The CFMoto 650i
Johnson and Farquhar battle it out during qualifying
02/06/2015
Gary Johnson puts the CFMoto 650i through its paces at the North West 200
In the lead up to the Isle of Mann TT, CFMoto/WK Bikes pilot, Gary Johnson gave crowds a preview of what they can expect from the 650i, clocking the second quickest lap in qualifying for the North West 200 on the weekend.
The two-time TT winner qualified the CFMoto 650i with a standing lap of 114mph and the second quickest lap of the session at 117mph.
The CFMoto 650i went head to head with Kawasaki rider Ryan Farquhar in the opening Supertwin race with Farquhar crossing the finish line a mere 0.005 seconds ahead of the CFMoto 650i.
The North West 200 is a motorcycle race meeting held each May in Northern Island. The course is a street circuit made up of public roads and is reportedly one of the fastest in the world with speeds in excess of 320km/h. The race is the perfect shake down before riders head to the Isle of Mann for the TT.
Last month, WK Bikes announced it contest the Isle of Mann TT with two time TT winner, Gary Johnson at the helm of the CFMoto 650i again in 2015.
“I am pleased to be working again with the guys at WK Bikes. The 650i has seen a lot of development over the winter and the package is now strong. I am sure we can build on the positive practice results we had in 2014.” Johnson said in a media statement about his return to the CFMoto/WK Bikes race team last month.
Johnson says he is in "really good shape" ahead of this year's Isle of Man TT. "The Isle of Man TT is the event that everything else is built around and these two weeks are really the main focus for the year.” Johnson said.
Despite a challenging finish to their 2014 Isle of Mann TT campaign which saw Johnson bow out during the supersport race due to injuries, CFMoto still made headlines as the first Chinese manufactured bike to finish the TT race and the first new manufacturer to enter the competition since 1957.
This year, the Isle of Man TT 2015 will take place from Saturday, May 30 to Friday, June 12. Evening practice sessions will run from May 30 to June 5, while race days are expected to be June 6, 8, 10 and 12.
Keep up to date on all the latest CFMoto Australia new on Facebook or follow the WK Bikes/CFMoto Team on Facebook here.