Belgium
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Select region
Anyone who still thinks Chinese motorbikes are only fun for a short ride around the church has not heard of Jaroslav Šíma. The 69-year-old Czech adventurer motorbike journalist and CFMOTO ambassador who has already ridden almost 2 million kilometres in his life, decided the new 450MT to the toughest test ever. Not a weekend in the mud, but a merciless 16-month world tour with more than 85,000 kilometres on the clock, and still on the road.
The journey began in July 2024 and immediately with one of the world's toughest tests: the Pamir Highway in Central Asia. In just 2 months, he covered an incredible 17,500 km, travelling through 15 countries: Outward journey (Southern route): Slovakia (Start) - Bulgaria - Turkey - Georgia - Russia - Kazakhstan - Uzbekistan - Tajikistan (Pamir) / Return (Northern route) Kyrgyzstan Kazakhstan - Russia - Estonia - Latvia - Lithuania - Poland - Czech Republic (Finish) . But his main destination were the four 'Stans'" - Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. At the Ak-Baital pass, at an altitude of 4,655 metres, the 450cc twin-cylinder proved that it performs effortlessly even with thin air and extreme cold. The CFMOTO 450MT proved its mettle during this long journey. The bike overcame the entire demanding route without hesitation and without any problem, showing what a versatile machine it is. Devouring hundreds of kilometres across the endless steppes of Kazakhstan, riding over bumpy high-altitude roads and rugged terrain, all this proved that it is the perfect choice even for long and demanding journeys.
The mountains of Central Asia were followed by a period of intensive use through much of Europe and North Africa. Jaro praised the 450MT's long-distance comfort, whether he was devouring hundreds of kilometres of asphalt in southern Europe or hitting the dirt tracks in the desert. The counter went up at breakneck speed. Besides the many rides in its homeland Czech Republic, he pulled through in November 2024 France to subject the bike to the inclement European autumn. From there, he set course south; via Morocco, he arrived in February 2025 (40,000KM) deeper on the African continent, where the 450MT amid the Sahara Desert the impressive milestone of 60.000 kilometres passed.
In the first 10 months that Jaroslav Šíma was at the CFMOTO 450MT rode, he traversed a total of 22 different countries. What this phase proved, above all, was the ergonomics and durability of the machine under heavy, daily loads.
After the 450MT touched 60,000 kilometres in the scorching heat of the Sahara, the journey continued unabated towards the south. In the months April and May the ordeal became even more intense when the engine was joined by a second CFMOTO. Together, the two machines traversed the heart of West Africa for six weeks, crossing the vast expanses of Senegal and Gambia traversed.
Here the landscape changed from the endless sands of the Sahara to the dusty savannahs and treacherous slopes of the Sahel. This phase was crucial for the endurance test: where the Sahara put the cooling and air filters to the test, the potholes in the road and heavy African bush in Senegal and Gambia provided the ultimate test for the suspension and chassis of both bikes.
During these 60,000 kilometres, major technical failures were absent; the engine required only regular maintenance. The figures speak for themselves: the 450MT proved to be a highly efficient traveller with a consumption of only 3.8 l/100 km at a constant speed of 105 km/h, good for a range of 460 km. Even on long days, with outliers of up to 620 km per day, the machine did not budge.
Maintenance was mainly limited to wearing parts: there were 6 sets of tyres, 5 chains and 3 chain sets consumed. The only noteworthy defect was a faulty gearbox bearing at 49,380 km. In terms of technology, dampers, oil, gaskets and brake pads were checked and replaced at 30,000 km. In addition, the valves were checked and set at 35,000 km with only one valve plate (shim) of the exhaust valve needing to be replaced. Since then, apart from regular valve checking and setting, nothing has been wrong. Everything still runs lubricated.
It proved that the 450MT is not just a short-term adventurer, but a reliable mile-eater that effortlessly digests a wide variety of climates.
The most impressive proof of reliability followed after the expedition. Instead of putting the bike on transport, Jaro simply drove the entire distance from West Africa under its own power back to Europe via the Atlantic coast (17 June 2025), just 15 days later he resurfaced in Esztergom (Hungary). A lightning-fast transit of over 5,000 kilometres through at least six countries.
Retrieved from 14 July 2025 the counter was already at 64,130 kilometres.
As the summer of 2025 drew to a close, there was cause for a special double celebration. At 30 August 2025 the counter ticked the limit of 70,000 kilometres to. This almost coincided with Yaroslav's own 69th birthday. With his characteristic humour, he revealed that while he greatly appreciated the congratulations on his own age, he was secretly more impressed by the performance of the bike.
"I greatly appreciate all the congratulations on my 69th birthday, but I admire even more that 'seventy' on the display of the CFMOTO 450MT,"
Jaro joked. So the numbers behind that milestone were staggering: 70,000 kilometres in just 15 months, spanning 32 countries and three continents. It proved that even after the tough African trials, the machine was still in top condition and ready for the final stage of the year.
In the three months that followed, Jaroslav proved that the CFMOTO 450MT had now found its natural habitat on the road.
The urge to go south continued to draw and Jaro set sail again for the African continent for one last big showdown of the year. At 23 November 2025 the magic limit of 80,000 kilometres breached, again amid the vast sandy plains of the Western Sahara. But where many would stop, he actually shifted up a gear. He crossed Mauritania and deeper into the West African bush, towards countries like Senegal, Gambia and Guinea.
The pace in this final phase was downright murderous. In the 14 days that followed his 80k milestone, Jaro squeezed out another 4,000+ kilometres. These were not easy tarmac kilometres; he sent the 450MT over the infamous red slopes of the Sahel, through deep dust and over roads full of treacherous potholes.
At December 2025 the counter finally ticked the 85,000 kilometres to. With that, in just 16 months time covered a distance equivalent to more than twice around the world.
Jaroslav Šíma's journey, meanwhile, is much more than just another endurance test of a new motorbike. With 85,000 kilometres on the counter, the 450MT proved that "lightweight" need not be synonymous with "fragile". Where many heavy adventure bikes would struggle to handle the murderous pace and relentless African slopes, this twin cylinder simply kept on doing what it was made for: riding.
Whether it was the thin air of the Pamir, the scorching heat of the Sahel or the muddy trails in the jungles of Guinea; the 450MT did not budge. With this, Jaro has made a powerful statement to the entire motorbike world: you don't need a giant block or a fortune in electronics to put the world at your feet. What you do need is a machine you can trust when civilisation is hundreds of kilometres behind you.
As the sun slowly sinks over the Western Sahara horizon, Jaro is already looking ahead. The magical frontier of 100,000 kilometres is no longer a dream, but an inevitability likely to be achieved as early as the first few months of 2026. The legend of the "indestructible 450" is officially born.
As Jaro himself succinctly sums it up:
“A day without riding my bike is like nothing.”
- Jaroslav Sima
Curious about his adventure? follow him on social media!
Facebook: facebook.com/jaroslav.sima.908
Instagram: instagram.com/jaroslav.sima.908
Youtube: www.youtube.com/@cfmotocz
Nederlands Nederlands 
Français
English
