CFMoto 250NK

It’s been a while since we’ve seen anything from CFMoto, but I know they came out with a 2024 CFMoto 250NK, and I got to take it out for a spin the other day. Believe me, it made a dent. Given the price you’d expect a high level of personality for this kind of money, and honestly it has more than I anticipated. You’ve experienced how some bikes just tick the boxes? This one’s kind of got a flair.

Design & Look

That being said, let’s first begin with the looks. The first thing you’ll notice is that sharp streetfighter design that screams, ‘Yeah, this bike’s not fucking around.’ It has a really aggressive look, it’s angular and it’s got this compact tank and these sleek body panels. The headlamp is also one of my favourites. It sort of has this unique styling like oh I know. I look good, don’t I?’ Now, CFMoto might have definitely hit the mark here with a modern look and there’s no denying that you can tell the bike looks different. It’s not trying too hard, which I love. You know, a little bit cocky, but a little confident.

The Engine & Performance

Explanation:

The Engine & Performance is my theme.

Okay, now we get to what’s under the hood. Under its tank, the 250NK is hiding a 249cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine pushing out about 26.5 horsepower. Not gonna get your heart pounding in a straight line, but sufficiently…peppy for everyday city riding, and those spur of the moment weekend highway trips. What it truly excels at is the midrange punch—it’s lively and quick enough up front exactly where you want it as you weave through traffic. The gearbox? It’s smooth enough, sure, but if you’ve been rocking the more polished machines, it might be a bit clunky. It is punching above its weight here, to say the least, for this price, though.

Features

The thing that stood out for me so much is the LCD display. It’s bright, it’s super easy to read, and there’s that nice clean no nonsense layout I like with none of that clutter you sometimes get. Then there’s this switchable mode, ‘Sport’ and ‘Rain.’ Is it a must-have? Not really, but it’s one of those small features that being able to do is just cool, even if you know you are going to settle to a single mode most time. Oh, and dual-channel ABS. I mean, that’s a big plus. That’s not typically a thing seen on bikes within this segment. To test, I remember trying out an emergency stop which felt solid in braking. It was a good, confident stop. No twitchiness. No drama. If I’m nitpicky, the quality of the switchgear could have been done better. It is a bit plasticky and a bit of a compromise anyway. At this price, though, you can’t expect it to be perfect.

Ride & Handling

The ride, it’s very nimble. When cutting through city traffic, however, the 250NK feels light and flickable. It’s a nice combination of sporty and comfortable seating position—something I could picture myself soaring through some twisty sections quite quickly without, at the end of the road, feeling like I need reach forward to stretch out my legs. The suspension is a bit on stiffer side so if you want to really push it through the corners it’s awesome, but your back will literally feel each and every pothole if your roads aren’t perfectly smooth. But that trade-off is small enough to me because it’s super responsive. Just recently I hopped onto the Yamaha MT 15 and I must say the MT’s handling is a notch more refined but then for the price gap you can still have the 250NK that’s almost right up there for so much less.

Pricing & Rivals

Now, let’s talk about what really makes the 250NK stand out: the price. That’s where it becomes a real contender. A Cyber Monday deal, it’s significantly more affordable than its rivals like the KTM 250 Duke or the Honda CB300R. The Duke has a little more power and is sharper handling, but you have definitely paid for the extra edge. But unless your dollars are bleeding red into the road (KTM or Honda kind of money), you simply will not discover a lot that the 250NK does not do. It’s a very solid value for what you’re shelling out. If you’re just after a fun sporty commuter that won’t set you back too much, it’s something to consider.

Well that’s my two cents on the 2024 CFMoto 250NK. Yeah, there are a couple rough edges around, but for the money, you get a pretty nice deal. The one for your next ride?” What do you think?