The new CFMoto 675SR triple sportsbike is one step closer to Australian launch after hitting the US market.

The CFMoto 675SR three-cylinder sportsbike has just had its first international launch – hitting the market in the US with the name 675SS. A full global release is expected soon, but in the meantime, the North American launch gives a first look at the international version and a good indication of the specs and pricing that we can expect.

The 675cc three-cylinder engine was unveiled at EICMA last November and the model was given its full unveiling at CFMoto Day in China earlier this year, but until now the full details of the export version have been unknown. The US release confirms a peak power of 70kW (95hp), but it comes at 11,000rpm compared to the 10,250rpm that the Chinese version needs to hit the same maximum. The maximum torque of 70Nm at 8250rpm is the same as the Chinese model, suggesting the two versions of the engine are in a very similar state of tune.

Full details of the US version of the 675SS/SR confirm it uses J.Juan four-pot front calipers on 300mm discs, with a 240mm rotor at the rear.

The steel frame is paired to an aluminium swingarm for an all-in kerb weight of 185kg.

KYB provides the suspension, with the USD fork adjustable for compression and rebound and the rear shock having preload and rebound adjustment. 

The chassis specs are the same as the Chinese version, with a 1400mm wheelbase.

Drive goes through a six-speed transmission with an upshift-only quickshifter, and the linkage can quickly be swapped to a reverse-shift layout for track use. 

Perhaps the most intriguing element of this new model is its price. In the States, the 675SS starts at only $US7999 ($A12k). In comparison, the CFMoto’s closest rivals are all substantially more expensive, with Triumph’s Daytona 660 starting at $US9195 (it’s priced at $14,790 ride-away in Australia), Honda’s CBR650R at $US9899 ($11,699 plus on-road costs in Australia) and Suzuki’s GSX-8R at $US9439 ($14,990 ride away in Oz). 

If CFMoto can retain a similar price advantage to the US in other markets, the 675SS – or 675SR as it will be known in the rest of the world – could be a huge success. 

Naked 675NK coming too

Coinciding with the US launch of the 675SS, the first spy photos of its unfaired sister model have emerged on Chinese social media.

The naked version will be identical in most respects to the faired model. The frame, swingarm and rear bodywork are all identical, as are the fuel tank, the exhaust and even the aero-cowled front brakes. The changes are limited to the front, where the nose and side bodywork is stripped away and replaced with components that look much the same as the designs used on the 800NK. The sportsbike’s ’bars are replaced with wider, flatter and higher ones, and the footpeg brackets are reshaped to move the ’pegs forward and down compared to the sports model.