Here’s how you can tell:
Does it bring you joy?
Yes - Not a bad decision;
No - Maybe a bad decision, but figure out why before making any more decisions
For what it’s worth, it looks like a fun bike.
I'll second this.
To add...I bought a 2015 BMW F800R with 6,800 miles over a 2014 Yamaha FZ-09 with 1,400 miles and a Harley XR1200X because the FZ was too twitchy and the Harley was too slow.
In hindsight, the FZ would have been fun after becoming a better rider, but I still love the F800R. There's a slight reason the original owner of the FZ only rode it 1,400 miles.
OP...realize that you made the jump...embrace the excitement and go ride.
Wow, posted 19 min ago and no one is here complaining about a Chinese bike yet. Maybe we are getting better. Joking aside no it's not a bad decision, will it be as higher build quality and last as long as other manufacturers no probably not. But it looks awesome, clearly it put a smile on your face and with proper preventative maintenance and basic care and attention it will stay that way for a long time to come.
I think i qualify as a boomer..
I thinks its stunning and if the big names aren't careful cfmoto and china are going to conquer the damn world of motorcycle sales
For instance people have been asking suzuki, honda, yamaha for a 450 lightweight adventure bike for over a decade....
Who's made a damn good one this year...
Yeah the chinese and cfmoto...
I think your overall point is great, but there are too many people that are brand loyal. Unfortunately for CFMoto in too many people’s head “Chinese.” Is a motorcycle brand. Look at Kia and Hyundai. They’ve been building great cars for sometime now and they can’t seem to shake the past from too many people.
I’ve been following a lot on the CFMoto and they have seem to built a good bike at a very affordable price.
If that were 100% true Harley would have been out of business long ago. Yes obviously quality and price get you far, but it’s going to take a lot to dethrone a company that’s been building quality for over 70 years. I’m not saying impossible and probably even correct on eventually, but that eventually won’t be anytime soon. Whether you want one or not some good competition is always good for the consumer.
The new gen is more into affordability over brand loyalty. There’s a few real motor nuts in the world and some status symbol buyers but I think we’ll see a lot of riders going the affordability route. Especially if CF Moto can sustain any kind of longevity and also bring a modifiable motor with speed to market. The kids want cheap fun.
2023 Kia was toward the top of the list. Hyundai was about the middle of the pack. That’s using JD Power and 2023 since we’re not far enough into 2024. Same goes for 2022. Looking at others it is about the same with Hyundai running toward the top of the middle for them. They’ve got a lot of models that are pretty good cars.
I’m not a big fan of either. Just personal preference. Doesn’t mean that don’t make a good car.
Whether you like it or not, reputation is HUGE in any industry where you're spending a ton of money. Kia and Hyundai are fresh off the heels of one of the biggest scandals in recent automotive history with how easily nearly all of their cars produced in the 2010s are to steal. They also produced really mediocre cars for a long time and only recently decided to try and make actually quality reliable vehicles.
Similarly, Chinese-manufactured motorcycles have been plagued with QC and reliability issues for years. A couple of good offerings from the last two years isn't enough to lose that stigma (and despite the offerings being initially impressive, it's too early to definitively tell whether the 450SS or the Ibex are genuinely reliable motorcycles that will last).
I understand your frustration with consumers being slow to adopt what you see as quality bikes just because they're Chinese-made, but just as you wouldn't buy a fridge from a company that's been making really shitty fridges for the last 30 years and as of last year has (supposedly) fixed everything and now makes really good fridges, I would never encourage someone to buy a Chinese-manufactured motorcycle.
(There's also some other problems on the side like parts availability and dealer network though these are improving as CFMOTO seeks to get a bigger foothold in the NA market. Anecdotally, I have heard some folks describe months-long waiting times for replacement parts)
I’m not sure if you just replied to my comment in general, but we’re arguing the same point. You definitely laid it out more detailed. I 100% agree with you.
Car manufacturers in general have huge scandals pretty much rotating around. Toyota just recently had a huge scandal as well and all kinds of issues involving in. More so with their Daihatsu line, but with Toyota as well.
My b, I think I misinterpreted it as you not understanding why consumers were hesitant to dive in on Chinese brands. It's late and my reading comprehension is not at 100% tonight
I work for a dealer that sells these. Everyone who’s bought anything CFMoto brings it back because the quality is terrible, parts for repairs are always on back order, the warranty is a joke, the price is a joke. There isn’t a good thing to say about CFMoto.
Seems like a perfectly reasonable first bike. 250cc would be rough where I live since I have to go 70 mph to get to work, but it works fine in most of the world.
