This is not the first time we have praised the current low-displacement motorcycles and scooters that fit into the A2 license category. Affordable, economical, agile, and overall quite fun models. All of this can be applied to these motorcycles with one difference: they are two sports bikes, so the pleasure of riding can be even higher!
Even with the decline in sales of sports motorcycles over the years – for various reasons that are known – this motorcycle segment generates a fascination that only its users and fans can understand. The aesthetics borrowed from the world of racing, the power, and speed still make many dream of having a Superbike at home. But as many also know, these types of motorcycles require a certain level of skill and care that many do not possess. The good news is that we don’t need a €25,000 sports bike with 200 hp to have fun, far from it, and motorcycles up to 500 cc are great for those starting out and aiming to reach more powerful models. Proof of this versatility are the motorcycles we have here in comparison, very affordable but quite fun, to which we could add rivals from Honda, Kawasaki, and KTM, brands with equally impressive models but that we couldn’t include in this review.
CFMOTO – THE IRREVERENT
By alphabetical order let’s start with CFMOTO, a Chinese brand that has shown remarkable growth. We have had various experiences testing their models here in the magazine, including road and trail models, and previously with this 450SR in the April edition. At that time, we were at a mega international presentation at the Istanbul circuit, where we rode only in the rain, and also rode a bit on dry roads, but it was noted that we would have to take the SR for a spin in Portugal. The opportunity has now arisen.
Although the displacement is reminiscent of an MX engine, this 450SR mounts a parallel twin with 8 valves, which with 34.5 Kw of power (about 46.8 hp) is within the limit for A2 license holders. It offers a torque of 39.3 Nm and the 270-degree crankshaft allows for some V-twin-like qualities, including sound! It has a dual balance shaft for reduced vibrations and many engine components are made of alloys that reduce weight and friction without losing reliability. Externally, the lines are fantastic, resembling a mini SBK, it has full LED lighting and the brand claims to have spent many hours in a wind tunnel, so much so that the “wings” actually generate downforce at high speeds and are not just for show! The suspensions are traditional in the class and in terms of braking, we find a large disc at the front along with a beautiful 4-piston Brembo radial caliper. The clutch is light and slipper, and the weight of the bike ready to ride is 179 kg, while the seat is positioned at 795 mm from the ground. The instrumentation consists of a 5-inch TFT display, with a lot of information, which can be complemented by a 4G module for connectivity, in addition to the brand’s respective App.
CFMOTO 450SR
THE BEST Aesthetics, equipment, fun motor, price TO IMPROVE Passenger seat, aerodynamic protection
YAMAHA – THE EXPERIENCED
We had already ridden with Yamaha before, but it was a while ago. In fact, this latest generation of the R3 was launched in 2019, and the years that have passed are noticeable in various details in construction and dynamics. However, despite the aesthetics and ergonomics suggesting almost sport touring riding, do not be fooled: this model has already won world titles in Supersport 300 and is always in the fight for victories, in addition to being a fantastic school of riding through the Blu Cru trophies that the brand organizes. Simply put, to achieve this, it needs to be a prepared motorcycle, like any other, and there is no shortage of material from the brand to make this R3 ready to race, or simply a track-day toy. As standard, the parallel twin-cylinder 321 cc engine with 4 valves delivers 42 hp of power and 29.5 Nm of torque, in a package of only 169 kg of weight and a seat height of 780 mm. Aesthetically, it features fairing inspired by the R1 with LED headlights and central intake in the style of the M1, and the decoration is naturally well identified with the entire Yamaha R model family. It features a steel tube frame, traditional KYB suspensions for what we can find in the segment, and in braking we have a disc on each axle, with a conventional 2-piston caliper on the front. In front of us, we find beautifully designed handlebars and an LCD instrumentation with a onboard computer.
YAMAHA R3
THE BEST Ease of handling and comfort, economy TO IMPROVE Performance compared to competitors, technology, brakes
THE COMPARISON
As it is impossible to ride two motorcycles at the same time, we started first with the R3, and the good feelings were immediate. Easy to drive, comfortable seat (it has two huge seats for rider and passenger) and suspensions, it has a very available engine and does practically everything well. In fact, it is amazing how a motorcycle with only 300 cc and 42 hp can be so much fun, although we noticed that the set is somewhat conservative when we want to ride fast on a good road with curves, especially in terms of braking power. There are also some vibrations, and in the case of our unit – which was still in the break-in period – there was a resonance at medium rpm coming from the front area of the fairing, which was somewhat uncomfortable. The Dunlop GPR-300 tires are also not the most sporty in the segment, but in any type of environment – city, road or highway – the R3 is always comfortable, with agility, comfort and aerodynamic protection and an engine capable of stretching well to reach 180 km/h. And it is still capable of achieving very low fuel consumption, with the instrumentation giving us an overall average of 3.8 l/100 km, while riding quickly!
