Test Kove 800X GT 2026

Test Kove 800X GT 2026

kove came revolutionizing the Trail Off Road segment with very efficient and economical motorcycles, with few direct competitors and with quite revolutionary concepts such as the 450 Rally and the 800 Rally. Now in 2026, based on the 800 Rally with which it shares an engine and chassis, thanks to a new configuration of tires, suspensions and electronics, they have created a new model that is more comfortable and capable on all types of roads.

And the Chinese brands continue to go strong, creating products of increasingly higher quality and maintaining prices that are very difficult to beat. Furthermore, as time goes by and its reliability is put to the test, many of the doubts are dispelled, and they become even more attractive.

Its strategy is to assemble key components from proven brands, as is the case with suspensions. Kayaba and IMU boschand they also usually provide them with more accessories than Japanese or European motorcycles, as is the case with the Kove 800X GTwhich comes standard with cruise control, heated seat and grips, tire pressure sensor, ABS and cornering traction control…

This new version called GT is placed on the more asphalt side of the 800X range, leaving the Pro version halfway and the Rally on the more countryside side. The differences in this new model are found in the 19″ front tire (21″ in the other two) and in the 210 mm of travel in the fork KYB 48 mm (240 and 270 mm of travel in the Pro and Rally versions respectively, the latter being also 49 mm in diameter and Yuan brand)

Also in electronic aids thanks to the IMU boschwith ABS and cornering traction control, the quickshifter and the electronic accelerator (in 2026 the Pro version also includes all this electronics). And, to top it off, a 22-liter tank (3 more than the other two versions). The final weight of the GT is 195 kg in running order, being 190 and 174 kg in the Pro and Rally respectively, so the extras are noticeable, but not too much.

As far as design is concerned, there is little difference between them, being only distinguishable by the colors and the shape of the seats. In the brakes section, the GT and Pro versions have double 310 mm front discs with calipers Taiskoradially mounted and four pistons in the case of the Pro and conventional with two pistons in the case of the GT

This is something that we believe should have been the other way around, since the radial mounting and the greater number of pistons give more braking capacity, this being more useful in a more road-focused version. On the other hand, the Rally has a single front disc with the same diameter with a two-piston caliper, since in the field it is not necessary to have more braking power.

Kove 800X GT 2026 test: Rivals of the Kove 800X GT 2026

Considering it as an asphalt Trail, the possible rivals of the Kove 800X GT 2026 would be the Triumph Trident 660, the Voge 900DSX, the QJ Motor SRT 700, the CFMOTO 700MT or the Suzuki V-Strom 800 Tech. And it could be perfectly measured against larger displacement models thanks to its engine, which, without a doubt, is the highlight of the model. For price, it is in the lowest range at 7,999 euros, so including European or Japanese motorcycles in these rivals for practically double the price would not make much sense.

Test Kove 800X GT 2026: Engine and performance Kove 800X GT 2026

As we said, it is the 799 cc twin-cylinder engine where we find the greatest virtue of this model, and of its two Pro and Rally sisters, since with 94.5 hp of power at 9,000 revolutions and 79 Nm of torque at 7,500 rpm, it performs much more than one might expect.

In addition, with the incorporation of the electronic throttle and the IMU, it has 5 driving modes (Eco, Rain, Sport, Off-road and another customizable one) that modify the engine response, total power, throttle response and activation of ABS and traction control depending on the chosen mode and the inclination angles.

Both the modes and the activation of the ABS, which we can deactivate on the rear wheel or completely if we want to enter the field, are done easily and intuitively from the 7-inch TFT screen, which shows quite clean menus, easily manageable from the left pineapple. Connectivity is optional on the model, and can also control music, calls and navigation.

They have also included as a novelty the quickshifterboth to go up and down gears, and as we have said many times, this is one of the best inventions of the 21st century in the world of motorcycles, since it makes riding a motorcycle more comfortable and fun. But in the unit tested the change time between gears seemed too long, something that means that the accelerations are not continuous and fluid, somewhat clouding the behavior of the engine.

This is something that we can avoid by using the clutch manually, and that will surely be improved soon with a simple software update. Thus, this is the only weak point that we found in the engine, and it is not a matter of the engine…

Kove 800X GT 2026 test: Kove 800X GT 2026 test and sensations

Another thing that we really liked is the size of the set, since it is at the right point between a large trail, difficult to move due to volume and weight, and a light trail. This makes it the best of both worlds, since from the moment you get on you feel comfortable with the management of size and weight.

The seat is comfortable, both in shape and softness, and the position of legs and arms is at optimal distances for our 1.80 m wingspan. When starting to roll, the engine has a very wide rev range, allowing it to be used from very low without rattles and responding with very solid thrust at any engine speed.

We can go in high gears that always responds with a very surprising acceleration for the low rev range. But as we increase the laps, the engine continues to respond quickly and powerfully without flinching, having very agile midrange. Both the thrust and the response speed are very high, ending with highs that perform more than what this type of motorcycle needs.

That is, we have more engine than an average user is going to use in normal driving. This is useful not only for fun on curvy roads, but also on long trips, where having an extra response is always good. The downside is found, as we said, in the quickshifter, which makes the change time between gears uncomfortable at times.

In the driving modes we notice the change from one to another, something that is often very little appreciated in other models. It is something that we always criticize, since the ideal is to be able to feel obvious differences in order to choose one or the other. In Rain mode, the power is reduced by half, making it seem like a completely different engine. In the other modes, the final power is the same, only the delivery curve changes, being the softest in the comfort mode, with a much more progressive throttle feel as well.

Regarding the brakes, even if they fulfill their purpose, we would like more power in the front axle, the ideal for us being the one fitted in the Pro version, with more bite and power, since in this GT version it is somewhat tight.

The rear brake feels good and the ABS activation is correct in normal use. In sports driving, forcing the set, we feel some extra activation, as in the traction control, but this is at rates that it will not be subjected to in regular driving, and being the first version of the brand with IMU, these details will surely be polished in the different software updates, as is the case in all models of all brands.

As far as the bike’s behavior is concerned, the bike feels manageable and stable in equal measure, something that we believe is ideal in this type of multipurpose motorcycle. This allows you to enjoy mountain roads and at the same time go comfortably and safely on the highway at maintained speeds.

The suspensions, adjustable on both trains, worked very well in all the scenarios we tested, both on narrow roads with potholes and poor asphalt, and on more open roads with long curves of black asphalt. We have enough travel to be comfortable, but without being too soft that we cannot increase the pace while maintaining control in sporty driving. The steering damper also helps here, providing that extra stability without losing manageability.

We needed to try some track or path to see the complete versatility, since it is also a use that will surely do well, even if it is in GT excursion mode, because for field use in performance mode the other two versions are already available.