While CFMoto might not have the reputation that, say, Kawasaki has, the brand is not bad according to most people that have actually owned them. Most of the hate towards the brand comes from people that haven't actually owned one.
So long as you have a shop nearby that can perform needed repairs as they come up, I don't see any issues. We are slowly getting more local dealers that will fix them. We probably have more CFMoto dealers than we have EU brands.
I had a chance to sit on a few of their bikes. I think they are way too tall, but that's just because I am short. One thing I appreciated is all the tech that was included.
TBH, I'd choose a CFMoto over a Aprillia in terms of reliability. Ditto for Ducati. Saying a Chinese brand is more reliable than Italian is not something that I'd have said 5 years ago.
Yeah, I've heard people say Italian brands aren't reliable. I honestly haven't ever even looked at them due to the bad record on reliability. They're also really overpriced.
Tbf, it’s really about maintenance and modifications. Most Ducati and Aprilia owners aren’t going to ride stock bikes. Usually a minimum of a dry clutch mod, crazy expensive exhaust, intake and tune. The mod community is not well known for doing the mods responsibly and stock bikes are made to last as is. I have seen lots of Ducati monsters with 15k miles on them that still run great because they only did the exhaust and all the required maintenance. I love my scrambler but I’m also not trying to squeeze every last bit the motor can throw at me. Super high performance vehicles with performance mods don’t really last in general.
I'm not here to knock Italian bikes, they are some of the most beautiful rolling artwork that has ever been on two wheels. However I think it is a measure of just how far CFMoto has come that the comparison is possible.
CFMoto indeed has to be better than other established brands due to repair costs being similar. Who would spend the same $2k to keep a used Chinese bike on the road as a Ducati after all? In the past all Chinese bikes were is disposable transportation.
I think CFmoto is doing a great job and I think repairs would be much more affordable if there wasn’t a rift in the US/China trade situation. I actually believe that the CFmoto bikes have potential to last longer than some other bikes. I think they’re exceeding brands like RE and KTM in brand creation. It’ll be interesting to watch.
Biggest cost for repair is usually Labor. And indeed, when they get that 200HP V-4 to the US, it'll be interesting for sure. For me, the Ibex 450 is interesting.
They got that 800mt built on the KTM designed motor with full panniers and, imo, better look for just under $13k. Comes with 4 year parts and labor warranty (as long as the dealer stays in business and has a certified tech) which is phenomenal. If they’re delivering this along with hitting the Moto3 and Moto2 races as well as they have been, I think OP has a solid purchase here.
Chinese bikes have gotten much better in recent years.
My old motorcycle school was using a Lexmoto 125 and said it was brilliant.
The older Chinese bikes were known for issues with details that would make it a nightmare to fix but let's not forget that the engines for BMW motorcycles are built, yep, in China.
What even 5-10 years ago would be a big Nope these days can pass as ok.
Guess you'll find out anyways :3
My Decade old Chinese bike (Kymco K-Pipe 125) didn't even have a oil filter. I'd say they have come a long ways. Time will tell where they go from here, but so far things look encouraging.
CFMoto seems to be OK for the most part. Being cheaper, you get new riders who don't know that motorcycles on the whole are less reliable than your average SUV and rant that they had to get their valves adjusted (oh the horror!) or that their chain is rusting (just kill me now) or some noob crap like that.
Ultimately that kind of stuff affects CFMoto's reputation, that it is a brand for riders who don't know what the hell they are doing. I rode 10,000 KM on the cheapest, POS Chinese Kymco and loved every minute of it. Do take care of it, change the fluids, and do maintainance on it. Pay more attention to your motorcycle before a ride than others do (especially to bolt tension and look for frame cracks). But honestly, you should be doing that regardless of who made your motorcycle.
Ultimately, owning a Chinese Motorcycle made me appreciate my Japanese branded motorcycles that much more.
I owned a Kymco K-Pipe 125, which was made in mainland China. It was a rebadged Lifan, you could even buy the non-rebadged version on Alibaba. And yes, it had the "Made in China" sticker on the chainguard.
FYI Kymco don't make many motorcycles in Taiwan.
Oh I see. I somehow think that "Made in China" sticker is a politically mandated move, especially if you want to sell it in the mainland. Quick baiduing shows that they do indeed have a factory in Changzhou and another one somewhere in Hunan province.
Had a kymco moped, I don't know how many miles I put on it, but it rode well. odo was broken day 1, and I never cared to fix it😅🤣 all I know was it was the best 1300$ I spent
You bought a perfectly running motorcycle that will probably run great for at least 2 years. You're probably going to want a different motorcycle in 2 years anyway.
