You review title is a little off putting .. good report though .. you DIDN'T defence the exceptional VALUE they're stacking up to be.. will have get an 800 before the Co's quality measures drop with the founding CEO's resignation.. I'd expect being Chinese they'll head down the Chinese cheap cheap crap path very quickly because China can't seem to help it's self break from cheap crap.. I grew up in the jap crap era & now look
I have 5,000km on my Kove 450 Rally, riding off and on road across Europe. Its a great light weight long distance off road adventure bike. Has been 100% reliable, zero issues so far. There are better road adv bikes, and better pure off road enduro bikes, but the Kove does both better than any other bike I've ridden.
KTM 690 is approx the same weight and way more power like the dude says. Other than fuel and wind protection. So for me its not the bike I thought it might be.
@@rotor676well, the 690 cost many $1000s more, so the Kove has better value if you are ok with its power. Personally I have the 690 and love it. With an under seat tank and rally screen it’s a pretty good weapon. But if I didn’t have the money I sure would consider this Kove.
@@timbrandt7211 that's true, especially if you add the expense and weight of a rally Tower an extra fuel capacity to the KTM you could almost by two coves
I would never consider 5000km the standard for durability and reliability as that is ridiculously low threshold to project long-term reliabilty. Manufacturing or major design defects appear early in life as failures then later based on quality of design and materials due to mechanical wear, fatigue, and environmental factors. Report back when you have 20,000km or more. Until then it is still unproven build quality motorcycle.
Your assessment of the Kove has given me a different but clear impression of it as a bike I’d be interested in considering for my next bike than anyone else who has reviewed it. Well done Dallas! As a devout Kato owner (I currently own a 450exc, 500exc, 690 Enduro R and a 990 Adventure R) that I have ridden and raced in Africa, Europe, Baja, South West US and at home in the Upper 1. I never buy the first generation of any vehicle and would never consider buying a Chinese built vehicle, but this bike is different and worth considering. Quick side note: I’m that guy who put a 5 gallon tank on my 450exc for Africa and immediately regretted doing it! I struggled getting the front wheel up, quick maneuvering wasn’t quick and high speed through desert terrain was puckering! So I only put 2 gallons in at a time.
Still getting to know my Kove 450. It's been poor weather so I'm working on it (heated grips, adjusting the throttle and suspension) more than riding it but I'm really enjoying how nimble it is on the few rides I've been able to do. I'm coming from a Honda 450L and a Yamaha WR250R. It should be a great BDR bike.
Firstly, love the dog and the plane!! Made the video. ;-) I've been following the birth of this bike for almost a couple years now and I continue to be fascinated by the conversations it's creating. With the evolution of ADV over the past decade this type of bike is further affecting the trajectory of what we are defining as ADV riding. I think this bike has some serious potential to distrupt people's expectations of what sort of adventures they can do on a motorcycle...without having to spend their kid's college fund doing so. Next video please!!
I think you nailed it with the word "disrupt". If they can get their parts and service sorted, this bike will win significant market share. And... "I YAM YAM YAM YAM SO SO SO SO" 😂 Cheers brother.
Great vid Dallas, I see you have come to understand and appreciate the 450cc rally barrier. I think your overall opinion is pretty right on. Ho many Km you got on each bike (just average) I am just over 500km on mine and have not exper8enced any of the little ticks you and others have mentioned but I deleted the charcoal canister system and tanks vent direct. Also moded the rad cap. I have put the bike down a few times in low speed single no issues and one highspeed 50 foot slid with the only damage being a broken signal. I did have an aftermarket slid plate fitted that did obviously protect the tank a bit more in that slid. Look forward to more vids on the Kove!
Remember when the Honda VTR 1000 SP1 came out back then a lot of those who tested it went on and on about the poor stiff suspension and cooling problems, those problems disappered when you went a 100 mph or above, its a race bike and it was meant to be driven fast and hard, thats when it flows and does its job 👍
I definitely find the Kove platform interesting. It is a motorcycle that first and foremost puts the prospect of actually completing a Dakar race in the self supported class within the grasp of many more riders. You can actually buy this bike and not blow 45k USD for it. That leaves a lot of money on the table for parts and entry fees, travel etc. The other is that it is a significant shift in the approach of the Chinese motorcycle market, this in my opinion not only put them on the map as producing a competitive bike in the Dakar (Any manufacturer that starts with 3 entries and finishes all 3 in Dakar is a competitor ) It also transforms them to a very real competitor in comparison to the Euro and Japanese market bikes. The big hurdle for this is now just distribution and parts for the wider markets. I would seriously consider this with my next bike purchase coming from someone that rides a 690 everywhere on or off road including some pretty challenging single track. Great video and I look forward to seeing more on the bike as you develop your thought.
