Kove 800x - Unicorn or a gamble? 

Hi all! Cheers for watching and commenting, really interesting what you guys are saying! Sorry I can’t answer each comment individually, so many! Cheers guys 🙌

I am a dealer for Kove in Colorado. It is a new bike for us in the last few months. I must say that Parts availability is excellent where we are. I can get anything I need in a couple of days. The distributor stocks to building an entire bike. We have not received the 800 yet but are looking forward to it very much.

I do think CF Moto and Kove are about to disrupt the industry. On the weight department, would love to see a video of someone disassembling a KTM and a Kove in parts to understand where the weight difference comes from. Either way, a CF Moto 450 MT for the same price or even less than a Honda CRF300, or a Kove 800 for less than a Tenere, at some point they will reach the tipping point, and with volume dealer network and other issues will be fixed. I own a ‘22 890 Adventure R, that if I decide to replace it with a new bike I do have the option to pay 60% less for a 450 MT. I get it is half the displacement, half the power, but every time I go off-road I wouldn’t mind to have less money on the line, especially when the bike goes down.

wonder if it has the soft camshaft issue with the KTM engine 🤔

Thanks for your video! I'm one of the first owners of Kove 800x pro in Europe, received it 2 weeks ago. 1000km so far. So far I'm very happy with it: extremely lightweight, very powerful - incredible torque gives you enough punch even at 150km/h.

Chinese machines are not old chinese.. Buid quality better than the previous... Main issue is service and the spare parts prevalence.

Been driving the bike since may, surpass all expectations. Light….and you feel its light, low centre of gravity, power oh yea. Everything works like a charm, hereby gearbox, clutch, suspension. Offroad driving capabilities is really great. And no funny bike-reactions due to terrain conditions like top-heavy bikes.

I'm a bit older than you and remember the first CB750 Honda hitting these shores. "No lad, they'll never catch on, wouldn't see me dead riding one of those". Mmmmmm 🤔

Hi, I really am looking forward for long term revues. Because price wise, it IS tempting, but does the quality be here? And do I need to mention that the 790's engine is not the most reliable one ? So wait and see...

I test rode the Kove 800x Pro last week and am expecting delivery from the first batch of UK bikes in the next couple of weeks. Based in Northumberland, so if you want to have a look at it, let me know!

Me and the other 4 people I know that test rode the 800x, ended up buying one. I have it since couple of weeks and I couldn't be more happy with it

I have been riding a Kove 800x for the past few months and now it has about 9000 kms on the clock. It has been trouble free. As reliable as any Japanese or European motorcycle I have seen. The only issue I have with this bike is jerky throttle response as mentioned in MCN's review as well. Hopefully they will fix this with a better ecu map.Also it is amazing off road, they have tuned the suspension and geometry of the bike for perfect balance off road.

I have a CF MOTO 800 MT Touring , and no issues whatsoever. Based on KTM 790 Adventure. Brilliant bike. Fully loaded. Just came back from Lake District a tour of 800 miles, did even 6h in the bike. Can’t believe how comfortable it is. So for those sitting on the fence, go for it. It’s backed up by KTM dealership in Europe.

I don't own a Kove nor have I ever ridden one, but it does seem like the Chinese have really stepped up their game on manufacturing some decent competitive products.

Hi there! I gambled.. Voge 900DSX It is essentialy a BMW F900GSA but speaks chinese. Engine definitely built in same factory, most of the bike most likely too. At 6000km right now, only minor issues (headlight was too high, steering stem not greased, clutch too hard, throttle jerky at ciry speeds, ergonomics issues with my 186cm). But no vibration, cruise control. Oh the factory luggage system I ordered is 3 months late. So far... :)

Thanks for including Ireland in your commentary. I really like your style of delivery and always keep an eye out for your new videos.

Kove rally has pleased every owner - i see no reason why the 800x will be any different

I'm very keen on one of these. I'd love to ride the 450 rally too. Unfortunately, no idea if we'll get them in NZ :( I recently rode the CFMOTO MT450, that was an AWESOME little bike, but the power and weight of the KOVE are really hard to ignore.... I want one!

