Test ride: What a scream – CFMOTO 675 SR-R

Wander through the Orwell Motorcycles showroom and you’ll find several motorbikes you would be happy to have on your driveway. And there is one that keeps grabbing my attention.

CFMOTO’s 675SR-R looks brilliant with its aggressive supersports styling, complete with race-inspired aero aids, including winglets on the fairing, front brake cooling cowls, a steering damper and aluminium boomerang-shaped swinging arm.

So the middleweight sports bike ‘talks the talk’ but does it ‘walk the walk’? This pensioner was more like a kid at Christmas when I finally climbed aboard the 675SR-R.

With my ageing and worn joints it took a little while to get comfortable with the low drop bars and high footpegs making me feel more like a jockey than a motorbike rider.

I soon felt at home after a few stretches and that seat is surprisingly comfortable.

The riding position is all part of the experience. You feel at one with the bike.

Another big thrill is firing up the 675cc triple engine. It sounds purposeful just ticking over but wind it up and the scream is a wonderful soundtrack for this well-sorted sports bike.

Its 95PS at 11,000rpm and 70Nm of torque at 8,250rpm make it a potent, but useable, sporty ride with rapid throttle response that makes it brisk rather than brutal.

A standard quickshifter aids acceleration with slick upshifts.

The lightweight chassis and quality fully-adjustable KYB front suspension and a rear monoshock, with preload and rebound adjustment, make for a very rideable, agile sports bike. It weighs in at 189kg so is very flickable, inspiring confidence on twisty roads with good grip from the standard tyres.

The suspension also does a decent job of cushioning most road surfaces but you are always aware of what is going on beneath the wheels.

Twin 300mm front discs have good bite and feel, backed up by a 240mm rear disc. They are from J Juan, part of Brembo. ABS is standard and it also features adjustable traction control.

The 675SR-R looks and feels well built.

The quality is clear to see in the premium five-inch TFT multi-function display which gives clear information, including tyre pressures and temperatures, and access to an intuitive menu of data and settings. Bluetooth means you can connect a smartphone to CFMOTO’s RideSync and there is a Type C USB port for charging.

What makes the CFMOTO 675SR-R, available in grey or black, even more attractive is the price tag from £7,198 on the road, complete with four-year warranty.

This is a serious sports bike with enough power and performance to be manageable rather than manic.

It is also another competitive contender that will make cynical riders think again about Chinese motorbikes’ street cred.

Find out more about the CFMOTO 675SR-R at orwell.co.uk/cfmoto/new-cfmoto-motorcycle-range/sport-racing/675sr-r