Kove 450 Rally long-term review: known issues and who will it suit?︱Cross Training Adventure

crosstrainingenduro.com Our Kove 450R Rally long term review! It's road-legal status in the USA has just been announced so it's good timing for our Kove 450 Rally review. Welcome to Cross Training Adventure, we are into all things dual sport and adventure on the east coast of Australia. Over the past few months our Canadian cousins have clocked a lot of miles on three Koves. Our Australian team just spent three weeks in Canada and got to ride them. Check out our reviews of various adventure bikes and dual sport bikes. This Kove 450R Rally long term review combines the opinions of at least a dozen riders. First in this Kove 450 Rally review? It's very important to understand the nature of the beast! The Kove 450 Rally has been designed for the Dakar rally and it has performed surprisingly well for a new model. If you like dual sport riding in Australia then you might like our adventure riding vids. The Kove 450 Rally then revs at 5900rpm at 100kmh. Adventure riding? The Kove could prove to be quite a good lightweight adventure motorbike. The huge fuel tanks are an obvious benefit with a potential range of 600km or 370 miles from the 30 litre fuel capacity. Some owners say the Euro 5 airbox may fix this. But of course it might be very restrictive too. Although the windscreen is not adjustable the rally fairing worked quite well for protecting our riders from the elements whether they were short or tall. But with modifications or adjusted expectations it may fit those roles quite well. The Kove 450 Rally rally fairing and extra fuel tanks make it a lot heavier than enduro 450 models at 145kg with an empty tank. Keen on adventure riding in Australia? Check out our vids.171kg with the massive fuel tanks filled. The gear ratios are fairly narrow to suit racing conditions. The Kove 450 Rally is very tall with a 960mm or 37.8 inches seat height.Kove 450 Rally throttle response at low revs. Many owners are complaining about the snatchy on-off nature of the fuel injection at low revs. It's a race motorbike so it hasn't been designed with that in mind. However, Kove have been quick to respond to feedback so far so we may see ECU remapping that improves this. Overall quality? To their credit,the Kove 450 Rally seems to be aiming for quality. Our mechanic has been working on these for a while and has been impressed so far. The three test motorbikes were outside for one month and it was often raining or snowing. Only time will tell, but the initial indications of the Kove 450 Rally are positive. The Kove does start to move briskly at high revs but of course most of us will be using the midrange power most of the time. We rode the Kove back-to-back with a derestricted DRZ400 and were surprised to see the DRZ had almost as much power up to about 6000rpm. Kove 450 Rally has probably sacrificed some power in exchange for reliability. Second? Will the Kove 450 Rally be good for enduro riding? Of course not. You can ride it on single track. We did. But it's hard work and it's simply not designed for that. The main issue is the weight. Some Kove 450 Rally riders may be disappointed with the midrange power for adventure riding. There's enough to lope along at highway speeds all day. But for any spirited riding you will find the engine only starts to perform well above 6000rpm. The stock gearing could be tricky. It works well for highway but there will be compromises if you also want to ride slower gnarlier terrain. Ridden the Kove 450 Rally? We are keen to hear your thoughts. Do you own one? What has been your experience so far? Remember to check our pinned first comment for important links and further tips. With a full fuel tank it will be like enduro riding on a DR650 with good suspension. Once the fuel level is low, it will be like riding a DRZ400 with firm suspension. Doable, but not ideal. If you really want that lightweight enduro/adventure unicorn you need to adventurise a 450 or 500 enduro model. See this video. Lets move on. Dual sport riding? Now we are much closer to the mark! The Kove way better for road riding than your 450 enduro models. The Kove 450 Rally gearing works well. The Kove is still a bit heavy for a dual sport motorbike but remember it does have quite a low centre of gravity with those lower fuel tanks. Off-road? First gear is too high and needs a lot of clutch-slipping to get going. Many owners add three teeth to the rear sprocket and find this works well.
CREATIVE COMMONS FOOTAGE
How we FILMED the rally to DAKAR from Dream Duo Films
• How we FILMED the rall...
#crosstrainingadventure #adventureriding #adventurebikes #dualsportriding
#dualsportbikes

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Do you really need a rally setup? Those panels are expensive to replace when you drop the bike. Exhaust pipe is very exposed. Rocks could puncture those lower tanks. The tower adds a lot of weight, and high up. And the screen is far forward which usually means more air turbulence. A cheap windscreen and bigger tank on a DRZ, CRF450RL or enduro 450 may be a lot lighter and more suitable. The rally style is very trendy at the moment but will it really be practical? ------------------ Kove 450 known issues & fixes!: koverally.info/450r/known_issues/ One owner suggests good hand guards to protect the cheap quality clutch/brake perches. Carbon fibre skidplate may need replacing if it takes any solid hits e.g. logs. Fuel flow/gauge solutions: facebook.com/groups/1324943645047561/search/?q=tank%20venting Adventure riding? Seat Concept seat for Kove 450 Rally is $269.99 USD. ----------------- FREE MOD FOR SNAPPY THROTTLE RESPONSE Try this at your own risk! If you mess it up, just buy the G2 Throttle Tamer. See this vid: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKPbnKaPn5Kah9k Gently file away some of the plastic square edge where the throttle cable first makes contact in the slot of your plastic throttle tube. The rounded shape means your throttle takes longer to kick in just for that first 1/8 of a turn. Just make sure it's completely smooth and no spare bits left behind that might cause the throttle to lock. ------------------ KTM 690, HUSKY 701 COMPARISON? My Canadian cousins had an interesting chat about comparing the 690 with the Kove: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKuYpZt3rqmLadU In Australia these have all been heavily discounted to about the predicted price of the Kove here. E.g. GasGas ES700 is only AUD15000. This will be a much better deal for most riders. Way more power, similar weight, but you forego the fairing and huge tanks. ------------------ HOW TO PRONOUNCE KOVE? I have some viewers saying that 'kov-veh' is the wrong way to say it. That is how the Kove CEO, factory riders, and marketing team say it. If you think it should rhyme with 'stove' then argue with them lol. ------------------ VIDEO LINKS 1 hour live chat! Replies to your Kove questions: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnfcknxvjZWZma8 Chuck Harder's enduro perspective kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYWZg2yIfLBlgs0 Dallas Shannon's ADV perspective kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmjZdmSOZdiHrqc Modifying enduro bikes for ADV? kzbin.info/www/bejne/jabPm4etj7CNpNU

