If you were to draw a Venn diagram of the adventure bike category, CFMoto’s Ibex 450 would sit in the overlap between long-legged, tech-laden adventuring-touring giants like BMW’s R 1300 GS and lighter weight, less adventurous options like Kawasaki’s Versys-X 300, which act as an entry into the adventure-touring world. This is known in the motorcycling world as the ADV sweet spot—a place where midsized engines and svelte builds are paired with modern tech, a more affordable price tag, and at least some off-road chops. It’s where adventures become more exciting, but not yet overwhelming.It’s also a place where, up until recently, you’d have found large holes in manufacturer lineups. There was no bridge between bigger, multicylinder rippers and simpler, less-refined small-displacement ADVs; you were either all in or just toes deep, with a chasm between options.

Bikes like KTM’s 890 Adventure, Aprilia’s Tuareg 660, Honda’s Transalp, Yamaha’s Ténéré 700, and Suzuki’s V-Strom 800DE have narrowed the gap, proving that less can in fact be more when it comes to off-road adventures. But if less is more, what’s a little more less? Can a 450cc twin narrow the gap even further without falling into the category of low-budget, entry-level ADV? And can a manufacturer really deliver what you need for just $6,500?If the pearly whites peaking through our dust-covered grins are proof of anything (other than that it’s dry season in the Philippines), it’s that the Ibex 450 is anything but a cheap, low-budget alternative.Related: CFMoto Ibex 450 First Look

2025 CFMoto Ibex 450 EngineKey to the Ibex 450′s less-is-more design is its 449cc parallel twin with 270-degree crank—a modified version of what’s used in CFMoto’s 450NK and 450SS on-road bikes, with dedicated camshaft design, airbox, and exhaust for improved midrange. In Ibex form, CFMoto claims 44 hp at 8,500 rpm and 32.5 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,250 rpm, while touting a short-but-peaky torque curve compared to the NK’s flatter curve.For better reference, KTM claims roughly 44 hp and 26 lb.-ft. for its to-be-confirmed 390 Adventure, and Royal Enfield 40 hp and 30 lb.-ft. for its 452cc single-cylinder Himalayan. Honda’s current-gen CB500X twin made 42 rear-wheel horsepower and 29 lb.-ft. when strapped to our Dynojet dyno, while the Ténéré 700 is a step up with a measured 61 hp and 42 lb.-ft. on that same dyno. Kove’s FSE 450R Rally is somewhere in the middle, with a claimed 52 hp and 31 lb.-ft. of torque.We mention each of these bikes because the Ibex could realistically be considered alongside any; the whole point here is to bridge gaps.

Part of the 450′s flexibility comes from CFMoto’s beautiful-sounding twin, which makes sufficient power for light-to-moderate highway riding but has a more tractorlike power delivery compared to the 450NK we recently tested, making it better suited to off-road riding. There’s a slight hesitation from the cable-actuated throttle, but fueling is crisp beyond the initial opening and smooth, tractable power is laid down from as low as 3,000 rpm. This helps with lugging through deep sand or up hills without having to stress the engine, or yourself.To drive that point home, CFMoto led us to a nearby off-road park and started layering obstacles on top of us. Tight, sandy turns pointed up a steep grade aren’t our definition of fun when it’s hot, humid, and dry, but the Ibex 450 powered through the stuff in a way that genuinely made us laugh. We had no business getting through the stuff as easily as the Ibex allowed us to—credit surprising amounts of traction and smooth power delivery.

Is the powertrain perfect? No, but the only real concern we had was with the clutch lever, which has a light, forearm-friendly pull but very little feedback at the engagement point. For newer riders and technical off-road riding, more feedback would be preferred to help find the friction zone. Even if it comes at the expense of a slightly heavier pull. On the plus side, you get adjustable clutch and brake levers—nice touches on a $6,500 bike.2025 CFMoto Ibex 450 ChassisMore nice features come in the form of a fully adjustable KYB fork and preload/rebound-adjustable shock, each offering 8 inches of travel. Tubeless wheels are a thankful addition for anyone who didn’t grow up changing tubes trailside (or doesn’t want to) and come in 21- and 18-inch sizes, another nod to the Ibex’s off-road intentions.The chassis is all-new, CFMoto suggesting that it borrowed at least some ideas from the KTM 790 Adventure, thanks to its partnership with Pierer Mobility AG, highlighting the cross-pollination between CFMoto and PMG. Similar to the Ténéré 700, the lower part of the Ibex’s frame can be removed for when working on the bike or if it was damaged on a ride and needs to be replaced.Related: 2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan First Ride Review UPDATED w/Pricing

