The mid- to late-1950s saw a rapid rise in the number of Japanese motorcycle manufacturers. Before World War II, hardly anyone outside of Japan even knew that motorcycles were built in that country. Fewer still had ever seen, much less owned, one.
Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Suzuki, among others, proliferated rapidly in the post-WWII era. Beginning with small-displacement motorcycles, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers grew in size and popularity at the same time as the engine displacements and innovations grew on the motorcycles they produced.
It was a moto-renaissance that we had never quite seen before. And yet , the phenomenon is something we are seeing again today.
This time, instead of Japan, it is from China where the proliferation of new motorcycles originates. One of the companies at the leading edge of this proliferation is CFMOTO, who is a supporting partner of MotoAmerica. Last year, on many of our race weekends, CFMOTO had a display and were offering demo rides right next to Yamaha’s display and demo-ride staging area. CFMOTO’s footprint in the paddock was just as large as Yamaha’s, and they had almost as many different motorcycle models on display as Yamaha did.
Several people who attended last month’s EICMA event in Milan, Italy, remarked about how many more Chinese motorcycle companies were displaying their products than in years past. And, again, there was CFMOTO not only displaying their current offerings, but also debuting new engines, bikes, and technologies alongside the established brands from Japan, Italy, England, and the U.S.
CFMOTO has only been participating in EICMA for a couple of years, but already, the Hangzou-based manufacturer features a complete lineup of motorcycles that span almost every segment of the market. This year at EICMA, the central theme of CFMOTO’s presentation was “Tech Driven” and included the unveiling of new motorcycles and an engine concept, as well as four-wheel vehicles for 2025, with which CFMOTO hope to build on their position and reputation as market leaders in the sector.
The presentations were made by Markus Ferch (CFMOTO VP Europe), Carles Solsona (CFMOTO Design Director), and Alexei Mikhailov (Designer CFP DIG) but there was a special guest of honor with CFMOTO’s record-breaking Moto3 World Champion David Alonso also making an appearance, along with his CFMOTO Aspar Team, prior to the season finale of the MotoGP season at Barcelona, Spain.
The first motorcycle that CFMOTO revealed this year was the new 675SR-R. Clearly aimed at the burgeoning middleweight segment of the market, the bike’s design, aggressive lines, and performance potential not-so-subtly suggest “Supersport Next Generation.”
The inline, 675cc, DOHC, three-cylinder engine features a 120-degree crank that produces a linear torque curve. Tuned to thrill, the 675SR-R engine is wrapped in a high-strength chromium-molybdenum frame (with an integral cast steel base) paired with a curved aluminum swingarm to achieve the best balance between light weight and maximum maneuverability.
The ergonomics are purposeful and “race-ready” but also fine-tuned for comfort and practicality for the daily ride.
lThe 675SR-R also has a high-tech, intelligent edge, with a 5” TFT display featuring gear-change guidelights and a comprehensive interface to access and manipulate the information and settings from the 4G modules and 6D sensors in the bike’s so-called “T-box.”
And, just like how Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Suzuki started with smaller-displacement bikes and quickly began going big, CFMOTO is also following that paradigm. The company’s landmark V.04 engine-development project, introduced at EICMA, will increase the scope of the CFMOTO’s product portfolio to reach new segments of the market. The new engine is a 90-degree, 997cc, V4 with projected power output of just over 209 horsepower at 14,500 rpm. And, it’s got all the good stuff inside, including titanium connecting rods, intake, and exhaust valves, along with a counter-rotating crankshaft. Look for the V.04 engine in what will be CFMOTO’s first literbike.
CFMOTO USA launched a new line of seven motorcycles in the US in April 2022, and they added an additional three models in 2023. Along with their presence in Europe, Australia, and Asia, the company now has more than 300 dealerships in the U.S.
Their U.S. headquarters feature full sales, marketing, vehicle development, design, parts and accessories, tech support, and domestic shipping and receiving departments.
Since 2007, CFMOTO USA has more than doubled the footprint at its current facility and is now building a brand-new US headquarters to support the company’s future ventures. CFMOTO vehicle lines are currently manufactured in Thailand and China alongside other major global motorsports names, with plans to open a new manufacturing facility in Mexico in 2024.
Meanwhile, a new Supersport Next Generation motorcycle and a new Stock 1000/Superbike are on the horizon from CFMOTO, and we can’t wait to welcome them into the MotoAmerica Championship. After all, we really like it when the motorcycle manufacturers sponsor our series, but we absolutely love it when they also race in it.