[@OverlandTheSlowWay]

Fyi, plastics and panels are cheap. Fuel tanks are incredibly tough (XLPE) ..I've tested them in rocks. The fuel range is huge..the screen works really well too. Tower is actually rather light. Seat is uncomfortable after a few all day rides

[@DirtByk]

I had one of the first bikes in the states and have about 3500 miles on my personal bike. Everything from single track, to BDR camping off the bike, to prerunning and racing in Baja. The Kove is a legit bike. We're doing a series on racing the Kove in Baja while sharing our experience about the build quality and relaying whatever info we can dig up on the platform. So far so good, besides the forementioned issues. I have a Rekluse on my personal bike and it smooths out the throttle jerkiness quite a bit. The race bike on the other hand is very "on-off" with the throttle. My most annoying issues is the fuel tank venting. On the race bike we haven't needed to fill the rear tank and pushing fuel is not an issue. On my personal bike, if the tanks have above 3/4 tanks and it's hot, I'm going slow or extreme changes in elevation cause the fuel to push out the front tank caps. This happens still with ALL recommended mods (removing canister, venting the caps, etc) done. We've sent our race bike oil off for testing so we'll have results on that soon. We will also be building up our race bike for the Baja 400 and Baja 1000 that are coming up later this year. Feel free to follow along, we'd love to share our findings!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Had you tried the bigger ID fuel connectors too? This seems to be the most detailed suggestion so far: Stephen Schank Kove Facebook group Okay, my solutions so far: Removed the rear tank breather hose and capped it off. Then added a vented front tank cap to the rear tank (purchased from the US importer). This solved the issue of the rear tank getting fuel against the breather spring/ ball valve going up hills with mostly full tanks which caused the tank to no longer breather. I have not had an issue since no matter how full I fill the rear tank. Take the inner seal from all three vented caps and open up the two holes and add two more. This allows the caps to function better and has been documented other places. Added the red spring/ ball valve to the front two tanks as shown in the picture to be sure gas can't get to the valve and shut it down. You could just leave this open but unfortunately my bike finds itself upside down at times..... Switch out the smaller stock plastic CPC dry breaks with proper 5/16" metal ones (5/16" plastic would work fine also). Now when I fill the bike from one front tank and it hits the top I can see the gas drop rapidly to the other tank. The flow between tanks is just over double from stock. Removed the one way spring valve between the front and rear tanks and added a high quality high flow rate manual valve so I can control when gas goes to the front tanks and when it stays in the rear. Also this allows 100% of the gas in the rear to get to the front tanks if you leave it open unlike the spring valve which always leaves some gas in the rear tank due to the nature of gravity and column pressure of fuel. In a pinch for fuel I can park the bike downhill, open the valve, get all the gas in the front tanks and close the valve to maximize range or use it as reserve. After all this and draining the tanks 100%, the tanks combined took 7.77 gallons as full as I could comfortably fill it. 8 is likely but afraid it would pour out. Again these are just my findings but since everything works flawless and I have been getting 300 plus miles will still almost 3 gallons in the tanks. So best guess range now that I can use all the fuel is almost 400 miles depending on speed and conditions. Hope this helps someone.facebook.com/groups/1324943645047561/search/?q=tank%20venting

[@jonwoodworker]

How much of the bike did you replace. I know you were replacing the suspension and removing the ABS. I thought the bike was a factory race ready rally bike.

[@DirtByk]

@@jonwoodworker ha! It’s a production bike based on a rally racing bike, Jon. Even with a slogan like “ready to race,” all ktm’s require some modifications to make more race worthy. Our bike was completely stock for the 500. We are just now breaking into it and upgrading. Any and every bike prepped for racing would get a suspension overhaul and the ABS did come on the bike, but again it’s a street legal bike with certain equipment being required to get that certificate. We don’t need nor want abs in race scenarios. But Jon, I know you’re only throwing these out there to stir the pot.

[@jonwoodworker]

@DirtByk I had valid questions and am interested to know. But yes, when it comes to the Chinese Clown bike, made by a government that hates us, I do like to stir the pot....a lot! Normalizing purchasing Chinese products that fund military age males to cross our border illegally is NOT a good idea.

[@OverlandTheSlowWay]

9,000km on my Kove. I have no venting issues. I removed the one way valve from rear to front tanks (I think this is causing pressure push to the front tanks) and fitted a manual tap near the quick connectors. The connectors are also too small a diameter and should be replaced. Also added heat shield to the right tank by the exhaust and fitted better vents to front and rear tanks.

[@philipshore6924]

Top review guys. Straight to the point, no fluff or fanboy crap and clearly not caring if you get invited to the next influencer launch event or not. I like the way you say what purpose it's been designed for and what works for everyday riders 👌👋. Yours sincerely, not Pol Tarres.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Thanks Phil, we've never had any luck with getting test bikes from dealers or distributors as we tend to be too critical compared to the usual 'reviews' out there. Yours, not Toni Bou.

[@MichaelShaw206]

I owned a Kove - just sold it for roughly what I paid for it. Great bike in a lot of ways, but after having major heart surgery, I realized I won't be riding any rallies or needing 8 gallons of fuel capacity. My Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE is much better on the road (I like naked bikes - otherwise get a car!), and I am still kicking myself for selling my WR250R two years ago. I wanted the Kove to be an "only bike" solution, but that really doesn't exist for most of us. Previously, I owned a Honda CRF 450L and heavily modified it, which is really necessary, and I found the Kove much better "out of the box". Between the two, I preferred the Kove, even with the added weight. I understand the love of the Suzuki's, but they don't have a 6th gear and are really vibey when forced onto a highway. Much like I love the 1968 Ford Mustang in my garage but hate driving it on the freeway - old tech has its limitations. The Kove will be a great bike for some folks. If you don't like Chinese products, don't buy it, but you probably should stay away from KTM and Husqvarna. My Triumph was assembled in Taiwan. But you do you.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Damn. Hope you have a 100% recovery, Michael.

