This country’s set to take over the MOTORCYCLE industry?

I think having a great dealer network is key. I currently have multiple Japanese dealers located with a 2 hr drive of where I live. There are 0 Ducatti, Aprilia, BMW, KTM dealers located within that same 2hr area. I would never buy a bike where I have to drive 4-5 hrs to get parts or service done.

Ive had a CFMOTO 800MT LE for 25000km and its outstanding

As a manufacturer I find it absolutely amazing that Japan or KTM or any of the top line bikes can make what they make for the money they sell it for. As a consumer I think the prices are a little bonkers! If wages stayed on par with the price of everything that would be one thing but they absolutely have not. I personally hate the country that KOVE is made in. But I also hate spending top dollar for everything too. I hope they give the other countries a wake up call at the very least. Seriously is a KTM 300 worth $15000 Canadian???????????? Is someone on crack?

I had a Benelli 302 for a few years. Besides a few minor issues it was a good beginner bike. The biggest issue was dealer support. At least the larger manufacturers might have some competition which can only be a good thing. How many people have been wanting a 450 rally bike at a reasonable price and now Kove have done it.👍

Picking up a Kove 450 next month. Very excited.

I’m old enough to remember early Datsun (Nissan) and Toyota’s. CFMOTO 800 Explore is getting good reviews. CFMOTO 450 MT ticks all boxes especially 800-820 seat height for we vertically challenged folk.

5 years ago I wouldn’t consider a Chinese bike, now I own a Voge 300 rally and at under £4000 on the road and so much cheaper than a CRF, think it’s a great bike for green laning, been so much fun to ride, if I loose 25% over the next year or so, it only £1000, you would loose than the whole bike cost in depreciation on a GS. Went to look at the Kove 450 and was really impressed with the quality, said will be interested in the 800x when they are going to bring it into the UK, may even get the rally version if close to the weight they are quoting, 165kg.

My BMW has a Chinese Loncin motor. It's been the most reliable part of the bike 😅

I currently Own a CF MOTO 300NK (22) .Took a gamble when I bought it new and every time I ride its never let me down in the 20 months of owning . Great bike can not fault it in any way as a new rider, also own a CRF300l which is a great bike too in its own way. But will be buy the 450 MT soon as it hits the stores here in Aus around April / May 24 and should be around $9K going by the other 450 models in the CF Moto line up. Cant go wrong for the $$$ . But sure other people will find fault and there opinion will be different .

Hey solid, really like your productions. You cover a lot of ground! I work part time as a sales rep for a bike shop that sells Kawasaki, Suzuki, Moto Guzzi, Benelli and CF Moto. This is actually the first year when I've thought, CF Moto, is poised to take it to the Japanese manufacturers. They offer more features, at a much lower price, and their build quality is very good. I'm looking at trading my Crf450RL for the CF Moto 450. We will see.

They have KYB forks,brembo brakes,bosch abs etc on the motorcyles. Whats left? Frames and some parts. They have finance and big worker and manufacturing capacities. If they really want to dominate, I think they have everything they need.

On my second Benelli. Zafferano scooter had 5yrs still going strong. Just got a 502 this season

The CFMOTO bikes are definitely something to pay attention to. The quality isn’t under Japanese bikes at all.

Not only do we find improvements in the finishes in the Chinese ones, but traditional brands are neglecting theirs. On the other hand, it has been several years since Chinese brands arrived in countries with the worst economies, being able to sell a lot and generating a good reputation for less well-maintained motorcycles and great feedback to continue improving. I think there are only 2 major disputes left between Chinese and well-known brands: 1) Support: although China does it differently, distributing its motorcycles through independent dealers in each region, much more practical and economical than setting up its own dealers; In this sense, I believe that the Chinese are already winning the battle. 2) Performance: it is true that Chinese motorcycles have less capable engines, but considering their low final price, we could actually establish categories by price instead of performance, so we find Chinese motorcycles with higher category features competing with simpler category motorcycles. smaller but equally expensive. Example: A Kove 450 Rally can be seen as a CRF 450 with lower performance, but the magic is that the Kove 450 is actually competing against a CRF 300 Rally in price, and between the latter two, the prestige doesn't matter to you. or reliability, because you are getting a much superior motorcycle with a much more real "rally" feel. It is logical that not all examples are so clear, but it is certainly for this criterion that they are already winning so many fights in the market. In conclusion, I dare say that today we are at the turning point where big brands have to offer positive responses or die. By the way, your review is very good. It represents the concerns of motorcycle fans very well. Thank you so much!! Greetings from Argentina!

