\ CFMoto ' s 450SR is already an impressive achievement for the Chinese brand - packing an entirely new , 270-degree , 449 cc parallel twin into an inspiring sports bike - and now it ' s spawning a naked roadster derivative that ' s likely to be an even bigger success . Called the 450NK to fit with CFMoto ' s normal naming policy , the bike has been type-approved in China , America and Europe already , suggesting its launch is imminent . It offers identical performance to the 450SR , with 50 hp at 9,500 rpm for the US and Chinesespec models , and an A2-licence-legal 47 hp at 10,000 rpm in Europe . |
Where it really shines compared to Japanese competition , notably the Kawasaki Z400 that it largely matches in terms of power and weight , is the equipment level . The CFMoto has upside-down forks where the Kawasaki ' s are conventional . The Chinese bike uses radial Brembo fourpiston brakes on 320 mm discs where the Z400 has axial two-pot calipers and smaller , 310 mm discs . The 450NK has a colour TFT dash where the Kawasaki rival uses an old-fashioned LCD , and despite all this , it ' s likely to undercut the Japanese bike on price . The steel frame and cast alloy swingarm are carryover parts from the |
450SR , as is the seat and rear bodywork , but the fuel tank is redesigned for the naked bike and the nose is new , with a look to match the larger , KTM-powered 800NK that ' s recently been unveiled . Unusual touches include the scoop-like upper surface to the front fender , which is mimicked by the V-shaped headlight arrangement . Compared to the 450SR , the 450NK ' s bars are higher and wider , and the footpegs are lower and further forward to give a more upright , comfortable riding position . While the 450SR grabs attention with its styling and race-rep looks , the 450NK is likely |
to be a more appealing everyday option , and as such could well outsell the bike it ' s based on . |
The reintroduction of the BSA brand under the ownership of Indian automotive giant Mahindra has been quite subdued so far - with initial sales focusing on the UK market before expanding elsewhere - but the first model has already proved a success , and more are planned . Initially , BSA ' s offering is the singlecylinder |
Gold Star , using a 652 cc engine that ' s loosely related to the old Rotax motor used in the BMW F650 , and sales in the UK appear to have been strong , with the bike topping the charts in the ' modern classics ' category in March . Now there are hints at how BSA will follow up on the Gold Star , with new trademark applications being filed for rights to the ' Bantam ,' ' Thunderbolt ' and ' Lightning ' names . The Bantam name is perhaps the most familiar , having been part of the BSA range for more than two decades from 1948 to 1971 . Always a small-capacity single-cylinder offering , originally derived from a DKW two-stroke |
design , the original provided an entrylevel step into the BSA range , and the new version is sure to do the same . While it certainly won ' t be a twostroke , Mahindra already has in-house options when it comes to making a smaller-capacity retro bike . The company owns the Jawa brand , offering 295 cc and 334 cc , retro-style singles that could easily become the basis for a cheaper , smaller BSA to rival bikes like Royal Enfield ' s 350 cc singles . Both the Thunderbolt and Lightning titles are also steeped in BSA heritage . The originals were both twin-cylinder , 650 cc bikes in the 1960s , sitting above the Gold Star in the range , and |
it makes sense for the new models to adopt a similar layout and position . Originally , the Lightning was a highperformance derivative of the Thunderbolt , and the fact that trademark applications for both names have been made simultaneously hints that the same could apply to the next-generation machines . Since the current Gold Star already competes against Royal Enfield ' s 650 cc twin-cylinder bikes , despite being a single , any future Thunderbolt or Lightning is likely to be larger , potentially bringing the bikes into competition with Triumph ' s 900 cc Bonneville derivatives . |