[@toine0002]

Been riding my EURO5 450 Rally stock for 2700km since February now. Apart from a clutch cable impossible to adjust, forcing me to tighten it (no guard left) for it to be useable, and a key contact which had one wire come loose (easily fixed even on the trails) I had no issue whatsoever, and I'm not gentle on it. Coming from an adventure bike background, the power is not an issue (never owned or ridden an enduro bike), and the frame and overall conception of the bike makes it very suitable for road use. I go to offroad weekends by road with all my camping gear on the bike, unload all, go ride offroad and rip the thing, then load everything back on it and ride home by road. Perfect for this use. The jerky throttle at low revs takes some getting used to, and adjusting the clutch and throttle cables perfectly helps a lot. I am tall and heavy, I m a bit cramped while standing on it (handlebars would need to be 5cm forward) but the suspenion quality means you really don't ride that much standing, apart on technical single tracks. If it had a passenger certification, I would gladly use it as my only bike, but as it is it's a perfect second bike in the shed, I also own a Moto Guzzi V85TT which answers my pillion, groceries trip and road conmfort needs.

[@johntuckett2327]

I still think the DRZ 400 is the best value for money Then do your own customising:ie suspension rally tower long range tanks etc

[@MidCoastAdventures]

And Japanese

[@toine0002]

unfortunately, in EUROPE we do not have DR 650 and 400 as a choice for a new bike. As they are no longer meeting emissions standard. The Kove is therefore in a league of its own, as we no longer have mid size singles which can do proper offroad. It's either a CRF 300 (cheaper but very limited in suspensions, power and fuel capacity) , or the bigger singles like AJP PR7 or 690/701/700 KTM/HVA/GAS GAS singles, 2000€ more expensive, and without rally tower (KTMs) or fuel capacity either. I might have bought a DR650 more suited for my needs but it's been discontinued for ages here.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Yes I think it will be a better option for many unless they want the extra power at high revs you get with the Kove.

[@James.._]

The Drz whilst not great at anything, is a brilliant all-rounder, I love mine. It'll take an exceptional bike to make me part with it.

[@Buzdu22]

​@@toine0002not all by itself in the league. You also have bikes like the Fantic XEF450 Rally 😉

[@user-oh1yj2pz4z]

The "Adventures On Bikes" youtube channel from the UK has traveled the whole adventure in Morocco with a standard KOVE 450 engine, and had a very good experience with the engine's performance and reliability. Practicaly 0 problems. I find that Seat Concept already made Comfort seat for Kove (2023+) 450 Rally in US price is $269.99 USD (for comfort on longer journeys) Sorry to all my English is bad, I learned it myself from the internet

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Thanks! I added your suggestion to the pinned first comment.

[@Trailfocused]

I just hit 2k miles on my Kove 450 standard with upgraded pro ECU and exhaust. Its a great long distance and comfortable dual sport bike that I bought to explore gravel roads and ride a few BDR routes. The bike is extremely stable at high speed(I won the open class at our local ISDE with it) and I've had no issues so far and it has become the bike of choice in my garage. I agree on most of the points discussed in this video and for a first bike from Kove, they have done very well.

[@user-xb4nn6ql5l]

I’ve owned one for about 600 miles now. It’s my first big bike (I was previously on an L plated WR125R) so my comparison with other bikes is rather limited. You’ve touched on all the criticisms I’ve encountered, but I would add that the seat gets a bit tiring after a couple of hours, and prolonged motorway riding gets your hands buzzy as the revs of 6th at that speed seems to be tunes perfectly. I did an off road course recently, where the instructor helped me adjust the suspension. Clicking the front down to the second softest setting (out of 20 from memory) did me a lot of good as an 85kg rider. I’m still fiddling with the rear settings. I’ve got used to the throttle on road, but it still scares the bujeebees out of me on the gnarlier sections of the Surrey byways loop. On open fast gravel it is, predictably, a dream though. Scandis out there, take note. Support in the UK is excellent. I bought the bike direct from the importer, who answers the phone with a cheery “hi [my name]” whenever I call him. He even replies to WhatsApps at times I would consider out-of-hours. I’ve also got to know the danish importer, who is similarly enthusiastic about his product, and has helped me figure out a how-to that we couldn’t work out over here. The UK Facebook group is also very friendly and responsive. Thanks for the throttle tamer tip! I will definitely look into that!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Great to hear it's working out for you so far! A supportive distributor/dealer is always great for a new brand. The G2 Throttle Tamer is great. If I rode four strokes I'd put it on every bike that had fuel injection. It will probably be about 50 quid? There is a do-it-yourself option. Gently file away some of the plastic square edge where the throttle cable first makes contact in the slot of your plastic throttle tube. The rounded shape means your throttle takes longer to kick in just for that first 1/8 of a turn. Just make sure it's completely smooth and no spare bits left behind that might cause the throttle to lock. Do this at your own risk of course. Good details in this vid: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKPbnKaPn5Kah9k

[@LCARSADV]

When I rode the Kove for the 1st time I was initially a little disappointed with the engine, but I didn't realize she liked to be riden hard and the engine wants to sing. Once I realized that, it was a game changer. It really is a unicorn bike and it's only going to get better as they make more improvements.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I would argue they need to get decent low and midrange power out of the engine before it became a unicorn for most riders. Understandably it's a race bike and they weren't worried about this so if you enjoy riding at high revs all the time it's a non-issue. But every 450 enduro engine from other manufacturers have managed to get solid power right across the rev range...

