Kiwi Rider June 2024 Vol.1 | Page 53

the bike I rode was a wee bit snatchy at initial throttle opening . The ‘ bar , seat and peg triangle is good and the standing position excellent . If anything the seat could be a bit taller for me at around 1.8m , but there ’ s a taller seat option . And remember , this bike is aimed at newcomers to adventuring and those wanting an easy , confidence inspiring ride – the standard seat height at 820mm ticks that box nicely . Heading onto the gravel , rear wheel ABS is easily switched off on the fly with the bar mounted on / off button , and ‘ offroad ’ is then displayed on the TFT . To turn off TC you use the TFT control buttons on the LH side of the bar , enter TC and turn it off . This can also be done while on the move . To be honest though , I found the 450MT hauled nicely through sweeping gravel roads with the TC left on . I could actually get a bit of initial wheel spin when giving it a bit out of corners . However , the gravel was thin , so in deeper metal TC-off will likely be the go-to setting . The 450MT really is lovely to ride , that peppy little engine inspiring much up and down gear changing through twisty back-country roads . It ’ s no lightweight at around 200kg wet and puts out a modest 44hp , but it hussles along nicely . Fuel is carried high up , like Yamaha ’ s T7 , but it doesn ’ t feel top-heavy at all , even undertaking low speed manoeuvres . Maybe the bikes overall lower height , particularly the seat height , and lower weight assists here . The KYB suspension is also fit for purpose . I left forks and shock as factory-set and found the ride excellent on both black-top and corrugated gravel . The TFT display is nicely designed and easy to read . The windscreen is adjustable on the go and I found it most effective in its highest position , where it did a great job of deflecting wind from my helmet . CF Moto also went all out , with pukka tubeless rims , spoked to the outer edges . They also look of good quality and standard tyres are very grippy on road and gravel . They ’ re a soft compound so not sure how long they ’ ll last , but as standard equipment they seem great and block section tread shows the intent CF Moto has for the bike . NOEL PRIESTLEY

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