Source: YouTube @T MotoVerse
A decade or so ago, the number 675 was synonymous with one brand in the world of motorcycles - Triumph. The Hinckley company's Daytona 675 first hit the road nearly two decades ago, and even today, it is widely considered to make some of the smoothest and best-performing triples.
However, other companies have not been deterred from trying their hand at the three-cylinder sportbike game. Enter CFMoto, a Chinese manufacturer that has been making waves in recent years with its impressive lineup of motorcycles.
The latest offering from CFMoto is the 675 SR, a three-cylinder sportbike that was recently teased in a special edition Aspar livery. This livery pays homage to Jorge "Aspar" Martinez, the current manager of the Aspar Racing Team in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes of MotoGP. The 675 SR Aspar edition is undoubtedly CFMoto's sportiest and most race-inspired model to date, both in terms of design and performance.
The heart of the 675 SR is a 675cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, three-cylinder engine. While it remains to be seen whether this engine is a copy of Triumph's or MV Agusta's 675cc triple, we do know that it produces 98 horsepower, slightly less than the 125-ish ponies of the Triumph. However, the torque output of 50 pound-feet at the upper reaches of the rev range is respectable.
The 675 SR follows the design cues of CFMoto's SR lineup, with a full-fairing, low clip-ons, and high rearsets. It also features modern aero touches, such as front winglets and cutouts on the tail.
Underneath the sleek bodywork, the 675 SR is underpinned by a steel trellis frame and fully adjustable suspension both front and back. Braking duties are handled by dual front disc brakes and a single rear disc, with the bike likely equipped with switchable ABS as standard.
CFMoto has been teasing the 675 SR for nearly a year, and it appears that the company is inching closer to a production-ready model. While the 675 SR Aspar Special Edition is still just a concept, it looks like it's ready to hit the road and track at any moment.
The future of the middleweight sportbike segment seems to be quite promising, with new models emerging from both established players and up-and-coming brands like CFMoto. And while the big manufacturers seem to be focusing on parallel-twin platforms, the Chinese newcomers are taking a more daring approach by stuffing inline-three and inline-four engines into their sportbikes.
Source: Cycle World