CFMOTO 800MT / Ibex 800 (Sport, Touring) Simplified Maintenance Schedule
This is the maintenance schedule and associated service intervals for the CFMOTO 800MT, including both the Sport and Touring variants. In the US this is known as the CFMOTO Ibex 800 S or Ibex 800 T.
The CFMOTO 800MT / Ibex 800 is a motorcycle based on the same engine platform as the KTM 790 Adventure, a 799cc liquid-cooled dual-overhead-cam parallel twin. With its 12.7:1 compression ratio, the CFMOTO 800MT / Ibex 800 makes a healthy 70 kW (95 hp) at 9000 rpm — a great power range for middleweight sport touring.
The CFMOTO 800MT comes with loads of tech as standard, including a TFT display and cruise control. The Touring edition comes with even more, including a taller windshield, hand guards, heated grips and seats, a centre stand, a bash plate, and more (unbelievably).
Initially, the 800MT wasn’t available in the US, and was just made available in Europe, Australia, and the Asia-Pacific. But CFMOTO USA brought it to the US under the branding “Ibex 800”.
CFMOTO has also released a naked sport bike based on the same engine, the CFMOTO 800NK.
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Service Intervals for the CFMOTO Ibex 800 / 800MT
The oil change service intervals for the CFMOTO Ibex 800 / 800MT vary by location.
The basic maintenance interval is 3000 miles / 5000 km, at which point CFMOTO recommends you do a host of checks including for the battery, electrical system, and suspension. This is quite unusual. If you regularly ride your motorcycle, you can probably afford to not formally check these until the 10000 km inspections.
In the US, CFMOTO recommends you change the oil and filter of the Ibex 800 every 3000 miles / 5000 km or 12 months. But the service interval for most other items is wider.
In the rest of the world, CFMOTO recommends you change the oil and filter every 9000 miles / 15000 km, similar to the KTM 790 motorcycles from which the engine comes.
The valve service is also a generous 18000 mi / 30000 km wide in both manuals (US or rest of world).
As the Ibex 800 / 800MT is a liquid-cooled motorcycle, you should also regularly replace the coolant. The 800MT has a four-year coolant replacement schedule.
Also don’t forget to keep the brake fluid fresh — replace it every two years.
Maintenance schedule for the CFMOTO 800MT
The maintenance schedule for the CFMOTO 800MT is different from other CFMOTO motorcycles, as the engine has different heritage — this is a KTM engine in CFMOTO clothing (and pricing).
This means that the CFMOTO has similarly wide service intervals to KTM motorcycles, which is a blessing next to the aggressive 5000 km oil change intervals of the CFMOTO 700CL-X.
Unfortunately the maintenance schedule for the 800MT in the manual is pretty crazy looking. There are randomly different intervals for things; e.g. one item may be every 10000 km or year, or every 30000 km or four years. Without knowing the justification for this, it’s easier to just focus on the first one rather than go into a complex logical puzzle for every line item.
To simplify the schedule, we’ve broken it out into two parts:
- The regular / annual maintenance schedule, and
- The periodic service schedule.
Regular / Annual Service Checklist
Below is the annual service checklist for the CFMOTO 800MT / Ibex 800. This is a list of things to check at every service, according to the schedule below.
| CFMOTO 800MT / Ibex 800 — Annual service checklist |
|---|
| Brake and clutch levers, and brake pedal – inspect, adjust Brake free play: 10-15mm / 0.4-0.6 inches Brake pedal free play: 5-10mm / 0.2-0.4 inches |
| Throttle system – inspect |
| Tire condition – check condition and pressure |
| Front and rear brakes – inspect |
| Brake discs – inspect thickness, condition |
| Brake pads – inspect thickness |
| Brake fluid level – inspect |
| Brake lines – check for damage, kinks |
| Steering bearings – check |
| Front and rear suspension – check for leaks |
| Radiator fan function – check |
| Cooling hoses – check |
| Chain guard – inspect |
| Electrical wiring, check for damage and kinks |
| Electrical equipment – inspect function |
| Diagnostic interface – check for trouble codes with diagnostic tools |
Maintenance Schedule for the CFMOTO Ibex 800 S/T / CFMOTO 800MT
Below is the periodic maintenance schedule for the CFMOTO Ibex 800 from the US manual.
Notes
- At the end of the maintenance schedule, keep following it in the pattern shown.
- The break-in schedule is not shown, but it’s essentially an annual service and oil / filter change.
* Note: The US manual requires 3000 mile intervals for oil/filter changes and oil screen cleanings. The manual from the rest of the world requires 9000 mile / 15000 km oil change intervals. Otherwise, the service schedules are the same.
| mi x 1000 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | Every |
| Conduct annual service checklist (see above) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Year | |||
| Engine Oil – replace * US only | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | Year |
| Oil filter – replace * US only | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | Year |
| Oil screen – clean * US only | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | ✓* | ✓* | ✓ | |
| Clutch – inspect | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Idle speed – inspect / adjust | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Throttle valve – clean | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Coolant – inspect level | ✓ | ✓ | Year | ||||
| Coolant – replace | 4 years | ||||||
| Air filter – replace | ✓ | ✓ | Year | ||||
| Spark plugs – replace NGK LMAR9AI-10 Gap: 1.0 mm Tightening torque: 10 Nm / 7 ft-lb | ✓ | ||||||
| Valve clearances – inspect / adjust | ✓ | ||||||
| Wheel bearings – inspect for smooth operation, no play | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Brake fluid – replace | 2 years | ||||||
| Battery – inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 6 months |
| Fuse / circuit breakers – check function | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 6 months |
| Suspension system – check for free operation, no damage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Frame – check for damage, rust | ✓ |
Chain maintenance for the CFMOTO 800MT / Ibex 800
As an adventure sport touring motorcycle, you’re likely to ride your 800MT in all kinds of crazy conditions — mud, rain, and so on.
