2025 CFMOTO 675SS and 450CL-C first look

The sport bike and cruiser are in addition to the Ibex 450 adventure bike we tested earlier this year and bring the U.S. motorcycle line to 12 models, giving CFMOTO dealers more two-wheel offerings to go alongside the company's more established ATVs and side-by-sides. The 675SS and 450CL-C represent CFMOTO's first middleweight sport bike and first cruiser.

2025 CFMOTO 675SS

It's usually pretty clear what target CFMOTO is aiming at when it introduces a new model. Just take a look at our comparison of the CFMOTO 650 ADVentura, the Kawasaki Versys, and the Triumph Tiger Sport 660. It was obvious CFMOTO set about building a Versys with more features and a lower price point.

In the case of the 675SS, however, the displacement first brings to mind a competitor that is no longer around. The 675SS would go head to head with the Triumph Daytona 675, if Triumph were still making it. (Instead it will have to face the contemporary Daytona 660.) I'm not the only Common Tread writer who has put a Daytona 675 in my personal garage, and I can say, as a former owner who sometimes still misses that motorcycle, it's a good target to aim at.

That original three-cylinder sport bike came out in 2006, however, and it's now 2024, so the 675SS takes its own route in styling, with aerodynamic bodywork that incorporates winglets, a stubby perch of a tail section, and features such as LED lighting with turn signals integrated into the same unit as the tail light and air scoops on the front brakes.

The drive train follows the expected script, consistent with the old rules of Supersport racing prior to the current Next Generation age, when a 675 cc triple could compete against 600 cc inline fours. The 675SS has a 674 cc triple with four valves per cylinder working through a slipper clutch. A quickshifter is standard, but for upshifts only. The rider can choose between two levels of traction control and Bosch ABS is standard.

One area where the 675SS's specs diverge from the norm is the 110-section front tire, instead of the usual 120. Of course it may be possible to fit a 120 to the rim, but if not, that might prevent the rider from being able to choose from the wide range of options in the more common size, especially if track-day use is planned. And CFMOTO clearly planned for track use by including a built-in lap timer.

Of course price is one of CFMOTO's selling points, and at $7,999 the 675SS undercuts less powerful twin-cylinder competitors such as the Kawasaki Ninja 650 ($8,899 with ABS) and it's less expensive than Triumph's new version of a three-cylinder sport bike, the Daytona 660 ($9,195). In fact, it's even $1,000 less than the MSRP for that original three-cylinder sport bike when Triumph introduced it back in 2006, and the political candidates will be quick to remind you (as if you needed reminding) that we've had some price inflation since then. The real test will come when we get a chance to ride the new 675SS and find out exactly what you get for that money.

2025 CFMOTO 450CL-C

The new 450CL-C adds the first cruiser to CFMOTO's U.S. lineup to go along with its adventure, sport, and naked bikes. First shown at AIMExpo early this year, its 449 cc parallel-twin engine pits it directly against such competition as the Honda Rebel 500 and the Kawasaki Eliminator. Again, it wasn't hard to see the target CFMOTO had in mind.

It looks like CFMOTO did a good job of reading the cruiser style manual and getting the all-important looks right (though everyone will have their own opinion, in that regard). The round, 3.5-inch TFT instrument mimics the look of a traditional speedometer (except when you're looking at the colorful display), the bar-end mirrors look clean, the matte-black, ceramic-coated exhaust is a nice switch from chrome, and features such as the LED lights might keep a few owners from going to the aftermarket. CFMOTO chose to go with the fat-tire look instead of the fat rear and chopperesque front on some cruisers, fitting 16-inch wheels at both ends.

CFMOTO competes not just with lower prices but also by offering more features, in many cases. The 450CL-C is an example, as it comes stock with Bosch ABS, which is an extra-cost option on most competitors, and includes traction control, something rarely found on motorcycles in this category. With an MSRP of $5,799, it undercuts the competition by hundreds of dollars (more, when you factor in ABS) and offers another accessible way into motorcycling for riders who want a relatively light motorcycle with a low seat height and who appreciate the cruiser styling.

	2025 CFMOTO 675SS	2025 CFMOTO 450CL-C
Price (MSRP)	$7,999	$5,799
Engine	674 cc, liquid-cooled, 12-valve, inline triple	449 cc, liquid-cooled, four-valve, parallel twin
Transmission, final drive	Six-speed, chain	Six-speed, belt
Claimed horsepower	95 @ 11,000 rpm	40 @ 8,000 rpm
Claimed torque	51.6 foot-pounds @ 8,250 rpm	30 foot-pounds @ 6,250 rpm
Frame	Steel twin-spar	Steel cradle
Front suspension	KYB inverted fork, adjustable for preload, compression, and rebound damping; 5.1 inches of travel	Inverted fork; travel not specified
Rear suspension	KYB shock, adjustable for preload and rebound damping; 5.1 inches of travel	Central single shock; travel not specified
Front brake	Dual J.Juan four-piston calipers, 300 mm discs with ABS	Single J.Juan four-piston caliper, 320 mm disc with ABS
Rear brake	J.Juan single-piston caliper, 240 mm disc with ABS	J.Juan single-piston caliper, 240 mm disc with ABS
Wheelbase	55.1 inches	58.5 inches
Seat height	31.9 inches	27 inches
Fuel capacity	4.0 gallons	3.2 gallons
Tires	CST Ride Migra 110/70R17 front, 180/55R17 rear	CST 130/90R16 front, 150/80R16 rear
Claimed weight	408 pounds	399 pounds
Warranty	24 months	24 months
More info	cfmotousa.com	cfmotousa.com