Motorcycle specifications CFMOTO800 MT Touring 2023 A beautiful Sino-Austrian

thanks to its tie-up with KTM, signed in 2017, Chinese brand CF Moto is offering a very tempting trail bike. In fact, the 800 MT is developed around the famous Austrian 790, already used on the old KTM 790 Duke and Adventure.

it 's a liquid-cooled 799 cm3 in-line twin. A tried-and-tested engine which, once adapted to Euro 5 standards, develops 95 hp at 9,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 77 Nm at 7,500 rpm. This vitamin-packed twin is of course powered by electronic fuel injection (Bosch) and benefits from its ride-by-wire throttle control system to offer its rider two riding modes, Rain or Sport.

the Austrian twin, rebadged CF Moto on its casings, is housed in a classic tubular steel frame, onto which an aluminum swingarm is grafted. The KYB inverted front fork offers spring preload, hydraulic compression and rebound damping adjustment, and 160 mm of travel. The rear monoshock, from the same manufacturer, has 150 mm of travel.

Equipped with wheels measuring 110/80x19 at the front and 150/70x17 at the rear, the 800 MT clearly favors on-road over off-road use, since both versions of the 800 MT - Sport and Touring - feature the same wheel dimensions, whether the rims are spoked, as on the Sport, or spoke, as on the Touring model.

the latter is positioned as the top-of-the-range version, offering a host of standard features such as tire pressure indicator, hand guards, heated rider's seat, two-way quick shifter (up and down gears), steering damper and center stand. A version without an ignition key (i.e., you can keep it in your pocket and the bike starts at the touch of a button) will also be available. In any case, the 800 MT is richly endowed, including in its sport version, since it comes standard with a 7-inch TFT screen as instrument panel, active ABS in corners, cruise control and manual bubble adjustment. All in all, the 800 MT weighs in at 231 kg, rising to 248 kg for the Touring model with optional panniers.

elegant, the 800 MT has benefited from the good care of the Austrian design studio Kiska, which is responsible for the styling of all KTMs. The result is a medium-displacement trail bike that's perfectly in tune with the times, and has everything it takes to win you over. Especially its price, which is at the high end of the range for a Chinese brand that still lacks notoriety in the face of market behemoths, but is well placed against European and Japanese bikes of its level. It's a direct competitor to the Katoche Adventure, Suzuki 800 V-Strom, BMW 850 GS and Triumph Tiger 900, to name but a few. We'll also have to contend with another Chinese brand offering a rival to this CF Moto 800 MT, namely Benelli with its TRK 800. A machine that should surely be more affordable than the 800 MT. To be continued..

Note that the "Desert" (green & sand) color is limited to 100 units.

Michael Levivier - Manufacturer's photos