There is no motorcycle from any brand in any country that I wouldn’t buy🙂

Love my t7 to death. But it's still so heavy. I have a 800 Rally X on order. If we want this bike, and we want the dealer support, we have to step up and order the bike and give them support. They aren't gonna offer support if no one buys. It's a two way street.

It's really not that long ago people were sceptical of Japanese Honda and Yamaha motorcycles. Quite a few (now out of business) motorcycle manufacturers laughed at them. Those who refuse to learn from history are destined to repeat it...

The CF Moto 450MT reminds me of the Honda CB750 Four. It will shift the motorcycle industry and make the other manufactures take notice. the CB750 Four took five years to take effect. The internet will accelerate this movement!

The Chinese are definitely coming and I’m all for it. However the 800 is equipped with a KTM engine which makes me question its reliability. Maybe kove fixed the issues but only time will tell. Crossing my fingers the Chinese are here to compete with the Japanese for the most reliable bike. At the end of the day, that’s kind of what matters the most.

Trouble is as soon as you ride the bike out the showroom you take a massive depreciation hit, no matter the manufacturer. It’s why I’m looking at the MT450 at only just over £5500 - I’ll keep the bike more than 4 years so it’s a no brainer.

I currently own a 2018 Royal Enfield Himalayan 411. Just last week I was searching for a replacement handlebar and so many dealers (including some official royal Enfield partners!) told me they wouldn't stock their items as they would be be laying around to long before selling. They all would import from India, which takes a long time. Infuriating! Getting a service done at an official dealer had very long wait lists, so I went with a different mechanic. I like that bike, but the next one will be a Honda, Yamaha or BMW. Much better support here in germany.

Living in Australia and owning a flagship Honda, it’s a minimum of 6 weeks for common parts, and some parts have taken 6 months (I ordered wheels, complete) and some that I ordered 3 years ago are still showing on back order (bolts and nuts for sub frame after one came loose and vanished) I replaced the parts using off the shelf stuff from the local nut and bolt specialist, but wanted Genuine Honda so as to keep the bike completely “genuine and original” for what that’s worth. I’ve let this continue purely for the “shits and giggles” factor. So…no. Name brands and dealer networks don’t count for shit in my experience. The same with the KTM I had. Waited 3 months for a water pump kit to be told “nil stock”. I put in 3 orders through 3 suppliers for the same thing, and after 9 months I had exactly half the parts I needed. What this says to me is, buy stocks of the common consumables when you buy the bike. Shop online.

Waiting for the Kove 450 ! That's the next unicorn 🦄 If only the T7 lost 50 Kilo's, but nooo, lets not listen to our customers.. So Kove 450, here we come!

I was also at the ABR this year and seen the Kove, look very interesting to me but £8500 is a fair gamble, I also road tested the CFMoto 450, I really liked it, so much so I went to buy one when I got back home as i was in the market, but then there is the problem, dealer told me they have sold out and wouldn’t get anymore till March next year! So I bought the T7, loads of dealers, loads or parts, loads of aftermarket and 100% proven. You pay your money you take your choice 👍

mcn just measured 195 kg (with 20 liters of fuel)

I have one on order after testing both the 790 adv which for a brand new bike already had issues some kind of error message about cooling system and the dealership didn't set up the clutch correctly, the 450mt which was a blast and extremely easy to maneuver (150kg) but going back after testing it offroad I tried giving it the beans but it struggled (as expected) and finally I got the 800x pro and it felt great. Very maneuverable, just like the 450mt and the power of the engine... And by the way, comparing specs of 800x pro with Yamaha only the rally would come close but less power and more expensive closer to the f900gs.

Every person I have seen review the bike says that they are really light, quite how they have managed it is another thing. I test rode the CF Moto 450Mt at the ABR Festival, loved it and ordered one the following Monday, at £5699 for a 450 twin I am willing to take the risk. The 450 Rally is an excellent bike, but a bit hardcore for me. I am not so sure about Kove, as a Company, the MD who was the driving force of the Company was forced out and without him I would worry about the direction the Company takes, only time will tell.

