CFMoto has been on a roll lately. It recently introduced the 2023 800NK to take on the Honda Hornet, followed by a new CFMoto 800MT variant that beats KTM in the mid-spec ADV segment. Now, for its latest accolade, the Chinese giant is all set to update its flagship sport bike, the 450SR, as revealed by leaked type-approval documents. To jog your memory, the 450SR is already an almost-class-leading motorcycle in the 300-500cc sport bike category, and its latest update will sweeten the pot further.
The 450SR Will Gain A Single-Sided Swingarm
According to the type-approval documents and the partnering photo, the 450SR will gain a unique single-sided swingarm for its upcoming update. None of its rivals - Yamaha R3, Kawasaki Ninja 400, KTM RC 390 - feature this, and it’ll help the 450SR stand out further in its category. More importantly, this will bring it closer to the much-hyped SR-C21 concept which the 450SR is based on. The single-sided swingarm has resulted in a one-kilogram increase in the curb weight, but it’s a small price to pay for something totally unique.
Besides this, the new 450SR will switch from the Bosch 9.1 ABS to a newer Bosch 10.3 system. Interestingly, this system is used by much bigger bikes like the KTM 1290 Super Adventure and Ducati Multistrada V4, both featuring cornering ABS and an IMU, so there’s a chance CFMoto might well make use of those features in the new 450SR as well. Cornering ABS and IMU aren’t unheard of bits, though, since the KTM RC 390 has these as standard. Finally, thanks to all this, the new motorcycle will be dubbed the 450SR-S and will come wrapped in a new black-red livery to set it apart from the standard 450SR.
Elsewhere, the 450SR-S will flaunt the same mechanicals as the current model. So it will continue to employ CFMoto’s 449cc, twin-cylinder engine with 50 horsepower, which sits inside a chromium-molybdenum alloy chassis. This is coupled with a set of upside-down forks, a monoshock, and 17-inch alloy wheels clamped by single-disc brakes at each end. Both disc brakes will likely wear the same Brembo calipers.
The CFMoto 450SR Will Reach America As A 2024 Model
Since CFMoto usually springs into action rather quick, we expect the 450SR-S to debut in the next couple of months, albeit in the local Chinese market. Once that’s done, the 450SR-S should reach international markets in the second half of 2023 as part of CFMoto’s 2024 model range. This will include America too, considering CFMoto recently launched the 2023 450SR here, priced at $5,499.