[@jensenmiller6410]

Been riding the standard version with the Ti pipe and race ecu for a little less tha 2 months now and I'm really liking it. No issues to report aside from the wandering fuel level on the gauge. Sometimes it will read empty when I've only gone 150 miles on a full fill. I've never had issues with pushing fuel out of the front breathers though. Have about 2000 miles on it so far, I'm actually rather impressed with the stock knobbies that come on the offroad version. They're skittish and care too much when riding gravel but brilliant in soft and silty stuff. I sold my DRZ for the Kove. The Z was uncomfortable for me at 6'5 even with a tall seat and I didn't want to dump the money into setting up the suspension on a bike that I didn't really enjoy. The 450 is significantly more comfortable in the cockpit but the seat is hard like a stock dr650 seat while being even narrower. I've noticed the exhaust heat shield hitting my boots as well, glad to hear you guys haven't had any melting issues. Suspension is working well for a fat american after doing preload adjustment. The fuelling is a bit weird. Correcting the throttle cable slack does help a good deal but it's still snatchy. I've been watching people fiddle with coast enrichment which seems to be the ticket and I might see about trying my hand at tuning my bike as well. The one thing I haven't seen people mention much is the fuel they are running, the manual calls for 92 octane but fails to identify what measurement scale they were using. I've used 91 AKI most of the time but have had to pour in 87 from time to time when it was the only fuel on offer. It seems like the bike runs differently between the two so I don't know if the ECU has the ability to detect knock and adjust IAM. Very impressed by the build quality so far, everything is tight and lubed. The engine is very noisy internally much like a DRZ.

[@matthewridd88]

$9300 USD is approximately $14000 AUD, you’d get a Honda CRF450RL for that and halfway towards an adventure setup. I know which one I’d choose. Seeing as the 450RL is available in Australia now, maybe a video on that would be good?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Our 450RL vid will be out in seven days, Matt. I agree, if you don't want the full rally fairing and massive fuel tanks then the RL becomes a better proposition. Or you could just fit an aftermarket tank and cheaper windscreen and possibly only be USD1000 or AUD1500 more expensive than the Kove. And have that Honda reliability and a lot more midrange power.

[@bradsanders6954]

You gotta wanna keep it, if you buy one of these off brand wonders. Ive seen guys try to sell right after buying one and nobody wants em. A very limited audience. Where's a dealer? How long do they last? Aftermarket support? Much like an AJP. They are keepers.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Yep. I've been intrigued by the AJP PR7 for years, Brad.. but they just don't seem to get established at all. Makes you wonder about parts and support.

[@raffaeleizzo7945]

The engine code for this Zongsheng engine is NC450S. I own a Fantic Caballero 500 Rally (NC450) and I am checking almost everyday for NC450S parts. At a first sight, I should be able to replace only the cylinder and cylinder head to convert my Caballero to DOHC. Current prices for NC450 engine parts are really good. I expect the same will be for the NC450S as well

[@crosstrainingadventure]

That would be an interesting exercise! I'd be keen to know how they modded that engine to get the extra hp... beyond the DOHCs.

[@raffaeleizzo7945]

@@crosstrainingadventure My uneducated guess? DOCH, that's it. the Caballero engine tops 40HP@7000 while the Kove 50HP@9500. Maybe a lighter piston for that high revs. My instict says that the extra 10HPs comes form that 2500 rpm increase and trading in some torque. As you said, this is an excercise, futile but nonethelss interesting. 10 or 60HP doesn't make a bike. The rider does

[@JagLite]

Excellent review information! I appreciate your balanced comments about the bike's good and not so good qualities. Stating why it is not as good as a dual sport or enduro bike for those requirements really helps understand the bike's strengths. The dyno chart is very interesting and I think tuners will be interested to see what they can do with that low midrange curve. It sounds like a good value for actual rally racers but not the best choice for most of us who dual sport ride. Thanks!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Reading around we did see a lot of guys who bought it for dual sport and they have mixed reactions... loving aspects of the bike but not happy with the racing aspects. So hopefully it helps interested riders understand the bike better if they buy one!

[@mikeisland7382]

Such a great design. Hopefully it forces other manufacturers to rethink 7 litre tanks on dual sports. Also 550-600cc would be the sweet sport for a dual sport IMO.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Good point! These tiny tanks on dual sport bikes can be crazy small. E.g. the CRF450RL.

[@nick1bb1]

the 450 is my second bike, I've only had a it a day or two but i bought it as a lightweight ADV /dual sport and in not as an enduro - The reality for me is that i have to cover considerable road miles to get to the off road stuff - this is where it makes sense for me.!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Definitely makes sense! It's an hour to tracks for us and in the past I've occasionally ridden to get there on an XR400 and KLX650. Not fun on the road.

[@rowanpage1452]

I spent about a day and about 280km on one in Namibia. The low RPM throttle response is annoying, but only in really slow terrain. Most of the time I didn't notice at all. At high speeds this bike inspires a lot of confidence and is by far the most comfortable bike I have ridden when standing at high speeds. Low speed corners it is not as nimble, but that is the trade off you make with a rally bike I guess. Didn't feel heavy at all, but thankfully I never needed to pick it up. Did have major issues with fuel tank venting especially in the heat. That is probably the one thing which would prevent me from recommending this bike to someone. At least this first model. And the engine is plenty powerful, just ride it like it wants to be ridden.

[@closedcasketcustoms]

I Rode a Kove 450 that a buddy owns and I was actually pretty impressed. I have 5 bikes, the 2 that I ride offroad are a BMW 310GS fully Rally Raid upgraded and a DR650 set up as a light adv with a 790 and worked to the balls with DRZ450 suspension and pretty much every Procycle upgrade available. You have to ride the Kove engine hard but she likes it. It REALLY reminds me of the way I have to ride my 310GS. It loves having the piss beaten out of it. Fairly smooth at higher RPMs. Overall, It seems like a viable do it all option and will only get better as more aftermarket parts come available. Great review guys. Seems very comparable to the experience I had.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Those sound like two very set up bikes! Haven't ridden the little Beemer yet.... But the Kove? The race nature of the engine will definitely reward riders who like riding in the higher revs most of the time. We had so many guys riding these Koves but none of them have a racing background. All of us prefer using the midrange. So there was universal disappointment with the lack of grunt. It will be interesting to see if Kove refines the base model to have similar power to all the other 450 enduro engines...