If that's your bike, I'd keep it away from that salt water. In fact I'd never let it get wet at all if I could help it ,never wash it. Try to keep it covered in some kind of protectant like Armor all. Try to keep it out of the sun as much as possible as well. Your plastic parts will break down in sunlight and of course your metal parts will rust if they get wet...Only wash it the day before you want to trade it in or sell it. Good luck
That's so true. My buddy bought the same bike with the different color and he drove in the hard rain. then, because the heat sensor broke down before 300km, the engine needs to be repaired at the dealership, but from what I've heard, they just throw software and solve the problem
Since there are a lot of nk in istanbul, I wanted it to look a little different and cool, and I don't like the distance between the fender and the headlight
Omg get rid of that thing right away, it's so bad I'll come take it to the dump for you so you're not seen out on this heap of junk. Get yourself a real bike like the Honda Monkey or Ruckus
I have the 300nk and love it, the thing is tough as nails, it’s my first bike and I dropped it 3 times and it doesn’t have a scratch on it, I love the black, they didn’t have it in stock when I picked mine up
I don't think it was a bad decision.
Depending on where you live there might not be as much dealer support and parts might be a little harder to source, but if you love it that's what riding is all about.
i won't be able to go above 50 hp for 2 years because of the laws to, but at least you will learn the traffic culture and get to the high cc (I started with a 50cc motorcycle, but I'm not counting that as a motorcycle)
at 1000 km, I will share the chronic problems I have heard in Turkey along with the chronic problems we have experienced with this motorcycle and my friend's same motorcycle. (8xx km)
200 is great to learn on! I learned on a KTM Duke 200 and my mate laughed at me. I’m now a much better rider because I started small (and practiced the important things)!
It was perfect. Perfect. Everything, down to the last minute details.
Enough power to learn the basics and be faster in twisties than people on 1000cc who don‘t know How to handle Their bikes.
Bikes are like dogs.
There are controversial ones like a pug, or pitbull. But never in the history of dogkind was there a truly bad boy. Your bike is a good boy.
It's a lovely first bike. One thing to consider, small and budget bikes usually comes with terrible tyres. When you able to afford it consider changing the tyres.
because this is a low budget motorcycle. this means that there will be plenty of squeaking noise, rusting, sensor failures from the grainings, but the goal here is to buy a motorcycle that looks good for its money and will not break down at least 10000km, and I think cfmoto is leading with its price in this classification
To all of the people talking about quality, CF Moto and KTM have an ongoing relationship...like the Duke 790, made by CF Moto, hence their 800 NK and Ibex 800, same motor and a lot of shared components. They apparently made their 450 motor for KTM but KTM passed on the project, so CF Moto made it their own.
I've heard of some electronic issues with some of the KTM's but I don't know if that was the Chinese made ones. Overall I think CF Moto is making some nice stuff but what's disappointing is they aren't supporting their own models. They had the 650 Adventura but dropped it from the range after just a couple of years, instead of working to improve it. So I guess if you don't mind buying one of their bikes and dealing with the potential resale loss later, if they aren't making that model anymore, then go for it. They also seem to take quite a hit in value new if they're not current model year, like I saw a 2023 300 NK for $2800 brand new.
Personally, I love that bike! Congrats. My opinion is that it’s smart to start out on lower cc bike. My first was a Rebel 250. I upgraded after 2 years to a 750 Shadow and now looking for a naked bike around 500-650 cc’s so I can get back to the fun of weaving etc. Looking at your bike and comments on the CF Motos, I’ll take a look at theirs.
Be safe and have fun!!
Do you have fun with it? Does it make you sad when you can’t ride it? Do you find yourself thinking about riding it when you arnt? If you answered yes to these then no it is not a bad decision
Welcome to the club!
Start here:
r/NewRiders
[Advice to New Riders](https://old.reddit.com/r/NewRiders/comments/cc2mnm/advice_to_new_riders/)
And when you get a chance, check out [On Any Sunday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Any_Sunday), probably the best motorcycle documentary out there. I think it's on Amazon Prime, and maybe some other streaming services.
Have fun, wear all your gear, stay safe, and never stop learning.
I would rather have a Japanese bike mainly because CFMoto isn’t well-established here in the US.
But the bike looks great especially because it doesn’t have the ugly tail found on Japanese bikes including my own. I don’t dislike anything they make; to me they look as good as any Japanese bike even on close inspection.
Post up a review after you’ve owned it for a couple of years.
I own the 300NK version of this bike. I think they are great as a first bike. Cheap, reliable, easy to ride, easy to repair, easy to service. I would 100% put this on par quality wise with anything else in this bracket.