I have a CFmoto 450ss and every time I see a video on a Chinese bike it’s almost all the same. It exceeds expectations or comes close. Everyone is skeptical but the Chinese saw a market and they can fill the need. I’m blown away by my 450ss and it’s an awesome bike. I actually sold my zh2 because I was never reaching for the keys to ride it. It ticks a lot of boxes and the only issue people seem to have is reliability. However at least CFmoto offers a 3 year warranty on everything so that’s pretty respectable. Now they’re about to release the 450 adventure and they are also dropping a 675 triple. These Chinese bikes aren’t the bikes you get off Amazon. These are dealer sold and you can bring them to the dealers to get work done. I personally am interested in what they are making because of the price. When there’s competition between manufacturers the consumer always wins🤙🏼
Best review on the Kove 👍 Malle Moto category (Motul original) riders work on their bike. The rest (pros or junior pros or even privateer with a team) they all have mechanics. That is why the Motul/Malle moto category is the most prestigious categories to me and many others. Even pros admitted they could not race on that category as they don't know how to work on the bike.
Excellent unbiased opinion and breakdown on this bike. The best I’ve seen yet. Thank you. You’ve convinced me, I’m thinking I’ll pick up the next model year. Let them work out the few minor imperfections. Would love to see a video addressing the suspension and ideas you have for different riding styles. Cheers!
This is a well put together video. It seems the people who complain about the power arent even tapping into it. I have yet see a video of someone riding this bike close tl wide open throttle and then say its gutless. It would take a hell of a rider to do so. As you said its the power characteristics that are different and take getting used to
Great job on this video Dallas. I learned a lot. We are becoming the Southern Ontario dealer for Kove and I am interested in all the reviews. Your review so far has been the best explained. I enjoy how you bring up a point, good or bad..then explain with an accurate description of how and why you came to the conclusion. Bravo Dallas.
Dakar has two "divisions." the originals by Motul was formally known as Malle Moto. this is where the rider can't accept any help but for the other competitors. The other division is like any other racing. Your pit crew and spares are only limited by your (or your team's) budget.
Cheers, I was gurning trying to remember the name of the solo riders class, Malle Moto. It's heart brakingly tough! The racers are in the same human group as the TT racers.
@@billyhong5071 They have almost no tools and limited knowledge and limited to 30mins so yes pros don't work on their bikes. Most of them admitted they don't even know.
@@mototrailz Of course they do if they have a problem. No mechanics and just riders in the bivouac means they either fix their own issues or their race is over.
@@billyhong5071 and if problem usually the race is over that is why they are anxious about the marathon stage. Even Toby said once he could not do the Malle moto category and those guys are real heroes of the Dakar.
As a rider that came from 20 years of dirt before getting on the street, this bike seems a dream. I've had a few dual sports and my issue with them has always been that I usually end up trailering them to where I ride. My local spot is just far enough from a gas station that riding there isnt practical on a normal 2-3 gallon tank and larger adv bikes are too big and heavy for my aggressive riding. This bike really seems to be what I want. Something I can go exploring on and be aggressive while doing it.
Excellent review! This confirmed I'm not the target buyer because I'm very much a relaxed, slow off-roader & adventure tourer. It also makes me laugh when people say they won't buy this unreliable Chinese motorcycle and they buy KTM instead, because KTM has their own problems with reliability or QA.
I was searchimg for the unicorn ADV bike. I ended up with an AJP PR7. It was difficult to get one in the US. It beats the Kove in every category except fuel range. The only upgrade it needed from the factory was a pair of bar risers and a rear rack. However, I see so much potential with the Kove 450 Rally. It can be mass produced at a reasonable price. That is something that is not possible with my PR7. The Kove will fill a void in motorcycling that no other manufacturer has been willing or able to fill.
Great video nothing misleading about your intro at all. I believe the rawness of this bike gives it a great advantage for any rider that wishes to customize the ride for their versatile uses. I believe this bike is underestimated by competitors and it will go a long way in the industry. Having been a former SWM dealer with heaps of disappointment I'm looking hard with much better hopes at KOVE MOTO... Right on Zhang and the boys!