Expecting mine in three weeks. I already drive a test motorcycle and i was astonished. Superior motorcycle

Few stuff, first off weight. Koves claim is correct, but when you buy one it comes with upper crashbars and a luggage rack as standard, thats where the extra 8kg comes from on the delaers sites. Tank is meashured by volume on official sites and rounded up, while by usage and rounded down on dealer sites. Thats why the 1L discrepency. Parts will also be available by CF Moto dealerships as Kove 800 uses the 800MT engine. Right now its cheap as its a new thing, less dealerships, less orders, less everything. Once they "prove" themselfs, im shure the price will baloon. So i bought mine early. Reliabity? Engine is solid, so are the components, im only wondering about the abuse the frame will take (welds that is). Dealerships in EU? Dont worry, i have 4 dealerships 30minutes to one hour away from my house... Also, if thers 2 dealerships per country, youre looking at no more than 2 hours to reach one. And thats really not that far now is it.

Did you see the CfMoto 800 or whatever the equivelant ? Thats a year old now and reports are good. Not the unicorn but neither is a T7...

I test rode the Kove recently and straight away my Taureg went up for sale - the feel of the weight difference is crazy and the engine is certainly punchy. Is it a gamble? Probably but hey, life is a gamble :) I took a gamble when I built my CRF500L and that worked out pretty well. The importer say less than 10 days to delivery, can't wait.

I can chime in a little bit on experience of none Japanese motorcycles n why we just bought the Honda Nx500 which I’m loving after todays ride. Which we just sold a T7 for. In the past we’ve had 90% of the smaller adv bikes, for context 2x 390adv (rejected riddled with issues for full refunds at 147 an 269 miles) Himalayan 2022 (rejected full of issues at 500 miles) dealer was unable to get the parts to fix it, 300 rally totally reliable, I’ve personally had 38 other motorcycles from 1927 Nortons, 1960s Nortons a 650ss I used as a daily for 4 years n 4 winters that proved more reliable than the Indian built bikes with better parts availablity than the Himmy. I’ve also had ex iom TT race bikes rzv500r two strokes a 250lc I did 2k miles a week on an lots of GS’s 1200s a t7 a the 1150gsa I think those are some really points you brought up. I think it’s easy to get swept right up in all the paid review videos creating the hype thrashing the bikes they don’t own that doesn’t matter if they send it into a ditch to get the shot with pro cinematographers and musicians. It’s like the Enfield videos they are sublime yet there’s been a few of us who have had really bad ownership experiences I had a bmw dealer destroy an engine on a 1200gsa was fixed. After 2 engines but they got it right in the end. The Himmy they couldn’t even get the parts to fix it and that’s a real shame. An not something you see talked about a lot. The pro videos are fab to watch but what are they like to live with in town riding at normal road speeds. That’s where I’ve found a few big discrepancies over the years to the pro reviews usually being entirely different to what’s sold in the vids. It’s an interesting point though are we seeing a paradigm shift like we did in the 1970s maybe we are but at the moment I’d be super careful when we had issues with the Ktm’s they didn’t want to know or help it was only my knowledge of consumer law that got the dealer to do the right thing. Very interesting video and discourse I wonder if that’s a wet or dry weight We did take a look at the new cf moto but the quality and reliability of the Honda won out :) perfect for our adventures on the road. It’ll be interesting to see how they develop the bikes going forward and think it’s really great that there’s more options coming to market :)

Definitely this is a excellent looking midweight of road oriented adv bike! Look at this geometry simply it looks awesome, and of course i hope to come with good reliability! So If i decide to buy adv bike, definitely would be this KOVE.

Give them time to grow. You can't build up a Honda dealer network overnight. Based on the specs and the first reviews it seems they are off for a great start.

in your comparison ,you forgot the full KYB suspensions, the tubeless Pirelli, the bosch brine, the tisko brakes & extras. if it was Japanese will cost over 15.000€

I would wait ten years to see. Since I a too old for it, I will stick to reputable brands with the large network.