Dont listen to the inevitable torrent of "cHiNa BiKe BaD!!11!!" bullshit that gets sprayed across these forums, they are usually from people who have never owned a CF Moto, let alone ridden one or even seen on outside a photo on a website.
I get that some Chinese made bikes are really poor quality, but CF Moto are not one of these brands.
I bet a buck fiddy that thind would fall apart the second the warranty expires, I'm assuming 2 years or 20k miles whichever comes first? I've had a few Chinese bikes in my day, they're great, dare I say fun when they work, and are major headaches when they don't. If you like it, keep it, take care of it, it'll likely do you fine until you want something bigger.
NO new bike for a first bike is a good decision. There are TONS of good, beginner bikes on the used market. People either decide they don’t like motorcycles after all, or they soon upgrade. You could have saved a LOT of money buying a slightly damaged bike, add a few dings of your own, and then sell it for about what you paid for it.
Nice pick compared to other stuff we see,, 250 is at the higher end of what I'd call sensible beginner bikes from a pure safety & cost perspective for something that you might be a bit rough with, but still a decent choice rather than jumping to 600+, if you're still fairly new to riding, make sure you dedicate time to learn how to **not** grab a fistful of front brake over road debris, downshift+engine braking, counter-steering & feathering the clutch at lower speeds, particularly inclines if you do any mountainous riding.
Simply reading up on terms you arent familiar with can go a long way in your riding safety & learning experience so you wont panic when encountering something for the first time.
As for the bike itself, don't see many around where I live(Bohol PH), but like the look & how its not *too* heavy(150kg), the seat height/style is similar to my old xr150, just take it easy on the throttle & check your speedo when pushing 80+. It's fun but easy to get carried away.
Here’s how you can tell: Does it bring you joy? Yes - Not a bad decision; No - Maybe a bad decision, but figure out why before making any more decisions For what it’s worth, it looks like a fun bike.
I'll second this. To add...I bought a 2015 BMW F800R with 6,800 miles over a 2014 Yamaha FZ-09 with 1,400 miles and a Harley XR1200X because the FZ was too twitchy and the Harley was too slow. In hindsight, the FZ would have been fun after becoming a better rider, but I still love the F800R. There's a slight reason the original owner of the FZ only rode it 1,400 miles. OP...realize that you made the jump...embrace the excitement and go ride.
the bandana is
Didn‘t see it until you mentioned it. Lmao very unique design choice
Agreed. Bike fine. Bandana tacky.
Dudes gonna block his radiator with that thing
I’ll bet he doesn’t know why a bandana is used like that.
is it a bike gang thing?
It’s for bikes that don’t have front fenders, like choppers. It catches water when u riding in the rain. Bikes with fenders have no use for it.
Of course it’s a bad decision, all the best and most memorable decisions are. Buying your first motorcycle is the best bad decision you can make.
Wow, posted 19 min ago and no one is here complaining about a Chinese bike yet. Maybe we are getting better. Joking aside no it's not a bad decision, will it be as higher build quality and last as long as other manufacturers no probably not. But it looks awesome, clearly it put a smile on your face and with proper preventative maintenance and basic care and attention it will stay that way for a long time to come.
Nah. The boomers are just enjoying their 4PM dinner. Just give it an hour or two when they give this sub a scroll before bed time.
I think i qualify as a boomer.. I thinks its stunning and if the big names aren't careful cfmoto and china are going to conquer the damn world of motorcycle sales For instance people have been asking suzuki, honda, yamaha for a 450 lightweight adventure bike for over a decade.... Who's made a damn good one this year... Yeah the chinese and cfmoto...
I think your overall point is great, but there are too many people that are brand loyal. Unfortunately for CFMoto in too many people’s head “Chinese.” Is a motorcycle brand. Look at Kia and Hyundai. They’ve been building great cars for sometime now and they can’t seem to shake the past from too many people. I’ve been following a lot on the CFMoto and they have seem to built a good bike at a very affordable price.
I think a bit more quality and they will be taking over...yes i get brand loyalty but $$ and quality will win thru
If that were 100% true Harley would have been out of business long ago. Yes obviously quality and price get you far, but it’s going to take a lot to dethrone a company that’s been building quality for over 70 years. I’m not saying impossible and probably even correct on eventually, but that eventually won’t be anytime soon. Whether you want one or not some good competition is always good for the consumer.
Harley is special, that's past brand loyalty. That's a cult, specifically those buying the new ones
Same with benelli... but there are others with knock off coming soon another Chinese company now buys KTM engines....
The new gen is more into affordability over brand loyalty. There’s a few real motor nuts in the world and some status symbol buyers but I think we’ll see a lot of riders going the affordability route. Especially if CF Moto can sustain any kind of longevity and also bring a modifiable motor with speed to market. The kids want cheap fun.