[@closedcasketcustoms]

@@crosstrainingadventure I have a strong feeling a good portion of that could be tuned out. It felt like it was running very lean especially at low RPM as you have noted. Also at low RPM I had more than a few flame outs cracking the throttle abruptly, something I experience on my 310 as well. Politics aside, it's going to be interesting to see if this plays out well for Kove.

[@yorkchris10]

My can-am was assembled/manufactured in Canada. It had parts from Austria/Italy/Germany/Sweden/California and Canada. Looking back, I feel more assured in having brand name parts and marketing seems to have hit upon that. The new can-am motorcycles are getting a new plant in Mexico. The volume would be quite low, so home automation would still be difficult - I speculate.

[@janniksims5740]

I've test ridden the Kove recently. I was surprised by the build quality and power it got to it. But it's a hodgepodge of stolen or at least heavily inspired parts. The wheel looks like it is from a KTM rally replica, which uses Haan wheels, the brakes are Nissin if you got one of the first few, otherwise they look like Nissin and take Nissin pads. The fork is a copy of a 49mm Showa fork and even the front wheel is a Honda spec and fits Honda CRF brake disks. The display is the same as on a Duke 125-390, the sprockets are KTM exc/SX spec and so on. Almost everything, that is not the engine or tanks comes off of some other bike or at least looks suspiciously similar

[@tieoneon1614]

Correct. Most of the frame is 2016 KTM. Anything wheel related is 2007 Honda. The NC engines with dohc are good, but every past bike with EFI has fueling issues eventually. Iv had 3 Chinese bikes, u have to be a good mechanic to retro fit parts and i was fortunate to sell them at 50% retail 2 years after new. Never again.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Some of the publicity blurb has stated it's China's first fully original motorbike but yes I'm sure there's been a lot of copying! But they have probably been careful to avoid trademark infringements as they plan to sell these worldwide eventually.

[@janniksims5740]

@@crosstrainingadventure yeah probably. The dash is just a bit different than the Duke one and is found on millions of other Chinese motorcycles. It's probably something you can just buy and not something KTM exclusive. I've heard that YU-AN suspension might be belonging to the same conglomerate as Showa, so maybe even the almost 1:1 49mm showa (the fork of my 18 CRF 250r fits perfectly in the Kove) might be legitimate. But honestly, I would buy one. Using only the best parts to get heavy inspiration from is probably a good idea. KTM rally replica wheels, Showa suspension, Bosh fuel injection, Haan wheels and so on would be amazing, but then you come out to the price of a KTM rally replica and not a Kove...

[@Trailfocused]

@@tieoneon1614 I had no idea KTM made aluminum frames with a Gas Tank as a subframe. 🤣

[@tieoneon1614]

@@Trailfocused Nice try. Take a look at one with an educated eye. Even my Kayo shared half its stuff. The bike will be a paperweight in the near future

[@MidCoastAdventures]

Just about to move on from my Honda CRF 300 Rally. Great little machines, super reliable, cheap to run etc. But just can't do the whole China thing. DRZ 400 E for me.

[@billybunter3753]

Yeah mate don't do Chinaaaahhhh! Buy the DRZ 400E! 👍

[@ronaldbronson1285]

Still don't understand why people oppose Chinese products because China's government is bad. If the products bad that's one thing but the same people buy products made with slave labor in other nations

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Sounds like a good move! The DRZ is at least $2000 cheaper which gives you plenty of cash for suspension, tank and/or windscreen mods.

[@MidCoastAdventures]

​@@crosstrainingadventureyour videos relay simple, honest facts, with a sprinkling of well-timed humour. Love your work, and totally trust your judgement (Put 50,000 kays on a DR650, everything you ever said has been spot on with those machines) Looking forward to setting up the DRZ for solo lightweight adventures 😎👍

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Great workhorses! My brother is thinking of selling his DR650 and going back to a DRZ.

[@ldcrallye]

Thank you vor your Video. You have literally sold me now a Royal Enfield Himalayan 450. The Kove is truly a unicorn, but I plan the next years not to participate on the Dakar. I had both on the deck, the speed of a Kove is very compelling, but I found rideability and crash sturdy design more reasonable. Thank you!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Glad if the video helped!

[@spencero1906]

Those Kove’s do look nice but wow, that DRZ what a show stopper❤❤❤

[@crosstrainingadventure]

The DRZ is definitely the bike for real men. We recently rode with a Canadian stud who rode a DRZ like a true enduro pro. And he was an incredible cook too. Women were lining up to throw their panties at him.

[@russpaton8877]

Excellent overall review as usual Barry. Wish I could make it to an eRag event while you are there. I have the second Kove sold/registered in Canada with 5000k on it almost exclusively offroad from fore roads to single track. Rally events and Dualsport camping. This bike is IMHO the unicorn of Light ADV/Dualsport and just happens to be Rally capable. I am well over 250lbs with gear and ride aggressively and find the suspension perfect nut if rising slow on say a washboard you are going to feel it this suspension wants to be engaged continually not intermittently so if it's rough.... speed up it csn handle it. You mention the power delivery and rpm at certain speeds and conditions what you neglect to say is redline is 10k and if you just ride the bike and use the gears to keep the revs high all the power delivery issues go away. Thrash it it loves it. Looking forward to more Rallys and more offroad adventures in my beloved Kove 450 but will be keeping my Beta 390 for pure single track riding and my Tiger (also loves to Rev high) to ride with my wife as pillion

[@russpaton8877]

Mods I think are nescassary.... -Hand guards to protect your hands but also what I csn tell is the cheapest build quality the clutch/brake perches -Skid plate the carbon plate is fine for dessert sand but you need a good aluminum one for most other uses -upgrade all the fuel line connectors to better quality larger ID fittings to speed uonthebgrsvity feed and eliminate the fuel gauge issues (also modify the gas cap seals to vent and not push onnthe valves That's all that's needed but there is other good ones

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Great to hear, Russ! The engine definitely works well if you simply keep it in the higher revs. The review was meant to make that clear but perhaps it wasn't stressed enough. It's designed for racing so the more you ride it like that the better it works.What sort of oil change intervals are you doing?

[@russpaton8877]

@crosstrainingadventure 1000km but I am a believer in frequent oil change having said that would happily do 3000km plus on a trip.

