Local KTM dealer mentioned due to clips of 390 Adventure Enduro R being published from India, that they are invited to a meeting with KTM in a few weeks. Another local KTM dealer can only state that the 450 MT, which they themselves do not sell, is sold out and more are waiting in line and that it is the 450-600cc Adventure + Dual Sport models the market want to buy. Especially now with inflation and recession. The market in India is in demand for RC 490 Duke Enduro R , i.e. middle class bikes. But the manufacturers still don't seem to understand the market.
The short blanket analogy is brilliant. Thanks for this, it's helped me wrap my head around how this suspension feels, particularly compared to the more plush but non-adjustable Himalayan 450. Probably the best-articulated review of the 450MT suspension.
All that while complaining about the suspension xD Well, the trick, just like i was saying, is to keep the speed up and the bike moving :P When you learn to trust the bike you will see that truly, the handlebar guides your hands way more than your hands guide the handlebar ;)
🤔para iniciantes no offroad, ou quem procura conforto e não quer ser piloto, a mota certa é a Honda crf300L ou a crf 300 rally. Todos querem "race specs" mas depois sentem a falta do conforto.😅 Para ter performance e conforto ao mesmo tempo é preciso adicionar €€ á equação.
There is a crossover effect when adjusting the rebound dampening in most shocks. The rebound adjuster affects the amount of " free bleed" of fluid but also has some degree of affect on the low speed compression dampening. Mid and high speed compression dampening is regulated by the shim stack on the piston. A good suspension shop can adjust the shock internals to your preferences.
Well said my friend! I will pin your comment at the top! I will probably get the shims redone on the shock or replace the shock altogether. I have my "old" WP shock that I had installed on my XT660RRR and they are very similar. Maybe we little mods on the connecting ends it will be a match. Oh, the joy of having projects on one's bike! :D
I am 75 kg in street clothing. I have ended up with very similar settings as you have. I do believe that the front springs for my weight and non aggressive riding are too stiff for the comfy ride. I also feel that the rear rebound adjuster has some sort of combined function as the compression function also increases.
I concur, Im 75kg, I feel the front is too stiff/harsh. and still playing with the settings.. Also after 1000km my rear suspension has free'd up heaps. the static sag on the rear went from 25mm to 35mm.
There are some suspension manufacturers that have combined adjustment for the shock that plays with both compression and rebound, so it might be the case with this bike as well. When I did a test ride on the MT450 I tried it on a pretty rocky dirt road with some "rock steps" of up to 15-20 cm, so it felt better uphill when I trow it with speed at them (comparing to my slow pace downhill when I remembered that it doesn't have crash guards and it was not my bike). Totally agree with the feeling of "short blanket" and I really hope that this will be changed with aftermarket shock with hydraulic preload and separate rebound and compression adjustments.
Very good point on fast vs slow riding wrt the difference in suspension feel. However, I think that the riders weight and added luggage also need to be taken into account. I believe that extra weight on the bike will make it more plush for slow riding and less good for higher speeds.
I like your analogy of the "short blanket" it really says what it means with this solution. I think it's a price "issue". For the bike's relatively low price this is a not bad option, you need to know how many clicks your suspension and shock needs for different terrain, I get that could be a challenging experiment for new riders or for those who don't have experience of that. But for it's price, I would say, I can take that, and after warranty change the rear shock,(or during warranty if you know what you are doing) :D I would say that yeah, it's definetely a not good option but not a bad one. I still appreciate your honesty for your audience! keep up the good work! Cheers.
Amazing video! Yes I’d like to see more videos about the electronics, specially the ABS performance. Thank you so much for this series. Keep it coming!
I'm a very heavy rider, I know I will have to set suspensions to my weight as I have to on the T7! Your video is really useful. Thank you! ✌️from France
Thank you for this video. You have some great skills not only for riding but also presentation. For now I stick to my Voge 300 Rally, and wont have to think about maybe a MotoCF 450. At 71 I want to limit the amount of risk I take a few notches.
I am all for lighter bikes! The Voge is great, the CRF300L perhaps slightly better (once the suspension has been worked) and honestly, if I was right now leaving in a solo "round the world" trip, i would definitely take one of those. Happy rides man, and thanks for commenting!
@@user-ec1lg6vl3i If the goal was to explore a lot of offroad, and if I was doing that trip alone, then the one bike I would take would be the CRF300L. If I wasnt alone, then the XT660 or the 450MT would be interesting choices (or the CRF300L still) If, on other other hand, I was doing a lot more on-road then off-road, then I would take something bigger (like an Africa twin, T7, GS, etc etc) I hope this answers your question :P
Love your video and comments, Thanks for your information, I have just bought a 2024 800MT Explore, and I understand it is a bike that sells for less than $6,000.00 AUD for a bike that has similar specs. so you also don't have the best suspension etc compared to a more expensive bike but you have to accept that there will always be a compromise of some degree. I would have never considered buying a Chinese bike but I have been watching all the reviews of this bike and brand for over 3 years now. It is great to hear so many owners are happy with the bike and its reliability. I should add this is my first adventure bike after owning a lot of BMW RT and K1600 bikes over the years .This sort of honest information helps me understand more about the bike.
Good morning from Coastal Nor-Cal Diogo. 👋 Interesting observations on the MT's suspension. There are similarities to the way my Tenere 700 came set up. Too stiff. which my lower back didn't like. The MT certainly is a good looking bike and you handled it well in the wild terrain going slow.
this hard kick of the front when you hit transverse obstacles in slow speeds, I believe it will decrease when you worked the springs a little bit more. It's fairly new.
