ARE CHINESE BIKES BANNED? — MR. KNOW-IT-ALL

[MotoFactory]

WHO’S SPYING ON WHOM?
Mr. Know-It-All,
I have heard that CFMoto is being banned in the U.S. by leftover anti-China legislation from the Biden administration. I was interested in the KTM 790 Adventure, which is made by CFMoto, but now I don’t know if that motorcycle will be banned, too. Should I get one now, or will a troop of Feds knock down my door and seize my bike as soon as the legislation goes into effect?
Morgan Curry
via MrKIA@hi-torque.com

Oh, Morgan. I think I can assemble an intelligent question from all the half-information and nonsense in your correspondence, but it’s difficult. Let’s start with the CFMoto ban. It’s not true, won’t be true and is somewhat ridiculous. What might be floating around in the milky mush within your skull is legislation proposed last summer and finalized in the last days of the outgoing administration. It concerns “connected vehicles” manufactured in China and Russia. That refers to systems and components that connect the vehicle to the outside world through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It also includes autonomous driving systems. The concern is that this technology can collect data on drivers and American infrastructure, and pose a national security threat.

The definition of connected vehicles still needs to be refined, but most motorcycles have some sort of smartphone connectivity these days. CFMoto has its RideSync smartphone app, which offers its own in-house navigation system. In broad terms, the connected vehicle description could also include motorcycles using the KTMconnect feature if any componentry is found to be manufactured in China or Russia. The rule concerns motorcycles imported in 2027.

The KTM 790 Adventure is only assembled in China. All the parts are said to be shipped there from other sources, although some electronic parts might well have been shipped back and forth. Now, listen carefully. No motorcycles are to be banned by this legislation. The only focus is the connectivity feature. If the legislation goes into effect, that feature might be disabled, but only if components are found to be manufactured in China or Russia. My advice is to buy whatever motorcycle you want to buy, but you might end up using Waze or Google to do your navigation.

ELECTRIFY ME
Mr. Know-It-All,
I read your review on the coming Stark Varg EX dual-sport bike, and I can’t wait to see one. My big reservation is availability of charge stations. In your review, you said that it would be compatible with EV charging stations in the U.S. I can’t find any information about this on the Stark website. Will it accept a J1772 or a J3400 charger? Will it be level 2 or level 3? Will it require an adapter? Everything else about the bike sounds awesome, but if you can’t charge it away from home, you really can’t go far.
Chic Sawyer
via MrKIA@hi-torque.com

Chic, I’m not sure what review you actually read. This is what we said in the Stark Varg EX test: “There’s been some discussion of an adapter that allows the Varg to recharge at the stations provided for electric cars. At this point, that’s just talk.” When we visited the Stark Future factory last December, we were impressed with the number of projects that were in progress. The subject of charging the EX at a Tesla or some other station was mentioned, but we got the impression it’s not at the top of the list. There are plenty of reasons to consider the EX, but your plans shouldn’t hinge on remote charging. That capability might be years away.

SUSPENSION AND SEAT HEIGHT
Mr. Know-It-All,
In the November 2024 test of the Husky FX350, you guys said that Husqvarna models have reduced seat height compared to KTM models. This isn’t true. The Husqvarna FX350 has the exact same seat height as the KTM 350XC-F according to factory specs. You really should have known.
MXrdr874
via MrKIA@hi-torque.com

Mr. 874, you are correct. We were wrong. There, I said it, even though my tongue exploded with shame. The reduced seat height is only a factor with Husqvarna motocross bikes. The off-road-oriented FX350 actually has slightly more travel and a taller seat height, making it the same as the KTM 350SX-F and the KTM 350XC-F. This information, by the way, is also incorrect in the 2025 Husqvarna FX350/FC350 owner’s manual. 

email: mrknowitall@hi-torque.com    |   mail: Dirt Bike Mr. Know-It-All  25233 Anza Dr. Valencia, CA 91355

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