The adventure bike that offers premium comfort for under $12,000

Adventure bikes have gotten a bit out of hand when it comes to prices and features. There was a time when they were just big dual-sport machines with better highway manners in exchange for slightly diminished off-road capabilities. Today, however, the largest, most premium adventure bikes cost as much as a full-dress tourer and weigh almost as much. They are the most comfortable bikes when you consider that they will pamper you on any terrain. But you are also expected to pay premiums.

The question then is: what do you do if you want a premium ADV on a budget, without sacrificing the kind of comfort they offer? Luckily for all of us, there is one manufacturer that has a history of taking on the big guns with shock value. Here’s the adventure bike that offers premium comfort for under $12,000.

The CFMoto Ibex 800 E is the adventure bike that offers premium comfort for under $12,000

There are some really great options in the middleweight adventure bike segment, ranging from a single-cylinder thumper that’s unbreakable to a three-cylinder banshee with a counter-rotating crankshaft and a price that will beat most full-size ADVs. The Ibex sits somewhere in the middle of these two extremes, with a price closer to the single-cylinder machine but a distinctive seat on par with the premium products. This is a great combination if you are looking for something with great value.

CFMoto Capricorn 800 E Price: $10,299

The Ibex 800 E sells for a price well below our target price of $12,000. There are a few strong contenders around that price point, but all the really good ones are just on the wrong side. There are some very capable products within our price range, but more often than not they are designed to appeal to a specific group of consumers rather than pursuing the almost unattainable goal of competing with products at a higher price point. The Ibex 800 goes against the grain and CFMoto has chosen to provide America with only one variant with all the bells and whistles.

CFMoto Ibex 800 E-motor

The Ibex has a 270-degree parallel twin engine, with peak power and torque of 94 horsepower and 56.8 pound-feet. This is a fun bike, thanks to its KTM roots. CFMoto has given it all the electronic assistance possible, with a by-wire throttle and six-axis IMU. That means a bunch of riding modes, six in total: the regular Road and Rain modes, two designed for off-road use and two for all-terrain use.

A six-speed manual gearbox with two-way quickshifter is standard on the Ibex 800. A chain drives the rear wheel. The standard quickshifter is a nice touch, especially since it’s an option on a surprising number of middleweight adventure bikes.

CFMoto Ibex 800 E chassis

A steel trellis frame forms the skeleton of the Ibex 800, keeping the weight low. The aluminum swingarm and subframe also contribute to this. The KYB suspension is adjustable for preload and rebound at the rear, and preload, compression and rebound at the front. Suspension travel is 6.3 inches and 5.9 inches front and rear.

Radial tubeless tires are fitted to 19/17-inch spoked rims – a compromise that makes it better on tarmac, but at the expense of its off-road capabilities. Still, we think this is okay because of the audience CFMoto is targeting. The J.Juan brakes are quite large up front, with four-piston radial fixed calipers, while the rear has a two-piston floating caliper. Cornering ABS, a tire pressure monitoring system and a steering damper (!) are available.

CFMoto Ibex 800 E Dimensions

CFMoto hasn’t exactly achieved the goal of being the lightest motorcycle in its class, but that’s okay considering the amount of electronics and features it has. The seat height is an extremely reasonable and approachable 32.5 inches, and the fuel tank can hold more than five gallons. Combined with the economical engine, this ensures that the Ibex 800 has a good refueling action.

CFMoto Ibex 800 E features

This is where the Ibex 800 excels, as it is only available in the top ‘E’ variant in the US market. The 8-inch TFT screen is definitely a highlight. This is also a touchscreen and gets Bluetooth, navigation and Apple CarPlay as standard. Another highlight is the radar-based blind spot monitoring system. Yes, this is also standard.

Other notable features include a tire pressure monitoring system, an adjustable windscreen that can be adjusted manually, cruise control, heated grips, a USB-C charging port, a 12V socket, full LED lighting, standard auxiliary lighting and a center stand. Phew! That’s a LOT of equipment for the money.

CFMoto Ibex 800 E Competition

Since we are talking about premium comfort, but less than $12,000, we will have to throw out strong players from the segment such as the BMW F 900 GS ($14,275), Ducati Multistrada V2 ($16,595) and Aprilia Tuareg 660 ($12,499). There are a few more that are worthy of the Ibex 800 E competitor’s mantle, but don’t really manage to live up to the demands of ‘premium comfort’.

The Yamaha Tenere 700 ($10,999) is a highly respected middleweight adventure bike, costing almost the same as the Ibex 800 at $10,999, but the emphasis is on the fact that it is light and usable off-road. It was recently updated with a by-wire throttle, an optional two-way quickshifter and a larger windshield making it easier to live with most of the time.

There’s the Suzuki V-Strom 650XT ($9,799), but it’s long in the tooth and doesn’t have some of the features like a TFT screen that we consider essential for a premium experience today. There’s the newer V-Strom, the V-Strom 800, and especially the V-Strom 800DE ($11,799) with spoked rims, but it doesn’t have tubeless tires. The Honda Transalp ($9,999) may be a good option, but it doesn’t aim for premium at all. The Ibex 800 E is therefore in a completely separate segment when it comes to the combination of value and premium comfort.

Sources: CFMoto USA