CFMoto 800NK Unleashed: Gets An iPad

Recently, CFMoto of China undertook the responsibility of continuing the production of KTM’s 790cc platform for international markets. In exchange, it seems, CFMoto has gotten the rights to use the platform to make something of its own, and it made one mean looking streetfighter called the 800NK. It’s every bit a KTM 790 Duke on the inside, but with a classic CFMoto twist. 

Here’s a closer look at the 800NK in six pics:
Design:

Side by side, the KTM 790 Duke and the CFMoto 800NK look very distinguished. Barring the format and maybe a silhouette, the 800NK sports its own style. Where the KTM appears lean and sharp, the 800NK looks beefy and muscular. In fact, CFMoto bikes are also designed by Kiska, KTMs main design firm.

LED lighting:

The 800NK gets all-LED lighting and a signature ‘NK’ series headlight, similar, in fact, to the smaller 400NK, but more chiseled. Even the tail light is a little different on the 800NK in that it gets a neat looking ‘devil’s horns’ design.

Hardware:

Despite costing less than the KTM 790 Duke in China, the 800NK does not compromise on equipment. 
It gets the same 43mm inverted, fully adjustable, KYB fork and KYB monoshock. For braking it features four-piston, radial-mounted, J.Juan front brake callipers with 320mm discs. And this is available on both variants.

The standard variant weighs roughly just 186kg, whereas the top-end version weighs 189kg, which is around what the 790 Duke weighs (roughly 188kg). 

Performance:

Using the same 799cc parallel-twin engine as on the KTM 790 Duke, the 800NK makes roughly 100PS and 81.3Nm. That’s very close to the 106PS and 86.7Nm the 790 Duke makes. Both variants get three riding modes- Sport, Street, and Rain. They also get a slipper clutch. Imagine, it’s packing as much performance as a 790 Duke for much less money.

Features:

What’s even more impressive is how Chinese manufacturers can offer an abundance of features while keeping the cost low. On the 800NK, CFMoto offers a 5-inch TFT dash with phone-mirroring function, like we have seen on the Zontes bikes in India. On the top variant, however, you have a much larger eight-inch TFT screen with adjustable orientation. It’s so big, it looks like an iPad; and with a dual-core processor, it can run a split-screen layout too. This eight-inch display even gets wireless Apple CarPlay! On the top-end bike the features list also include keyless ignition, proximity locking, bidirectional quickshifter as standard and also a steering damper.

Verdict:

While CFMoto has not officially released a statement on when it will launch the 800NK in other international markets, it is certain that it may not come to India. That said, if you’re looking for a potent 700-800cc class naked, the Triumph Street Triple RS is the best bet. We’ve also ridden the motorcycle, and you can read more about it in our review here.