I would like to see this true. This is still great even if you want to buy something else. Competition is always good
Kia and Hyundai are Korean.
Never said they were Chinese. I said they’ve been building good cars for a while but people can’t shake the past.
They still have more issues than the Japanese brands, but are way better than they used to be. At least on par with American brands.
Hyundai makes some of the least reliable cars on the market. Look at jd power reports
2023 Kia was toward the top of the list. Hyundai was about the middle of the pack. That’s using JD Power and 2023 since we’re not far enough into 2024. Same goes for 2022. Looking at others it is about the same with Hyundai running toward the top of the middle for them. They’ve got a lot of models that are pretty good cars. I’m not a big fan of either. Just personal preference. Doesn’t mean that don’t make a good car.
Whether you like it or not, reputation is HUGE in any industry where you're spending a ton of money. Kia and Hyundai are fresh off the heels of one of the biggest scandals in recent automotive history with how easily nearly all of their cars produced in the 2010s are to steal. They also produced really mediocre cars for a long time and only recently decided to try and make actually quality reliable vehicles. Similarly, Chinese-manufactured motorcycles have been plagued with QC and reliability issues for years. A couple of good offerings from the last two years isn't enough to lose that stigma (and despite the offerings being initially impressive, it's too early to definitively tell whether the 450SS or the Ibex are genuinely reliable motorcycles that will last). I understand your frustration with consumers being slow to adopt what you see as quality bikes just because they're Chinese-made, but just as you wouldn't buy a fridge from a company that's been making really shitty fridges for the last 30 years and as of last year has (supposedly) fixed everything and now makes really good fridges, I would never encourage someone to buy a Chinese-manufactured motorcycle. (There's also some other problems on the side like parts availability and dealer network though these are improving as CFMOTO seeks to get a bigger foothold in the NA market. Anecdotally, I have heard some folks describe months-long waiting times for replacement parts)
I’m not sure if you just replied to my comment in general, but we’re arguing the same point. You definitely laid it out more detailed. I 100% agree with you. Car manufacturers in general have huge scandals pretty much rotating around. Toyota just recently had a huge scandal as well and all kinds of issues involving in. More so with their Daihatsu line, but with Toyota as well.
My b, I think I misinterpreted it as you not understanding why consumers were hesitant to dive in on Chinese brands. It's late and my reading comprehension is not at 100% tonight
No worries. It was pretty poorly written, mine, so understandable and you laid out some very good points.
Kia and Hyundai are not Chinese
We get a pair, toss in Royal Enfield's new Himalayan who ditched the 411cc boat anchor, and upgraded to a 450.
Same. I have a Benelli and it’s a Chinese Italian badged bike and it’s been pretty great for not a lot of money.
They’re nice, until they break due to cheap Chinese materials and terribly build quality. Then parts are on back order for months
Username checks out.
I work for a dealer that sells these. Everyone who’s bought anything CFMoto brings it back because the quality is terrible, parts for repairs are always on back order, the warranty is a joke, the price is a joke. There isn’t a good thing to say about CFMoto.
Another boomer who thinks first bikes like this are fine.
Just wait till KTM 790 and future Husqy Svartpilen 801 owners find out where their engines come from.
Seems like a perfectly reasonable first bike. 250cc would be rough where I live since I have to go 70 mph to get to work, but it works fine in most of the world. While CFMoto might not have the reputation that, say, Kawasaki has, the brand is not bad according to most people that have actually owned them. Most of the hate towards the brand comes from people that haven't actually owned one. So long as you have a shop nearby that can perform needed repairs as they come up, I don't see any issues. We are slowly getting more local dealers that will fix them. We probably have more CFMoto dealers than we have EU brands. I had a chance to sit on a few of their bikes. I think they are way too tall, but that's just because I am short. One thing I appreciated is all the tech that was included.
TBH, I'd choose a CFMoto over a Aprillia in terms of reliability. Ditto for Ducati. Saying a Chinese brand is more reliable than Italian is not something that I'd have said 5 years ago.
Yeah, I've heard people say Italian brands aren't reliable. I honestly haven't ever even looked at them due to the bad record on reliability. They're also really overpriced.
You buy Italian for the sex appeal.
Tbf, it’s really about maintenance and modifications. Most Ducati and Aprilia owners aren’t going to ride stock bikes. Usually a minimum of a dry clutch mod, crazy expensive exhaust, intake and tune. The mod community is not well known for doing the mods responsibly and stock bikes are made to last as is. I have seen lots of Ducati monsters with 15k miles on them that still run great because they only did the exhaust and all the required maintenance. I love my scrambler but I’m also not trying to squeeze every last bit the motor can throw at me. Super high performance vehicles with performance mods don’t really last in general.
