DAMN Riders - No rules, Just ride!

https://www.cycleworld.com/bikes/cfmoto ... irst-look/

I think this has some promise. Its an interesting size, somewhat small but still has a twin for longer road sections.

It's about time for a mid size twin. These cheaper chinese based bikes will do pretty well I am sure. KYB suspension and it looks pretty sweet. I think KTM, Husky and the other big euro boyz are in for some market share going away. Probably not enough to hurt them, but CFMoto is looking like they have a future-

Why does anyone want a small twin (esp a low powered one)? Add enough balance shafts and detune a 450 single and you'd have a lighter, smaller, simpler, cheaper engine. Still add all the other ADV bits and bodywork but throw away one intake/throttle body/header. Ok, twins do sound better.

Big twins make total sense. For high output its just impractical to get the flow and rpms required in a big single cylinder. But at 44hp CFMoto has none of that. A modern (redesigned) DRZ400 engine would beat that.

They will be MUCH SMOOTHER at 50-70mph speeds over a single, that's why- Added balancers only do so much to smooth a single out at speed. A lot of new riders just want a smaller, cheaper bike that is not so much a ball buster on a nice longer ride like a DRZ is. For a bunch of new riders It's not always about power and it is not about true dirt worthiness. It is about a cheap, smooth bike to ride to work occasionally and go take a Sunday ride with some friends in the forest roads etc.

You can make a single vibration similar to a twin. The second piston in a twin is literally a (poor) balance mass. It solves some but adds vibration in a whole different axis. I don't know of any small singles that emply multiple masses but it could be done. The only disadvantage a single has is one pulse per revolution. Trades the out of plane vibration of a twin for a torque based one. Solveable w/ a heavier flywheel (or even a dual mass one like many cars use now.)

It looks like they just used a higher output motor they already had, but detuned. That explains the twin. Cheaper than developing a new motor.

I still contend that a balanced single would be a better motor. Smooth, cheaper, lighter, more reliable(less parts). Just a one trick pony that not many want to spend the resources to develop. Scaling down the newer 690/701 motor would be a sweet little thing.

I think the bike I would be giving serious consideration to in a mid-size ADV bike would be the new Honda Transalp. It looks like a lot of bang for the buck but I haven't ridden one yet. If I were shopping for, say, a TAT bike this one or a T7 might get the nod.