The midweight sports bike segment is hotter than it has ever been. This is due to the shift in mentality for sports bike fanatics who now want versatility from these otherwise track-oriented machines. And since the customer is king, nearly every bikemaker has had to go back to the drawing board to bring a do-it-all-type of faired bike. While that’s good news for us consumers, it inevitably leaves some capable bikes left in the dark.
We’re talking about one such overlooked midweight sports bike today. It hails from China, offers a likable package, and the base price is scarcely believable. All the while, versatility and performance remain its strong suits. Let’s dive in.
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The CFMoto 675SS Is The Overlooked Midweight Sports Bike That’s Fast, Comfortable, And Affordable
Price: $7,999
The CFMoto 675SS is a no-brainer pick for this article. There are two key reasons why it is overlooked. The first is its Chinese origins, and we all know Chinese bikes are frowned upon here. The second is its fairly recent entry in the segment. Its global debut happened in 2023, followed by its US-arrival in 2024 (as part of the MY25 lineup). The brand itself entered the US back in 2023, so this only hurts its case against well-proven players from brands like Kawasaki and Suzuki.
Regardless of it being overlooked, the package here is quite promising. You get a triple-cylinder engine with near-class-leading power, quality suspension, and not-so-back-breaking ergonomics. All that comes at a solid price of $7,999, which is quite astonishing given the recent tariff woes. That price is just $600 more than the 2025 Honda CBR500R!
Are there any other overlooked midweights, you ask? The Kawasaki Ninja 650 certainly comes to mind. It is more comfortable and affordable than the 675SS. But it lacks the performance, as the horsepower difference between these two is almost 30 ponies. The overall package is also quite dated on the Ninja, since there have been no major overhauls in recent times.
Another overlooked but capable bike is the Triumph Daytona 660. You get a similar triple-cylinder engine with identical performance as the SS, along with comparable features and equipment. However, the base price is $9,195–almost $1,200 higher than the CFMoto. The value prospect helps the Chinese bike become a better buy in our books.
The CFMoto 675SS Has More Performance Than Its Contemporaries
What makes the 675SS fast is a triple-cylinder engine that displaces 675 cubic centimeters. It is one of only two triple-cylinder engines you can get on a sports bike under $10,000 today. Internals like cobalt alloy valves, forged pistons, and a low-inertia crankshaft help the mill churn out 95 horsepower and 51.6 pound-feet. The former is slightly higher than its triple-cylinder rival (the Daytona 660), while its parallel-twin rivals (Yamaha R7 and Suzuki GSX-8R) are way behind. You should also know that an exhaust and ECU flash can unlock around 10 percent more power.
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A Top Speed Of 150 Miles Per Hour Is Attainable Here
In stock form, owners report that you can see a speedo-indicated top speed of around 150 miles per hour. You’ll need to max out the six-speed transmission, though, where you’ll appreciate the presence of a quickshifter. Interestingly, CFMoto has also thought of track usage and given the bike a reversible linkage to allow a 1-up 5-down shift pattern with just basic tools.
Committed But Comfortable Ergonomics Boosts The Usability
Coming to comfort, the 675SS follows the new-age middleweight sports bike brief. That means the riding triangle balances sportiness and usability by featuring clip-on bars, mid-set footpegs, and a low seat (an ultra-accessible 31.9 inches). You’ll also appreciate the low weight of 429 pounds wet (13 pounds less than the Daytona and 37 pounds less than the inline-four CBR650R). Add the 55.1-inch wheelbase, and you have a livable package by sports bike standards.
Suspension Adjustability Ensures Further Comfort
Ask anyone who knows about suspension tuning, and they’ll tell you just how life-changing this can be. But budget sports bikes rarely offer this ability. Luckily, CFMoto doesn’t cheap out here. The 41 mm USD forks have preload, rebound, and compression adjustability, while the rear monoshock has preload and rebound adjustment.
So you can harden/soften the setup at will. Meanwhile, braking is via dual discs at the front and a single rear disc at the rear. J.Juan (a subsidiary of Brembo) supplies calipers for all three.
Key Dimensions
- Rake: 23.7 degrees
- Weight: 429 pounds
- Tank capacity: 4 gallons
- Wheelbase: 55.1 inches
- Seat height: 31.9 inches
- Wheels: 17-inch alloys
- Tires: 120/180-section (CST)
The CFMoto Doesn’t Cheap Out On Features
Like in other areas, the CFMoto 675SS offers a likable package here, too. The cockpit has a 5-inch TFT instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity, a lap timer, and a tire pressure monitoring system as standard. You also get traction control, dual-channel ABS, and a quickshifter. All that is right up there with its rivals, but we feel a blipper would’ve made things better. Another bummer is the lack of accessories from CFMoto, so you’ll have to get them from third-party companies.
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The Design Is Also Impressive
Finally, we have the design. At the front, the fascia has distinct LED DRLs and two-part headlights. A set of muscular fairings plays the sidekick, and you even get aerodynamic wings and frame sliders. Rounding things off is a fairly minimalistic tail section with an LED strip for the tail lamp. Turn signals are integrated, so if you remove the fender, you’ll get a racebike-like clean tushy.