I'm 57 and the weight of most adventure bikes turns me off. If I can't pick it up on my own, in the bush its a long feckin walk home. 🤣 I swapped out my CFMoto 800MT for an older MuZ660 and have no regrets. I'd love to see one of these take on the Australian outback, I reckon we'd break it. 🍺
Great honest review, there's been a lot of talk about this bike over the western world. It looks like a complete bargain here in the UK and I've seen some of the other models in the Kove range being shown at the EICMA show and they all look pretty exciting prospects. I think it's going to be interesting to see how this company develops
I have this bike in my garage. It has exceeded my expectations. After the initial break in rides it is currently in pieces getting electronics installed, lights, heated grips, racks, protection and other crap I can think of. This will be my "BDR" hard rides and the tiger 800xc will for the easy ones like WA and ID BDR's.
Love the way you talk about power delivery .I had my bike for 4 years driving around Asia. It's got power. just need to know how to get it delivered 😮 if right person drive this in Dakar it will be number one😊
I have a 690 Rally conversion and it's my unicorn bike. The Kove is interesting because of price tag and the fact that's build for long distance racing. I am interested about the reliability of that machine. The power is secondary and sometimes it can bring fatigue if someone is not use to it. Nice opinion about Kove, I personally have no issues about a Chinese build bike, when Quality and Reliability are on point.
This is exactly the kind of review I've been waiting for. I'm very very interested in this bike, but I'm taking my time considering all my options before I pull the trigger. I will stay tuned for your upcoming videos on the Kove. Thank you!
👍This is what the drz should be now! Hopefully Suzuki will actually change it now? It’s funny how a Chinese company out of nowhere is producing a rally bike like this, but no other company is…. Without spending at least another $5 - 10k. Be quite interesting to see what the reliability is going to be like over the next 12 months. Plus if it’s going to be a one off bike or is it going to stay in production.
Well that was a nice talk about the bike, thank you. As for the “problems” look at the KTM 790 first year release list of problems. Oh and it seems as if the KTM TFT screen fogging never really gets fixed… I’m no “made in China” fan but isn’t everything made there now (or close to it)? This bike reads like they were listening to the community that said we want a 450cc, 325 pound, 250 mile fuel range, fuel injected, adjustable suspension all arounder. This checks lots of boxes. Enjoyed the video.
Nice work, Dallas! You have shared a very thoughtful discussion of this important new entry into the off road market. Many of your comments remind me of my 1997 KTM 620 Adventure. I’m sure the Kove vibrates less and has a much lower center of gravity due to the fuel tanks location. I really appreciate the background information about the Kove founder and CEO. His journey is remarkable. Many dream, but he has persevered and brought the machine to production. I wish Kove success in both racing and in the market. Riders have been crying for this “unicorn” type of bike for some time.
Hey Garth, you have the precursor to my 640 Adventure (2003 and 2007). Yes, the 640 vibrates but not as bad as I was led to believe. It's not going to enter the Dakar Rally but ought to tackle a BDR as well as any other DS rig and better than many. I'm intrigued by the Kove, too, and think it's sparking a realization for the other majors to sharpen their pencils and fire up their 3D printers.
Interesting bike for sure,one of the things that puts me off here in the UK is dealer network and after sales or should I say lack of them,even Aprillia Husqvarna etc are poor compared to Japanese but at the moment I’d say the Kove is in a class of its own.
Was so interested in the kove but in the end came to the conclusion its a rally bike, whereas im looking for a dual sport. Unfortunately the kove just doesnt meet my dual sport needs, for example 1) weight: theres no reason that a modern 450 dual sport should be 320lbs dry (and kove keeps publishing this wrong as curb weight), my dr650 with a lithium battery and gsxr exhaust probably is lighter. 2) maintenance intervals keep changing, originally claimed 5k mile oil change, currently 1k mile oil change/valve checks (see current manual), and next year they are gonna move it to 3k mile oil change. When theres already some uncertainty about the chinese reliability, makes u wonder about whats really going on. 3) tuning - makes 50hp and gets 45 mpg. In contrast the new 390 from ktm is 45 hp and will likely get 60mpg, will require less fuel and be lighter and lower fuel cost for adv rides. The kove is tuned for racing and the ktm (will be tuned) for adv riding. Cant wait for that new 390 to get in a more offroad oriented bike. 4) no mounts for normal style pannier racks. Not clear if that type of rack can even fit. For these reasons ill pass and stick with dr650 for now.
For what most people are doing with this bike, they are better off modding a DR or XR650 for what they ride...but they are fancy and think they need the latest/greatest and got fooled by the hype of this bike.
