CFMoto 450MT index page

My internet-sourced CFMoto 450MT preview last year has been a very popular post, and was even referenced by this repetitive, AI-generated review. Now the 450MTs are in UK showrooms, but most are long sold to the fearless early adopters who bought the bike unseen, months ago. I’ve made this mistake before and am not in a great rush, but had a chance to look over one in a packed storage shed at my LBS.

Impressions
It’s a whole lot of bike for £5699 with a 4-year warranty. You do wonder if that price is set to jump once it catches on. Alongside a Him 450 (which this shop also sold), the MT is clad in plastic like a 300 Rally vs a 300L. Sat on it, the ‘tank’ feels about 2 feet wide, reminding me of my Africa Twin. We don’t want that.
Behind the panels seems to be a lot of space and maybe some hidden ancillaries, where the Him has crash bars, but unlike the AT or 300L, the radiator looks protected.

As with the new Him, it looks long and low with a spacious feel which you hope will mean on-road comfort, but results in a lot of off-putting ‘visual mass’ to handle on the trail. I’d hope that impression may disappear once the bike gets ridden.
One fly in the ointment I’ve since learned is oil changes at 3000m/4500km and even new plugs at 6k. Oil capacity is 2.5L (full specs here) which seems to be adequate. Surely it’ll last longer than 3000 miles? Or is it a dodge to cover/pay for the 4-year warranty? My 300L was 8000 miles on 1.8 litres (though I didn’t leave it that long).
175-kg dry they say and swinging it side to side it didn’t feel top heavy, but I assume the tank was empty. The quality of the finish looks as good as anything from better known brands; there’s nothing cheap and shoddy here. Taking off some of those panels or the seat might reveal some rough edges, but it doesn’t look like it.

Attention to detail

• Screen adjusts with big hand knobs, but only by 2-3 inches
• Seat is long, low and wide, with a grippy surface texture
• Clutch is very light
• Single front disc is big
• Stock wheels are tubeless and seem to look good
• Rear shock has relatively easy to get to preload adjustment rings
• Thin plastic handguards are flimsy
• Both gear and brake lever fold
• Mirrors pivot in easily
• Wide footrests
• Bashplate is thin pressed steel with a few too many slots, but has a flat base for added protection. There’s also a whole lot of space up front – for a rally-style water tank?
• Tyres are CST Ambro A4 – no, never heard of them either
• Pipe is as tucked in as it can be

With wall-to-wall rave reviews, I was set on a 450 Himalayan in tubeless for about £6300, despite the hideous graphics (which might have hair-driered off). I still think the Him would feel easier to manage on the trails, like a 300L. But once you factor in the irresistible appeal of a 270° twin, swinging a leg over and pressing the button takes on a whole new thrill.

Himalayan 450 vs 450MT

• The weight, power and tank volume are about the same
• I imagine the Him’s economy will be a bit better
• I prefer a rectangular dash and can live without engine modes
• MT is loads cheaper

Tbh, that list was scrapping the barrel. Both of these are two of the best real-world travel bikes we have at the moment, but the Him costs 10% more in tubeless. Having seen one up close, there’s nothing I’d revise in last year’s preview.