CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport Simplified Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule and service intervals for the CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport, the everyday sport / road bike from CFMOTO.
The CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport is a comfortable middleweight sport bike with some very high-end components in it. It has an attractive design and a capable engine that’s good for a lot of everyday riding, plus the occasional track day fun.
The core of the 700CL-X Sport is a 693-cc parallel twin engine that’s liquid-cooled and has four valves per cylinder. With an 11.6:1 compression ratio, the 700CL-X Sport makes a healthy 55 kW / 73.8 hp at 8500 rpm, and peak torque of 68 Nm / 50 ft-lb at 7500 rpm. Final drive is via a 6-speed transmission and a chain.
It’s a big step up from the relatively pedestrian CFMOTO 650, for example.
The CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport is a sibling to the 700CL-X Heritage, which is a similar motorcycle but in standard position and slightly lower grade parts (e.g. a single disc brake).
This was originally published on August 30, 2022, but has since been significantly updated.
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CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport Service Intervals
The CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport has quite short service intervals of 3000 miles / 5000 kilometers or six months between oil changes — quite a bit shorter than most of the competition in this class, other than the Yamaha YZF-R7 which has 4000 miles / 6000 km service intervals.
At every service, do a full inspection. There are a number of items to do every second service, including changing the spark plugs, plus inspecting some items like the air filter.
The valve service interval is a healthy 24000 mi / 40000 km, much like Yamaha motorcycles.
As the engine in the 700CL-X motorcycles is liquid-cooled, you have to keep the coolant fresh, as well as keeping the brake fluid fresh — schedule a liquid replacement every two years.
What you need to service a CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport
Below is a list of the items CFMOTO suggests you get to service your 700CL-X Sport.
These are from the manual as well as the service manual.
| Part | CFMOTO 700 CL-X Sport spec |
|---|---|
| Engine oil | CFMOTO recommends SAE 10W-40 SJ / JASO MA2 grade engine oil, e.g. Mobil 1 10W-40. |
| Oil filter | The CFMOTO part for the oil filter is 0MQ0-070200. You can get them from Aliexpress for about $10 shipped. |
| Spark plugs | Use type NGK CR8EI. |
| Brake fluid | Use a DOT 4 brake fluid, like Castrol DOT 4. |
| Coolant | The manual specifies “green”-coloured ethylene glycol-based coolant suitable for aluminium engines. Most coolants meet this spec. |
| Brake pads | The CFMOTO 700CL-X has Brembo Stylema front calipers. The pads for these from EBC are FA447HH. |
CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport Maintenance Schedule
Maintaining the 700CL-X Sport is quite easy, given it’s mostly naked as a sport bike, but the maintenance schedule in the manual for the CFMOTO 700CL-X motorcycles is presented in an unnecessarily complicated way.
The manual has lists of items with different time and distance maintenance intervals, and the layout of the table is quite confusing.
In order to simplify it, we’ve broken out maintenance into the following sections:
- The standard service inspection checklist
- The regular maintenance schedule
700 CL-X Sport — Standard Inspection Checklist
Below is the standard inspection checklist for the CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport. This is the basic checklist of things to look over every time you service your bike.
| CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport standard inspection checklist |
|---|
| Check lights, horn, and switches |
| Check condition of wires for bending, damage, and routing |
| Tire condition – check |
| Tire pressure – check |
| Front and rear brake system |
| Brake discs – inspect condition, thickness Front limit: 3.5 mm / 0.14 in Rear limit: 4mm / 0.16 in |
| Brake pads – inspect thickness, condition Minimum thickness: 2.5 mm / 0.1in |
| Brake fluid – inspect level (between upper and lower). Note that the level changes as the brake pads wear out. |
| Brake lever – inspect free play, smooth operation Free play: ~7mm +/-2mm (0.27 in +/0 0.08 in) |
| Brake hoses – inspect for damage and sealing |
| Suspension system – inspect for leaks, smooth operation |
| Coolant – check level, condition |
| Radiator fan – confirm function (with engine on) |
| Coolant hoses – inspect for leaks and condition |
| Diagnostic connector – read with PDS |
| Moving parts – lubricate, inspect for free movement |
| Bolts and nuts – inspect for fastness |
| Cables and wires – inspect for damage, bending, and routing |
| Pipes, ducts, hoses, and sleeves – inspect for cracks, sealing and routing |
700CL-X Sport — Maintenance Schedule
Below is the full maintenance schedule for the CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport.
