On test: CF Moto challenges the big brands with new ATV line

While the West has been casually writing off Chinese products as cheap tat, its manufacturers have been beavering away to make them better… a lot better.

The tsunami of throwaway plastic goods still forms a sizeable portion of the country's output, but there is a new wave of businesses building better quality, affordable equipment that discerning buyers are happy to own.

One of these is CF Moto, which has crept in from nowhere to give the established ATV makers something to think about.

See also: British firm develops tracked electric ATVs

Virtually unheard of in Europe until a few years ago, this builder of motorbikes, quads and buggies has been on an expansion offensive, going from small-time player to one of the best-selling brands.

It has done so by upping the quality of manufacturing, offering spec levels to match the market leaders, and keeping prices in the realms of the reasonable.

Appointing some 80 UK dealers, offering a two-year warranty and managing to maintain production while others have struggled to meet demand has also seen its market share blossom.

And so we come to its latest offerings – the UForce 1000 UTV and CForce 520 ATV – which were launched last year with a bevy of improvements to set them apart from their predecessors.

We got hold of a couple of demonstrators from importer Quadzilla to see how good they really are.

The UForce 1000 is CF Moto's top-spec UTV, featuring an in-house 963cc V-twin petrol engine that's good for a juicy 80hp and 79Nm of torque.

Diesel doesn't get a look-in anywhere on the line-up, so for those wedded to topping up on cherry in the yard, it might seem like there is little reason to read on.

However, after taking note of the £12,499 price tag, and the performance, it might be worth giving it a second look.

The beauty of the V-twin is that it provides ample power for almost any situation. Acceleration is punchy and, even with a heavy trailer in tow, it will buzz up steep hills at a healthy lick.

Performance has been tempered slightly, thanks to a limiter that pegs the top speed at 40mph, but this is probably no bad thing.

We never found it wanting for speed or power, and this safety feature reduces the likelihood of things going pear-shaped when the driver throws caution to the wind.

It is possible to fit an "off-road" ECU, though, which removes all restrictions and makes it considerably spicier.

Buyers also have the option of fitting an LPG conversion kit so that it doesn't rely on stacks of jerrycans or regular trips to the pumps.

UForce's tipping load bed comes with plenty of lash-down points © James Andrews

Although CF Moto has opted to develop its own engine, it turned to Canadian firm CVTech for the transmission.

Ironically, we found this to be less impressive than the power plant, with a lumpy engagement of drive at low speeds and precious little engine braking when you lift off the throttle.

The latter can be resolved by keeping some pressure on the pedal so that the drive belt stays engaged, but it's not quite as slick as the best systems on the market.

That said, some other considerably more expensive rivals aren't immune to this problem.

It's also slightly irritating that a warning buzzer goes off as soon as you lift your backside off the seat when the handbrake isn't engaged, even when the transmission is in park.

The flipside is that the handbrake lever is quick to grab and the buzzer seems to have no qualms about leaving the transmission in gear when hopping out.

In the looks department, CF Moto has clearly taken some "inspiration" from the likes of Can-Am and Polaris, with similar exterior styling and interior fitments.

It appears to be well built too, with quality materials used throughout and tight tolerances on panel fit.

In fact, if it was wearing the decals of one of the aforementioned brands, we probably wouldn't have batted an eyelid.

As for its working credentials, there's a decent-sized tipping rear load bed with plenty of lashing points and it can tow a 900kg trailer, which is up there with many key rivals.

The power steering system offers a decent tuning circle too – something CF Moto says it has worked hard to improve on this latest model – and the suspension does a good job of ironing bumps, even when careering across tramlines.

An added bonus is that all models come homologated for use on the road, so buyers only need to register them and bolt on a numberplate.

The cabin has been another area of focus for the engineers. Our test model came with the bare bones – half doors and a roof panel – but it's possible to make it fully enclosed for about £2,500.

Various high-end options are also coming in the next few months, such as a heater, heated seats and fully glazed doors with electric windows.

Cab options include windows, doors and a heater © James Andrews

The only question marks over the UForce are how well it will stand up to years of hard use and what sort of resale value it will have. However, the low purchase price should be attractive enough for buyers to give it a go.

✔ Gutsy engine✔ Keenly priced✔ Well put together

✘ No engine braking when foot lifted off throttle✘ Jumpy at low speeds✘ Seat warning buzzer

Coming in at an attractive £5,749 is the CForce 520 ATV, complete with a 495cc single-cylinder, fuel-injected petrol engine that's good for 34hp.

This pulls well and has a Honda-esque thump at low revs, even though the unit is built entirely by CF Moto.

It's a smooth and quiet runner through most of the rev range, but pin it hard under load and it pops and bangs like a saucepan full of firecrackers.

Bouncing off the limiter at 38mph is also a bit disconcerting, so you soon find yourself holding back to prevent the power cycling in and out. We hear it's possible to have this removed, though.

Like the UForce, the belt-type CVT transmission comes from CVTech.

However, the version in the quad is more polished, with slick engagement of drive, swift acceleration and good engine braking, even when the throttle is fully released.

We tried it out on a steep bank with a trailer weighted to roughly its maximum towing limit of 802kg and didn't have to touch the brakes.

Wishbone suspension features on all four corners, which gives a smooth ride and offers decent ground clearance, thanks partly to its curved front wishbones.

Other handy features are front and rear racks rated to carry 30kg and 60kg, respectively, power steering as standard, hand guards to deflect the wind, charging ports and a winch.

Build quality is hard to pick holes in, with a selection of tough-looking materials, neatly packaged internals and no vulnerable-looking wiring.

Our main grumble was the awkward overcentre handbrake and the overzealous seat warning buzzer. However, we hear that this is simple to disable, so it won't be an enduring problem for customers.

On the whole, it seems a solid bike, particularly for the price. However, like its UTV cousin, only time will tell if it can prove the naysayers wrong.

✔ Pulls well✔ Solid transmission✔ Good build quality

✘ Awkward handbrake✘ Irritating warning buzzer✘ Loud at full chat

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