CF moto,Voge,Kove,a new era is coming,it will take 2-3 years may be to enter the market,and chinese motorbike are going to make pressure on Japanese and european brands in the near future;ratio quality/equipment vs price will impact our view .In France ,Voge ,for exemple and CF start to have many dealers ,they sell also Benelli and few other brands;chinese know how to do business,they have the will and the money to suceed!engines are KTM,BMW,Honda ,Showa ,Brembo,Bosch components will give confidence to user in term of reliability.Few years and you will be able to sale your chinese bike on the market!!

Wait for kove 800x travel!!!!

Think about where and how they saved the weight! First rutt, your bending the frame!!

Yamahas T7 weight is 204kg full tank, even the CFMoto 450MT weighs 197kg , so realistic it will be at least 195kg, thats not even 10kg. You can easy save 10kg on the T7, and that thing is reliable. I hope That the new brands will bring some fresh ideas , but first they have to show endurance . TBH I really like the new KOVE 800 Rally version. The CFM450MT is a cheap try and no real competitors, and rides amazing, thats a more no brainer, the Kove 800 is more a gamble

After risking your luck with an Aprilia (I made the same mistake last year), are you sure you want to repeat the same gamble with a unknown Chinese motorcycle? I'm back on a Japanese one, Suzuki at the moment.

If it is really 25 kg lighter, it is worth gambling even if it is the same price.

Regardless of the cost saving - £1500+ is a lot of fuel to get you places - the 25kg weight saving, if accurate, is invaluable. You’re getting a bike that is twice as powerful for the same, if not less, weight than many of the 300-500cc class - Himalayan, 450MT, G310GS, etc. However, the KTM 790 engine is one riddled in controversy at the moment, and this might be Kove’s Achilles heel, how many trust that engine and the now notorious camshaft wear? Is it a gamble, well yes, but any less of a gamble than those that bought the 411 Himalayan when it first came out? Maybe, just because it’s £8.5k and not a more palatable £4k.

The bike is great. As far as part availability don’t worry their network is spreading, give them a break. Whether we like it or not the Chinese tiger has invaded in cars and bikes as they’ve done successfully so many years in electronics. Don’t be amazed of in some years all of us are only Chinese bike owners…😊

The Yamaha is worth more than the £1500 premium. Resale value, a proven product and the immense dealer backup. No contest really

I'd give it a couple of years before risking a Kove. However, having KYB suspension (forks, not sure if the shock is also KYB) is a big plus, as the KTM 790/890 suspension is awful. I'd still pay more for the KTM, as the low CoG is important to me.

It is a definite no go until there is a confirmed fix for 790/890/901 camshaft issue. For me the Kove 450 Rally seems the unicorn. CF Moto 450MT also interesting and I test rode it, but why did they make it so heavy. It is still lighter and more nimble than any competiting twin, so it will be a big hit anyway.

i think the chinese motorbikes are very tempting ! for sure they will expand dealers and parts avalability in the 'near' future otherwise it would make little sense to try and find a competitive space in the current market. in the last Paris Dakar the Kove 450 had no serious technical problems. unfotrunately the excellent ceo stepped down but i would definetly give them a try. i am in fact doubting between an himalayan 450 and another chinese brand the ctm 450. best everything.

Not sure about that one. You usually get what you pay for...I learnt that the hard way with my beautiful, Chinese-made Italien lady. Loved the looks of that Benelli. Yes, some parts did not work that great, but that can happen with any bike from any company (made on a Monday or something like that. Even if the rear brake is stuck, which is not funny.) But as I decided I wanted to customize the seat and therefore had to strip it...oh boy. The plastic sheet was paper-thin. It broke on several spots when I pulled out the staples. Had to patch it up with some resin, which made it stronger. Then I started thinking "what might lurk beneath this thin shell? Do I really want to find out?". No, I traded this bike on the first occassion - against a Yamaha. Boy was I glad. That thing with a workshop was a whole other thing. It was...difficult (nowadays it is no problem, as my daughter is about to become a mechanic. She did several internships at motorcycle dealers - Yamaha mostly). But still, I will happily stick with my Yam. One aspect my husband mentioned that I rode that Benelli only when we took a tour together. Never alone (somehow I unconsciously could no trust this bike). Not so with the Yamaha. But it is up to you if you want to try that Kove. Sure looks nice - but IMO the Ténéré looks even nicer. And admit it, this is what you really want. You keep mentioning it again and again. Maybe it is time to fulfill that desire.