[@OverlandTheSlowWay]

Nice review! I have one of the first Kove 450 Rally in UK, 9,000km on the clock mostly off tarmac travelling across Europe. Issues? Nothing serious to speak of, and the bike has been heavily used. I see it as a really rather good lightweight adventure bike.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Great to hear! It sounds as though Kove had road legal status in the UK and Europe very early on? Only just happened in the US a week or two back. And nothing in Australia as yet.

[@user-oe8gy8dk8f]

Its not rusting. certified mech likes working on it . Chuck hasn't broken it . Im getting a drz🫡

[@bradsanders6954]

I had a plated DRZ400E, and I sure dont get the fascination some have with the things. Maybe in 2000 they were neat bikes. top gear is not good for hiway at all, bike isnt stable at speed, has no low gear for trail, is slow, forks suck, shock sucks....bike is too small for a 6' tall person. Reliability must be the only bass for buying one?

[@bstadele]

I own one of the early arrivals in USA my opinion is that it was better than expected the bike have a Japanese feel of quality and most of the issues are not a deal breaker bc they are easily fix also the main problem is the expectation that one bike will be perfect in all areas this is imposible bc motorcycling is very specific to the used common since and logic most remain in the front lobe

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I agree. It's been designed for racing at Dakar which means it has some features that suit dual sport or adventure riding... others that don't. And some of these can be changed and adapted if you put the money into mods.

[@UltralightMotorcycleCamping]

How many people race at Dakar, or want a bike optimized for that, compared to the large and *STILL* unfulfilled market for lightweight off road oriented adventure bikes? Kove should make a Kove 450 ADV. Don't even try to build out a dealer network. Stock a lot of parts at a distributor in each country. Publish open source electronic service and repair manuals. The Right To Repair would go a long way toward overcoming negative impressions of Chinese companies.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Sounds like a plan!

[@MERMBRAMA]

Kove 450 regular is an adv bike, with great suspension,great range,superb on road manners, and long oil change intervals. The proper dakar bike is kove 450EX

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Are you following the 2000km oil change intervals from the Kove manual?

[@rangeroadmoto]

Your findings were very similar to ours. Did you get the bikes from Kove Canada in Alberta?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I think the Traction eRag guys bought them in the USA.

[@ronanrogers4127]

My KTM 690 Enduro with hard kit has 30 litres capacity and weighs the same, but puts out over 65hp and has great suspension. It cost more, but it’s proven very reliable and is IMO a much better Adv or dual sport bike. Probably retains value better too, although Hard Kits are not to everyone’s taste

[@crosstrainingadventure]

My Canadian cousins had an interesting chat about comparing the 690 with the Kove: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKuYpZt3rqmLadU In Australia these have all been heavily discounted to about the predicted price of the Kove here. E.g. GasGas ES700 is only AUD15000. This will be a much better deal for most riders.

[@warpillow8775]

Really want to see you review tye kove rally 800 sometime

[@BigBergJohnson]

Great review....as always. You said about adventurising the 450 or 500 for a unicorn. Personally I think people should stop trying to find the unicorn and just embrace having 2 bikes. 1 bike can't do it all. Get the 500 and a cheap 300 for single track, or vice versa.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Definitely compromises involved, and some will find it too much. But then if you only have space for one bike due to an apartment and one car garage it may have to be the option. Or a very tight budget. Both happened to me years ago and I had the FE570 which did a pretty good job. But gearing was tough!

[@BigBergJohnson]

@crosstrainingadventure I started watching your videos because you had the 570, yes of course there are plenty of reason people can't have 2 or more bikes, but then maybe they should just focus on 1 style of riding? Or even, colder months for enduro, warmer months for adventure. Gearing and tires become an issue if your trying to single track enduro a bike and then the next weekend do a 1500k trip somewhere. If I didn't waste all my money on having 5 different bikes I'd probably be really rich, smart and miserable but instead im poor, stupid and happy.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

The gears are so wide spread on the 500EXCF it's become quite popular for the enduro/adv mix. The FE570 wasn't too bad either.. Some tyre mixes work quite well for both too. E.g. a hard compound enduro tyre up front but something longer wearing on the back... D606, Motoz Desert etc. Won't suit everyone but a fair few owners are happy with the compromises involved.

[@BigBergJohnson]

@crosstrainingadventure I can't really comment to much for adventure riding though, I live in a spot where you can pretty much go anywhere on tracks anyway so I just either use my fe 650 berg or my 300 berg depending on the ride. Both are set up for enduro inspired trails.

[@Ammothief41]

Looks like a nice bike. Not going to sell my crf450rl for it but I can see if someone wanted a crf300 rally with a little more oomph then it makes sense.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Enjoying the 450RL? We rode them quite a bit in Canada recently and will post a review very soon. It would be interesting to see a rally version of the 450 too....

[@Ammothief41]

@@crosstrainingadventure Yeah, I like it. It rips through the desert and jeep trails out here but can still mostly keep up on the highways. The stock tires were terrible off road tho. Any soft dirt or sand needed a moment of prayer to get through. Putting some street legal knobbies on it was a night n day improvement.

[@Dirt_Breaker]

What do you think of the older KTM exc525? First time owning Austrian alloys, and have been impressed with the huge grunt off idle yet controllable throttle range, and WP suspension for hooking up in tight trails.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Great bikes. The RFS engine was ridiculously reliable.

[@Dirt_Breaker]

@@crosstrainingadventure ha, that’s ironic considering they sound like a bag of bolts compared to the japs

[@tieoneon1614]

After owning a few Chinese bikes, I will never buy another one. I would urge anybody to buy a DRZ400, CRF450RL/KTM500, XR/DR650, or the 690/701's whichever bike suites your riding style and kit it out to what u want. Rally fairing, luggage, fuel tank etc. You will be much happier with a proven bike, aftermarket support and your bike and suspension being repairable, and actually holding its value when its time to sell. Wondering IF u can find parts to for your bike when something breaks is a HORRIBLE feeling

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I must admit that's my inclination too. If you actually want to race Dakar then it's a great budget alternative to KTM's rally model. But otherwise I'd be more inclined to just put a big tank and a cheap windscreen on the Honda CRF450RL and only spend a bit more for all that reliability and better midrange power.

