We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again - all bikemakers want a piece of the middleweight sport bike pie. And for good reason, given how popular the segment has become in the past few years. While we all expect names like Suzuki and KTM to jump aboard soon, it looks like CFMoto is about to pull the rug from under its rivals. That’s because the bikemaker has showcased a triple-cylinder sport bike - called 675SR - in its hometown, China.
The exclusive first look came during the ‘2023 CFMoto Day’ festival, where the motorcycle did rounds at a racetrack. Although it had a gift wrap all around to hide crucial deets, there’s plenty to deduce from this not-so-subtle teaser. All of it hints the motorcycle could be a serious threat to its Japanese counterparts.
The CFMoto 675SR Could Produce Over 100 Horsepower
The upcoming CFMoto sport bike draws juice from a triple-cylinder engine. Unlike the KTM-derived 800NK, this is an all-new mill, built in-house by the Chinese bikemaker. It’s essentially a grown-up version of the company’s 449cc, parallel twin found on the 450SR (or 450SS here). So if you take into account the 72 mm bore and 55.1 mm stroke from the 450SS, you can expect the new sport bike to displace 673 cubic centimeters.
What about output, you ask? Well, CFMoto claims ‘over 100Nm (73.7 pound-feet) per liter’ and ‘over 100 horsepower per cylinder’. The latter might be a typo since CFMoto might mean the maximum output is over 100 HP, while a little math suggests the torque output would be around 50 pound-feet. In addition, there are four valves per cylinder (total of 12), a six-speed transmission, and a balancer shaft to keep things butter smooth. In case you’re wondering how we know all this, that’s thanks to CFMoto’s patent filing of the very engine in early 2023.
If so, the sport bike would be more powerful than its Japanese contemporaries (Yamaha YZF-R7, Honda CBR650R, Kawasaki Ninja 650) and be in the ballpark of the top kids (Aprilia RS 660 and Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R). Making matters sweeter is the sport bike’s soothing exhaust note. It’s somewhat identical to the discontinued Triumph Daytona 675, with a similar induction howl. The exhaust itself is a short under-tail unit, though–a somewhat norm in the new middleweight sport bike segment.
The CFMoto 675SR Has Modern Underpinnings
Like the engine, the 675SR checks the right boxes in the underpinnings department. We spot a perimeter-type chassis, suspended on upside-down forks and monoshock. This is paired with 10-spoke alloy wheels that house dual disc brakes up top and a single rotor outback. The front calipers look like Brembo M40s (we’d expect nothing less since even the 450SS has these).
All the above-mentioned cycle parts shout sporty, and the riding triangle backs them up. The action videos/pictures show a sporty riding triangle, thanks to clip-on handlebars, fairly rear-set pegs, and a muscular tank for proper knee-lock. That said, it doesn’t look as back-breaking as the iconic 600cc screamers.
The CFMoto 675SR Boasts An Aggressive Design
Last but not least, the teaser gives us some idea about the bike’s design. In typical CFMoto fashion, the motorcycle looks edgy from head to toe, with no shortage of standout elements. You get massive aerodynamic scoops and disc brake covers up top, complemented by an equally streamlined set of tail spoilers. A closer look also hints at a dual-pod headlight and a sleek tail lamp. Expect these to be all LED units.
Speaking of LEDs, the flagship SR will have no shortage of features. A TFT instrument cluster is clearly visible, while traction control, smartphone connectivity, quickshifter, and cornering ABS are all on the trot. Plus, there could also be wheelie control, slide control, and more tidbits. We haven’t seen them on a CFMoto yet, but this is probably the best platform for the debut.
The CFMoto 675SR Will Debut As A 2024 Model
With the first teaser out, we’re sure CFMoto will debut the new SR as a concept model at the upcoming EICMA. And if you look at the company’s past, the concept will then birth a production motorcycle in the next six months. So full details of the 675SR will come out sometime in the first months of 2024, quickly followed by an international launch in Europe and Britain. It will likely set foot in America as a 2025 model, sometime in mid-2024. Whenever that happens, expect a big stir in the middleweight sport bike segment, given how capable this already seems in the first sighting.