For a few years in the late 2010s, the urban motorcycle market in Australia was red hot, thanks mostly to Honda’s Grom. Fast forward to 2024 and the Grom may be gone, but the spirit of that funky commuter lives on in the form of two LAMS-compliant new models from CFMOTO – the XO Papio Racer and XO Papio Trail.
Described as “compact, yet invigorating,” the two LAMS models have 12-inch wheels, a 125cc single-cylinder engine, low seat height and simple appointments, so they’re very much in the mould of the Grom, Kawasaki’s Z125 Pro, the Braaap Urban and Benelli TnT 125 (and 135) that were the main players in this segment. Where the CFMOTO pairing differ is in their retro styling.
It’s worth noting that of all those other