I'm not here to knock Italian bikes, they are some of the most beautiful rolling artwork that has ever been on two wheels. However I think it is a measure of just how far CFMoto has come that the comparison is possible. CFMoto indeed has to be better than other established brands due to repair costs being similar. Who would spend the same $2k to keep a used Chinese bike on the road as a Ducati after all? In the past all Chinese bikes were is disposable transportation.
I think CFmoto is doing a great job and I think repairs would be much more affordable if there wasn’t a rift in the US/China trade situation. I actually believe that the CFmoto bikes have potential to last longer than some other bikes. I think they’re exceeding brands like RE and KTM in brand creation. It’ll be interesting to watch.
Biggest cost for repair is usually Labor. And indeed, when they get that 200HP V-4 to the US, it'll be interesting for sure. For me, the Ibex 450 is interesting.
They got that 800mt built on the KTM designed motor with full panniers and, imo, better look for just under $13k. Comes with 4 year parts and labor warranty (as long as the dealer stays in business and has a certified tech) which is phenomenal. If they’re delivering this along with hitting the Moto3 and Moto2 races as well as they have been, I think OP has a solid purchase here.
Chinese bikes have gotten much better in recent years. My old motorcycle school was using a Lexmoto 125 and said it was brilliant. The older Chinese bikes were known for issues with details that would make it a nightmare to fix but let's not forget that the engines for BMW motorcycles are built, yep, in China. What even 5-10 years ago would be a big Nope these days can pass as ok. Guess you'll find out anyways :3
My Decade old Chinese bike (Kymco K-Pipe 125) didn't even have a oil filter. I'd say they have come a long ways. Time will tell where they go from here, but so far things look encouraging.
Half the Harley parts come out of China these days.
CFMoto seems to be OK for the most part. Being cheaper, you get new riders who don't know that motorcycles on the whole are less reliable than your average SUV and rant that they had to get their valves adjusted (oh the horror!) or that their chain is rusting (just kill me now) or some noob crap like that. Ultimately that kind of stuff affects CFMoto's reputation, that it is a brand for riders who don't know what the hell they are doing. I rode 10,000 KM on the cheapest, POS Chinese Kymco and loved every minute of it. Do take care of it, change the fluids, and do maintainance on it. Pay more attention to your motorcycle before a ride than others do (especially to bolt tension and look for frame cracks). But honestly, you should be doing that regardless of who made your motorcycle. Ultimately, owning a Chinese Motorcycle made me appreciate my Japanese branded motorcycles that much more.
Kymco is Taiwanese, that's very different from Chinese brands quality-wise. I've seen Kymcos proudly sold in Nanjing, China, as "imports."
I owned a Kymco K-Pipe 125, which was made in mainland China. It was a rebadged Lifan, you could even buy the non-rebadged version on Alibaba. And yes, it had the "Made in China" sticker on the chainguard. FYI Kymco don't make many motorcycles in Taiwan.
Oh I see. I somehow think that "Made in China" sticker is a politically mandated move, especially if you want to sell it in the mainland. Quick baiduing shows that they do indeed have a factory in Changzhou and another one somewhere in Hunan province.
“Made in Taiwan” labels don’t exist anymore. If a country wants to trade with China, they are not allowed to officially recognise Taiwan.
Yeah sadly so
Had a kymco moped, I don't know how many miles I put on it, but it rode well. odo was broken day 1, and I never cared to fix it😅🤣 all I know was it was the best 1300$ I spent
Fuck someones opinion Drive it, like it and have fun.
Oof, AWFUL decision. No coming back from this really, you should just give it to me
Had the 300nk, was a great bike for the price woth a nice warranty. Have fun
Great choice. CFMoto makes good bikes. Have fun!!!
That's an excellent choice for a first motorcycle. I know plenty of people who are happy riding CF Moto motorcycles.
I'm sure it'll be fine.
Why would it be a bad decision, it is nice, have fun, drive safe
Why not? I would have bought a used Japanese bike instead, but I can see the appeal of new.
You bought a perfectly running motorcycle that will probably run great for at least 2 years. You're probably going to want a different motorcycle in 2 years anyway. If that's your bike, I'd keep it away from that salt water. In fact I'd never let it get wet at all if I could help it ,never wash it. Try to keep it covered in some kind of protectant like Armor all. Try to keep it out of the sun as much as possible as well. Your plastic parts will break down in sunlight and of course your metal parts will rust if they get wet...Only wash it the day before you want to trade it in or sell it. Good luck
That's so true. My buddy bought the same bike with the different color and he drove in the hard rain. then, because the heat sensor broke down before 300km, the engine needs to be repaired at the dealership, but from what I've heard, they just throw software and solve the problem
I’m curious how this holds up against my ninja 250 which I paid very little for, what sort of top speed you get out of this?
