Lynn Blamires, Special to the Standard-Examiner

It is becoming more common to see a CF Moto machine on the trail these days. What are they? Are they legitimate? Are they durable? Here is an opportunity to take a closer look at the lineup of CF Moto ATVs and UTVs.

CF Moto is a Chinese-built ATV. If that is going to be a deal breaker, then you can stop right here. They have entered the market on a price point, the same way that Polaris did when they entered the ATV market — and now look at the market share they have.

The way the market is going now, things look bright for this new company. Big manufacturers find ways of raising prices without making changes. The big brands point out the lack of interest on a flat ATV market, but when the new ATVs are the same as they were five years ago, what is the point of upgrading?

This new company is feeding on an area that the big guys are neglecting. While you can point to recall and safety issues, they are not out of line when you compare them to the large ATV manufacturers.

I have tested and written reviews on three machines in the CF Moto lineup and I had a difficult time finding problems with them. Three categories make up their offerings — C Force is their ATV lineup, sport UTVs make up their Z Force label, and U Force is reserved for their utility UTVs.

Lynn Blamires, Special to the Standard-Examiner

I look for an ATV sold by a dealer close to me. I wrote an article on the Kymco 700 UTV. I liked it, but the nearest dealer is in Salt Lake City. The nearest CF Moto dealer is close to me in Layton.

I am a sucker for bells and whistles and CF Moto is big on features that are standard. Every machine in their lineup comes with a 3,000-pound winch, automotive paint, stainless steel bumpers and high-intensity LED lighting. The winch alone is an eye opener.

When I took a C Force 600 out on the trail, I was impressed by the performance. To compare this machine with a Polaris 570, I would have to go up to the Trail Model to get comparable features. For example, Polaris has a 2,500-pound winch while the C Force 600 has a 3,000-pound winch.

Both machines have 12-volt power outlets, but the C Force 600 also has a plug with two USB ports. This comes in handy for keeping a cellphone charged. The 570 Trail has 26-inch Duro tires on 14-inch steel rims while the CF 600 has 25-inch tires on 12-inch alloy rims. They both have powerful high-intensity LED lighting.

One important difference is that the CF 600 has engine braking and the Polaris does not. I find it interesting that Polaris introduced engine braking on their line of 500 cc machines when they first came out. At the time, most of the ATVs on the market were driven with manual transmissions. I thought engine braking on an ATV with an automatic transmission was a good idea. Now, most of the Polaris machines do not have this feature. Personally, I find that I have to use a little more skill to drive a machine without engine braking.

Photo supplied

The real difference is the price. The Polaris is $9,899 and the CF 600 is $6,799. That is a $3,100 gap. The person choosing the less expensive machine would not be losing much in the decision.

Another point is a marketing strategy and it would not be noticed without doing a little research. One machine is a 570 and the other is a 600. The casual shopper might pick the machine with the larger number because, well, 600 is greater than 570. The fact is that the 570 puts out 44 horsepower and the 600 offers only 41. That would not be noticed in the riding experience, but it is an interesting fact. Knowing that, would laying down $3,100 be worth three more horses?

I have also taken a Z Force 800 EX out on the trail. This side-by-side impressed me with its features and performance.

New to the CF Moto UTV lineup is the Z Force 950. Compared to the 1,000 class UTVs, there is a lot of machine here for $13,200.

When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down and check out the CF Moto lineup.

Contact Lynn R. Blamires at quadmanone@gmail.com.

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