Chinese electric motorcycle manufacturer Caofen announced its plans of entering the European market in the fall of 2021. In particular, its F80 electric dual-sport seemed like the perfect fit for the fun-loving enthusiast audience looking for a stylish yet capable all-electric all-rounder. Now, with the 2022 riding season in full swing, Caofen enters the French market through Jonway France, a distributor of electric two-wheelers.
At a glance, the Caofen F80 takes the form of an agile and athletic enduro. Built around a rigid, one-piece frame, a large 7V 30 Ah 2.16 kWh lithium-ion battery is housed in a magnesium casing, and sits where the internal combustion engine in a traditional motorcycle would be placed. Tipping the scales at just 75 kilograms, the Caofen F80 is incredibly lightweight, and will surely make for quite a riot to ride, be it on or off-road. The bike rolls on long-travel suspension consisting of an inverted front fork and a preload-adjustable rear monoshock. The setup affords it a ground clearance of 265 mm and 200mm of suspension travel.
On the performance side of things, the Caofen F80 is equipped with a mid-drive electric motor delivering a nominal power output of 4 kW. Its peak power output of 8 kW can propel the electric motorbike to a top speed of 85 kilometers per hour (53 miles per hour), while a restricted version called the F80-C1 limits the top speed to 45 kilometers per hour (28 miles per hour). As for range, Caofen claims a rather impressive 60 miles on a single charge at an average speed of 19 miles per hour. The range drops significantly as you increase speed, though, and you'll be looking at 34 miles of autonomy at maximum performance.
Interestingly, Caofen claims that you can full charge the F80's battery pack in just over two hours. This greatly hints at the advancements in battery tech, as just a few years ago, you'd be looking at charging times nearly twice as long. On the price side, the Caofen F80 tips the scales quite a bit. The F80-C1 retails for 5,590 Euros, translating to the equivalent of $5,814 USD; while the F80-C3 is slightly more expensive at 5,890 Euros, or $6,126 USD.
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Sources: Le Repaire Des Motards, Caofen Motorcycle