2023-on CF Moto 800NK Review - Forget where it’s built. At £6,999, the 800NK Sport is a lot of bike for the money, holding its own in a crowded sector

Highlights

  • Focussed and aggressive middleweight naked
  • 15 litre tank and cruise control
  • Good level of tech

At a glance

Owners' reliability rating: 4.3 out of 5 (4.3/5)
Annual servicing cost: £100
Power: 94 bhp
Seat height: Medium (31.3 in / 795 mm)
Weight: Medium (410 lbs / 186 kg)

Prices

New £6,999
Used N/A

Overall rating

Next up: Ride & brakes
4 out of 5 (4/5)

The CFMoto brand has grown substantially over the last few years, creating impressively spec’d machinery that not only performs well, but does so for a reasonable price tag - and the CFMoto 800NK naked bike is no exception.

With the might of the Pierer Mobility Group (the owner of KTM and part of MV Agusta) behind them they have big ambitions, as a Chinese brand that offers up quality, reliable, exciting machinery – which is exactly where the new 800NK Sport fits in.

The current, wallet-friendly middleweight naked sector is bursting with incredible machinery: with Suzuki’s GSX-8S, Honda’s CB750 Hornet, Yamaha’s MT-07 and even KTM’s 790 Duke (which shares the same platform) vying to be the best, standing out is difficult, but the Chinese built CFMoto 800NK Sport manages to edge in - although I am slightly disappointed that the end result isn’t as extreme as the gorgeous MV Agusta Brutale-esque prototype that was teased at EICMA in 2022.

CFMoto 800NK on the road

Sure, the engine is essentially a KTM 790 Duke motor, but it’s still a cracking unit that feels like it was made to be thrashed, offering character and excitement by the bucketload. This is thanks to a hefty delivery of torque from the very bottom of the rev range, that pulls all the way through to just over 10,000rpm.

On the flipside, it doesn’t have the smoothest throttle connection at low revs and the gearbox isn’t particularly slick. But ridden hard is where the 800NK Sport feels happiest, with the chassis and suspension happy to oblige thanks to a rigid and stiff set-up on the fully adjustable KYB units.

The finish and quality are nice for the most part and as it comes equipped with a 15 litre tank, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity and three rider modes, the 800NK Sport truly does feel like a ‘proper’ machine, even if the standard model misses out on luxuries such as traction control, a quickshifter and a steering damper.

CFMoto 800NK left side

Forget where it’s built. At £6,999, the 800NK Sport is a lot of bike for the money, and holds its own in such a crowded sector. Dynamically, it performs well but the thorn in its side comes from Honda’s incredibly priced Hornet, which costs exactly the same and comes with the heritage of a Honda badge too.

CF Moto 800NK first ride video:

Ride quality & brakes

Next up: Engine
3 out of 5 (3/5)

Being based on the agile, 790 Duke platform means that the 800NK Sport is a responsive, capable machine. Overall, the handling is super sharp and borders on aggressive, with a front end that will go wherever you place it, with ease.

At 186kg and with a reasonably short wheelbase of 1465mm it has the flick-ability of a supermoto, but with a dash of additional stability too, especially mid-corner. Although a steering damper would go a long way, as the NK is a little bit flighty.

The suspension comes from KYB (the KTM wears WP kit) and is fully adjustable both front and rear, which is a nice touch. The standard set-up is on the stiffer end of the spectrum, especially over bumps and potholes. With a bit more time I'd like to have a proper play around with the settings, starting with knocking a touch of rebound off as it's very aggressive on the return, especially on the rear. The 800NK really is happiest when ridden hard and will easily cater for the heavier rider as standard.

CFMoto 800NK left side action shot

Braking power is taken care of with four piston J.Juan calipers and two 320mm discs, alongside a 260mm disc on the rear. Although they do offer a reasonable amount of stopping power and they are a step-up from the 790 Duke’s system (the KTM’s discs are 20mm smaller, both front and rear) they still lack that initial bite and additional feedback of premium-brand components under heavy braking.

In terms of comfort, the riding position is incredibly compact, even for a shorter rider like myself with a 28” inside leg. This is mainly down to the 795mm seat height, which is about as low as you’ll get on a sporty middleweight like this, and although it’s a nice riding position for both slow-speed confidence and aggressive riding, the footpegs are also quite high, making the whole machine feel rather small.