Afterwards, we switched models and realized how CFMOTO is the result of a much more recent project. Smaller, narrower, with seats and a very aggressive aesthetic, the SR450 is a superbike in miniature, but not too demanding or uncomfortable. It only puts a little more weight on the arms, with the seat equally comfortable. Only the aerodynamic protection is noticeably smaller (when we lean slightly we feel less wind) and the passenger, on the other hand, has a much smaller and uncomfortable seat than the Yamaha. The “wings” of CFMOTO give it a super aggressive look and we also appreciate the engine protections fitted in the fairings, the grippy and high-quality footrests, and the TFT instrumentation itself, more modern and very complete. The sound of the 450 cc is also emotional, making itself heard well and with V2 sensations, and in motion the Chinese proposal offers a very pleasant ride. The clutch is light, the gearbox works well, and the suspensions are equally capable, showing a slightly harder side than those of the Yamaha. As for braking, the differences are noticeable, with the Brembo radial caliper standing out against the simpler set of the R3, so the SR stops much faster than its rival. The 450 mounts CST tires, almost slick-looking, and we feel they need to warm up to show their potential, which is then high. In terms of engine, and considering the power and torque numbers, it would be expected that CFMOTO would also stand out here, and that’s what happens. The difference is not huge, but the Chinese bike is always slightly faster, in accelerations, recoveries, and top speed, with it reaching almost 200 km/h. In terms of consumption, the average of the SR’s instrumentation gave us a higher value than that of the Japanese bike, around 4.5 l/100 km.CONCLUSION
The Yamaha R3 is a good motorcycle, but it is noticeable that the CFMOTO SR450 is more modern and slightly superior in almost everything. At the time of writing this work, we are not sure if a new R3 will be revealed at EICMA. Following market trends, it is normal for the Japanese proposal to emerge soon with more displacement and power, and technologically more advanced, but we will have to wait and see. A motorcycle that continues to be very enjoyable to ride, in the city and even in sporty driving, but in this series format it is already somewhat outdated by the irreverence and quality of this SR450, a very well designed motorcycle that offers an excellent retail price. Oh, and it recently gave rise to the naked NK450, which we will test soon. Judging by the motorcycle in this work, the competition should beware!
CFMOTO 450R
PARALLEL twin-cylinder engine, liquid cooling, 8 valves
DISPLACEMENT 449.5 cc
POWER 46.8 hp (34.5 Kw) @10,000 rpm
TORQUE 39.3 Nm @7,750 rpm
GEARBOX 6 speeds
STEEL tubular frame
FUEL TANK 14 liters
FRONT SUSPENSION inverted telescopic fork of 37 mm, 120 mm stroke
REAR SUSPENSION mono-shock, 130 mm travel
FRONT BRAKE 320 mm disc, Brembo radial caliper with 4 opposed pistons
REAR BRAKE 220 mm disc, 1-piston caliper
FRONT TIRE 110/70 R17
REAR TIRE 150/60 R17
WHEELBASE 1,370 mm
SEAT HEIGHT 795 mm
WEIGHT 179 kg
MSRP (from) €6,490
YAMAHA R3
ENGINE parallel twin, liquid-cooled, 8 valves
DISPLACEMENT 321 cc
POWER 42 hp (30.9 kW) @10,750 rpm
TORQUE 29.5 Nm @9,000 rpm
TRANSMISSION 6-speed
FRAME steel diamond-type tubular
TANK 14 liters
FRONT SUSPENSION 37 mm inverted telescopic fork, 130 mm travel
REAR SUSPENSION mono-shock, 125 mm travel
FRONT BRAKE 298 mm disc, 2-piston caliper
REAR BRAKE 220 mm disc, 1-piston caliper
FRONT TIRE 110/70 R17
REAR TIRE 140/70 R17
WHEELBASE 1,380 mm
SEAT HEIGHT 780 mm
WEIGHT 169 kg
MSRP (from) €6,850