There are a couple of other tricks behind the Ibex’s fairings, including a two-position shock linkage, which enables you to lower the rear of the bike and drop the seat height from 32.3 to 31.5 inches. A taller accessory seat raises seat height to 34.3 inches.Packaging and overall dimensions are more like the full-size Ténéré 700 than the smaller KTM 390 Adventure, with handling somewhere in between. The bike is lightweight, neutral, and easy to steer through ruts or slick, dusty corners, with plenty in reserve to make quick line changes when a rock (or stray dog) suddenly emerges from the dust. Both regular occurrences in the hills outside El Nido. In technical, slow-speed riding, the bike is balanced and easy to stay on top of. It’s fun and lively, but not in an on-edge way.

On the other hand, stock suspension isn’t refined and is too stiff in the initial part of the stroke, causing the bike to deflect off rocks and sharp-edged bumps. This lessens as the pace picks up and you put more load into the suspension, but you never get rid of the “busy” sensation caused by the fork. Expect to spend time getting the suspension dialed in if you plan on doing much off-road riding.The story is pretty much the same on the road; the bike is agile and capable of being ridden all day without wearing your body out, but rides low in the rear and is a few suspension tweaks away from giving you the front-end confidence needed to rail through corners. The broken-up asphalt sprinkled around El Nido, Palawan, didn’t encourage aggressive riding, and we politely obliged.

An added benefit of the mellow speeds we toured El Nido at is that the riding never overwhelmed the J.Juan brakes, which consist of a single four-piston caliper and 320mm disc up front, and single-piston caliper biting on a 240mm disc out back. Braking power is plenty good for casual riding, but a numbness through the initial part of the lever pull zaps some confidence during spirited riding.

2025 CFMoto Ibex 450 Electronics and Other FeaturesRider aids include switchable ABS and traction control, both of which can be turned off via an easy-to-reach switch on the left side of the handlebar or adjusted independently of one another through the 5-inch TFT. There are no ride modes or cruise control, meaning fine-tuned performance comes down to your throttle hand. ABS intervention leans toward aggressive, but the traction control system is nice in that it reacts quickly and efficiently once the tire breaks loose. These are things you have to get right in 2024, and for the most part CFMoto has, even if there aren’t layers of settings for either system.Related: 2024 Yamaha Ténéré 700 First Ride Review

Kudos also go to the easily adjustable windscreen and folding mirrors, which can be rotated inward so that your arms don’t hit them while standing up. Doing so is actually encouraged, it seems; whereas the rider triangle for most entry-level and on-road adventure bikes makes standing up feel awkward, the Ibex’s pegs and handlebar are nicely positioned for any type of riding.The only ergonomic-related problem was that for us, at 6-foot-3, our knees were in constant contact with the far-reaching (and sharp) edges of the wide, 4.6-gallon tank. Moving back in the saddle was a Band-Aid, but easy enough to get used to, and in every other way we appreciated the space and layout of the Ibex’s cockpit. Comfort, fit and finish, and styling transcend the price.

Final ThoughtsCFMoto’s Ibex 450 has more going for it than just an attractive price tag. It’s a fun and capable motorcycle—period—with the ability to make adventure riding more accessible to more people.Is the bike perfect? No, but the engine is entertaining and the chassis quite good, with only a few hardware tweaks needed for the bike to go from filling a void in the category to completely disrupting the space. Already, it sits closer to the larger and more expensive middleweight adventure bikes than you might expect, with enough character and performance to keep you entertained for much longer than less adventurous, entry-level machines.That right there is the beauty of a smaller bike playing in the ADV sweet spot.

2025 CFMoto Ibex 450 Specs

GearboxHelmet: Arai XD4Jacket: Rev’It Tornado 2Pants: Rev’It Tornado 2Gloves: Spidi X-ForceBoots: Alpinestars Tech 7 Enduro Drystar