Já conhecia amortecedores sem afinação do rebound ( Norden 901 ) mas sem afinação de compressão não, assim fica muito difícil afinar a traseira só com a pré carga da mola. Eu na Tenere fiz ao contrário de todos os experts do UA-cam e fóruns que dizem que temos de aumentar ao máximo 😂, eu tirei pré carga da mola uns 3 ou 4 cliques e aumentei a compressão. Na frente limitei-me a aumentar a compressão porque me incomoda o afundar da frente nas travagens fortes, de resto é confortável a baixa velocidade e dá para passar a voar baixinho por tudo o que seja estilo Dakar que a mota nunca perde compostura . A experiência que tenho de amortecedor é mínimo de mola possível, talvez seja por teres sentido necessidade de meter carga nisso que sentes a mota a bater seco . Sem te querer ensinar nada, já que achas ( e bem ) que o afinador do rebound também afina a compressão, experimenta tirar 2 ou 3 cliques na mola e vai aumentando o rebound / compressão até ficares satisfeito. Se não der aumenta um clique na mola e recomeça. É o que eu faria, a Tenere com a afinação de mola de origem quase me partia as costas cada vez que passava numa lomba. Agora ficou ótima e não afunda nem fica a balançar nos saltitos que dou😂
Nisto das suspensoes ha muito que se lhe diga, claro, e muita coisa vai do gosto de cada um.. mas no que toca à pre-carga nao ha muitas duvidas. A moto tem de ter o sag correcto e isso so se consegue a conta de pre-carga (ou mola) correcta. Consegues ter a moto "porreira" e ao teu gosto sem ter aa coisas "by the book", mas não estàs a benificiar do equipamento a 100%. É como teres uma casa com 8 divisões mas sò usas 3. É mais facil de arrumar e manter limpa, mas estàs a desperdiçar potencial 😂😂
@@OFFroadOFFcourse , poissssss 😄 , mas olha que a " cena " do SAG também tem muito que se lhe diga 😄. Vai lá ver o SAG que o pessoal do motocross usa comparado com o SAG de uma mota de GP. Um SAG maior ajuda a mota a traccionar, a roda vai estar sempre a querer agarrar. Um SAG menor a mota vai entrar melhor na curva mas a probabilidade de ires buscar a traseira as couves também aumenta. Não sei Diogo, eu percebo o que dizes mas se calhar não perdias nada em mexer um bocado nesse SAG só para veres o efeito na mota e acima de tudo na condução. Eu afino a minha mota para o meu estilo de condução. O melhor possível 😄
This video is honestly great. I'm getting a brand new 450MT next week (waiting for customs clearance) and after watching this, I will certainly check the suspension after a few days. I also own a 450 CL-C (the Bobber of the 450 family) and the experience with the suspension has been similar to what you explain: I had to wait for a couple of days for it to self adjust (a little slower than other bikes I've owned) and then adjust. The rear shock was stif as hell the first two days, but after 300 or 400 km, it settled and now is super comfortable. Thanks for sharing! +1 new sub.
I get what you're asking for, a suspension that is great for every stage of travel. I'm not sure if its possible to build that for a motorcycle, but I know that the Chinese just built that for a car. Basically a digital air suspension that is so fast that it can react to the surface with motors before the shock reaches the chassi.
Oh, come on...i dont expect the suspension to be perfect in every terrain...i justed wanted to be able to set it to be comfortable at low speed (sarificing a bit of high speed performance of course!)...but that seems impossible. This bike only feels awesome when flying 🤣
Para o OffRoad, as suspensões e o pneus são fundamentais. A 450MT pelo valor que está a ser comercializada, deixa margem para um UpGrade nessas suspensões 😊
What you describe is typical too much low speed compression. Shouldnt be too hard to just take off a shim or 2. I went from 6 to 3 low speed shims on each fork on a drz. Since you mentioned already playing with revalve it may be an unsolvable stiction. I went through that with a gpx. The forks required a bit of force to just start moving, bad coating/design from the factory(not the seals). Made little bumps feel like jackhammer.
The front is fine (actually, its quite good!), the shock is the problem. I think i will either do exactly like you said (low speed compression shims) or chage the shock altogether for one with more adjustability (will try to salvage thr one from my modded xt660rrr. They should be very close to compatible)
Your rear spring-rate observations sound like my KTM 390 Adventure; -18 clicks rear rebound and 0 preload and -32 clicks fork compression, -31 clicks fork rebound yields comfort (for me @ 225 pounds in 'space suit'). One can't get twin-cylinder smoothness and 59 inch wheelbase directional stability without WEIGHT ? In other words, "weight MATTERS"?
The 450 MT is an awesome cheap bike when you see the equipment and general quality. So it has 200 mm cheap suspensions with simple fork springs and a cheap rear suspension, very good for the price but we always want the best. It's always a problem of compromise cost/effectiveness, on trail bikes the problem is harder to solve as nowadays very few accept to have a front suspension going down at each braking. Normally It's the price to pay to get plush comfortable suspensions off road. That you describe is probably a problem with the fork springs which maybe need to be progressive and adjusted to the weight of the rider so the hydraulic settings will work. On some very good forks you could have progressive springs, or 2 different springs and even air springs (lightly compressed air in the fork). Except motocross air in the fork is now pretty rare, but progressive springs are rather affordable. For the rear shock a solution is to ask a specialized company to rebuild the shock, improving the hydraulics, and sometimes put a new spring. Generally it's far cheaper than to buy a new shock. It's almost always a good enough solution. I've always used the service of a specialist for modifying if needed and tuning my suspensions. They have plenty of experience, having tuned plenty of bikes, and have a knowledge about suspensions we can't even guess. Having the good tooling, it's a breeze for them.
The forks are actually very very good (and very adjustable), the "problem" is all in the rear, and i think a revalving will fix the problem. Honestly, the bike has been great and complaining about these suspension is basically nitpicking...its so good, its tempeting to put in a little bit more effort and make it perfect 😅
@@OFFroadOFFcourse I see that you mean. Surely the revalving will highly improve the shock. For a pro it's a piece of cake, even on a sealed shock. The general appreciation of the quality of the suspensions of the 450 MT shows that cheap does not mean poor, if the company is serious and wants to treat well his customers.
Thanks for the explanation of why you don't recommend it for beginner riders. if on your adventures, you ever come by the sierra de Aracena Spain you are most welcome to come by my small hotel and have a drink on the house.
Hows the power compared to XT660? Do you miss it? I see that suspension should feel superior compared to stock XT? I am experienced enduro rider and I feel that XT suspension is awful. I have come to accept them as they are because it would cost 1.5k atleast to upgrade them. But that basically turns the cost as same as that 450MT.
The suspension is much much better than the stock XT. No question about it 😂 especially on faster/harder offroad. My XT660R was very modified, 48mm WP forks, stage 4 WP rear shock and it felt just a bit superior to what comes stock on the mt450. The biggest difference i feel is precisely on that capacity i had on the XT to feel plush and performant at the same time 😅
Most helpful, what setting would you suggest for someone weighing 85 kg. I am also planing to lower the height would that make impact my suspension settings?