Great video. Love it. Your question/comment that you have to look after and service your own bike in the Dakar. That is only accurate/true for a certain class, the Malle Moto class. In Malle Moto you have to service your own machine and are not allowed outside assistance of any kind. Other Malle Moto competitors may assist/help you. You also only get one "trunk" for spares, and you can only use the spares you have packed. It is the "original" way of doing the Dakar, and by far the toughest. In Dakar 2023, the American Rally Originals, 5 American rally riders, all tried to be the first to finish the Dakar in the Malle Moto category. Only 1 finished the race, and succeeded in being the first American to complete the race in malle moto, Mo Hart. #unpackingrally
For anyone complaining about the power on the Standard version... due to Euro 5 regulations they had to numb it down. Get the 3-piece kit: factory titanium exhaust + factory ECU + factory Air Filter. Welcome to Kove Airlines.
In the team class you have mechanics working on you stuff when you get back to the bevi, it’s the mollie moto class that has no team and has to work on the bike on there own so he also can get help from other riders in that class but your pretty much on you own
Great review, Dallas, appreciate you guys compiling your research in a very honest way for the rest of us! I've no interest in changing bikes anytime soon, but if Yamaha had come out with a WR 450 R like I had hoped, I probably would have gone with that rather than the Tenere that I am enjoying now. Your review makes me think that this bike would be a great compromise between the two! Ride safe!
GREAT review! Really great perspectives. Comparing the power of a 450 to something that has 50% more displacement is unfair. What I'm stuck on is the fact that the Kove weighs as much as that 690! It should be down below 250 lb like other 450s. It weighs too much. That is what is disappointing to me.
I’d you come from a dirt bike background, and aren’t a slow rider you’ll appreciate the suspension on the Kove. I’ll take a less aggressive motor for longer service intervals
Love my gutless Honda NC700 and that truly is that...just happens to be a great motorcycle. Can't speak to this machine but the pursuit of "unicorn bikes" for this type of riding has left a lot of really great parts in the parts bin apparently. Soooo not into the prices of current machines but can't deny the improvements over previous machines.
Enjoyed this video as I’m interested in the bike. Good thing for me is I’m maybe 2-3 years out on purchasing so unless they fail miserably, they should only improve. That and I just bought a used 450exc to relearn on. Being 45yo and off bikes for 15 years, I don’t have a 30yo just out the Army body any longer. I’m not an “enduro rider” like I thought I might be. This looks like it’s more tailored for my (suspected) style. Thanks for your thoughts.
I'm a bit skeptical on the reliability. I saw two at my local OHV park. Both were broken within an hour of coming off their owners' trailer. One's engine blew up. One's frame got badly broken. They weren't ridden hard either. The riders were new riders and rode the bikes very slowly on easy trails. I also saw a couple reviews here on RU-vid where there were clutch problems and issues with the suspension adjusters breaking after a few uses. It's a shame because I was looking at this thing as a TAT bike but I'm going to sit back and watch it closely for a while longer before I grab one. I carry a survival kit on my bike but that doesn't mean I want to use it because my engine popped while I'm 150 miles out in the middle of nowhere
Excellent insightful review of this bike. The reliability vs power makes sense. The only thing that did not seems true was the backstory about the poor motorcycle mechanic in China who dreamed of racing Dakar and then designed this bike. This seemed like BS from a PR company. More likely it was a state sponsored corporation that trotted out the poor, genius mechanic as its human mascot for their product.
Great comments on the Kove. Where did you buy these bikes? GPX in the US? 👍👍 Only the Malle Moto Dakar racers have to work on their own bikes. The rest have teams that do everything else. The sections are long but not 900 kms.
Great to hear some logical comments re this new bike. Re those glitches he mentioned, they sound like easily fixable things in a first edition. Hats off for the visionary owner to do something that Japan has never, and will never do, namely cater for a market demanding a lightweight single hard core dirt bike. The only thing i doubt we will see is a Kove winning Dakar with a Chinese rider. If you don't have one of the top 15 hard core rally riders you can't win Dakar.
I liked the video. Good review, balanced take. We need more of those on the interwebs. But there's something wonky going on with the framerate and shutter speed of your camera. It looks like the shutter speed is too fast for the video framerate. If you're recording on a phone, maybe it's time to get a compact camera that will let you lock off the shutter speed for video and add a neutral density filter over the lens to balance the exposure for less juddery footage? Again, minor gripe, loved the video.
