Specification comparison: CFmoto 400NK vs KTM 390 Duke vs Bajaj Dominar 400 vs Benelli TNT300 vs BMW G 310 R

Chinese automobile brand CFmoto recently entered India in partnership with Bangalore-based AMW motorcycles. The company is planning to bring its entire range of motorcycles to the country in a phased manner. The first four motorcycles that have been selected are the 300NK, 650NK, 650MT and the 650GT that cater to the entry-level, middleweight naked and the ADV segments in India, which are among the most popular segments in the country. The next launch from CFmoto will be its 400cc offerings, the NK and the GT which will happen by the end of this year, confirmed the company officials to OVERDRIVE. These motorcycles too will be brought to the country through the CKD route. It will lock horns with the likes of the KTM 390 Duke, Bajaj Dominar 400, BMW G 310 R and the Benelli TNT 300.

Engine

The CFmoto 400NK will be positioned between the 300NK and the 650NK. While there is a chance of product cannibalization, we believe CFmoto will be using a similar strategy as KTM in India and will have a range of offerings in the entry-level segment. The 300NK will lock horns with the 250 Duke and the Honda CB 300R, the 300NK will compete with more premium offerings like the KTM 390 Duke, Benelli TNT 300 and also the Bajaj Dominar 400. In terms of specifications, the 400NK comes with a parallel-twin 400.4cc engine that  makes 41PS at 9,500rpm and generates 34.4Nm at 7,650rpm, mated to a 6-speed gearbox.

Read:

KTM 390 Duke road test review

The single-cylinder engines of the KTM 390 Duke and the Bajaj Dominar 400 too make similar outputs, while the Benelli TNT 300 gets a twin but has lower power and torque figures. Among these three motorcycles, it is definitely the 390 Duke that stands out in terms of offering an enthusiastic performance. The Dominar 400 offers a more linear performance as compared to the Duke range. The BMW G 310 R comes with the same unit as the TVS Apache RR 310 that makes 34PS and 28Nm.

Read:

Bajaj Dominar 400 review

BMW G 310 R review

Benelli TNT 300 review

Equipment 

The CFmoto 400NK comes with a compact LCD display which displays basic information while that on the KTM 390 Duke is far more modern with TFT display and also options to connect phone and play music as well through bluetooth. The unit on the Bajaj Dominar 400 is LCD that offers information on gear position, engine speed and also trip details. Similar is the case with the BMW G 310 R. The Benelli TNT 300 gets a part analog part digital instrumentation and looks dated as compared to the other three. It is only the KTM's unit that stands out from the all four.

Chassis and suspension

CFmoto is offering diamond steel frame on the 400NK whereas the Duke 390 Duke makes use of a steel trellis frame. Also, the NK comes with telescopic shocks in the front and a monoshock at the rear. In case of the 390 Duke, KTM offers WP USD forks in the front and WP monoshock in the rear which are the best in the business. They also make the 390 Duke the best handling motorcycle in its class. The Dominar 400 comes with USD telescopic forks in the front and multi-step adjustable mono shock in the rear.  The TNT300 too gets a similar arrangement. While the Dominar 400 focuses more on touring, the TNT 300 is aimed to be a rival to the 390 Duke in terms of enthusiastic performance.  Also, what goes against the CFmoto 400NK is that it has a kerb weight of 206kg, that's similar to the 650NK. The BMW G 310 R gets an identical tubular steel rear frame as the Apache RR 310

Price

The CFmoto 300NK is priced at Rs 2.29 lakh while the 650 NK is priced at Rs 3.99 lakh. The expected price of the 400NK is Rs 3.25 lakh, ex-showroom. On the other hand, the 390 Duke is lucratively priced at Rs 2.99 lakh, which makes it the most popular motorcycle in the segment. The Doninar 300 is the most accessible 400cc in the country. Compared to these two, the TNT 300 does come across as a more expensive choice especially when you compare its equipment and performance. Here's a detailed table of all the four motorcycles.

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