I tried the low setting for a while and quite enjoyed it (i didnt lower the front). In my quest to the "plush" suspension feel, i raised the bike again thinking it would help make the bike feel softer but nah... not as much as i hoped 😅 If you weight 85kg you will probably need to increase the preload on the rear shock. I suggest you follow my tutorial video about sag and preload :)
Excellent review of the suspension- everything you say makes complete sense and makes me think with time someone will come up with settings for most riders. I’ll take my bike to my local suspension expert and get him to set it up for me. Though trying to get the perfect suspension set up for every terrain on one bike is nigh on impossible, so if I can get close for off and on road I’ll be happy. Each time I see this bike tested I’m left thinking it looks and goes like the unicorn.
41mm fork diameter is a bit of a shame, it will flex a little too much and will also be aiding this narrow window of 'getting it right' - better aftermarket valving will assist the slow speed plushness but the 1st thing to get right is the spring rate front and rear, it needs to be correct for you - -if the spring is too high and you are lightweight you will never get slow speed plushness - the reason it feels plush at high speed is because you are pushing through the top 'trail' area of the fork maybe play with the rebound a little more, slow it down to assist the plush feel - rebound always interacts with compression by the way - the 2 circuits are not 100% independent
Thanks for the feedback! Actually, to my surprise, it seems that the bottleneck is not the 41mm fork! The front is very well setup in my opinion (after lots of tests and tries), but the shock is the problem. The Sag is correct now but the only adjustment (rebound) is also affecting the compression and so I cant really use it.... The bike right now feels as good as I could make it, and honestly, its not "a problem" anymore... just a "wish it could be slightly better" :P
A 41 mm upside down fork is going to flex a lot less than a standard fork and i havent noticed the forks on my himalayan 411 flexing overly much in rough going. I did notice the ride improved markedly after a lot of use.
@@user-cr4sb5nk5y oh i agree, it is a fact that USD flex less than tele - also a fact that a 41mm is very small for a bike that will weigh close to 200kg before rider and gear - i had 40's on my DH race bike, 36 on my old xc mtb, when i moved from 38mm to 40 on DH race bikes the difference was phenomenal, i am baffled they went 41 instead of 43 especially as KYB has so many proven 43mm USD out there - CF are obviously saving money but i am not so sure the extra 1-200 they would have had to charge to remain equal would have bothered buyers - the result would have been much better performance, same with the rear shock - 1-200 more and it would have been light years ahead - then again this is targetd low cost, so i get it - just a shame as for the end user to upgrade it will cost a lot more than if factory did it and charged more
I will try to upload something like that in this series of videos about the 450MT. But i think the result is what you would expect on any ADV bike being ridden by a rather normal rider who is not a trials ex-world champion xD In this video I test the bike in those deep ruts at low speed and you can see how well/bad the bike/rider behaved :) It won't be better or worse than any T7, Africa twin, etc... maybe slightly easier to save from a crash due to its lower weight/seat
Oh its very VERY superior to the XT600R in terms of performance. You can ride this thing way harder and faster than a stock XT. Maybe the stock XT will be better on those slow / smaller obstacles like potholes I was complaining about though :o Maybe
I don't know a heck of alot about suspension. But would going with a lighter weight oil make the shock more plush? Maybe it will make the damping adjusters function better too. I don't know. I love cheap fixes! haha
In this case the problem is on the shock, not the forks. To replace the oil (which could be a possible solution) you would have to "unseal" the shock and open it...and in that case might as well change the shim stack instead of the oil. The cost will be pretty much the same (i think)
Na minha (pouca) experiência ou tens um setup de conforto ou de velocidade. Consegues ter algo mais abrangente se tiveres mais curso ou ajustes eletrónicos. Aquilo que referes é uma boa observação, mas diria que é feitio e não defeito.
Obrigado pelo comentário! Eu ja ando em TT ha muitos anos, já experimentei todo o tipo de motos, e claro que tens razão, não se pode ter alta performance e conforto ao mesmo tempo... mas a verdade é que ja tive/experimentei várias motos em que conseguias ter QUASE alta performance e QUASE alto conforto ao mesmo tempo.... nesta sinto que para ter "QUASE alta performance" o conforto fica muito reduzido. Daí a analogia do lençol curto :P Os lençóis nunca são infinitos, mas este parece-me mais curto que o habitual :P
I am getting average consumptions of 4.6L/100km (51.1mpg) consistently on mixed use (on/off road), but its rather easy to get it ~3.5L/100km (67mpg) on road, if you actually try :)
@@OFFroadOFFcourse Thanks Diogo. Yes, I can imagine relatively hard to 'try' not to power-on this bike... that engine is eager. It would be nice to appreciate if the MT can be anything like as frugal as the new Himalayan when it's cruised for economy. If better than 3.5L/ then this bike has SO many valuable assets that it's way out on its own.
So you do get what you pay for. You said this bike is not for a beginner, what about a seasoned road rider who is looking to get into ADV like me? I wanna try something different and this bike is under 10K AUD here in Australia.
Maybe it is the bike for you then :) Just do yourself a favor and try both a crf300l (Or similar) and then a 450MT (or similar) before deciding if what you really want is a dualsport or an advbike. Both do the same things, cater the same type of people and scratch the same itch, but in very different styles
@@OFFroadOFFcourse I have a tuareg 660 and decided to go lighter and bought a 300 rally, both bikes are great but the rally is so much better in the slower stuff being lighter.
i have the same bike and I felt what you said about the rear spring being too soft, may I ask how many clicks you would recommend me to switch on both the rear and the front supensions Sr,? I weight 90 kilograms or about 200 pounds
The way to get it right is to measure the rider sag. Since the bike has 200mm of travel (both front and rear), the sag with you sitting on the bike should be around 60mm (rule of thumb, 30% of the total travel). Check this video for more info :) ua-cam.com/video/jeijOYcnlvU/v-deo.htmlsi=y9-kxs7FKSFBvpdL
Ciao Seguo molto i tuoi video e li trovo molto interessanti e onesti. Abbiamo gli stessi gusti in fatto di moto.Adesso ho comprato anche io un 450 MT. Condivido ciò che dici sulle sospensioni. All' anteriore ho regolato allentando di 2 giri il precarico molla e ho regolato il ritorno con +3 click. Per il posteriore però non sono d'accordo. Ho allentato completamente il precarico molla e ho quasi completamente chiuso l'idraulica in ritorno lasciando solo 4 click da tutto chiuso. Chiaramente fai come vuoi ,il mio è solo un consiglio ,ma se dovessi provarlo fammi sapere come ti trovi.
