How did I decide which manufacturers made the short list? Simple; whatever brands of motorcycle my older neighbors Mike Destefano and Bruce Richards were racing at the time were on the good list, and whatever bikes they cursed and threw wrenches at were to be avoided. Basically, I employed what experts refer to as The Scientific Method.

Fast forward a whopping 36 years later, and I’ ve mostly held fast to those early opinions about motorcycle brands, despite a steady influx of fresh players in the motorcycle manufacturing space. I know this to be true because when I first took possession of the new CFMOTO 675SS, it felt like an intrusion on the short list of motorcycle manufacturers that had, over years, earned a permanent place in my garage. As I stared at the CFMOTO, it felt like the equivalent of some random person trying to muscle in on poker night with me and my decades- long group of cronies. I don’ t need a new friend, I don’ t want a new friend, and damn it, there just aren’ t enough cigars and beer to go around.

So as you might imagine, I was a bit standoffish from the get- go. I knew nothing about this bike or the company that it rode in from, and I didn’ t expect a positive outcome. On the contrary, a little part of me was looking forward to punishing it until it proved unworthy of a seat at the table. If I could make that happen, I could go right back to my uncomplicated, predictable world that even a toddler could manage. No question it was closed- minded and juvenile, but I’ m just being honest with you.

I was a bit deflated when I first turned the key to the“ on” position, because the TFT display was so bright and vivid, I

Opposite page and top: No bad vibes from the 675cc Triple mill means you can focus on the task at hand. Middle: The 5-inch TFT display is easy to read, provides good information, and was simple to navigate. Bottom: Attention to detail is spot on regardless of price.

RIDERMAGAZINE. COM / SEPTEMBER 2026 / 17