Make sure you keep your chain well-maintained. Clean and lubricate it every time it gets wet or you wash your motorcycle.
Also periodically check the chain tension, both in a static position and with a finger pressing on the middle part of the chain. Compare the deflection with the values below, and adjust chain tension at the rear wheel if necessary.
| Chain maintenance item | Every |
|---|---|
| Check lubrication, and lubricate if necessary | 600 km – Or after riding in rain / washing bike |
| Chain tension – check deflection | 1000 km |
To check chain tension on the CFMOTO 800MT:
- Put the motorcycle on its side stand on a level surface, and put the transmission in neutral.
- Measure the distance between the lowest point of the swingarm and the chain. It should be 30mm (1.2 inches) when in a natural state.
- Push down on the chain gently with a finger. The distance should not exceed 50mm (2 inches).
- If the tension is out of spec, you have to adjust it.
To adjust the chain tension on the CFMOTO 800MT / Ibex 800:
- Loosen the rear wheel nut and the left and right locking nuts.
- Adjust the adjusting bolts to change the chain tension. Adjust them the same amount, looking at the reference marks to make sure they’re aligned.
- When the chain is at its correct tension, tighten the axle nut (90 Nm / 66 lb-ft). Check the chain tension again to make sure it’s still within spec.
- Tighten the lock nuts.
Wheels and Tires for the CFMOTO 800MT (Both Sport and Touring)
The CFMOTO 800MT comes in two variants – Sport and Touring. The Sport has cast wheels, whereas the Touring has spoked rims.
But both the Sport and Touring have the same dimension wheels and tires, and both wear Maxxis tubeless tires, so there’s no difference in tire specs.
| Wheel | Tire size (both Sport and Touring) | Recommended tire pressure (cold) |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 110/80-19 | (One person / 2-up) 33-35 psi / 225-240 kPa / 2.25-2.4 bar / |
| Rear | 150/70-17 | (One person – 2-up) 36-41 psi / 250-280 kPa / 2.5 – 2.8 bar |
The Touring model of the 800MT comes with a tire pressure monitoring system. This is more useful as you may want to adjust tire pressures as luggage goes up and down, when you take on a pillion, or when you go off-road.
About the CFMOTO 800MT (Sport / Touring) / Ibex 800 S/T
The CFMOTO 800MT a.k.a. Ibex 800 S/T is something new both for CFMOTO and for the adventure touring market in general — a genuinely high-spec, high-quality but still low-priced adventure motorcycle with a lot of options that come as standard, particularly in the touring model.
While CFMOTO is a Chinese manufacturer, which have generally been associated with moderate quality and poor finish, the CFMOTO brand is a little different. They’ve been working with KTM now for a number of years in a technology exchange, and many KTM parts come out of Chinese factories.
The 800MT is part of that technology exchange. While in most of the world KTM markets its 890-series motors for its middleweight motorcycles (like the KTM 890 Adventure R), KTM still sells 790-powered motorcycles for emerging markets.
And KTM has even licensed CFMOTO to use the 790 engine in some of its motorcycles. These include the CFMOTO 800MT sport and adventure motorcycles.
The heart of the CFMOTO 800MT / Ibex 800 is the same 799cc 8-valve parallel twin in basically the same state of tune. It makes 70 kW (95 hp / 94 bhp) at 9000 rpm — a healthy amount of power for a middleweight motor. And the 800MT’s engine has a 270-degree crankshaft, which means that it has a lively bark to it.
On the face of it, there’s nothing particularly impressive about the CFMOTO 800MT. Yes, it’s a middleweight adventure touring bike, but it’s also no lightweight — in fact, the Touring model weighs in at 231 kg, with most of the weight up high, so you feel it.
But it stands out in a number of ways.
Firstly, the engine is great. That amount of power is just perfect for touring, low-speed work, and just occasionally wringing out the throttle. The KTM donk has enough character that you won’t be thinking you’re on a boring motorcycle from a relatively new manufacturer.
Secondly, there’s a ton of stuff that the bike comes with that others either have as options or don’t have at all. The CFMOTO motorcycles (any variant) come with ride modes, a slipper clutch, cornering ABS, crash bars, a big TFT screen, fully adjustable suspension, and cruise control. That’s a lot for a middleweight.
The Touring model goes even further, with crash bars, heated grips, and more.
Finally, and it’s crazy that it took so long to get to this — the price. The CFMOTO 800MT / Ibex 800 is a steal for how much you get for that price. Part of that, of course, is that CFMOTO knows they’re not a premium brand and can’t command a premium price. But I hope it stays that way for a while. The Touring comes in at the equivalent of about US$11K on the road, which is almost absurd. Cruise control! Heated grips! Everyone else should pay attention and start building to the same price point.
The best part about the CFMOTO 800MT / Ibex 800 is that they’re based on proven reliable engines with wide service intervals. To only change the oil every 15000 km means you can probably do two VERY big trips without doing an oil change.
However, bear in mind that the recommended maintenance intervals for the CFMOTO Ibex 800S/T in the US are a little different. In the US, CFMOTO recommends that you change the oil every 3000 miles / 5000 km, which is a LOT shorter a maintenance interval than in the US.
Reference — Screenshots from the CFMOTO 800MT Manual
The above information came from the manual for the CFMOTO 800MT, which is available in Chinese on the CFMOTO website, or in English on the US website.
We used the US maintenance schedule, but translated the maintenance schedule and relevant information ourselves to cross-reference it with the rest-of-world maintenance requirements.
US manual screenshots:
Chinese manual screenshots:
You can download manuals for the CFMOTO motorcycles from the USA website.