[@tieoneon1614]

@@crosstrainingadventure U still have the DR Donkey?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Yep!

[@davidjackson12]

Bros. Cf moto 450 mt!

[@tieoneon1614]

@@davidjackson12 I really like the Ibex/MT. CF Moto been around awhile and has dealers everywhere by me.

[@take5th]

Rarely mentioned these days are rake and trail numbers. I infer that a Dakar bike would have more rake than an enduro, generally. This would make it more difficult on single track, better on roadway. inverse generally also true, and say a lot by specification about handling. Perhaps saving lots of words?

[@jimtitt3571]

The old KTM 450 rally from 2012 with the trellis frame had quite a long frame (wheelbase 1535mm) and 27.5° rake but the newest generation the specs are the same as for the EXC (1485 and 26.1°) reflecting the better fuel load distribution and the lighter engine. The main difference is probably the 23mm triple clamp offset but also that the front/rear fuel bias can be changed on the road by the rider which would make a huge difference. Making a bike feel stable at high speed is nice but not nescessarily fast especially for a top rider.

[@take5th]

@@jimtitt3571 in the 1970s, rake was generally closer to 30 degrees than these days, so maneuverability has increased at the expense of stability, but with advancements I suppose that is a good trend. You are correct that high speed stability is not an issue for most good riders, even with a steep rake angle.

[@bradsanders6954]

In reality, in America nobody rides rallies. Maybe 2% of dirtbikers could find a rally to ride. They just want "the look" from back when Paris/Dakar was so popular, which was years ago. Now its a sand race for days and days. I bought a 21 690R and it goes really well, does not need to be hopped up to make 74HP. Isnt top heavy. Its easy to ride.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Good point! I think the whole rally look is just a fad unless you actually race rallies. The tower adds a lot of weight, and high up. And the screen is far forward which usually means more air turbulence. A cheap windscreen mounted to the bars or headlight shroud will be far better in most respects.

[@jimtitt3571]

@@take5th Correct, right around 1980 it started to steepen up, the Yamaha 465 was 30° the for 81 it went to 28.5° and we made some custom frames in 83 which were 27° and pushed the engine forward slightly. But mostly back in the 70's the triple clamp offset was less I guess to compensate, with 12" travel 38mm forks it was hard to know where the instability came from!

[@Kelly-oq9nh]

I’ve owned and ridden just about everything dual sport, enduro, and off road and have settled for a 23 701 with mods. Apart from the silly transmission, it’s the unicorn for me. What are your thoughts when comparing the two…?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

My Canadian cousins had a very good segment comparing the two and I agree 100% with them. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKuYpZt3rqmLadU Very similar bikes but of course the 701 has way more power across the entire rev range, especially low to midrange where the Kove is very weak.

[@cyclopathic998]

Berry any chance you review PR7? SWM Superdual? (though it's hard to imagine you fitting it and not feeling cramped)

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Years ago I did try to contact AJP to do a review but they never answered my emails or phone messages. There's been virtually no attempt to sell them here. I gave up trying. 😢 Personally I find the Superdual too heavy, I was much more interested in the lighter versions before they gained so much weight... as the Husky TE610 and TE630 then the SWM RS650R. But if someone offered a chance to ride the SWM I'd review it, even if it's discontinued!

[@cyclopathic998]

@@crosstrainingadventure I don't know. I had Superdual and similarly built DR650 on the same scale (all the mods, gixxer exhaust) and it was less than 10lbs. Superdual is only heavy when you look at it as dualsport and don't intend to build it up. As light ADV it's inline with everything else, put a decent bash plate and engine guards on 390 ADV and it weighs as much. I don't think you would like it though, for anyone over 5'11" it will be cramped, Any chance you could borrow PR7 from fellow Ozzie to review? thx

[@oic1968]

Good to know the Kove won't be for me at this time. I wanted a adv light bike with fuel range.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I wouldn't be surprised if they bring out variants at some point. It would be quite cool to see them cram something like a 600cc engine in along with a cush drive hub for adventure riding.

[@darko_lengkeek-jakupovic]

@@crosstrainingadventure Kove's getting ready to sell the 800 Rally in the US and Europe, and in some places has already begun. Fun fact, CFMoto and KTM were involved in the 800's development, as the Kove 800 uses the 790/890 engine, which they got via CFMoto, who work directly for and with KTM.

[@ShadowVonChadwick]

Quick quire. Why do my specs list my KLX400r (DRZ400e) as 119kg dry? Have been meaning to actually put it on the scales to get some actual weight measures & might even do that today as it has a full tank. I imagine the DRZ400s is heavier with metal tank, foot pegs etc. As always love your content & a long time fanboy 🙃 Cheers from Nth-Brissy

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Some very very dodgy figures around! In the past some brands have even not included fork oil, shock oil, radiator fluid, batteries and tyres to get the weight looking good.

[@AbazaelSzazak-fq4bq]

Respect for you guys for the engine sound during your movies. I can not watch motorcycle clips without engine sound or with music playing. Strange.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Yep, must have the engine audio. Even in slow motion I'll include the slowed down engine audio even though some viewers hate that! I don't mind music in the background if it's low key... I used to do that in my vids in the early days but now it's just the intro and exit. 😊

[@Michael_Shay]

When you say it makes it's power at the mid range, is it similar to how the 701/690 kinda comes alive more in the mid? I feel like I heard somebody say rally bikes are designed to be more like that but I'm not sure how true that is. I've heard a lot of comments about the intake noise, did any of the riders who tested it wear earplugs? I'm curious if it's still annoying with earplugs. It's pretty unlikely that I'll ever own one of these bikes but I hope they're successful so other manufacturers make competitors at a reasonable price point. Personally if I could I'd rather have a fully rally kitted 701, but the bolt on Aurora kit with the fuel tanks and everything is $7k. Obviously nobody who's adventure/dual sport riding *needs* a kit like that. But it's interesting to compare the pricing. I do suspect there will be a lot of people buying the Kove expecting it to be something it's not. You'll see a lot of very low miles ones for sale used. Similar to how people bought the T7 thinking they could ride it like a dirtbike.

