Kove 450 Rally test: Introduction, positioning and rivals
For the presentation of Kove as a brand and the Kove 450 Rally (42 HP, €9,499) as the first product, we were invited by Motos Bordoy in Les Comes, a farm that has the ideal facilities and a multitude of hectares for off-roading. , in any of its approaches in an unparalleled environment.
The Kove 450 Rally is the first model of several to come. The hype generated by the brand after participating in the last two editions of the Dakar Rally makes many ask the question: Where does Kove come from?
Kove is the commercial name of the company Colove, which in turn is part of the conglomerate Tibet New Summit Motor Co. They are true motorcycle lovers, just see that their first commercial foray is a very ambitious model, as is the 450 Rally; Far from being a bet aimed at professionals, it is a motorcycle aimed at the general public. It is about making available to anyone a motorcycle capable of going as far as finishing the Dakar Rally in its first participation, signed up at the last minute. What's more, it is possible to purchase different kits to adapt the equipment of your motorcycle to the height of your ambitions, whether sporty or touring (without borders).
In relation to the next products of the brand that will arrive in Spain, there are forays into different championships, such as ESBK, which give us clues as to where the shots will go, but we should not be confused, Kove is not a new brand: it has a presence in up to 5 segments of the Asian motorcycle market, with engines between 125 and 800 cc.
Returning to the Kove 450 Rally, it is difficult to find a direct rival, since its characteristics as a tough motorcycle prepared to travel long distances can only be found in very exclusive models within the reach of the lucky few. Models like the Fantic XEF 450 Rally (ndCV, €16,490), which in its Factory version reaches €23,990. The KTM 450 Rally Replica (ndCV, >€30,000) is the Austrian brand's proposal, although like the Factory version of the Fantic, they are very limited editions. The Kove 450 Rally offers the 450 Rally Factory kit, which allows you to achieve 58 HP for less than €1,000. Includes a new ECU, air filter modification and a new exhaust line. It is not approved for road use in Europe (it eliminates the catalyst), but I am sure that many, many will be sold.
It doesn't stop there, because the 450 Rally Factory Full kit includes Rally Equipment, that is, it leaves the bike tiled to compete in any Raid for approximately €7,000. That is, below the psychological barrier of 10K (€9,499) and up to €16,499, you have a motorcycle capable of taking you wherever you want. But it is not only an enduro motorcycle with a lot of autonomy, but its 6th gear has a gear range long enough to ride at cruising speeds of over 120 km/h without suffering the slightest. This is where its true intention is seen, which is nothing more than to attack the waterline of the medium-displacement trail bikes with the most popularity among lovers of off-road trail riding: the Yamaha Ténéré 700 Extreme (73 HP, €11,899) or the Aprilia Tuareg 660 (80 HP, €12,020).
The Kove 450 Rally plays a very interesting trick, seducing the most passionate of the increasingly large trail audience. If the Yamaha and Aprilia have stood out over their rivals with lighter and simpler configurations (in terms of electronics) to succeed on tracks and roads, the Kove 450 goes further, offering lighter weight than its rivals and much better off-road behavior. road, without ignoring the ability on the road, whether to face eternal links in the race, or to avoid the trailer to get from home to the start of your favorite track.
Kove 450 Rally test: Technical characteristics and equipment of the Kove 450 Rally
Without a doubt we are looking at a motorcycle with enduro features. If a trail bike is the equivalent of an SUV with certain off-road abilities, the Kove 450 Rally would be equivalent to an all-terrain vehicle that can travel on the road with ease.
Its engine is a 4-stroke single-cylinder engine with 4 valves and double camshafts cooled by water and oil. It offers 42 HP of power at 8,500 rpm and declares a maximum torque of 35 Nm at 6,500 rpm, figures that indicate that the “chicha” of this engine is at the top of the rev counter. The chassis is made of high-strength steel and weighs only 9.8 kg.
The motorcycle has three fuel tanks, two front ones with a capacity of almost 8 liters respectively and a rear one with a capacity of 14 liters, a total of 30 liters, capable of giving the Kove 450 Rally an unusual range for a motorcycle weighing 150 kilos in dry conditions. .
Before moving on to the suspensions, it must be clarified that the 450 Rally is offered in two versions, with a low seat and a high seat, although in reality we should talk about a high seat and a very high seat. With this reservation made, the brand that equips the 450 Rally in fork and shock absorber is Yuan Absorber, as unknown to me as it is magnificent in its performance, at least off road, which is where we have been able to test the Kove 450 Rally.
