KTM-powered CFMoto 1250TR-G Unveiled

That’s right, it’s powered KTM’s 1279cc LC8 V-twin

• Makes 142PS of peak power, making it the most powerful bike from CFMoto yet.
• Packs all the frills one could possibly ask for on a tourer.
• Includes a massive digital instrument console, fully adjustable suspension, and Brembo calipers.
• Likely to be launched in the first half of 2021 in its home country.

The last we’d heard of CFMoto was a couple of months ago when it revealed the price of the neo-retro styled 700CL-X for its home market. And now it’s back with a brand new tourer called the 1250TR-G. The motorcycle was first seen as a police bike via patent images that were leaked earlier last year. What makes this tourer ever so special is its heart. It packs a new 1279cc KTM LC8 V-twin engine that belts out 142PS of peak power and 120Nm of torque, making it the most powerful motorcycle in CFMoto’s portfolio.

So how did CFMoto manage to get its hands on a KTM engine? Well, if you remember, KTM had inked a partnership with CFMoto to develop its new 750cc range of motorcycles for the Asian market. The Chinese brand also has plans of launching the MT800 powered by the same twin-cylinder motor as the 790 Duke. It will be launched globally by early 2021. 

Getting back to the subject matter, the 1250TR-G, Asian two-wheeler manufactures are known to make cheap rip-offs of branded motorcycles. CFMoto, however, isn’t one of them. Its offerings are unique and pretty much original. So if you’re thinking the 1250TR-G is a cheap tourer, it really isn’t. It has all the equipment to take the fight to well-established brands like BMW, Honda, and Indian Motorcycles while undercutting them in terms of price.  

To put things into perspective, the CFMoto 1250TR-G features a tall, electronically adjustable windscreen and a massive full-digital instrument console that displays all sorts of information. This includes multimedia controls, riding modes, setting up the bike, tyre pressure management, and suspension settings. Interestingly, the entire layout and user interface can be altered. Other bits include heated grips and heated seats.

Then comes the hardware. The 1250TR-G gets radial-mounted Brembo calipers and a fully adjustable suspension setup from WP, the same brand that caters to KTM’s suspension requirements. Like most high-end tourers, the 1250TR-G has a built-in stereo system from JBL to keep you entertained on the go.

The CFMoto 1250TR-G is pegged to go into mass production by the first half of 2021. Granted it’s been developed for the Chinese market, but it’s pretty much written in stone that the motorcycle will be exported to international markets given its equipment list. Knowing CFMoto, the bike is likely to be priced extremely competitively and could give big brands a run of their money.