If you are just getting into motorcycles, you probably haven't heard of CFMOTO, and you won't be alone. While the motorcycle manufacturer is more than 35 years old, having been founded in 1989, their motorbikes are fairly new to the U.S. market. If you know anything about motorcycles, you'll know that reputation is everything.
Zhejiang CFMOTO Power Co., Limited is actually a Chinese motorcycle company based in Hangzhou, China. However, they've been doing business in America since 2002, and officially
set up CFMOTO USA in Plymouth, Minnesota, in 2007. The Chinese bike manufacturer is quite big in the U.S., especially on the four-wheeler ATV side of things, and only recently began pushing two-wheelers in North America.
Here's where things get a little interesting. CFMOTO has a reputation for developing motorcycles at competitive prices, and their strategy is undercutting their competition. Now, you might wonder, are they turning a profit? The short answer is yes. Nearly all CFMOTO engines and bikes are built in-house in China, allowing them to take full advantage of the country's massive supply chain and low labor costs. Think of it as a family-run bakery that grows all its ingredients -- because it handles everything itself, it can offer lower prices than its competition, while still turning a healthy profit from customers looking for cheap, fresh food.
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Manufacturing And Focus On Developing Quality Bikes
It's a little difficult to sell an attractively priced Chinese motorcycle and convince an American buyer that they're getting top quality. It's not because of anything you might have heard on the news, but it has a lot to do with past experience shipping poorly made knock-offs from China. It's hard to shake that kind of stigma. The tides seem to be changing, and CFMOTO seems determined to not just capture the U.S. motorcycle scene, but the entire global market.
CFMOTO produces around 600,000 vehicles and about 800,000 engines per year. With distribution in more than 70 countries, it has established a strong global presence over the years. Unlike most of its competition, which outsource parts of their manufacturing, this Chinese motorcycle company controls nearly every aspect of production in-house, from design and engine casting to final assembly. You don't need to have a business degree to understand that this kind of vertical integration keeps costs low and quality consistent. Additionally, CFMOTO has teamed up with major players in the bike world, including a joint venture with KTM Motorcycles in 2022 to co-develop bikes and small engines in China, although the partnership ended in 2025.
While Chinese companies often receive criticism for producing cheap knock-offs, CFMOTO is all about in-house designed and manufactured engines, such as the 500-class, 449cc parallel twin in the 450SS. To further enhance the quality of their products, bikes like the 450SS and the IBEX 800 E feature globally renowned components, including Brembo brakes, KYB suspension, and KTM engine technology.
CFMOTO Pricing Strategy
Underpricing your product is one thing, but offering a better product at competitive prices is business Jiu-Jitsu. CFMOTO knows beating rivals like Kawasaki with specs alone will be a hard sell, so to rope in motorcycle buyers, it resorted to aggressive pricing strategies. After all, unlike most of their competition, CFMOTO handles most of its manufacturing in-house. For instance, CFMOTO's 675SS sports bike costs $7,999, the same as its rival in the same class, the Kawasaki Ninja 650 (with a $500 discount), despite having a larger displacement.
CFMOTO also has hubs in the United States, allowing owners to service their bikes and purchase replacement parts locally. This strong parts availability and warranty support help dispel many of the usual concerns associated with so-called Chinese-made products. As much as products from China face criticism for quality issues, CFMOTO has earned a solid reputation among riders for producing well-built, reliable motorcycles. The company's growing credibility is backed by motorcycle warranty coverage of up to two years.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