Sat on one and it felt light and fun, but the ktm 790 is a hell noo for me!!! Maybe with a 10 year full warrant 🤣

Pity there are limited dealerships in Europe. In Holland we only have one. Lot of people may think twice before buying a Chinese bike.

I always wonder, if they can't even get the specs on the website straigt, what else are they messing up? Obviously it's not the engineer making the website, but it's about the mindset the company is in. The bike has been weight by an independant magazine at 193kg fully fueled. That's barely more than 10kgs less than a T7. From an engineering standpoint, that's quite a lot, considering the bikes are pretty comparable, with the Kove having more power and therefore also bigger cooling system and so on. Dealer network doesn't bother me personally, I can take care of everything short of reprogramming the ECU. But still, the reliability is a big question. I've gone with the T7 Extreme. It does everything I need it to do and I don't need to waste a single thought about reliability. I just know it just works. Also as a semi-pro rider, I don't want or need TC and rider modes, I want something that behaves consistent and doesn't need any attention. The T7 gives me that. In my opinion that's well worth the premium in price.

I'd buy one, if i had a dealer within an hours drive. I had an AJP for awhile. The nearest dealer was literally 1000 miles away. I had to have the bike transported there, and back, to have a warranty item taken care of. Shan't do that again.

It's great to have another player in the market but the t7 can be had for under list price a Tuareg is 9k the kove is being sold on its light weight but has been on the scales and is heavier than advertised and therefore I can't see what it offers .. happy to be proven wrong mate has a 450 rally and it's excellent but was surprised the ceo and passion behind the brand stepped down

MCN weighed it at 195kg (brimmed plus crash bars as standard), still about 10kg less than the T7 (without crash bars)

Reliability and engine characteristics is the most important to me. And when Yamaha launched the Rally Edition in 2020 this model RevedMyHeart 💙💛🏁🤛🏼 In the meantime there is a lot of after market parts and options available for the T7 and just in case nobody is going to support Kove bikes in the near future, who knows what will going to happen. On the other side it may offer a chance to new gear companies to grow with Kove but only in case the manufacturer can keep their promise and the confidence of the buyers. Time will tell. P.S. I just checked the Owners/Maintenance Manual and found some interresting details: a) Cellphone screen projection navigation display. Once you have set up the navigation settings in the app, you can enable the cellphone screen projection navigation display. b) Engine oil & filter replacement every 5.000 km / 1 year 3.0 L with filter change, 2.8 L without filter c) break fluid replacement every 1 year d) fuel pipe and filter replacement every 1 year e) valve clearance inspection every 20.000 km / 2 years f) 3-mode OFF-ROAD ABS with rear ABS OFF possibility

T7 owner here. Tempting stats, not re power but re weight savings. Styling of Kove 800 is horrendous in my personal, limited and biased opinion. I can't ride ugly bikes.

CF Moto has a 4/5 year warranty I think not sure about kove

And I am old enough to remember the “Japanese bikes are all rubbish” mantra, and the British manufacturers taking apart a Honda 50cc DOHC single cylinder (over-the-counter) racer and saying in the British M/C press, “we couldn’t even make that in this country”.

The true cost of ownership depends on your buying pattern. If you change every 3 years I’d stick with the usual suspects plus the dealer support is certainly an issue. As a KTM dealer said to me recently, the PCP payments per month will flush out residuals. On the other hand, this bike seems to have a lot more (or less by 20/25kg) to offer. The Chinese are beating the West on spec and price, not innovating like the Japanese who took on the lazy, complacent European/British/Americans on and wiped the floor with us/them. As a potential buyer and older (and maybe wiser) weight is becoming more the issue. I’ve gone from GSA to 701 Husky in 4 steps and love the low weight and skinny profile. The Kove might just coax me back a bit with some creature comforts.