CFMoto have also chopped a load of seat foam out to keep the seat height low, and it does feel incredibly hard after an hour or so in the saddle. There is an 820mm aftermarket seat available as an official accessory, that has additional padding which feels much nicer – if you’re tall enough to deal with the extra inch of elevation.

CFMoto 800NK action shot front

Engine

Next up: Reliability
4 out of 5 (4/5)

There’s no hiding that the DOHC, 799cc parallel twin is the very same (but slightly tweaked) unit used in the original KTM 790 Duke but that is no bad thing whatsoever. If numbers and bragging rights are your thing, the 800NK Sport is still impressive, with a claimed 93.8bhp and 58.2lb.ft of torque on offer. To put that into perspective, it packs more power and more torque than both the new class-leading Suzuki GSX-8S and Honda’s Hornet 750.

In terms of riding experience, the engine works right at home in this roadster guise. There is a bucketload of torque available from the very bottom, delivered with a serious thump at every twist of the wrist. It’s more than happy to be revved hard, and it sounds impressively throaty too. It even pops on downshifts if you time it right.

Although it’s playful, that 799cc motor is still slightly rough around the edges, as we’ve found in KTM 790 Duke and KTM 790 Adventure models. In ‘Sport’ mode the throttle is pickup is still a bit too aggressive, with the ‘Street’ mode only just taking the edge off slightly, especially on the first 15% of throttle from idle. The gearbox isn’t the most refined unit either, feeling a bit agricultural on sharp, clutch-less changes and throwing a few neutrals in mix when rushing through the ‘box.

CFMoto 800NK turning left

Reliability & build quality

Next up: Value
4 out of 5 (4/5)

The 800NK Sport is an impressively finished bit of kit that could easily have come from European or Japanese factory – like the other 2023 CFMoto models we’re tested.

From the engine casing detail to the dash, everything looks smart and well thought out, with no real evidence of such a small price tag. The only niggle comes in the form of the USB socket plug, as it’s an aftermarket accessory to fit, but the standard fitment is just a rubber plug that looks like a bit of an afterthought on the cosmetic front.

Although the 790cc platform has had its issues, they should all be well and truly sorted by now, and we’ve seen no big problems with the higher-capacity CFMoto branded machinery.

CFMoto 800NK logo and model

Value vs rivals

Next up: Equipment
3 out of 5 (3/5)

Up until 2023, the 800NK Sport would’ve blown its rivals out of the water in terms of its value, thanks its level of tech, its specs and most importantly the £6,999 price tag.

The Honda Hornet changes that however, coming in at the same price and most importantly bringing the prestige of a Honda badge to the table too. Ideally, CFMoto would’ve released the Advanced model for this price, which includes a quickshifter, a steering damper, keyless ignition and a huge 8” dash that even allows for Apple CarPlay. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case but the 800NK Advanced model is expected to arrive in the UK in December.

CFMoto 800NK turning right

Its worth considering when looking at the CF Moto are the second hand bikes slowly trickling into the market. Grab yourself a bargain with a decent chunk off the new price by looking through MCN's classifieds. Additionally, try MCN Compare for a competitive insurance quote.

Equipment

4 out of 5 (4/5)

In terms of tech, the 800NK Sport is a bit of an odd one. On the one hand, it comes equipped with ABS that isn’t too intrusive, three riding modes (Sport, Street & Rain) and even cruise control, which is an impressive feature on a machine that will set you back under £7,000.

Yet there’s no traction control on offer, and the buttons on the switchgear are placed awkwardly – it’s too easy to catch the full beam switch by mistake, and even though the buttons are big and easy to use, they’re all a bit too close for my liking. On a more positive note, the clutch and brake levers are span-adjustable, which is a nice touch.

But you do still get a lot of bike for your money, with all of the information being fed through a neat, 5” TFT dash, that comes equipped with Bluetooth connectivity as standard.

CFMoto 800NK TFT dash

Another thing to note is that the 800NK comes with a 15 litre fuel tank, which is the biggest in the class. After a mixture of a few A-roads and a bit of spirited riding too I was still averaging 53 miles per gallon, according to the trip computer. That tallies with our experience of the 790 Duke – the extra litre of capacity should allow 200 miles of range.

