CF Moto 450 MT Suspension Information & Upgrades

Under 10 thousand dollarydoos, with factory KYB adjustable suspension!? These cheap little adventure bikes have features you normally only see at twice the price. Yes, corners have been cut, but our parts un-cut them.

The MT has a big colourful multifunction display, Bosch ABS & Traction Control, a torquey 450cc twin cylinder that sounds nice... this modern offroader gives you a lot of bang for your buck.

Even the stock Kayaba suspension is above expectations for this price point and is closely related to the setup on the Ducati Desert-X & Aprilia Tuareg. Apart from excessive brake dive, ride quality is decent up front, but the rear is only really acceptable for tarmac due to being over-sprung & under-damped. Both ends are adjustable, but the clickers don't adjust the dampers enough to solve problems. You can't expect perfection on the cheap - so there's still plenty of room for improvement.

Our development work has focused on keeping the good factory hardware while improving spring rates, damping control, adjustability and overall balance

CFMoto 450MT Forks

The front uses KYB 41mm split-function forks with approximately 200mm of travel. Rebound damping is handled in the left fork and compression in the right, with preload adjustment available at the caps.

In standard form, the most noticeable issue is excessive brake dive together with relatively limited damping adjustment. The clickers work, but the usable adjustment range isn't enough to correct the underlying valving when the bike is ridden harder through rough terrain.

Our CFMOTO 450MT Adventure Fork Upgrade Kit addresses the internal damping rather than simply masking the problem with heavier oil or excessive spring preload. Developed from the same family of suspension concepts we have used successfully on bikes such as the Aprilia Tuareg and Ducati DesertX, the kit improves damping consistency, front-end support and the useful range of the compression and rebound adjusters.

The factory fork springs are progressive, starting around 3.0 N/mm and increasing to approximately 4.8 N/mm. For riders wanting a more predictable response, particularly off-road, we recommend replacing them with correctly selected linear-rate Hi-Calibre fork springs. A linear spring makes the relationship between suspension movement and force easier to predict when attacking braking bumps, erosion banks and rough terrain.

We also found relatively high breakaway friction from the original fork seals. For this reason, we recommend SKF low-friction seals when servicing or upgrading the forks. Reducing this initial stiction helps the fork respond more freely to small bumps and improves compliance through the beginning of the stroke.

CFMoto 450MT Shock

The rear shock is a KYB 40mm bore monotube design with a horizontally mounted piggyback bladder reservoir. Again, the basic componentry is good; the problem is the factory setup.

In standard form, the rear is relatively heavily sprung while lacking the damping control we want for rough Australian adventure riding. The external rebound adjuster provides some tuning, but there is no external compression adjustment and the original valving limits how much can be achieved with the clicker alone.

Rather than replacing the entire shock, we developed the CFMOTO 450MT Rear Shock Valving Kit. It uses a CNC-machined damping piston, developed shim stacks and a modified rebound separator arrangement to substantially improve control through the stock KYB shock.

Combined with a correctly selected rear spring, the upgrade gives the shock considerably better support and damping balance over corrugations, square edges, whoops and larger off-road impacts. It allows us to retain the good-quality factory shock body while addressing the areas where the production setup falls short.

A range of Hi-Calibre rear springs is available to suit different rider weights, luggage loads and riding styles. Correct spring selection remains one of the most important parts of the setup; valving cannot compensate properly for a spring that is significantly wrong for the rider and load.

A Balanced Front & Rear Upgrade

For riders looking to get the most from the standard suspension, we recommend treating the bike as a complete system rather than modifying one end in isolation.

Combining the front fork upgrade kit, correctly selected linear fork springs, the rear shock valving kit and the appropriate rear spring gives the 450MT a much more balanced suspension package.

The aim isn't to turn the bike into something it isn't. The 450MT already offers impressive value and genuinely good suspension hardware for the money. Our upgrades simply allow that hardware to work much closer to its potential when the terrain gets rougher and the pace increases.

Alternative Rear Shock Options

For riders wanting a complete bolt-on shock rather than modifying the original KYB unit, TracTive also offers X-CITE and X-TREME rear shocks for the 450MT.

The X-CITE is aimed at mixed-terrain adventure riding and provides a fully rebuildable shock with hydraulic spring preload adjustment. The X-TREME steps up to separate rebound, high-speed compression and low-speed compression adjustment together with increased damping capability and PDS bottoming control for more demanding loaded and technical riding.

Development Notes

During testing of our own low-kilometre 450MT we also observed early wear on both the fork chrome surfaces and rear shock anodising. We are continuing to monitor customer bikes as mileage increases to determine how widespread this is and whether further durability improvements are worthwhile.

For most riders, however, the stock KYB hardware provides a very good foundation. With the correct springs and our developed front and rear valving upgrades, the CFMOTO 450MT can be transformed into a considerably more controlled and capable adventure bike without the expense of replacing the complete suspension system.

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