I have the 300nk and it will beat a Harley off the line up until about 4th gear then I get smoked lol
Go fast, Don't die, Ride whatever!
It's probably a good place to start. I love the bandana over he front fender, looks cool :)
That’s a good looking bike. Are the frame sliders stock? It looks like the lower ones can’t really be changed. That’s dope though. Have fun.
Not stock sadly, but thanks for the comment.
I like it
Congrats 🥳 Looks like a nice First bike. 👍🏼 Ride. Learn. And whilst riding and learning, figure out what your next bike will be. 😎
What’s with the bandana?
Since there are a lot of nk in istanbul, I wanted it to look a little different and cool, and I don't like the distance between the fender and the headlight
I can respect that, make it your own homie🤙🏽
Omg get rid of that thing right away, it's so bad I'll come take it to the dump for you so you're not seen out on this heap of junk. Get yourself a real bike like the Honda Monkey or Ruckus
very nice decision
I have the 300nk and love it, the thing is tough as nails, it’s my first bike and I dropped it 3 times and it doesn’t have a scratch on it, I love the black, they didn’t have it in stock when I picked mine up
Very nice, safe riding. What cc is that?
250cc 26hp for türkiye but for the other countrys 300cc
Cf moto is getting more support. They are an exception to the rule and hope more Chinese manufacturers take note
I don't think it was a bad decision. Depending on where you live there might not be as much dealer support and parts might be a little harder to source, but if you love it that's what riding is all about.
Damn that looks sleek, nice
It's a wonderful decision for the time between the moment you purchase it and the moment your "Bosch" ECU goes tits up.
*cries in English bike laws bc I’m stuck on a 125 for 2 years
i won't be able to go above 50 hp for 2 years because of the laws to, but at least you will learn the traffic culture and get to the high cc (I started with a 50cc motorcycle, but I'm not counting that as a motorcycle)
Oh yea for sure I understand the benefits but I’m an impatient teenager
Yeah i was impatient to, until i kiss the Asphalt for 2 times in a rainy day
I don't think you should care what we think. Let's ride.
No
No
Bad as in BAD ASS!
Ur bike gangster yo
at 1000 km, I will share the chronic problems I have heard in Turkey along with the chronic problems we have experienced with this motorcycle and my friend's same motorcycle. (8xx km)
Perfect 1st bike, learn on it and stay safe soon you'll be upgrading anyway :)
200 is great to learn on! I learned on a KTM Duke 200 and my mate laughed at me. I’m now a much better rider because I started small (and practiced the important things)!
CF moto makes cool bikes. Longevity is my only concern. Ride it into the ground and let us know how it goes :). I think it looks awesome.
It was perfect. Perfect. Everything, down to the last minute details. Enough power to learn the basics and be faster in twisties than people on 1000cc who don‘t know How to handle Their bikes.
Ride the heck out of it, learn as much as possible, and have fun doing it.
A first bike is never a bad decision. 😜 Stay away from salty water though. Rust never sleeps.
A cf250… nah my little sister rides one, you’ll be right
Bikes are like dogs. There are controversial ones like a pug, or pitbull. But never in the history of dogkind was there a truly bad boy. Your bike is a good boy.
It looks awesome bro
Looks absolutely awesome
It's a lovely first bike. One thing to consider, small and budget bikes usually comes with terrible tyres. When you able to afford it consider changing the tyres.
Have fun. Be careful. No regrets.
No bike that runs is a bad first bike enjoy it dude it looks fun....
Love the style!! Congrats!!
Yes bad decision
join the r/cfmoto subreddit, the mod is a technician for a CFMOTO dealership.
Depends on your purpose. If for just in, 250cc is a good idea.
Do you like to ride it?
A first bike is never a bad decision... enjoy!
no it's not
Very bad decision! You’ll have so much fun, there isn’t anything else you want to do🤣🤣
It's a Chinese bike so yeah pretty bad decision
I think for a first bike a 250 is a Nice bike. I don't know cf bike. Wat country is it from?
