The Cheapest 700cc Cruiser Motorcycle Offers Way More Than You Think
Over the past few years we have seen prices for everything, including motorcycles, go up significantly. Out of all the different motorcycle segments, it does feel as though cruisers have been the hardest hit by all these price increases. One way to avoid all this is to consider buying used, but that comes with its own set of risks. The other option is to look towards orient for a solution.
It’s Made In China But Still A Strong Middle-Weight Cruiser
In the past, Chinese motorcycle manufacturers were largely laughed off. Their cheap and cheerful creations lacked quality, and were simply outclassed in every department. While cheap, they were never worth buying. Anyone who did buy one of their products was often left frustrated, left with no aftermarket support, and a product that was essentially disposable. As expected, things have changed.
The Chinese motorcycle industry, just like any industry China has entered, has improved no end. In an effort to “buy” some level of consumer trust, brands once familiar to us have been swallowed up by these giant Chinese companies, and we now have a host of more marketable motorcycles in dealerships all over the world. One such Chinese-owned Italian brand offers a cruiser on offer for a price that simply can’t be ignored.
The Moto Morini Calibro 700 Offers Unbeatable Value
MSRP: $5,499
One rather shrewd move by Moto Morini is handing over the design duties to the Italian division of the firm. As a result, pretty much all their bikes look great. The Calibro 700 offers amazing bang for the buck to go along with its good looks, and is a far cry from some of the other generic-looking Chinese cruisers currently on the market. While there are still some valid concerns surrounding the long-term reliability of these motorcycles, they come with a three-year unlimited miles warranty, and a familiar parallel-twin engine.
The Calibro 700 Has A Reworked Japanese Motor
Power: 68 Horsepower
The one thing that really sets the Calibro 700 apart from the other lightweight cruisers competing in this space is the fact that it actually has a proven parallel-twin. This is a reworked version of the old Ninja 650 engine that has been manufactured under license by CFMoto for several years now. While the current Vulcan S makes use of a more modern version of the 650, the CFMoto-built lump has been stroked out a little to 693cc, and actually has more power than the Kawasaki cruiser.
Naturally, we won’t be making any arguments that it will outlast any of its established Japanese rivals, but parts will be more or less interchangeable. So, even if Moto Morini goes the way of the Dodo for some inexplicable reason, you will still be able to maintain your bike for many years to come.
The Calibro 700 Is A Sporty, Lightweight Cruiser
Weight: 443 Pounds
To complement its proven engine, the Calibro has a lightweight steel chassis which promises ease of use and sprightly performance. With its sporty Ninja-derived engine, it won’t exactly offer the kind of torque many cruiser enthusiasts will be hankering after, it won’t leave you wanting for more power, either. With a wet weight of under 450 pounds, it offers an exceptional power-to-weight ratio.
Part of the reason its weight figure is so low is the simple fact that the bike doesn’t offer much in the way of electronics. In many ways, it is a refreshingly simple motorcycle in this regard. It does have ABS, but that is about it, really. In our opinion, this is a good thing if you want a bike that will last longer, because it means there are fewer failure points and there is no TFT dash that will be outdated in a few years’ time.
It does have a couple of nice-to-have physical features in the form of belt drive, a little fairing around the (LED) headlight, and the lesser-spotted passenger seat. Even though the bike is often pictured without it, it comes as standard. Something you will often need to pay extra for these days if you are getting a bike from one of the established brands.
The Ethical Debate That Makes No Sense
One thing counting against the bike is that when it comes to overall product quality, it is still pretty clear that Chinese manufacturers have some way to go. Small things like the quality of the plastics and paint are clear work-ons, but at this price point they are things most of us will be willing to put up with. If you want Japanese quality, you will need to pay for that. This is not at that level. In fact, we will go as far as saying it is still one tier below the Indian-made bikes, which, in turn, are still one or two tiers below the Japanese bikes.
The argument against Chinese-made bikes that makes very little sense, but consistently comes up, is the argument that it is unethical to buy a Chinese product. This argument is valid in the sense that we have no idea how “fair” the labor practices are in the manufacturing process, but the fact that nobody seems to care much where their electronic devices come from is slightly duplicitous. The device you are using to read this article is either made in China, or has several parts made in China which are shipped to another country to be assembled. Trying to avoid buying a Chinese product in the modern world we live in would require a certain level of dedication most of us simply do not possess.
Looking at it more objectively, all you will see is a motorcycle that offers great value. Not everyone wants an affordable cruiser like this, but other than a used Vulcan S, or an older air-cooled Sportster, there are very few alternatives in this price range. Neither of those options will come with an unlimited miles warranty, and at the end of the day that is what really sets this apart. Well, that and the fact that it is also a genuinely attractive bike which makes several more expensive models look rather average by comparison.
Source: Moto Morini
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