Notes:
- The break-in schedule below is basically an oil/filter change plus a full inspection (above)
- At the end of the schedule, keep following it in the pattern shown
| mi x 1000 | 0.6 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | Every |
| Perform full inspection checklist as above | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Replace engine oil SAE 10W-40 Jaso MA2, e.g. Mobil 1 10W-40 Oil drain bolt torque: 25 Nm | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 6 months |
| Replace oil filter | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 6 months |
| Battery charge state – check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 6 months |
| Fuses / circuit breakers – check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 6 months |
| Throttle valve – check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Spark plugs – replace NGK CR8EI Spark plug gap: 0.7-0.9mm / 0.027 in-0.035 in Tighten to 15 Nm / 11 ft-lb | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Throttle system – inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Idle speed – check, adjust | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Clutch – inspect, adjust. Free play: 10-20mm / 0.39-0.78 in | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Inspect air filter, replace as necessary | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Wheel bearings – check condition | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Swing arm – inspect condition | ✓ | ✓ | 12000 mi / 20000 km | |||||
| Air filter – replace | 2 years, or more | |||||||
| Brake fluid – replace (Castrol DOT 4) | 2 years | |||||||
| Check / adjust valve clearances | 24000 mi / 40000 km |
CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport Chain Maintenance
Maintaining the drive chain on the CFMOTO 700CL-X deserves extra attention. It’s a sport bike, so you’re likely to ride it a little hard, at least!
Here is the chain maintenance schedule for the 700CL-X Sport.
| Chain maintenance task | Every |
|---|---|
| Check chain condition. Clean and lubricate with a high-quality chain lubricant (e.g. Motul chain lubricant) | – 600 miles / 1000 km or six months – Or after riding in rain / mud, or after washing motorcycle |
| Check chain tension and elongation, and adjust if necessary See notes below | 6000 miles / 10000 km |
Checking chain tension/slack and elongation
To check chain tension and elongation, do the following tests, and adjust as necessary.
| Test | Chain maintenance task | Spec |
|---|---|---|
| Tension | 1. Put rear wheel on stand 2. Find tightest point of chain, and rotate the wheel until this point is between the two sprockets 3. Push chain up with finger, and measure distance from top to bottom with a ruler | – 30-40 mm or – 1.18-1.57 in |
| Elongation | 1. Hang a standard 10 kg / 22 lb object from the chain in the middle point 2. Use a ruler to measure length between 20 links | 320.7 mm / 12.6 in |
Adjust the chain if possible to bring it within spec. If you can’t, replace the chain.
CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport Tire and Wheel Specs
Below are the tire sizes and recommended tire pressures for the 700CL-X Sport.
| Wheel | Tire size | Tire pressure (cold) |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 120/70-ZR17 | 35 psi / 250 kPa / 2.5 bar |
| Rear | 180/55-R17 | 41 psi / 280 kPa / 2.8 bar |
About the CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport
The CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport is a high-end middleweight sport bike from CFMOTO, a Chinese manufacturer that has been making waves with its very high-spec but affordable motorcycles in global markets.
Historically, CFMOTO has been known for ATVs and small scooter motorcycles. But increasingly they’ve been using bigger engines and higher-spec components.
There are actually three CFMOTO 700CL-X motorcycles and they’re all subtly different. They share an underlying engine and chassis, but have different wheels and brakes, as well as some other components not related to maintenance.
| Model | 700CL-X Sport | 700CL-X [Heritage] | 700CL-X Adventure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Style / Riding position | Sport / Café | Standard sport | Standard / Scrambler |
| Controls | Clip-ons | Handlebar | Handlebar |
| Brakes | Twin disc brakes, Brembo Stylema calipers | Single disc brake, J.Juan caliper | Single disc brake, J.Juan caliper |
| Wheels | 5 Twin-spoke, 17-inch front wheel | Multi Spoke, 18-inch front wheel | Wire spokes, 19-inch front wheel, dual sport tires |
| Extras | – | – | Windscreen, saddlebags |
Aside from those differences, the 700CL-X comes with a few high-end features that distinguish it from most middleweights, like fully adjustable KYB suspension, cruise control, and even self-cancelling turn signals.
The engine in the 700CL-X sport is a simple one, a parallel twin with dual overhead cams. It is middleweight in both capacity (693 cc) and power (55 kW / 73 hp at 8500 rpm), and has a fairly middling compression ratio of 11.6:1. Which makes for an unstressed motor.
What’s surprising, therefore, is that the maintenance requirements for the CFMOTO 700Cl-X motorcycles are quite stringent. It’s rare to see recommended oil changes every 5000 km / 3000 miles. The only times I see that is on low-capacity, low-speed bikes like the Honda Grom. Even the Grom has slightly wider recommended oil change intervals. I’m not sure what the reasoning for this could be.
Maintaining the rest of the CFMOTO 700CL-X is quite straightforward. Keep the fluids fresh, the moving parts greased, and it should be good for a long time. The CFMOTO 650 motorcycles aren’t known for being unreliable, for example.
Reference — Manual screenshots for the 700CL-X Sport
The above information came from the manual for the CFMOTO 700CL-X Sport.
You can see screenshots from the manual as references below.
You can download manuals for CFMOTO motorcycles from the CFMOTO USA website, here.