Hello dear friend can you tell the adjustment of your suspensión? I mean how many clicks in comprension and reobund both the forks and the rear shock thanks in advance
Both should be good, its really a matter or personal choice. I think the 450mt will probably feel more "ready to race" than the Hima...and on the other hand the Hima will probably be more easy going and comfortable for slow speed riding. You have to try both :) Remember: there are no bad bikes, only bad choices xD
They are so different i dont even know how to compare them 😅 One is basically a 150kg, 74hp "rally bike" (or a performance dual sport), the other is a weaker-than-average 195kg adventure bike. But i know this is a crapy, obvious answer...what exactly did you want to know? 😅
Hey, Great and interesting video!! Im thinking of buying one, but i can't get one important information: how much can you load on the bike? Because i weight 100kg and sometimes i want to take my wife with me 70kg). Is that too much? Maybe you have the exact weight for me, because I can't find any info in the web...
Hmm... good question! Th 450MT its probably a bit better on-road and a lot better off-road. The 390 will feel smaller and lighter (which may give it the appearence of better off-roading performance) but when you really need it, the performance isnt there. The 450MT has shown to be a very capable off-road adventure bike :)
Yeah that sounds weird... so you increased (clockwise) the preload adjuster (left and right side, with the 14mm spanner) to get a sag o 6cm? Are you sure you are measuring the sag correctly?
Thank you very much for all your information about this motorcycle and I would like you to make comparisons with other motorcycles of the same level. By the way, you didn't mention anything about the front brake pump and the brake fluid reservoir, since when the motorcycle is knocked down air can enter the brake fluid, did you know that?
Didnt know that :o So what do you mean? When the bike is down it will soak in air on the reservoir? I actually find the breaks quite good, but i didnt drop the bike yet xD
I think the spring is fine (i think), the problem is the shim setup on the shock (i believe...). Will test it more and eventually try to get a professional opinion :)
Hola Diogo. Gracias por tus videos de cf450mt. Tengo una XT660 R con 125mil km y mucho off. Quiero canviar mi moto por una trail ligera,no necesito muchos cv y cf 450mt me esta enamorando. Probé Aprilia tuareg de un amigo y vi lo bien que se puede ir con una buena supension. Del 1 al 10.... ¿Es mucho mejor la 450mt que la XT 660 tema suspension...y cuanto le falta para parecerse a la Aprilia Tuareg😅? ¿Y de motor se queda muy corta?...son 44NM vs 60NM. Mi peso 120kg y voy alegre por lo marron...se quedara justa....o al contrario trabajará bien
Hello David! Without any suspension upgrades, i will say that the 450MT is 60% as good as the Tuareg (if well adjusted, of course) If you take them to an expert and modify the shims and other internals, you can make it 80% as good as the tuaregs. They will never be as good cause you have 200mm of travel vs 240mm 😮 and also the fork with is 41mm vs 43mm As for your weight...yeah, maybe the 44cv wont feel very exciting. You have to try one...its different than the xt660, but similar at the same time 😂
Pogressive springs Plush for low speed, getting stiffer when you ride more aggressive... the best of two worlds and less expensive than compleet cartridges or even compleet forks
I am 85kg with gear on :) To get the bike well setup for you just follow the instructions on the "sag / pre-load" video, this one: ua-cam.com/video/jeijOYcnlvU/v-deo.html
Local KTM dealer mentioned due to clips of 390 Adventure Enduro R being published from India, that they are invited to a meeting with KTM in a few weeks. Another local KTM dealer can only state that the 450 MT, which they themselves do not sell, is sold out and more are waiting in line and that it is the 450-600cc Adventure + Dual Sport models the market want to buy. Especially now with inflation and recession. The market in India is in demand for RC 490 Duke Enduro R , i.e. middle class bikes. But the manufacturers still don't seem to understand the market.
The short blanket analogy is brilliant. Thanks for this, it's helped me wrap my head around how this suspension feels, particularly compared to the more plush but non-adjustable Himalayan 450. Probably the best-articulated review of the 450MT suspension.
Can we talk about how he lets go of the handlebars while riding on uneven terrain?? Cool af
The first time he did it I was surprised but later when he was gesturing with both hands, I almost fell out of the chair.
All that while complaining about the suspension xD
Well, the trick, just like i was saying, is to keep the speed up and the bike moving :P When you learn to trust the bike you will see that truly, the handlebar guides your hands way more than your hands guide the handlebar ;)
Loose hands but ready
That's why Diogo never gets "arm pump" 😂
That could be a theme for the next video! "The secret doctors dont want you to know!" :p w@@noelbrown6771
🤔para iniciantes no offroad, ou quem procura conforto e não quer ser piloto, a mota certa é a Honda crf300L ou a crf 300 rally. Todos querem "race specs" mas depois sentem a falta do conforto.😅 Para ter performance e conforto ao mesmo tempo é preciso adicionar €€ á equação.
If you want to explore the bike before buying, you are on the CORRECT channel.
Bought already. Waiting for delivery. I think I made a great choice 😊
Thanks for your words man! I am trying :D
There is a crossover effect when adjusting the rebound dampening in most shocks. The rebound adjuster affects the amount of " free bleed" of fluid but also has some degree of affect on the low speed compression dampening. Mid and high speed compression dampening is regulated by the shim stack on the piston. A good suspension shop can adjust the shock internals to your preferences.
Well said my friend! I will pin your comment at the top!
I will probably get the shims redone on the shock or replace the shock altogether. I have my "old" WP shock that I had installed on my XT660RRR and they are very similar. Maybe we little mods on the connecting ends it will be a match. Oh, the joy of having projects on one's bike! :D
I am 75 kg in street clothing. I have ended up with very similar settings as you have. I do believe that the front springs for my weight and non aggressive riding are too stiff for the comfy ride.
I also feel that the rear rebound adjuster has some sort of combined function as the compression function also increases.
I concur, Im 75kg, I feel the front is too stiff/harsh. and still playing with the settings.. Also after 1000km my rear suspension has free'd up heaps. the static sag on the rear went from 25mm to 35mm.
