Influencer

For a long time – and in some instances, it’s still very much the case – the price of a Chinese-made motorcycle was what justified putting up with some substandard componentry or quality of finish. The money you could save often meant the difference between being able to afford a brand-new machine compared to a secondhand rival from Japan or Europe.

But that’s beginning to change and not least for the well-established CFMoto brand, which has been in the manufacturing game since 1989, a 15 years before today’s learner-aged riders were being born. And the fact that KTM has entrusted the production of its midsized parallel-twin motorcycles to CFMoto at its Hangzhou-based manufacturing plant proves it’s not a company churning out substandard products.

In terms of quality of finish, the 300SR is one of the best I’ve seen from the factory. Before