2025 CFMOTO 450 CL-C – First Look

The 450CL-C has the same 28° rake, 4.25-inch trail and 130/90-16 front and 150/80-16 tire combination as the Rebels, but the 3.2-gallon fuel tank (available in Nebula Black or a two-toned Bordeaux Red paint schemes) gives the 450CL-C a more classic silhouette, with a single round headlight, fenders, and pull-back handlebars adding to the look. A circular instrument cluster further provides a vintage touch, even if it contains a 3.6-inch TFT display and Bluetooth connectivity.

The riding posture is upright with the feet slightly forward, with a low 27-inch seat height making for an easy reach to the ground.

The CFMOTO is powered by a 449cc liquid-cooled DOHC Parallel-Twin with a 270° double counterbalanced crankshaft. The bore and stroke are identical to the 450SS sportike and naked 450NK, but the engine casings are unique with cylinder fins and more classical badging. The engine is tuned for torque, with CFMOTO claiming a low-vibration ride, with peak performance figures of 40 hp at 8,000 rpm and 30 lb-ft. at 6,250 rpm (compared to 50 hp at 9,500 rpm and 28.8 lb-ft. at 7,600 rpm on the sportier 450s). The header pipes run straight down and under the engine, ending in two dual stacked mufflers, with a dark matte ceramic coating and heat shield that does its best to hide its bulbous size.

The engine is matched with a six-speed transmission and wet multi-plate slipper clutch, with power delivered to the rear wheel via a Gates drive belt. Surrounding the engine is a three-part cradle chassis, with separate main frame, subframe and bottom bracket pieces.

Up front, the 450CL-C sports a non-adjustable 37mm inverted fork, while the single rear shock offers preload adjustability. J.Juan provides a four-piston radial-mount caliper and 320mm front disc and single-piston caliper with a 220mm disc for the rear wheel. A dual-channel ABS comes standard, as does traction control.