There are some suspension manufacturers that have combined adjustment for the shock that plays with both compression and rebound, so it might be the case with this bike as well. When I did a test ride on the MT450 I tried it on a pretty rocky dirt road with some "rock steps" of up to 15-20 cm, so it felt better uphill when I trow it with speed at them (comparing to my slow pace downhill when I remembered that it doesn't have crash guards and it was not my bike). Totally agree with the feeling of "short blanket" and I really hope that this will be changed with aftermarket shock with hydraulic preload and separate rebound and compression adjustments.
I'm certain that YSS will come out with front and rear solution. BTW I live in Thailand.
Very good point on fast vs slow riding wrt the difference in suspension feel. However, I think that the riders weight and added luggage also need to be taken into account. I believe that extra weight on the bike will make it more plush for slow riding and less good for higher speeds.
When you work out a more ideal and less harsh rear shock, do let us know.
Love the honesty, and yet at the seme time very useful information 👍
I like your analogy of the "short blanket" it really says what it means with this solution. I think it's a price "issue". For the bike's relatively low price this is a not bad option, you need to know how many clicks your suspension and shock needs for different terrain, I get that could be a challenging experiment for new riders or for those who don't have experience of that. But for it's price, I would say, I can take that, and after warranty change the rear shock,(or during warranty if you know what you are doing) :D I would say that yeah, it's definetely a not good option but not a bad one. I still appreciate your honesty for your audience! keep up the good work! Cheers.
Amazing video!
Yes I’d like to see more videos about the electronics, specially the ABS performance.
Thank you so much for this series. Keep it coming!
I will certainly make one about it :)
I'm a very heavy rider, I know I will have to set suspensions to my weight as I have to on the T7! Your video is really useful. Thank you!
✌️from France
The video i have been waiting for! Thanks buddy!
Great video Diogo. Very comprehensive.
Thank you for this video. You have some great skills not only for riding but also presentation. For now I stick to my Voge 300 Rally, and wont have to think about maybe a MotoCF 450. At 71 I want to limit the amount of risk I take a few notches.
I am all for lighter bikes! The Voge is great, the CRF300L perhaps slightly better (once the suspension has been worked) and honestly, if I was right now leaving in a solo "round the world" trip, i would definitely take one of those. Happy rides man, and thanks for commenting!
@@OFFroadOFFcourseWould you take your ex yamaha xt660 on "around the world trip"?:)
@@user-ec1lg6vl3i If the goal was to explore a lot of offroad, and if I was doing that trip alone, then the one bike I would take would be the CRF300L.
If I wasnt alone, then the XT660 or the 450MT would be interesting choices (or the CRF300L still)
If, on other other hand, I was doing a lot more on-road then off-road, then I would take something bigger (like an Africa twin, T7, GS, etc etc)
I hope this answers your question :P
@@OFFroadOFFcourse yes;)
Love your video and comments, Thanks for your information, I have just bought a 2024 800MT Explore, and I understand it is a bike that sells for less than $6,000.00 AUD for a bike that has similar specs. so you also don't have the best suspension etc compared to a more expensive bike but you have to accept that there will always be a compromise of some degree. I would have never considered buying a Chinese bike but I have been watching all the reviews of this bike and brand for over 3 years now. It is great to hear so many owners are happy with the bike and its reliability. I should add this is my first adventure bike after owning a lot of BMW RT and K1600 bikes over the years .This sort of honest information helps me understand more about the bike.
Good morning from Coastal Nor-Cal Diogo. 👋
Interesting observations on the MT's suspension. There are similarities to the way my Tenere 700 came set up. Too stiff. which my lower back didn't like.
The MT certainly is a good looking bike and you handled it well in the wild terrain going slow.
Caro Guerra... Sempre um prazer ver um vídeo teu. Abraço
Carissimo finuras, muito obrigado :D
Very thoughtful video as always, thank you
this hard kick of the front when you hit transverse obstacles in slow speeds, I believe it will decrease when you worked the springs a little bit more. It's fairly new.
The manual doesn't say that the rebound settings also affect the compression. But I don't have full trust in them being accurate.
Exactly. It should be just the rebound.
Totalmente de acuerdo contigo, de hecho he configurado las suspensiones prácticamente como tu y antes de ver tu video. Saludos y gracias!
Já conhecia amortecedores sem afinação do rebound ( Norden 901 ) mas sem afinação de compressão não, assim fica muito difícil afinar a traseira só com a pré carga da mola. Eu na Tenere fiz ao contrário de todos os experts do UA-cam e fóruns que dizem que temos de aumentar ao máximo 😂, eu tirei pré carga da mola uns 3 ou 4 cliques e aumentei a compressão. Na frente limitei-me a aumentar a compressão porque me incomoda o afundar da frente nas travagens fortes, de resto é confortável a baixa velocidade e dá para passar a voar baixinho por tudo o que seja estilo Dakar que a mota nunca perde compostura . A experiência que tenho de amortecedor é mínimo de mola possível, talvez seja por teres sentido necessidade de meter carga nisso que sentes a mota a bater seco . Sem te querer ensinar nada, já que achas ( e bem ) que o afinador do rebound também afina a compressão, experimenta tirar 2 ou 3 cliques na mola e vai aumentando o rebound / compressão até ficares satisfeito. Se não der aumenta um clique na mola e recomeça. É o que eu faria, a Tenere com a afinação de mola de origem quase me partia as costas cada vez que passava numa lomba. Agora ficou ótima e não afunda nem fica a balançar nos saltitos que dou😂
Nisto das suspensoes ha muito que se lhe diga, claro, e muita coisa vai do gosto de cada um.. mas no que toca à pre-carga nao ha muitas duvidas. A moto tem de ter o sag correcto e isso so se consegue a conta de pre-carga (ou mola) correcta. Consegues ter a moto "porreira" e ao teu gosto sem ter aa coisas "by the book", mas não estàs a benificiar do equipamento a 100%. É como teres uma casa com 8 divisões mas sò usas 3. É mais facil de arrumar e manter limpa, mas estàs a desperdiçar potencial 😂😂
@@OFFroadOFFcourse , poissssss 😄 , mas olha que a " cena " do SAG também tem muito que se lhe diga 😄. Vai lá ver o SAG que o pessoal do motocross usa comparado com o SAG de uma mota de GP. Um SAG maior ajuda a mota a traccionar, a roda vai estar sempre a querer agarrar. Um SAG menor a mota vai entrar melhor na curva mas a probabilidade de ires buscar a traseira as couves também aumenta. Não sei Diogo, eu percebo o que dizes mas se calhar não perdias nada em mexer um bocado nesse SAG só para veres o efeito na mota e acima de tudo na condução. Eu afino a minha mota para o meu estilo de condução. O melhor possível 😄
This video is honestly great. I'm getting a brand new 450MT next week (waiting for customs clearance) and after watching this, I will certainly check the suspension after a few days. I also own a 450 CL-C (the Bobber of the 450 family) and the experience with the suspension has been similar to what you explain: I had to wait for a couple of days for it to self adjust (a little slower than other bikes I've owned) and then adjust. The rear shock was stif as hell the first two days, but after 300 or 400 km, it settled and now is super comfortable. Thanks for sharing! +1 new sub.
