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CFMOTO opens bookings for the 450SR in China, Philippines next?

This lightweight sportbike will surely revolutionize the entry-level segment.

EJ Punsalang EJ Punsalang on Apr 19, 2022
2022 CFMOTO 450SR

CFMOTO's 450SR, a new supersport with the power of a 500cc bike but a weight closer to the 250cc class, is a new rival in China's small-capacity sportbike segment. The 450SR's favorable power-to-weight ratio isn't the only thing it has going for it; CFMOTO's aggressive, race-inspired appearance sets it apart from the competition.

At EICMA 2021, the Chinese company unveiled the SR-C21 concept. In January and March of 2022, CFMOTO updated the 450SR production model, adding to the buzz. The firm officially introduces the road-ready 450SR supersport after months of anticipation. Unlike the SR-C21 concept bike, which omitted street-legal features like mirrors, turn signals, headlamps, and brake lights, the 450SR incorporates these features without detracting from the original design.

Underneath the menacing and sporty-looking running lights,CFMOTO adds a two-in-one headlamp and high-beam, and the front blinkers are mounted in the long-stalk mirrors. The Öhlins suspension, racing-spec Brembo calipers, single-sided swingarm, SC-Project performance exhaust, and front brake rotor covers on the EICMA concept were jaw-dropping, but the company took a much more sensible approach to the road-going 450SR.

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2022 CFMOTO 450SR

A standard double-sided swingarm is fitted instead of the single-sided unit we saw at EICMA. Meanwhile, a more basic front end and rear shock replace the Öhlins componentry. Although the race-ready Brembo calipers have been discarded, lower-spec Brembo calipers are still more than capable of bringing this sharp, lightweight sportbike to a halt at a blistering pace. The SC-Project pipe is replaced with a conventional, in-house-made exhaust pipe, and the front brake discs are exposed, like on most other street legal sportbikes.

Although CFMOTO has removed the race-inspired components from the street vehicle, the liquid-cooled 449cc parallel-twin engine delivers as anticipated. The sub-500cc twin produces 50 horsepower and approximately 39 Nm of torque thanks to a 270-degree crank that delivers power pulses akin to a 90-degree V-twin. This is undoubtedly the nicest feature of the bike, as no other manufacturer produces a parallel-twin equipped motorbike with a 270-degree crankshaft of this displacement.

For the time being, the 2022 CFMOTO 450SR has only been released in China, with an MSRP of CNY 31,980 (about P252,000). Hopefully, the beefed-up sportbike will make its way to the local market at some point, and will be priced similarly to its Chinese-market equivalent. Should this be the case, it'll undoubtedly compete with bikes like the Kawasaki Ninja 400 and KTM RC 390.

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