. And I loved it.
Birch road which misses out Wimbledon. Then we did coast road.

Anyway I learnt that you have to stand up on this bike except for easy stuff. Some people say it lowers center of gravity to the pegs. But that's not how mass works. It actually raises it. But you can steer with peg weighing. And more than that you are unconsciously leaning the bike in while keeping upright.
I then leant you can exaggerate this, and I have another tool. Body English they called it in dark ages. The chap I'm following on the DR650 does,doesn't need to do this as much, but it works for this bike.

We go up this shitty gravel section that goes on and on, and I experiment leaning further forward. The tank grip helps here. It likes it. You can plant the front and let the rear sort itself out. I'm even able to drift it a bit going in.
And I find I'm keeping up for the first time.

It occurs to me that I've never ridden 4 stroke dirtbikes long and hated that they felt like a block of flats.

Finally one time I'm back on the road and sit down. - where's the seat? Oh. Down here. Maybe I do need the tall seat option.

So Adventure bikes are a compromise. Just like the tyres they run on.

Compared to the DogRooter650 they are so much better on the road section. Hands down. The DR is better in the dirt. But the gap is diminishing.

So I'm keeping it and this Adventure lark.

Is it the unicorn bike?
No, not really.
But it's fun and comfortable on the road. You can get along well said T7 rider with us. The only time I really want more power it overtake uphill. But on the gravel or dirt roads it lugs in 2nd around slow corners that you are standing and it gets tricky but you don't throw it into 1st and break traction or even slip clutch, it got down to 2.5 and even 2 without feeling like it would flame out.

Pete has the cf 800mtx. Lots of power, more weight and too tall. But seems better in gravel even sitting.
It has low tanks like the ktm. Seems like a great idea.

2026 450MT come with new colours. Why change best selling bike?

OK for 2027, an SP (mtx?) model I'd design a low tank but keep it at 17litres. Punch it out to 500, and ally frame and diet to lose 20kg while I'm dreaming. . .

[BMWST?]

Its night and day standing vs sitting on the GS. The bike moves around a lot but it doesnt seem to matter. Very akward for shifting gears though . Still a process. Back in the day when our bikes had 19 inch front wheels we used to do lots of gravel roads and not worry at all

[F5 Dave]

Yeah my GS550 was fine and later GS1100G seemed unbothered. Hmm maybe it's because of quite a lot of engine mass real low?

[BMWST?]

Yeah my GS550 was fine and later GS1100G seemed unbothered. Hmm maybe it's because of quite a lot of engine mass real low?

Dunno mate all on road tyres too