@@TractioneRag Thanks for not taking it as a jab. Many people aren't tech savvy. No need to apologise for it. If you do get a camera, look up the 180° shutter rule for video. There are a bunch of camera sites that explain it way better than I can haha.
An American who apologies for pronouncing a name wrong … max credit to you sir ! best wishes, great video. You deserve more subscribers. You re not verbose !
I would never comment on the power or torque of any new bike the first time I rode it. That’s simply because the first time I ride any new bike I don’t ask it to produce it’s maximum power or torque, those figures will be asked for more than 1000 miles down the road. I’m currently running in a new Chinese motorcycle. My first impressions were that it’s beautifully built and that impression survives a detailed inspection. My first ride was about 90 km back from the dealer and my, subjective, impression on that first ride the engine was already beginning to loosen up and felt as though it could be asked to pull from lower revs than at the start. Now approaching 500 km it’s better still. More kilometres and a couple of oil changes and I will know exactly what I’ve got. It sounds to me as though you wanted the performance straight out of the crate.
6:43 Only the riders in the Malle Moto class have to do everything for themselves. All other riders have a team behind them. Excellent review, I hope they grow from strength to strength, I like supporting the underdogs. “To this day, even though the Dakar Rally has outgrown it’s humble origins, it still retains the Malle Moto class for those who seek a pure test of spirit and endurance. One man. One bike. One box of tools. 12 days and 10,000 kilometres of hard racing.”
One mistake in the video regarding bike maintanace in the Dakar.. Yes, there is the one class were riders need to take care of all repair and maintanace every day after the race stages. The name of that class has canged over time, wasn`t it " Original by Motul" or something like that recently? Malle Moto before that. Also they normally have only one large box with spare parts and tools available. Lyndon Poskit competed in that class and it must have been hell, even for a very experienced rider and mechanic like him, because there is very little time left every day to sleep and recover. Watch his videos! Kove did NOT compete in that class to my knowledge. Instead they had a team of mechanics who took care of the bikes every day, with basically unlimited access to spare parts and repair time. So from that point of view the Dakar is NOT a reliablity test for all bikes, because the majority of bikes just need to make it through the next stage and a mechanic will already be waiting to fix any issues.
Excellent. Mild mannered bike review 👌 My CR 125 is awesome off-road with 2 gallons... My GS 1200 is awesome. Everywhere with 8 gallons😂 My Dyna was a monster everywhere, torture off pavement. I want a trial machine, as immature and see the Kove 😑as wisdom and tolerance mating isolationism racing down the highway to hell 🏁
An effective analysis. And yes, my KTM 450 exc IS intoxicating, but I don’t ride it anymore (I’m not in the open spaces of Mongolia now), instead I ride a BMW 850gs. Comfort, reliability.
A motorcycle is a universal...it does not have a nationality but a spirit of ambition...love... conquest and simply living and have fun....I want to have this bike....I hope it will be available soon....
So many people get obsessed with big power and don't put enough emphasis on suspension. I'd rather modest useable power and a good chassis with great suspension. I'm an aggressive rider and always set my suspension on the stiff side, most of my friends say its a bit too stiff, but I can hit just about anything and not worry about harsh G outs.
btw people, the none start after a drop seems to be fixed every time by turning off the bike, then turning key back on, allowing system to reset and then bam, starts
What I am hoping is this bike will force other manufacturers to follow suit on what some of us previous motorcross turned late middle aged folks are lookin for in a bike. What do I want? A capable off road bike with a higher fuel capacity in the right places and wind protection on the road. Like than man says, running the 6.6 gallon Safari tank on my 525 is disgusting, and getting there is painful. 175 miles between NMBDR points is no joke, and semi aggressive riding depletes a 3-4 gallon tank pretty damn quick. I am subscribed and interested until a orange, red, or white bike has similar capabilities and features, which I am 99% sure if this thing sells like I think it will, we will get.I can’t wait for one of these to complete the tour of Idaho, that will guarantee open some of our eyes.
I don’t care where they are from. The founder is clearly a passionate individual and his team ended the Dakar. I can have nothing but respect for who has that kind of love for motorcycles
Great informative view on this new motorcycle! So far on almost every Kove review, almost everyone argues whether it is for adv riders or motocross/enduro riders but noone really mentions if that machine is appropriate for beginners or someone who wants to ride off road with 0 experience in that department. Would the Kove be a somewhat right choice or would it be intimidating for such a person?
