CF Moto is a new brand entering our shores and was rather unknown when they made their first debut at the NADA auto show, but they have managed to make a big bang in the motorcycle culture of Nepal with their lineup of bikes. CF Moto shares its designer (Kiska) with KTM hence the subtle resemblance present in their design language. With the previously introduced models being graciously accepted by the consumers there was a lot of speculation and anticipation from their latest model to soon enter our market, the CF Moto 250 NK. Having a considerable arsenal of bikes in its portfolio in all ranges the 250 NK is the first foray from CF Moto in the quarter liter segment. This move will surely attract new prospective buyers who were apprehensive towards bigger bikes but still want the performance of one. We were given the opportunity to ride the 250 NK and give our opinion on whether it meets the expectations or not.

STYLING:

CF Moto have knocked the ball out of the park on the styling department of the 250 NK. It looks good no matter which angle you look at it from. Starting from the front, the head light of the 250 NK is slightly angled and it looks like it is tilted backwards. The DRL splits the headlight around the middle section separating the High beam and the Low Beam. The extended tank panels give it a sharp look. The blue color on the rims and the trellis frame complement the grey color of the bike.

The tail section is the most distinct part of this bike and has aerodynamic cut-outs that lets the air pass right through, this design is only seen on high end bikes such as the Ducati Panigale series, Yamaha R1 and the R6 (R15 V3 will also have similar aerodynamic tail section when it launches.) so it is quite amazing to see it on the 250 NK. To maintain the sleek looking back end CF Moto have mounted the number plate on the rear tire hugger. Only the tail lights and the turn signals are mounted on the tail. Carrying on with the clean look they have opted for an under belly exhaust that cleans up the sides of the bike.

COMFORT & HANDLING:

The 250 NK is just not any ordinary naked street bike, it is an aggressive street fighter and that is very evident in its handling. The suspension is quite firm, both front and back. It gives you added assurance while carving out corners but will be slightly stiff on bumpy roads. The bike turns in quite rapidly and is very agile on its feet. There is plenty of space on the fuel tank for your thighs to grip the bike while leaning over. The tires provide very good grip and hold the tarmac very well. The stiff suspension setup, agile handling and good gripping tires are the key ingredients for fun in this bike. Also the seats are very plush and long rides does not seem to bother the rider much.

The 250 NK is the most feature rich bike currently in the 250cc category. The 250 NK boasts first in segment features such as the hydraulic clutch, TFT Screen display and riding modes. But that’s not all of the features yet, it also packs a dual channel ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), LED headlights/tail lights, DRLs (Daytime Running Lights), etc. Seeing the hydraulic clutch on a 250cc bike was a surprise because it is usually only seen on very high performance machines. The hydraulic clutch is very soft to use and will be very useful on stop and go traffic as it requires less effort than the conventional clutch wires. The TFT screen was a welcome addition too, it is very good to look at and displays a lot of information.

The Screen also has a brightness setting so that you can adjust it just the way you like it. It also has a proximity sensor that changes the color of the display from white in the sun light to black in the dark for better visibility. The mode selector button is located just above the horn which is slightly confusing at first but you will adapt to it soon. The riding mode also has a connection to the TFT display as it changes the display graphics according to the mode that you are in. There are 2 preset modes: rain mode, sport mode. In the rain mode the display is rather simple and has a lot of things displayed on the screen. But when you change it to the sport mode, most of the screen is taken up by the RPM meter and the speed indicator as that’s the thing with the most priority in the sport mode.

PERFORMANCE:

The 250 mill produces 27 BHP @ 9000 RPM and 22 NM of torque @ 7500 RPM. The bike in rain mode feels a little sluggish and slow to move but that the main point of having a rain mode is to make sure that you don’t slip and slide on the wet surface. When the bike is put into sport mode you can clearly feel the difference. The throttle becomes more responsive to your input and feels quite a bit quicker.

The power delivery is linear so new riders won’t get intimidated by the bike but the pull gets stronger in the higher rev range. The bike is capable of reaching triple number digits quite easily so to compensate for that it has a very good braking setup. The radially mounted J.Juan brakes do a very decent job in shedding speed and that coupled with ABS means excellent braking performance. But I however felt that it lacked the initial bite, this could be due to the abs coming into work.

THE VERDICT:

If you love carving corners but want the practicality of a naked bike then this bike has to be on your list. Priced at Rs. 4,60,000/- this bike has it all. Good looks, good performance, good list of features makes it an overall great package. This is one of the best bikes in terms of value for money. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a lot of these bikes around the streets after its official launch.