Chinese bikemaker CFMoto has already treated us with several new motorcycles in just the first half of 2023. And it seems the bikemaker has an even bombastic second half planned. That's because the KTM partner is readying a full-blown sport bike for the niche but popular liter class segment. The superbike—let’s call it the CFMoto 1000 R—will be the company's first four-cylinder motorcycle and also its first foray into the big sport bike segment. For reference, the bikemaker's current flagship is the 450SR (called 450SS in America) which competes in the entry-level segment.
The CFMoto 1000 RR Looks Edgy, Like Its Smaller Siblings
The above-embedded video is rather low on quality. But pause at the right time, and you’ll see an edgy motorcycle. It seems identical to CFMoto’s current design language seen on the 300SS and 450SS, complete with muscular fairings and a sleek tail. Interestingly, there’s no single-sided swingarm or a long exhaust here, both of which we would expect from a flagship CFMoto. You should also note these aspects are in line with the company’s patent application for a V4 superbike filed earlier in the year.
The CFMoto 1000 RR Will Produce Over 200 Horsepower
No, we’re not making this up; CFMoto’s patent application also gave an insight into the motorcycle’s powerhouse. It mentioned a 1,000cc, four-cylinder mill with a DOHC (double overhead camshaft) and 16-valve setup (four per cylinder) that produced 150kW (201 horsepower). If this is the final output, the motorcycle will be a direct rival to bikes like the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R and the Honda CBR1000RR. It still won't match up to the Ducati Panigale V4 and BMW S 1000 RR, though.
As exciting as all this is, there’s one thing that doesn’t match up with the previous patent - the exhaust note. You see, the test mule seen here sounds like it has a pure inline-four mill. Whereas, the earlier patent filings showed a 75-degree V4 layout which, in theory, should sound a lot different. So there could be two probabilities here–either CFMoto is testing two engine layouts or it has ditched the V4 setup to save costs (inline-fours are cheaper to produce).
The CFMoto 1000 RR Could Be Shown As A Concept Soon
In recent times, all exciting CFMoto products were first shown as concepts. The SR-C21 birthed the 450SR, last year’s NK 22 gave us the 800 NK streetfighter, and it’s likely the 1000 RR will follow the same lifeline. Therefore, we expect CFMoto’s superbike to show face at the upcoming EICMA, followed by a launch of its production-spec in early 2024. It will then take a few more months to reach bikemaker’s American stores. After all, the 800 NK is still not available State-side, even though it’s already on sale in Europe and Britain.