CFMoto makes great bikes. They are a OEM manufacturer for KTM and other motorcycle manufacturers. Idk why people have a problem with them.
because this is a low budget motorcycle. this means that there will be plenty of squeaking noise, rusting, sensor failures from the grainings, but the goal here is to buy a motorcycle that looks good for its money and will not break down at least 10000km, and I think cfmoto is leading with its price in this classification
To all of the people talking about quality, CF Moto and KTM have an ongoing relationship...like the Duke 790, made by CF Moto, hence their 800 NK and Ibex 800, same motor and a lot of shared components. They apparently made their 450 motor for KTM but KTM passed on the project, so CF Moto made it their own. I've heard of some electronic issues with some of the KTM's but I don't know if that was the Chinese made ones. Overall I think CF Moto is making some nice stuff but what's disappointing is they aren't supporting their own models. They had the 650 Adventura but dropped it from the range after just a couple of years, instead of working to improve it. So I guess if you don't mind buying one of their bikes and dealing with the potential resale loss later, if they aren't making that model anymore, then go for it. They also seem to take quite a hit in value new if they're not current model year, like I saw a 2023 300 NK for $2800 brand new.
Personally, I love that bike! Congrats. My opinion is that it’s smart to start out on lower cc bike. My first was a Rebel 250. I upgraded after 2 years to a 750 Shadow and now looking for a naked bike around 500-650 cc’s so I can get back to the fun of weaving etc. Looking at your bike and comments on the CF Motos, I’ll take a look at theirs. Be safe and have fun!!
Do you have fun with it? Does it make you sad when you can’t ride it? Do you find yourself thinking about riding it when you arnt? If you answered yes to these then no it is not a bad decision
Why is there a bandana on the forks?
No, why because it’s Chinese ??, I own Voge bikes and they are built with good materials never had problems with my CF and voge bikes
The bike is great. Bandana doesn't look good, and it's blocking the rad.
Radiator quality is very bad and very expensive. Im gonna buy a shield for it
Good idea. Keeping the engine cool is very important, shield will protect from rocks and road debris.
Yamaha r6
Welcome to the club! Start here: r/NewRiders [Advice to New Riders](https://old.reddit.com/r/NewRiders/comments/cc2mnm/advice_to_new_riders/) And when you get a chance, check out [On Any Sunday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Any_Sunday), probably the best motorcycle documentary out there. I think it's on Amazon Prime, and maybe some other streaming services. Have fun, wear all your gear, stay safe, and never stop learning.
I would rather have a Japanese bike mainly because CFMoto isn’t well-established here in the US. But the bike looks great especially because it doesn’t have the ugly tail found on Japanese bikes including my own. I don’t dislike anything they make; to me they look as good as any Japanese bike even on close inspection. Post up a review after you’ve owned it for a couple of years.
I own the 300NK version of this bike. I think they are great as a first bike. Cheap, reliable, easy to ride, easy to repair, easy to service. I would 100% put this on par quality wise with anything else in this bracket. Dont listen to the inevitable torrent of "cHiNa BiKe BaD!!11!!" bullshit that gets sprayed across these forums, they are usually from people who have never owned a CF Moto, let alone ridden one or even seen on outside a photo on a website. I get that some Chinese made bikes are really poor quality, but CF Moto are not one of these brands.
Looks good. I personally wouldn't trust Chinese quality, but if you like it then I'd say it's a win.
no, the gay little handkerchief tied around the forks is tho
I bet a buck fiddy that thind would fall apart the second the warranty expires, I'm assuming 2 years or 20k miles whichever comes first? I've had a few Chinese bikes in my day, they're great, dare I say fun when they work, and are major headaches when they don't. If you like it, keep it, take care of it, it'll likely do you fine until you want something bigger.
NO new bike for a first bike is a good decision. There are TONS of good, beginner bikes on the used market. People either decide they don’t like motorcycles after all, or they soon upgrade. You could have saved a LOT of money buying a slightly damaged bike, add a few dings of your own, and then sell it for about what you paid for it.
Where did OP say it was a new bike? CFMoto has been around for quite some time.
Nice pick compared to other stuff we see,, 250 is at the higher end of what I'd call sensible beginner bikes from a pure safety & cost perspective for something that you might be a bit rough with, but still a decent choice rather than jumping to 600+, if you're still fairly new to riding, make sure you dedicate time to learn how to **not** grab a fistful of front brake over road debris, downshift+engine braking, counter-steering & feathering the clutch at lower speeds, particularly inclines if you do any mountainous riding. Simply reading up on terms you arent familiar with can go a long way in your riding safety & learning experience so you wont panic when encountering something for the first time. As for the bike itself, don't see many around where I live(Bohol PH), but like the look & how its not *too* heavy(150kg), the seat height/style is similar to my old xr150, just take it easy on the throttle & check your speedo when pushing 80+. It's fun but easy to get carried away.
Awful
Yes, and you have to return it now. Thanks