CF MOTO 800NK (2023 - on) Review

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.