Glad it was helpful. We run an off-road tour company and I would not put an inexperienced rider on the Kove. I would put them on a 300L Rally to get them off on the right foot.
I have a 168cc from China, used on the mean city streets of St Louis. It’s actually a Honda that’s made it through American rules. It’s a Baaad Mofo. Solid-nothing can beat it in its category. Made in June 2023 and already over 5000mi. of Me trying to push its limits, not even a rattle
Great, informative video. Thanks for your efforts. I'm a big GS adventure bike, big kilometers guy, looking for something for the trails.......this could be it?
KOVE is building a new 2024 Dakar bike, 450 Ralley EX, which has 11 more ponies(65) 5 more ft lbs torque & is 38lbs lighter. Why? Because they finished Dakar but now really want to win. This hp is where it should be. Apparently, they can be ordered with only a production run of 50 at 2.5 times the price of the current base model.
What was said about the first Yamaha entered into an endurance race, from the movie, On Any Sunday. " Here comes a motorcycle, made by a Japanese piano company, and thats probably the last Yamaha they will bring over here". Here being the U.S. Similar criticism was made about Honda cars, whose laughing now. Given time improvements will be made, very few get everything right on the first attempt. As for comparison to other motorcycle types, there are tradeoffs, nothing is perfect in all situations, therefore compromises have to be accepted.
Given it's a 6 speed, struggling to lift the front in 3rd would suggest it's definitely down on torque. Back to back dyno runs with other 450s would be interesting.
IIRC the Honda CRF 450L had a fair number of issues on release, and that was freakin Honda! If Kove can be no worse overall, that is an achievement. Personally, as I go up in my 60s, I am more and more inclined to spend my money on lighter bikes. I am OK with slower if it picks up easier.
I am surprised about the "low" power issue ... there was a review of a guy who raced it vs 500cc KTMs and it did so well that he said he would sell his 500cc KTM to get the Kove
nice one, very true thinking, by the way the BMW is thirteen hundred or thirteen thousand? 😀 ( joke) thanks for the good point which I share a 100%, hopefully we get Kove in Europe soon
On the trials-enduro-dual sport-adv spectrum, im really confused where these rally bikes fit in… wide ratio long gears like an adv bike, fairings like an adv, they dont do luggage racks well, stiff suspension like an enduro, medium/short maintenance intervals , heavy for a dual sport, its almost off the spectrum in a different dimension than the typical spectrum we think of. Im a dual sport guy and i can tell u, its not for me, i dont think its in that category.
From this video, I think it's great what this Chinese man has done. That was him riding the old bike? And he's went on too build this, the bike looks the business. He will probably produce even better bikes after this one. And a great result in the Dakar. Well done China
These things are developed in the same factories as ktm and kawi engines - they are using unbranded and licensed spec engines from both brands. So it is no a surprise they are decent runners.
Doesn't this bike weigh something like 145kg dry? So that's way heavier than most of the dual sport bikes such as the CRF 450L (130kg wet). So it's gonna be over 155kg with half a tank of fuel, which takes into the 690/701 weight. So the weight issue for me isn't where the weight is, top or bottom heavy etc, it's if you have to keep picking it up all day because you are riding technical terrain, so it's still 155kg you have to pick up. If I was doing Dakar type riding and needed a massive fuel tank then I could see myself going for something like this, but for just normal trail riding where does this bike beat a KTM EXC 450 or a CRF450L? I've put a larger tank on my 450L and that gives me a range of between 120 and 150 miles depending on how I ride, which has been more than enough for average trail riding trips. Doing a longer trip to Portugal and Spain next year, about a 1500 mile round trip, which means no dropping the oil. What I'm struggling to get with this bike is where it fits in. Why get this instead of say a Husky 701, especially with the 701 you can very easily get parts, plastics, parts and plastics from mates, parts and plastics from mates at races - yes the Kove is cheaper, but does that make it on the whole worth while?
It is HEAVY but mostly liquid weight. If you don't need to go long distances (or don't want to) than the 450L may be a better choice. The Kove is not a bike for riding technical terrain. A very good rider with long legs can do it, but pick a different tool for that job.
Very good review, and a decent bike. However, can we get past the fact that it comes from the DRC (with the emphasis on the 'D')? Are we not interested in the concept of saving American, UK and Western European jobs? Do we really want to directly, or indirectly, want to support a regime that seeks to subjugate us?
Everything else is coming from China already and nobody complains. Evidently they are now even bringing inovation to the market, unlike many other manufacturers releasing the same 5 bikes over and over again.