Specs

Engine size 799cc
Engine type Liquid-cooled parallel twin
Frame type Alloy steel frame
Fuel capacity 15 litres
Seat height 795mm
Bike weight 186kg
Front suspension 43mm fully adjustable KYB forks
Rear suspension Adjustable KYB shock
Front brake 2 x 320mm discs with four piston radial calipers and Bosch ABS
Rear brake 260mm disc with single-piston caliper and ABS
Front tyre size 120/70 R17
Rear tyre size 180/55 R17

Mpg, costs & insurance

Average fuel consumption 53 mpg
Annual road tax £117
Annual service cost £100
New price £6,999
Used price -
Insurance group -
How much to insure?
Warranty term Two years

Top speed & performance

Max power 94 bhp
Max torque 58.2 ft-lb
Top speed -
1/4 mile acceleration -
Tank range 215 miles

Model history & versions

Model history

  • New model for 2023

Other versions

  • CFMoto 800NK Advanced gets a larger TFT dash with Apple CarPlay, a quickshifter and steering damper

Owners' reviews for the CF MOTO 800NK (2023 - on)

3 owners have reviewed their CF MOTO 800NK (2023 - on) and rated it in a number of areas. Read what they have to say and what they like and dislike about the bike below.

Review your CF MOTO 800NK (2023 - on)

Summary of owners' reviews

Overall rating: 4.7 out of 5 (4.7/5)
Ride quality & brakes: 4 out of 5 (4/5)
Engine: 4.7 out of 5 (4.7/5)
Reliability & build quality: 4.3 out of 5 (4.3/5)
Value vs rivals: 4.7 out of 5 (4.7/5)
Equipment: 5 out of 5 (5/5)
Annual servicing cost: £100
5 out of 5 A great bike from an almost unknown brand.
14 May 2024 by Jimmy

Version: Sport

Year: 2023

I came from a 2012 Triumph Explorer 1200 to my CFMoto 800NK Sport and I haven't looked back since. The 800NK is a superb machine, little niggles aside, and suits my needs perfectly. The 800cc engine is also in the Ktm 790 Duke and is both revvy and sublime and restful when you want it to be. You can race it, commute on it and tour on it if you really want to. The sound of the stock exhaust is a beautiful sound especially when going through tunnels. The TFT dash is both vibrant and easy to see in bright sunlight and easy to use, even on the go. At night time I have found the dash to be a little too bright though and that is at it's lowest brightness setting. There are a few niggles with the software of the connection to my phone though. I listen to music through the HJC 21b headset and even though I had both the headset and the phone connected to the bike when controlling through the bike's connected dash it wouldn't play and pause music etc. It would allow me to make a call from using the dash but then when the call had finished it would not then go back to my music. This I feel is because the bike cannot dual connect with a headset and a phone at the same time so what I do now is turn the bike on and then from my Bluetooth settings on my phone select my headset. A minor niggle unless I am doing something wrong but other owners of CFMoto bikes have said the same issue, and nothing that an update wouldn't fix maybe. The throttle is nice and smooth and the ride modes are pretty decent too, although being an advanced rider I tend to just leave in full sport mode. If you are coming from a lower powered machine or are new to riding this bike would be perfect for that next step especially having it in a less powerful riding mode like street or even rain until you get used to it. The amount of aftermarket add ons you can get are pretty much unlimited and all mine are from Aliexpress and my screen is from Baracuda in Italy. The little fairings do well to deflect wind but having the screen makes the bike look very cool as well as helping a lot with wind deflection on high speed roads. The main reason for me going with the 800NK is the cruise control as I need it when on long motorway rides and when I go touring due to my right wrist aching after a while due to an injury. This cruise control is the best and easiest I have ever used. You have to physically switch it off but it's so easy to do, just flick the switch across, that the only thing you need to make sure you do is regulate the throttle as you take it off. I don't have any worst bits of this bike but I have found it not going into second gear at times so you have to make sure it's a positive click into gear. I have also had the fuel gauge say that there is no fuel in the tank even though I know I had at least a quarter of a tank left but this only happened once. Apart from niggles and software issues that will no doubt be sorted out with further updates I have had no issues at all with my 800NK and overall I think for a Chinese machine it's a brilliant little bike and I would, and have, recommended this bike to a couple of my friends.