If it means more young people enjoying bikes… then I’m delighted.

I bought a Benelli Amazonas a few years ago. An amazingly powerful 1130 triple big trailie with a wicked exhaust note agressive engine and absurdly atrocious fuel economy. I loved it until I took it on a European trip from UK to Bavaria. On the tin in to München we were caught in a seriously wet day and my indicates stated playing up. On my return home I realised this was a common issue. Frankly the electrics were soluble and after a summer when I never knew if the bike would get me to my destination or home I gave up. When Benelli sold to a Chinese company many owners on the forum predicted quality would deteriorate. It could not have been worse than when manufacturing took place in Italy. Just about all the major manufacturers outsource production of some of their vehicles to China and other emerging manufacturing nations in Asia ( triumph use Thailand, BMW produce some models in China). Europeans do this to save cost on production but as long as quality control is good that shouldn't be a problem. The new Chinese companies like the Benelli owners, Qianjang or the companies like CFMoto aren't stupid.. They know if they sell Europeans, Americans, Australians etc crap bikes they won't crack the markets. Everyone addicted to Triumph and Norton when Meridian was run by morons promoted 'Buy British.and talked about Jap Crap. As soon as people start buying based on patriotism, you know the products they choose are rubbish. A great motorcycle will sell because it's a great motorcycle. That's why the Yamaha XS750 outsold the Triumph Trident and BSA Rocket 3 and the CB750 outsold the Triumph Bonneville and Norton Commando in the 70s. Some of those bikes you displayed look great and without a Ducati, BMW, KTM or Triumph price tag will cut a big niche in the market. I'm sure I'm not alone in being completely uninterested in the latest 1200, 1250 or more ridiculously 1300 cc pretend Moto cross machine. I also don't understand why the Benelli Trk 502cc was as heavy as my 1130 Trk Amazonas. The 50s Bonnevilles were barely 170kg. Let's have some 650 bikes today of similar power to weight ratios. Leave the Lardy stuff in the design stages.

Good points. But I have been paying attention to CFMoto after my local Dealer became the KTM/CFMoto dealer a couple years ago. The bikes they have, like you said, you would never think it was, "Made in China". All their bikes look very good. So far I have not heard complaints about any of them. So not hearing a bunch about something can be a good thing. I hope this is a real eye opener to KTM and Suzuki. Small CC ADV bike at least 450cc or bigger. Ignore all those weird license requirements and build one with more than 47HP. Go fir it and truly do it right. On paper the 490 was amazing. 60HP....who knows, maybe the 500CC Engine that CFMoto is building now will soon be offered in the same chassis if the 450MT....boom, there you would have what we all would like....one can dream. If you build it, they will buy it....

Agree Solid, if Yamaha built a T3 or the Honda NX500 wasn't a cynical marketing exercise I'd buy either one - they would both be perfect for me, but they don't make the bike I want. If China does, then that's what I'll buy. The Japanese manufacturers have become too conservative, and are resting on their laurels. I remember when Honda were at the bleeding edge - the RC30 and the NS750 were both engineering marvels, but they've become too staid and, sadly, I think they'll pay the price.

I'd say India too. Just bought a KTM 390 Adv. A few years ago I would never have contemplated buying a bike made in India. So far so good.

I bought an Argo Xplorer ATV last summer…which is just a rebrand actually built by TGB (Taiwan). It’s been a very good quad bike so far. I can’t really think of a single complaint yet.