Daiichi Cfmoto 650 NK

The Daiichi CF MOTO 650 features a modern design. The vertically stacked highlights give the 650MT a unique look, especially with the long LED strips on each side that serve as daytime running lamps. The riders will enjoy how the windscreen appears to float over the fairing, giving it a more expensive look. More crucially, the screen can be manually adjusted in height, but the quality of the (aluminium) stalks that assist with this should have been better.

The protection it will provide in the case of a fall is incredible. The fairing and engine protection shield should have been designed better. However, the motorbike is quite compact overall, and once in the seat, it feels just slightly larger than, say, a KTM 390 Duke, which is impressive for a middleweight tourer. This should make it simple for shorter, less experienced riders to swing a leg over without being scared. However, because of the thick, upside-down forks and 120-section front tyre, the front end is fairly hefty. The rear end, on the other hand, is relatively tiny, and the 650MT looks more like a sport naked from the back. The design of the seat is also incredible.

The Daiichi CF MOTO 650 is clearly a road-biased motorbike due to its setup. At the front, there are fat upside-down forks, and at the back, there's an offset monoshock that looks eerily identical to the Versys 650's unit. CFmoto has fitted the 650 with Metzeler Roadtec tyres in the front and rear, with a 120-section in the front and a 160-section in the rear, confirming the bike's road bias. In fact, litre-class superbikes typically have a 120-section front! 

On the road, the CF MOTO 650 has a sporty and confident handling package, and it feels planted whether it's in a straight line, barreling down straights, or leaning into curves. The front end has an excellent feel and feedback, which helps the rider's confidence when riding aggressively. In addition, the front forks include a preload adjustment. The front handling section deserves a special mention. It provides a firm grip even on the wettest roads.

The Daiichi CF MOTO 650 is powered by a 2-cylinder, 8-valve, liquid-cooled, DOHC, Bosch EFI engine. It churns out a power of about 62 PS at 9000 rpm and obtains an incredible torque of 56 Nm at 7000 rpm. The engine is coupled to a six-speed transmission with well-spaced ratios. Although the transmission provides crisp shifts, I would have preferred a lighter sensation to go with it. Despite the bike's 218kg kerb weight, performance is quick, as the CF MOTO 650 speeds to 100 kmph from a standstill in 5.45 seconds. The bike easily exceeds 100 kilometres per hour, and if conditions allow, it may easily exceed 160 kilometres per hour.

More crucially, the fueling is sloppy, especially at low rpm, which causes a loss of confidence at low speeds, especially while manoeuvring through sluggish traffic. More precise feeding should aid acceleration and rideability, yet as you go over crawling speeds, the fueling becomes smoother.

The Daiichi CF MOTO 650 features a dual disc brake setup that is coupled with dual-channel ABS. The brakes provide ample stopping power to the vehicle. This ride is also equipped with a variety of safety features like the ABS, the engine check warning, side reflectors, low fuel indicator, and much more.

With all the fascinating features like the incredible engine, suspension, and proficient handling the Daiichi CF MOTO 650 would definitely prove to be the ideal ride for all the passionate riders. The braking system and the design is also quite impressive. It has emerged as one of the most desirable rides in the Malaysian market.