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

I have found that the 800NK likes to be revved. It is a little hooligan when you want it to be and I have had no issues when overtaking. The 800NK is also very refined when you want it to be too so nice calm country road riding I find a pleasure. I use my motorbike for everything all year round, commuting to and from work on fast and slow roads, going on ride outs with friends and at some point in the next couple of years I'll go on a tour, hopefully France or Germany. So I think this bike is capable of all kinds of riding, except off roading obviously, and for the touring aspect the cruise control will be a golden nugget that other bikes of this calibre just don't have. The J Jaun brakes I find very good. I have had to throw on the anchors a couple of times due to idiot car drivers not observing properly and the brakes have kept me upright and alive. I can ride for a good 2 hours before needing a break but I normally take a break between 2 and 3 hours anyway. The seat is nice and comfy and the ergonomics of the handlebars are good too, although if they were raised slightly then I would be happier but that's due to my wrist ache. I cannot comment on the pillion side of things however being quite a small seat I didn't buy this bike to take pillion anyway.

Engine 5 out of 5

In rain and street mode the engine is dialled back and you feel you need to use a lot more throttle to make the thing go even though it's still very revvy. In Sport mode though all the power is released and is very good. It's punchy and quite torquey and if you release the beast she'll do whatever you want to do. But in Sport mode as long as you have good throttle control the 800NK can also be somewhat refined which is nice if you want to keep it in Sport mode but have finished your fast cornering and just want to sit back and relax. From about 5 or 6000RPM the bike really does want to go and you have to kindly reign it back in otherwise you'll find yourself doing way over the speed limit without battering an eyelid.

Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5

Quality is very good. Chinese brands are getting very good now and CFMoto have definitely set the bar very high, high enough for the other well established companies to start taking note. I have ridden just over 1000miles and have had no issues at all. Most of them in the rain. I am an all year round rider so only time will tell as the years go on how good the bike is for rust and corrosion etc. But as long you keep up the cleaning and spraying of good quality water repellent lubricants you shouldn't have a problem.

Value vs rivals 4 out of 5

I bought my 800NK as an ex demo so when I bought it the bike had already had its full first service and software update so I cannot comment on servicing costs yet but I have looked at what they could be and I am very happy with what I would pay. Running costs are always going to be variable due to where you live etc but here in the south of the UK I can say that fuelling is not too bad on this bike. I always use decent fuels not supermarket fuels for my bike and that does seem to make a difference. The most I have had out of the tank was 194miles to a full tank which I was quite impressed with as my old Explorer was getting the same or less and had a bigger tank.

Equipment 5 out of 5

My favourite feature has to be the cruise control. It's just so easy to use and very much needed for long motorway rides especially if like me you have wrist issues. The other feature I like is the standard exhaust as it looks nice and modern and actually sounds great. My ex demo came with an aftermarket exhaust on but I went back to the standard and sold the aftermarket one. The accessories I have put on my 800NK is quite extensive from paddock stand spindles to screen and bar end protectors. The must have ones I feel is the important ones to have at a pretty low cost from Aliexpres are, radiator grill, valve cover control guard, front and rear mudguard extenders, standard exhaust trim cover and the USB A and C charging port. These have proved to be very good at protecting the bike from debris on the road and saving costly repairs or replacements. Plus they all look very good. Coming from Sport toureres and the Explorer I definitely needed to have a screen that looked good for the bike and did an excellent job of deflecting more wind and the screen I got from Baracuda is excellent. Slightly expensive but very well worth it and with all these accessories there has been no need for any modification on the bike, just a direct fit.

Buying experience: I bought my 800NK from a CFMoto dealership called The Bike Sanctuary near Milton Keynes in the UK and they were brilliant. Very knowledgeable about the CFMoto brand and always happy to help. When I had a couple of niggles with the bike that I thought would be a problem they were very good and offered to have it picked up for a diagnostic session and deliver back at no cost due to the bike only just being bought and coupled with the CFMoto AA type service. I would recommend them.

4 out of 5 800NK
19 February 2024 by MCB

Version: micabrown82@gmail.com

Year: 2024

Wow, better than the MT07 by a lot

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5
Engine 4 out of 5
Reliability & build quality 4 out of 5
Value vs rivals 5 out of 5
Equipment 5 out of 5
5 out of 5 Cf800nk
06 November 2023 by Fotios Chorikakos

Version: Advanced

Year: 2023

Annual servicing cost: £100

I bought the advanced edition and i'm completely satisfied

Ride quality & brakes 4 out of 5

On the brakes I have one gripe as the front lacks enough power and initial bite, but this should help younger riders

Engine 5 out of 5

A slight hesitation at the start of the turns is something that is common and only bothers in traffic

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

The quality of the entire build is excellent and even better than more expensive bikes

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

There is no special cost

Equipment 5 out of 5

I really appreciate the one way clutch as well as the quick shifter

Buying experience: I bought the boke about 8300€ in Greece

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