welcome aboard! And happy rides with the new bike :D Make sure you get the sag dialed in once the suspension settles ;)
@@OFFroadOFFcourse I will! Thanks for your content!
I get what you're asking for, a suspension that is great for every stage of travel. I'm not sure if its possible to build that for a motorcycle, but I know that the Chinese just built that for a car. Basically a digital air suspension that is so fast that it can react to the surface with motors before the shock reaches the chassi.
Oh, come on...i dont expect the suspension to be perfect in every terrain...i justed wanted to be able to set it to be comfortable at low speed (sarificing a bit of high speed performance of course!)...but that seems impossible. This bike only feels awesome when flying 🤣
Para o OffRoad, as suspensões e o pneus são fundamentais. A 450MT pelo valor que está a ser comercializada, deixa margem para um UpGrade nessas suspensões 😊
É bem verdade Anrnaldo 😃 Talvez dê ali uma volta ao amortecedor, mas a frente até me parece bastante bem
What you describe is typical too much low speed compression. Shouldnt be too hard to just take off a shim or 2. I went from 6 to 3 low speed shims on each fork on a drz. Since you mentioned already playing with revalve it may be an unsolvable stiction. I went through that with a gpx. The forks required a bit of force to just start moving, bad coating/design from the factory(not the seals). Made little bumps feel like jackhammer.
The front is fine (actually, its quite good!), the shock is the problem. I think i will either do exactly like you said (low speed compression shims) or chage the shock altogether for one with more adjustability (will try to salvage thr one from my modded xt660rrr. They should be very close to compatible)
Great explanation!!
Thank you!!
Very thorough and easy to udnerstand review!!
Lovely off-road riding area as well!
Voce mora em Portugal?
Em Portugal, sim :) Santarem, para ser exacto!
@@OFFroadOFFcourse muito bem!
Nunca estive là! Eu só italiano
Your rear spring-rate observations sound like my KTM 390 Adventure; -18 clicks rear rebound and 0 preload and -32 clicks fork compression, -31 clicks fork rebound yields comfort (for me @ 225 pounds in 'space suit').
One can't get twin-cylinder smoothness and 59 inch wheelbase directional stability without WEIGHT ? In other words, "weight MATTERS"?
great video Diogo. where are these roads you rode on?
The 450 MT is an awesome cheap bike when you see the equipment and general quality. So it has 200 mm cheap suspensions with simple fork springs and a cheap rear suspension, very good for the price but we always want the best. It's always a problem of compromise cost/effectiveness, on trail bikes the problem is harder to solve as nowadays very few accept to have a front suspension going down at each braking. Normally It's the price to pay to get plush comfortable suspensions off road.
That you describe is probably a problem with the fork springs which maybe need to be progressive and adjusted to the weight of the rider so the hydraulic settings will work. On some very good forks you could have progressive springs, or 2 different springs and even air springs (lightly compressed air in the fork). Except motocross air in the fork is now pretty rare, but progressive springs are rather affordable.
For the rear shock a solution is to ask a specialized company to rebuild the shock, improving the hydraulics, and sometimes put a new spring. Generally it's far cheaper than to buy a new shock. It's almost always a good enough solution.
I've always used the service of a specialist for modifying if needed and tuning my suspensions. They have plenty of experience, having tuned plenty of bikes, and have a knowledge about suspensions we can't even guess. Having the good tooling, it's a breeze for them.
The forks are actually very very good (and very adjustable), the "problem" is all in the rear, and i think a revalving will fix the problem. Honestly, the bike has been great and complaining about these suspension is basically nitpicking...its so good, its tempeting to put in a little bit more effort and make it perfect 😅
@@OFFroadOFFcourse I see that you mean. Surely the revalving will highly improve the shock. For a pro it's a piece of cake, even on a sealed shock. The general appreciation of the quality of the suspensions of the 450 MT shows that cheap does not mean poor, if the company is serious and wants to treat well his customers.
@@pabloricardodetarragon2649 damn right!
Thanks for the explanation of why you don't recommend it for beginner riders. if on your adventures, you ever come by the sierra de Aracena Spain you are most welcome to come by my small hotel and have a drink on the house.
Hello Alex! Thank you for the invitation! Whats your place called? 😄
Hows the power compared to XT660? Do you miss it? I see that suspension should feel superior compared to stock XT? I am experienced enduro rider and I feel that XT suspension is awful. I have come to accept them as they are because it would cost 1.5k atleast to upgrade them. But that basically turns the cost as same as that 450MT.
The suspension is much much better than the stock XT. No question about it 😂 especially on faster/harder offroad.
My XT660R was very modified, 48mm WP forks, stage 4 WP rear shock and it felt just a bit superior to what comes stock on the mt450.
The biggest difference i feel is precisely on that capacity i had on the XT to feel plush and performant at the same time 😅
Most helpful, what setting would you suggest for someone weighing 85 kg. I am also planing to lower the height would that make impact my suspension settings?
