2025 CFMoto 675NK Review

CFMOTO has built its first in-line three-cylinder engine, and stuffed it into this tasty streetfighin’ middleweight. Meet the ornery 675NK.  

While KTM was busy making missteps recently,  there was another motorcycle company making giant strides, KTM’s Chinese partner, CFMOTO. 

It began life a couple of decades ago, making Kawasaki-like machines. But those days are long gone. Now it is busy innovating on its own, a V4 and IL4 coming. 

Its latest development is a 675cc three-cylinder sports bike engine. Yes indeed, that certainly does remind of Triumph’s popular middleweight engine, which eventually became a 765. 

But perhaps the selection of the 675cc displacement was deliberate. The 675 label tells all and sundry that this is not a LAMS engine (limit of 660cc). It also cashes in on the cache of Triumph’s original winning formula, both in displacement and the number of cylinders. While not quite as potent as the original Street Triple mill which made 79kW and 69Nm, it’s not far off either, producing 70kW and the same number of Newts. And it’s being tasked with propelling a bike that has a stated weight of 189kg. Two bikes actually, for it also powers the sports derivative dubbed 675SR-R. The NK version is essentially the same, only without the minimalist weather protection or the sports bike crouch. 

Gripping design 

At first glance, this really is another step up for CFMOTO. The styling is almost manga angry, its pastel grey paint is thick and lustrous and the ancillary bits look serious. Why there are even air scoops for cooling the dual radial brakes (by Brembo offshoot, J Juan) and a five-inch TFT screen that looks the part. In fact the styling hints at speed without the bike even moving. Think serious streetfighter junior here. 

And maybe we shouldn’t be surprised about the styling. Evidently the design emerged from CFMOTO’s European R&D centre, Modena40. The design centre produced the 800NK which won a Red Dot award and this is the next evolution of the NK design. Sculpted bodywork gives this real street presence. We like the straightforward TFT display too, with revs across the top and legible numerals for the gears and speed. There are three levels of adjustable traction control but no ride modes. 

Engine is key

So off we went, all go into the great unknown. This bike is essentially all about the engine. It’s clear right away that this hasn’t quite the grunt of the British 675 but it isn’t far behind either. And there’s another real difference; this engine is turbine smooth. Now that’s not something inherent in IL3s; normally they aren’t as velvety as IL4s. Well, this one sure is. At 100km/h the mirrors are calm, with not a ripple interrupting the serenity of the rearward view. And that continues up the rev band too. It also makes the bike subject to speed creep. Well, it did on the day where there wasn’t a breath of wind but rain aplenty. I’m not normally fond of riding bikes in the wet. Some say they are but would you prefer less grip over more? Colder over warmer? Poor visibility over perfect? 

Noise boy

The little triple hums quite a rowdy tune. It’s not disagreeable but you sure are aware of it, as are passersby. Guess the stubby exhaust contributes there. It also adds to lightweighting, the bike a claimed 189kg fuelled. For those who prefer the planted feel of a 300kg cruiser, good for you. But give me the 189kg unit any day. When things get ugly, I know which I’d prefer to wrangle. Anyhow, on our wet to dry ride day, the naked middleweight didn’t put a foot wrong. 

It’s a surprising engine. It will pull away in top gear from just over 1200rpm, or thereabouts. Precisely how many revs is hard to tell because there are no rev increments. Whatever, that’s about 45km/h in top. From there to 4000rpm it gently ramps up the power delivery and above that it kicks some which is handy because just above 4000rpm it is humming away at 100km/h in top. And at that point it feels effortless, so silky. When you look down again, no surprise there’s 110 or 115 showing. It feels just as easygoing there too.

Kicks LAMS into touch 

Performance is pretty much where they pin it. The firm states a 0-100km/h time of 3.9sec and our best was just a smidge below that. We’ve had low threes out of a Street Triple before, and mid 1.5s for the 80-120 whereas this managed 2.0sec flat. But we should cut it some slack at this point as it costs $10k less. And it’s comfortably quicker than the fastest LAMS machine we’ve performance tested, oddly enough the Street Triple 660. 

It can sure rev, as triples seem happy to do, the peak power delivered at 11,000rpm while torque tops out at 8250rpm. And yet it also feels pretty zesty even at low and middling revs. Cos triples are like that. Brakes are good, strong enough, even using the front alone, although the emergency stop in the low 40s reflects plenty of ABS intervention.

This is agreeably flickable, as you might expect with its upright front end (23.7 degrees of rake, 93mm of trail) and light weight. Our one was set up standard out of the box, a bit firm as usual. Messing with rebound each end made things more comfy without upsetting its steadfast composure and stability in turns. 

And it has a suitably sporty yet easy riding triangle with the slightly raised bars set forward a touch and the pegs back a tad. Just enough to counter the wind effect without making commuting in stop-start traffic uncomfortable. Levers are adjustable both sides and so too suspension at each end; KYB forks and monoshock are both preload and rebound variable.

Value laden 

And as if to underline the impressive standard spec, there’s even a steering damper and a bi-directional quickshifter. But what really seals the intent is the Track Switch; you can quickly reverse the shifter pattern, which makes it a conveniently inexpensive track mount. 

And mention of the entrance fee; this serious piece of kit is $12,190 plus on-roads. So it’s less expensive than, for example, Kawasaki’s Ninja 650 twin ($13,500) and Yamaha’s MT-07 ($14,500) both of which are LAMS legal. 

The chap we spoke with when uplifting the bike said he’d ridden it in the weekend and was selling his bike to get into this one. Can’t argue with that. It’s an outstanding buy at this price.  

CFMOTO 675NK
$12,190
0-100 km/h 3.84s
80-120 km/h 2.06s (59.56m)
100-0 km/h 44.78m
Speedo error  95 at an indicated 100km/h
Engine Capacity  675cc
Format  Liquid-cooled / fuel-injected / IL3
Max power  70kW@11,000rpm
Max torque  70Nm@8250rpm
Cylinder head  DOHC / 12v
Gearbox  6-speed
Drivetrain  Chain final drive
Suspension front  41mm USD forks, preload and compression adjustable 
Suspension rear  Monoshock, fully adjustable
Brakes front  Four-piston calipers, 300mm, twin discs
Brakes rear  Single-piston, 240mm disc
Safety systems  ABS, TC
Tyre size  f-120/70R17, r-180/55R17
Tyre type  CST S3N
Wheelbase  1400mm
Seat height  810mm
Rake/trail  23.7° / 93mm
Fuel capacity  15.0L
Measured weight  189kg
Weight distribution  f-96kg / r-93kg