Taking aim at the Adventure Elite
For years, CFMOTO has steadily climbed the motorcycling ladder, evolving from a budget-focused manufacturer into a serious global player. Models like the 450MT and 800MT have demonstrated the company’s growing engineering confidence.
The arrival of the new 1000 MT-X signals something a lot more ambitious. This is not just a motorcycle designed to compete on value, but they have made their own machine to take the established adventure-touring hierarchy head-on.
We grabbed one from CFMOTO South Africa and took it for a good long ride…
The 1000 MT-X, represents CFMOTO’s most powerful and technologically advanced adventure motorcycle to date. It combines a new-gen parallel-twin engine, top-shelf suspension and braking components, electronic rider aids, and some genuine long-distance touring credentials.
A New Flagship for the MT Family
Visually, the 1000 MT-X follows the modern design language introduced by the smaller 800MT-X. Its Dakar-inspired styling features a tall rally-style front end, high-mounted windscreen, prominent fuel tank shrouds just shout Adventure.
The design says off-road but they have included comfort and practicality for the long road.
While it shares some visual cues and chassis architecture with the 800MT-X, the 1000 MT-X sits firmly at the top of CFMOTO’s adventure range. This is the motorcycle intended to showcase everything that CFMOTO has learned through its long-standing partnership with European brands and their very impressive expansion into global markets.
The headline story is undoubtedly the bigger engine.
Powering the 1000 MT-X is a 946cc parallel-twin derived from KTM’s latest LC8c platform. You might recall that CFMOTO has a tech sharing relationship with KTM. The unit produces around 111–113 horsepower and about 105Nm of torque, placing it squarely in the heart of the modern litre-class adventure category. It’s all based on the newest generation of the LC8c architecture, featuring substantial internal revisions. A smooth six-speed gearbox is complemented by a standard bi-directional quickshifter and a slipper clutch.
What makes this engine fun is its broad torque spread. CFMOTO claims that more than 90 percent of peak torque is available across a wide section of the rev range, giving the motorcycle strong real-world performance whether tackling mountain passes, carrying luggage across continents or negotiating technical off-road terrain.
We kinda did all of that – and bar finding an occasional kind of quickshifter blip when shifting from first to second, we do like the overall feel. We chatted to the CFMOTO guys about it and they said that a software update was due that would eliminate that feeling.
They were correct. It did. Technology is amazing.
Built for Serious Adventure
Adventure motorcycles are all about their components and geometry, and CFMOTO has invested heavily in this area. The 1000 MT-X features fully adjustable KYB suspension with substantial travel figures, offering trail smoothing absorption and stability at highway speeds. It’s a good setup.
Up front you’ll find 48mm inverted forks, while the rear employs a fully adjustable monoshock with remote preload adjustment. Travel figures of up to 230mm and the great ground clearance make a lot of sense. Despite this, the bike does not feel overly tall and the seat is fairly narrow, so even for short legged peeps like our lot there are no complaints.
Spoked wheels in the classic 21-inch front and 18-inch rear configuration make sense. This wheel combination remains the preferred setup for riders who prefer the tougher terrain. The bike also has cornering ABS, managed through a Bosch six-axis IMU.
Technology Loaded
CFMOTO has packed the 1000 MT-X with a remarkably comprehensive suite of rider aids out of the box.
Ride-by-wire throttle control means multiple riding modes, traction control, wheelie control (we still don’t understand that), cruise control and cornering ABS. Riders can tailor the bike’s responses depending on weather, terrain and personal preference, with modes ranging from road-focused settings to more off-road settings.
5 Ride Modes
- Standard: The default street setting providing full power delivery, optimized for everyday urban and highway commuting.
- Rain: Softens throttle response and increases traction control and ABS intervention to provide maximum grip on wet or slippery surfaces.
- Off-road: Smoothes the throttle input for loose surfaces, allowing more rear-wheel slip and deactivating the ABS on the rear wheel for better dirt handling.
- All-Terrain: Tailored for demanding dirt and loose conditions. It dials in off-road mapping and switches off the ABS completely.
- Master (Custom): Allows advanced riders to freely configure their own custom profiles, setting preferred throttle maps alongside independent ABS and TC settings.
At the centre of the cockpit is a large vertical TV style TFT touchscreen display. It includes smartphone connectivity, navigation integration, USB charging ports and app compatibility bringing the 1000 MT-X in line with the latest generation of premium adventure motorcycles.
Heated grips, heated seating, adjustable ergonomics and a large fuel tank, approximately 22.5 litres gives practical range figures between refuels. It’s easy to stand and ride with a sculpted tank and wide pegs. The adjustable screen is easy to adjust on the fly with one hand.
This all weighs in at dry weight of 199 kg and a fully fueled curb (wet) weight of 222. Thats lightest in class.
They seem to have covered all the bases.
Verdict
We are seeing more and more CFMOTO’s out on the trails and we do understand why. It’s a brand that makes sense even if you ignore the value for money proposition.
We rode this 1000 MT-X on tar. We rode gravel. We scampered up and down some of the rock strewn koppies that we know of – and we did a long road trip all around Gauteng.
Ummmm… What else?
It’s a 1000, so there’s power. Switching between modes is simple, we’ll be borrowing it again for a proper adventure soon.
The Question of Reliability
Like any all-new model, long-term reliability remains one of the key questions potential buyers will ask. CFMOTO SA seems pretty well sorted with parts and tech and the bike carries a 4 year 48000KM warranty.
Early indications have generally been positive regarding the revised engine platform, with many riders noting that the latest-generation LC8c architecture incorporates significant updates compared with earlier versions. As production numbers increase and more motorcycles accumulate mileage, the 1000 MT-X’s reputation will ultimately be determined by real-world ownership experiences rather than specifications alone.
The CFMOTO 1000 MT-X marks a defining moment for this manufacturer. It combines proven European engineering influences with premium components, advanced electronics and some genuine hardcore adventure cred.
This is one brand that is forcing established brands to pay close attention to a challenger that is rapidly gaining popularity…
You can watch our start up clip HERE.
R199900.00
At your CFMOTO Dealer.