I tried the low setting for a while and quite enjoyed it (i didnt lower the front). In my quest to the "plush" suspension feel, i raised the bike again thinking it would help make the bike feel softer but nah... not as much as i hoped 😅
If you weight 85kg you will probably need to increase the preload on the rear shock. I suggest you follow my tutorial video about sag and preload :)
@@OFFroadOFFcourse thanks.. will follow ur tutorial this weekend to fix the suspension
Thank you ❤❤❤
Excellent review of the suspension- everything you say makes complete sense and makes me think with time someone will come up with settings for most riders. I’ll take my bike to my local suspension expert and get him to set it up for me. Though trying to get the perfect suspension set up for every terrain on one bike is nigh on impossible, so if I can get close for off and on road I’ll be happy. Each time I see this bike tested I’m left thinking it looks and goes like the unicorn.
41mm fork diameter is a bit of a shame, it will flex a little too much and will also be aiding this narrow window of 'getting it right' - better aftermarket valving will assist the slow speed plushness but the 1st thing to get right is the spring rate front and rear, it needs to be correct for you - -if the spring is too high and you are lightweight you will never get slow speed plushness - the reason it feels plush at high speed is because you are pushing through the top 'trail' area of the fork
maybe play with the rebound a little more, slow it down to assist the plush feel - rebound always interacts with compression by the way - the 2 circuits are not 100% independent
Thanks for the feedback! Actually, to my surprise, it seems that the bottleneck is not the 41mm fork! The front is very well setup in my opinion (after lots of tests and tries), but the shock is the problem. The Sag is correct now but the only adjustment (rebound) is also affecting the compression and so I cant really use it.... The bike right now feels as good as I could make it, and honestly, its not "a problem" anymore... just a "wish it could be slightly better" :P
@@OFFroadOFFcourse i suppose now we wait for the aftemarket to figure out what shock will fit :-) - happy riding Diogo
A 41 mm upside down fork is going to flex a lot less than a standard fork and i havent noticed the forks on my himalayan 411 flexing overly much in rough going. I did notice the ride improved markedly after a lot of use.
@@user-cr4sb5nk5y oh i agree, it is a fact that USD flex less than tele - also a fact that a 41mm is very small for a bike that will weigh close to 200kg before rider and gear - i had 40's on my DH race bike, 36 on my old xc mtb, when i moved from 38mm to 40 on DH race bikes the difference was phenomenal, i am baffled they went 41 instead of 43 especially as KYB has so many proven 43mm USD out there - CF are obviously saving money but i am not so sure the extra 1-200 they would have had to charge to remain equal would have bothered buyers - the result would have been much better performance, same with the rear shock - 1-200 more and it would have been light years ahead - then again this is targetd low cost, so i get it - just a shame as for the end user to upgrade it will cost a lot more than if factory did it and charged more
you should upload a video of riding "hard" offroad on moderate/hard terrain. I'm curious to know your input.
I will try to upload something like that in this series of videos about the 450MT.
But i think the result is what you would expect on any ADV bike being ridden by a rather normal rider who is not a trials ex-world champion xD
In this video I test the bike in those deep ruts at low speed and you can see how well/bad the bike/rider behaved :)
It won't be better or worse than any T7, Africa twin, etc... maybe slightly easier to save from a crash due to its lower weight/seat
@@OFFroadOFFcourse fair enough, thanks for the quick reply.
Superb content, thank you for sharing thoughts. Could you compare it with XT660R's stock suspension?
Oh its very VERY superior to the XT600R in terms of performance. You can ride this thing way harder and faster than a stock XT. Maybe the stock XT will be better on those slow / smaller obstacles like potholes I was complaining about though :o Maybe
I don't know a heck of alot about suspension. But would going with a lighter weight oil make the shock more plush? Maybe it will make the damping adjusters function better too. I don't know. I love cheap fixes! haha
In this case the problem is on the shock, not the forks. To replace the oil (which could be a possible solution) you would have to "unseal" the shock and open it...and in that case might as well change the shim stack instead of the oil. The cost will be pretty much the same (i think)
Na minha (pouca) experiência ou tens um setup de conforto ou de velocidade. Consegues ter algo mais abrangente se tiveres mais curso ou ajustes eletrónicos. Aquilo que referes é uma boa observação, mas diria que é feitio e não defeito.
Obrigado pelo comentário! Eu ja ando em TT ha muitos anos, já experimentei todo o tipo de motos, e claro que tens razão, não se pode ter alta performance e conforto ao mesmo tempo... mas a verdade é que ja tive/experimentei várias motos em que conseguias ter QUASE alta performance e QUASE alto conforto ao mesmo tempo.... nesta sinto que para ter "QUASE alta performance" o conforto fica muito reduzido. Daí a analogia do lençol curto :P
Os lençóis nunca são infinitos, mas este parece-me mais curto que o habitual :P
Thanks Diogo. What's the latest you've found on fuel economy... pushing on the trail and cruising the street?
I am getting average consumptions of 4.6L/100km (51.1mpg) consistently on mixed use (on/off road), but its rather easy to get it ~3.5L/100km (67mpg) on road, if you actually try :)
@@OFFroadOFFcourse Thanks Diogo. Yes, I can imagine relatively hard to 'try' not to power-on this bike... that engine is eager. It would be nice to appreciate if the MT can be anything like as frugal as the new Himalayan when it's cruised for economy. If better than 3.5L/ then this bike has SO many valuable assets that it's way out on its own.
So you do get what you pay for.
You said this bike is not for a beginner, what about a seasoned road rider who is looking to get into ADV like me? I wanna try something different and this bike is under 10K AUD here in Australia.
Maybe it is the bike for you then :)
Just do yourself a favor and try both a crf300l (Or similar) and then a 450MT (or similar) before deciding if what you really want is a dualsport or an advbike. Both do the same things, cater the same type of people and scratch the same itch, but in very different styles
@@OFFroadOFFcourse I have a tuareg 660 and decided to go lighter and bought a 300 rally, both bikes are great but the rally is so much better in the slower stuff being lighter.
i have the same bike and I felt what you said about the rear spring being too soft, may I ask how many clicks you would recommend me to switch on both the rear and the front supensions Sr,? I weight 90 kilograms or about 200 pounds
The way to get it right is to measure the rider sag. Since the bike has 200mm of travel (both front and rear), the sag with you sitting on the bike should be around 60mm (rule of thumb, 30% of the total travel). Check this video for more info :) ua-cam.com/video/jeijOYcnlvU/v-deo.htmlsi=y9-kxs7FKSFBvpdL
@@OFFroadOFFcourse thank you very much my friend, happy riding
Hey Diogo, thank you for the video, what's the fork and shock settings your currently using on your 450mt?