Dealer networks don't bother me - if the machine is of proven reliability. Which we don't have here. I see two types of buyers mainly. Those that are pinched for funds and can't really afford the main brands; and folks with plenty of funds (and other bikes in the garage) that can absorb the risk if the bike (or company) turns out to be a stinker. Myself, I like to look, but my CB1100 (and the AC in the car) have spoiled me to the extent I'm pretty much out of the market. Now if I won the lottery, oh hell, I'd buy an airplane! LOL

I've never gambled more than a tenner - let some high rollers take the risk until it's a proven product.

I’m not sure KTM supply chains are that good. I’ve said elsewhere a friend had to wait 13 months for a new tank for his MV. No bike for 13 months. A disaster. Other testers have said that the engine does NOT feel like a KTM engine, so there’s likely some differences. But for me no bike over 300cc is a temptation..

So,buy one and do a long term test.not just theory...

Hay mate Paul from Australia, we don’t even have a Kova importer ! , so NO dealers at all . CF Moto is quite large in Australia and been here for some years now . BUT I would not buy a new Chinese ADV 3:38 bike ( like a 450 MT ) as resale value would be crap and buying new your still supporting “ the Chinese war machine “ , I personally have nothing against the people. BUT also they ripe off all the tech and designs. At the Royal Enfield- like the 650 and new 450 Himalayan are SO original in design. Yes would support Indian economy but NOT Chinese with a new bike . YES and I know about a lot of stuff we use is made in China BUT I always buy non Chinese made goods if I can , Australia first , then European, American, other Asian countries. “ so i practice what I preach . I have a Moto Guzzi V85tt , - Italian, a Honda CRF 300 Rally - made in Thailand , a Suzuki SV 650 made in Japan and a old Kawasaki Super Shepa 250 - made in Japan. Anyway that’s my take on the Chinese thing , and yes I agree there bikes are becoming very good , But I will stay away .

somebody start talking about the KOVE 800 X RALLY alreadyyyyyyyyyyyy

Too bad we don't have kove 800 here in Indonesia, we only have cfmoto 450mt

Chinese maschines still need to improve a lot in terms of real (not apparent) quality.

Costly gamble, who knows how long Kove will be around. At least CFMOTO has been around for decades.

You didn't mention it only has 18 months warranty 🤔

Can you get parts ???

The unicorn will be a tuareg with yamaha reliability! Fin.

This was intersting until the mention of a KTM engine, Strange that I'd rather have a Chinese bike than a KTM isn't it.

So, I’ll keep my Tenere for now, thanks..

I recently bought a really clever Chinese action cam, like Kove price and spec beat the market but to use it I had to sign my life (phone) away. I know this sounds daft but beware of spies hiding in tempting tech.

Too soon to dive into unknown territory. Give it time. Let it be tried and tested..

The Single cylinder unicorn was made by Honda in 1988... The dual cylinder unicorn a couple of years earlier...

You forgot to mention tubeless wheels

who makes the motor ?

I think lots of these bikes from China are the same companies building the KTM’s . Not confidence inspiring to me.

I was comparing xl750 to kove and damn. Honda comes overpriced for what it is. Kove seemed have better build quality. Transalp different gaps in the plastic panels, rust within 3 months of ownership. Come on Honda.....

Chinese bikes are not necessarily a good choice now. But my god the path they are on, give them 5-10 years (maybe less) and then see.

T7 still gets my cash

Kove’s been engaged in shady marketing regarding curb weights since the announcement of their 450. Someone knowledgeable in kove bikes posted that their claimed curb weights at eicma and on the global site are for zero petrol in the tank for the 450, and just a few liters in the tank for the 800x. This why the european sites show significantly larger curb weights. Thats just shady for a brand that should be trying to build trust.

you Islanders are late to the party they are roaming Europe for few months already ;

Well i stick to my t7

As a Tiger 800 owner in the US it has caught my attention .In my 30's and 40's I would have checked the specs and the reviews but in my 60's I have a problem with Chinese products and politics . I do my best to avoid as many Chinese products as possible which isn't easy . It's just who I am .

Big gamble chineseium don’t last

I’ve been waiting nearly 3 months here in OZ for replacement camshafts on my Tiger 1200 RP 🥲