The fork is adjustable in preload, extension and compression and its diameter is 49 mm. The travel is 305 mm in the high seat version and 260 mm in the low seat version. In both cases it is double cartridge and made of aluminum and magnesium alloy to achieve maximum lightness. The monoshock absorber is equally adjustable in all directions and its travel varies between 300 mm and 250 mm depending on the version.
The brakes are 280 mm Taisko with a double-piston caliper at the front and 240 mm with a single-piston caliper at the rear, assisted by Saifu ABS, capable of disconnecting the ABS from the front, rear or both wheels in a very simple way, which will remain memorized as long as we do not disconnect the contact.
If we stop the motorcycle with the circuit breaker, when starting up the option chosen before stopping the motorcycle will remain. Whenever the ignition is activated and for safety, ABS will be activated on both wheels when starting.
The tires are CST EX01, which, although obviously lugged, are of a mixed nature, capable of rolling on asphalt with more guarantee than their image suggests. The measurements are 90/90-21 and 140/80-18. The wheelbase is set at 1,370 mm although visually it may seem longer in the low seat version (910 mm from the floor to the seat, 960 mm in the high seat version).
Headlights and indicators (full LED) are perfectly integrated into the design of the motorcycle, whose shapes obey the off-road functionality, that is, total freedom of movement, in order to have total control over footpegs, grips and levers, which by True, they could be covered with some type of protection.
The Instrumentation and the cones are simple, perhaps the mirrors too much. The screen is TFT and contains the information we are used to on any trip computer. Special mention of how easy it is to disconnect the ABS, in any of its combinations, as well as its mention on the screen, at the bottom right, in a very easy to interpret diagram. The structure itself that holds the screen shows that it is designed to house larger and heavier instruments. At its base there is a USB A socket.
The handlebar is very wide and the turning angle is outstanding. The windscreen is very vertical and contained enough in size so that it does not collide with our helmet. It integrates into the African silhouette of the motorcycle as does the rest of the bodywork, tanks and crankcase protector. The very vertical kickstand is attached to the subframe by means of a rubber band when not deployed.
The finishes of the motorcycle are good, the features and performance are excellent and all for less than €10,000, in the 450 Rally version that we have tested in Les Comes in strict series. The Kove 450 Rally with Factory kit has to be amazing…
Kove 450 Rally test: How the Kove 450 Rally goes
Getting on the Kove 450 Rally confirms the first impression: we are looking at a dirt bike. The bike is certainly narrow and the seat is very high. But we must change the chip. The seat runs between the three filler necks and, although high, is always very narrow, so that we can always reach the ground comfortably with one foot, while we keep the other foot on the opposite footrest, made of aluminum, without rubber and Conveniently serrated to ensure grip on your boot in any condition.
The shapes of the motorcycle are conditioned from the edges of the long seat so that your body and legs can move without obstacle. It is engineering at the service of ergonomics while maintaining functionality, autonomy and lightness. The bike feels big, but light. It does not intimidate, as the volume of a medium trail can do, among other things because it does not expose any element. Mirrors and lights are safe from any hypothetical fall.
Once underway, the seat height is quickly forgotten. The ease of movement quickly occupies your attention. The engine sounds serious, but at low revs it is docile and not surprising. When you turn it up, you realize where the power is hiding.
Maximum torque is delivered at 6,500 rpm, while 42 HP is delivered at 8,500 rpm. If you want to party, it's on the top floor, where there is a real party. The engine denotes a certain abruptness in the cut-open, which curiously disappears when installing the basic Factory kit (€1,000), which gives almost 20 HP and with which the bike breathes much better, but does not pass the MOT.
What stands out is the performance of the suspensions, truly magnificent. They are not road suspensions adapted to the field, but rather suspensions designed exclusively for this motorcycle, hence the choice of a supplier capable of operating on demand. The Yuan Absorber are revealed to be a risky choice for the European market, but magnificent in their performance.
The feel of the brakes is also very good. I disconnected the ABS on both trains to ride on the tracks of Les Comes, where they responded to the altitude. A thorough test with this bike is missing to know how it behaves on the road, where it will surely pay the toll of the suspension travel, at least in the high-seat version.
During the sections traveled I was able to perceive, within my off-road limitations, the ease of driving, which results in the pilot's confidence and thus being able to advance in the application of off-road techniques, including jumps. Let's not forget that we are looking at a motorcycle that weighs 150 kilos dry. I think it is a great option for those who feel the call of brown in their first forays into the trail world. That does not rule out the most experts, in whose hands the Kove 450 Rally is capable of performing, strictly speaking, like the Dakar motorcycles.