💪😎💪
Mais uma vez, quando se sabe do que se tá a falar deste lado dá gozo aprender. Mais um excelente video ✌✌
Obrigado meu caro! Este tipo de comentários da-me sempre imenso animo! :D
Ciao
Seguo molto i tuoi video e li trovo molto interessanti e onesti. Abbiamo gli stessi gusti in fatto di moto.Adesso ho comprato anche io un 450 MT.
Condivido ciò che dici sulle sospensioni.
All' anteriore ho regolato allentando di 2 giri il precarico molla e ho regolato il ritorno con +3 click.
Per il posteriore però non sono d'accordo. Ho allentato completamente il precarico molla e ho quasi completamente chiuso l'idraulica in ritorno lasciando solo 4 click da tutto chiuso.
Chiaramente fai come vuoi ,il mio è solo un consiglio ,ma se dovessi provarlo fammi sapere come ti trovi.
Hi Diogo, just a a reference point how much do you weigh? I very tempted to go to my local dealer for a test ride soon.
A test ride is always a good idea :)
I am 85kg, with gear :) (1.80m tall)
cool, mine is too harsh for my weight.
Do you think it’ll be a good trade if I traded in my 2017 690 enduro for this when it releases in US?
Only you can answer that, man :)
They are very different bikes...it all depends on what you arwe trying to get from it.
Why dont you like the 690?
Did you change the fork oil to a lightr weight to make the suspension more compliant?
Hello dear friend can you tell the adjustment of your suspensión? I mean how many clicks in comprension and reobund both the forks and the rear shock thanks in advance
How do you maintain speed if you ket go of the throttle? Do you ou have cruise control?
I dont have cruise control. When my hands are off the handlebar the bike is loosing speed (but at high gears the engine break is not a lot)
Man, in your opinion, what bike is better? Himalayan 450 or MT 450?
Both should be good, its really a matter or personal choice. I think the 450mt will probably feel more "ready to race" than the Hima...and on the other hand the Hima will probably be more easy going and comfortable for slow speed riding. You have to try both :)
Remember: there are no bad bikes, only bad choices xD
Any thoughts on the 450 MT compared to the 701 ?
They are so different i dont even know how to compare them 😅
One is basically a 150kg, 74hp "rally bike" (or a performance dual sport), the other is a weaker-than-average 195kg adventure bike.
But i know this is a crapy, obvious answer...what exactly did you want to know? 😅
Hey,
Great and interesting video!! Im thinking of buying one, but i can't get one important information: how much can you load on the bike? Because i weight 100kg and sometimes i want to take my wife with me 70kg). Is that too much?
Maybe you have the exact weight for me, because I can't find any info in the web...
Hello, how much does it reduce the preload on the fork? Thank you
I dont know exactly... i just kept turning the knobs until the sag was correct (~6cm with me sitting on the bike)
Is cfmoto 450mt more capable on and off road than ktm 390 adventure?
Hmm... good question! Th 450MT its probably a bit better on-road and a lot better off-road.
The 390 will feel smaller and lighter (which may give it the appearence of better off-roading performance) but when you really need it, the performance isnt there. The 450MT has shown to be a very capable off-road adventure bike :)
I am 85kg and I had to fully preload the front for the 6cm… is something wrong?
Yeah that sounds weird... so you increased (clockwise) the preload adjuster (left and right side, with the 14mm spanner) to get a sag o 6cm?
Are you sure you are measuring the sag correctly?
@@OFFroadOFFcourse I can barely get the 6cm but only when preload in front is fully in… opened the triple clamps too but no success..
Thanks 😮
Thank you very much for all your information about this motorcycle and I would like you to make comparisons with other motorcycles of the same level. By the way, you didn't mention anything about the front brake pump and the brake fluid reservoir, since when the motorcycle is knocked down air can enter the brake fluid, did you know that?
Didnt know that :o
So what do you mean? When the bike is down it will soak in air on the reservoir?
I actually find the breaks quite good, but i didnt drop the bike yet xD
So how much you wiegh? And how tall are you?
I am 1.80m, 75kg naked (so about 85kg with riding gear and small backpack)
@@OFFroadOFFcourse "naked" :-) Good one. Thank you. With 1.80, how do you find limited space for knees?
So maybe a softer progressively wound spring perhaps?
I think the spring is fine (i think), the problem is the shim setup on the shock (i believe...).
Will test it more and eventually try to get a professional opinion :)
Offroad , offcourse
Hola Diogo.
Gracias por tus videos de cf450mt.
Tengo una XT660 R con 125mil km y mucho off. Quiero canviar mi moto por una trail ligera,no necesito muchos cv y cf 450mt me esta enamorando.
Probé Aprilia tuareg de un amigo y vi lo bien que se puede ir con una buena supension.
Del 1 al 10....
¿Es mucho mejor la 450mt que la XT 660 tema suspension...y cuanto le falta para parecerse a la Aprilia Tuareg😅? ¿Y de motor se queda muy corta?...son 44NM vs 60NM.
Mi peso 120kg y voy alegre por lo marron...se quedara justa....o al contrario trabajará bien
Hello David!
Without any suspension upgrades, i will say that the 450MT is 60% as good as the Tuareg (if well adjusted, of course)
If you take them to an expert and modify the shims and other internals, you can make it 80% as good as the tuaregs.
They will never be as good cause you have 200mm of travel vs 240mm 😮 and also the fork with is 41mm vs 43mm
As for your weight...yeah, maybe the 44cv wont feel very exciting. You have to try one...its different than the xt660, but similar at the same time 😂
@@OFFroadOFFcourse Muchas gracias 👍🏻👍🏻✌🏻✌🏻
Pogressive springs
Plush for low speed, getting stiffer when you ride more aggressive... the best of two worlds and less expensive than compleet cartridges or even compleet forks
and u need test 20kg plus with luggage for adv riding
Whats your weight man ? I am 110 kg
I am 85kg with gear on :) To get the bike well setup for you just follow the instructions on the "sag / pre-load" video, this one: ua-cam.com/video/jeijOYcnlvU/v-deo.html
Você é brasileiro?
Portugues :)
portuguese?
Yep :D nascido e criado
Update throttle ua-cam.com/video/lHWA3nOuGTg/v-deo.html
gonna test mine at the end of the month :) In Europe you need to do it at the dealer :o