[@bradsanders6954]

Guys buy 690's or 701's, and the bike is SO fun to ride, they go nuts spending money on the things, it becomes an open ended project. I dont wanna add weight and complexity to my 690 with rally stuff. Just add what works.

[@Michael_Shay]

@bradsanders6954 I'm pretty happy with my 701. I wouldn't mind a tower for the GPS placement and the look, but I don't *need* it. I don't even find the wind to be bad on the 701 even at highway speeds unless there's a really strong headwind

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Actually we were saying the power is quite low until you get to 6000rpm. So the midrange is quite weak. Very different to the 690. Air intake noise is definitely better wearing ear plugs but it's still there.

[@elobiretv]

I just don't get who they made the bike for really. It's not like a lot of people do rally racing and most people are going to buy it for adventure riding or dualsport so why not just design it as a lightweight adventure bike in the first place?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

A really good point. I can see the sense of establishing a reputation by finishing at Dakar. But as per our vid I think the racing nature of the 450 won't suit a lot of riders. If they really want to sell these I think they'd need to vary them more. E.g. maybe have one without all the extra tanks, fairing and rally bits and just make it a dual sport bike... and fix that snappy throttle response. Have a rally version with softer suspension (and fix that snappy throttle response). Then leave the race version for more aggressive riders perhaps?

[@charliepyle1626]

I doubt people in Taiwan etc are racing to get 1, hey it's a valid point.

[@MrFastFarmer]

Is it coming to AU?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Negotiations are underway apparently. But no dates as yet.

[@stephanematis]

What about the Canadian road status ?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Don't know the latest, these ones were unplated when purchased from the US early this year.

[@mkroiter]

Which is faster, kove 450 or honda xr 650r?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

In what sort of terrain?

[@mkroiter]

@@crosstrainingadventure in desert racing, baja 1000 kind of races?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

So many variables it's hard to say. XR engine would be much better. But if the XR suspension is completely stock the Kove suspension will have a better setup for racing.

[@goldenboyyt9750]

Do you say 471 kg with fuel. I am sure meet171 kg. Carry weight low.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Maybe 471kg if you strapped three together lol. Yep 171kg.

[@PaddyMcQueen]

DRZ 400 E. The End.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Great bikes! My brother had one decades ago and is thinking of swinging back for his next adv bike.

[@PaddyMcQueen]

@@crosstrainingadventure I just sent an email to Suzuki europe to order one, sadly eu refuses to give the omologation, it s an outlaw motorbike. I regret so much to have sold mine... 😢

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Bummer. It's a real shame Suzuki haven't slapped in EFI and ABS so it could continue in places like Europe and Australia.

[@James.._]

I'll pass. It sounds like a heavy one trick pony and the lack of bottom end / mid range on a dirtbike is an instant deal breaker.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

The engine is definitely a disappointment unless you like revving all the time. Or just cruising around with not much grunt on tap.

[@MERMBRAMA]

I had in possesion heavily moddified drz400,acerbis 16l fuel tank,revalved suspension,440ccm big bore,race exhaust,MST rally raid tower. Comparing to kove 450 rally is like comparing apples to oranges. DRZ feels like much heavier due to weight distribution,suspension are not comparable,especialy riding fast sections,low end grunt was better on drz,but much worse on mud to high rpm, road manners are much better on Kove,you can travel 125km/h with absolutly no problem. As said many times,kove 450 rally feels much closer to exc500 than 690ktm. Change the rear sprocket from 49 to 51, you get much much better low end push, still cruises at 120kmh at 6800 rpm,reving to 10.500. Oil change intervals are the same. You can not make a drz to ride like kove450,no matter the money spent on it.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I figure it depends on what you want in the bike? The Kove is definitely set up for high speed stability. But then the DRZ will turn faster off-road. The comparison was drawn simply because the DRZ is so cheap it is just a possible option for a budget that suits the Kove. Whereas a 500EXCF is way more expensive before you start any mods. Are you following Kove's 2000km oil changes or extending them?

[@MERMBRAMA]

@@crosstrainingadventure there is no way a drz will change faster,no matter the radious or speed. I did first 2 oil changes on 500 and 1500km, now every 3000km of mostly offroad riding. Just like i did on drz. For a non revving long distance riding,half off half on road,i believe you could extend it even longer.

[@jonwoodworker]

The Kove Clown Bike! For the same money you can set up a CFR450RL and it will wax the Clown bike at EVERYTHING but 8 gallons of fuel. Who the F needs 8 gallons on a motorcycle.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Which country is that though? In the USA the Honda a few hundred dollars more. Then a bigger thank and rally fairing would probably cost close to USD2000? I still think that would be a great option due to Honda's reliability and you'd have an engine but better midrange power. But it would definitely cost more.

[@MERMBRAMA]

The kove wins straight down in onroad use,suspension,maintance interval.

[@jonwoodworker]

@MERMBRAMA Hello buddy! I see you're still living in a dream world. (I will dream with you....let's say you are correct. Kove will be lucky to still be in business by the end of the year. Parts are already difficult to get, so where would you get parts, and who would buy it from you?) Back to reality, Kove interest has fallen off the cliff, content creators aren't putting out many videos, and Kove can't afford paying people to push them anymore. I'm anxiously waiting to see if Kove makes a 2025 model fixing the issues and enters Dakar this year.

[@MERMBRAMA]

@@jonwoodworker ohh..greatest fan of kove who has never ridden one!! Glad you are still here. What is new? Kove won Taklimakan rally and albania rally in overall, built another factory,we have online spare parts store! New 800x with 165kg dry weight introduced,Kove now producing 250 bikes per day! Stay with us buddy!!!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Are you connected with Kove in some way, Ales?

[@john-wq8kf]

I’m sorry I don’t think I would like to support a country like China

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I must admit I'm not really keen on the idea either, John. There was a link near the end of this vid to a discussion about this.

[@habibi750]

😂😂😂 you 100% own something that was made in China.