Better late than never, right? We’ve finally got around to testing a Chinese bike, here at Team Throttle. That you can no longer ignore Chinese motorcycles is hardly news. Neither is the fact that they still have plenty of stereotypes to shake off. Poor quality. Designs borrowed from the big boys. Resale values that make you shiver. But how much truth is in all that? To find out, I spent a weekend in Luxembourg with the CFMoto Ibex 950.

CFMoto isn’t an unknown name in the motorcycle world anymore. The brand really started making waves internationally through its partnership with KTM. From 2017 onwards, that relationship evolved into a two-way exchange of technology and engine concepts, with CFMoto also taking on production of several KTM models.

To underline its ambitions, CFMoto became a sponsor in the Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships in 2022. Just two years later, in 2024, they celebrated their first world title in the smallest class.

The Ibex 950 is CFMoto’s latest addition to the already well-stocked adventure class. Let’s talk about the price first, because there’s simply no getting around it. With a pricetag starting at $12,499, this bike offers a seriously affordable alternative to established names such as the Africa Twin, Tiger 900 Rally, 900 GS and KTM’s 890 Adventure.

Read that number again. That’s under nine grand for a big adventure bike with Brembo brakes, KYB suspension, Pirelli tyres, cruise control, heated grips and seat, multiple riding modes, connectivity, TPMS and Apple CarPlay.

If you want, you can add three properly decent aluminium pannier, complete with wonderfully soft inner liners, for $1,699. But other than that, there’s very little left to tick on the options list. Basically, the Ibex 950 comes loaded. At that price, surely it has to be a terrible bike, right? Continue reading →