New to Canada last year, the Kove brand is offering its second model this year: the 800X. It’s available in two trim levels: Pro and Rally. Kove motorcycles are designed to satisfy off-road enthusiasts. But where exactly does Kove come from?
Who is Kove?
Kove Moto was born in Chongqing, China, in 2017. It was founded by Zhang Xue, a former motocross racer and mechanic, with the ambitious goal of producing high-qualityadventure bikes with powerful engines, light weight and a good technical level. In order to achieve its ambitions, Kove operates two main production plants in Chongqing and Chengdu, with vertical integration ensuring in-house manufacture of frames, engines, silencers, CNC parts, etc. Over 110 engineers work in research and development.
To demonstrate its reliability, in 2023 Kove entered three 450 Rally Factory Edition machines in the Dakar Rally, which finished the event. In 2024, five of the six bikes entered finished the Dakar Rally’s “Originals” category, underlining the reliability and robustness of their bikes.
Testing the Kove 800X Pro
The Kove 800X Pro joins the growing popularity of medium-displacement adventure bikes. In fact, these bikes now have powertrains capable of sustaining high speeds on the highway without problems. In addition, the suspension and ergonomic riding position make for a very comfortable ride.
The 4Riders Magazine team had the chance to ride the bike more seriously at the Classique 2025, and to see that its designer has resolutely oriented his creation towards off-road riding, especially with the PRO version. Here’s a summary of our impressions.
Consensual styling
Consensual styling is a good thing when entering a new market. It’s true that it won’t capture the imagination of enthusiasts, but it won’t put off the more cautious either with a look that’s too bold. Knowing the philosophy behind the design of the 800X Pro, we’re not surprised by the bike’s appearance, which prioritizes function. The Chinese manufacturer has put forward a streamlined design. The fairing, with its two big LED headlights, is distinctive, giving the bike an air of distinctiveness from the pack in the segment. Assembly quality is adequate and not open to criticism. It’s worth mentioning that the manufacturer has equipped the motorcycle from the factory with an engine skid plate and side crash bars.
In terms of ergonomics, everything is well laid out and the handlebar controls are intuitive. The controls are easy to operate. The ergonomic triangle (saddle/handlebar/footboard) is well dimensioned and lends itself well to both seated and standing riding.
The 7″ color LCD screen, positioned high in front of the rider, clearly displays all the information the rider will need. Logically placed buttons on the handlebars make menu navigation a breeze. Adjustment of traction control, ABS and driving modes is easily modulated to suit the rider’s taste.
Powertrain and mechanical components
The engine of the Kove 800X Pro is a 799 cm³ parallel twin-cylinder, double overhead camshaft. This compact, lightweight engine is one of the most powerful in its segment. It delivers 95 hp at 9,000 rpm and 59 lb-ft of torque at 7,500 rpm, making it one of the leaders in its segment. Under normal driving conditions, power is more discreet at low revs, but fully reveals itself around 4,000 rpm. Although our test bike had a rather noisy mechanical operation, vibration control is excellent, and there’s never any stray vibration in the running boards or handlebars.
The Kove 800X Pro is equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission, but no “quick shifter”. This mechanical device makes it possible to change gear ratios without using the clutch, which is particularly advantageous for on-road driving. However, it is less useful for off-road riding, for which the bike was developed by Kove.
For comfortable suspension, the Kove 800X PRO is equipped with fully adjustable KYB suspensions. At the front, it features a 48mm-diameter upside-down fork with 240mm (9.5″) of travel. The rear features a suspension with 240 mm (9.5 in.) of travel. Together, these suspensions provide a ground clearance of 275 mm, which is particularly competitive in the medium-displacement adventure bike category. Interestingly, the bike is equipped with a steering damper that prevents unwanted kickback from trail obstacles into the handlebars.
As for braking, the bike is equipped with dual 310 mm front disc brakes and a single 240 mm rear disc. ABS is standard, but can be deactivated. As for tires and wheels, the adventure gets off to a good start with a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoke rim, tubeless. The bike is fitted with Pirelli Scorpion STR tires, well suited to the trail.
Getting on the bike…
As soon as you get on the bike, you immediately notice that balance is easily maintained and the bike is easy to maneuver, not least thanks to its low weight. In fact, the bike weighs just 185 kg, giving it the best power-to-weight ratio in the industry.
The seat is narrow and firm, but comfortable on the road. Its shape between the legs also allows freedom of movement for standing maneuvers. The fuel tank is similarly narrow, despite holding 20 liters of fuel. With a seat height of 875 mm, the bike is rather tall for shorter-legged riders.
Road riding
Clearly, the Kove 800X Pro is radically designed for off-road riding. Despite this, the riding precision is comfortable and relaxed, giving roadholding that’s right up there with the average in this category. The powertrain is both smooth and responsive, yet powerful enough to take you well beyond the speed limit. The suspension effectively absorbs the imperfections of Quebec’s rough roads. Precisely because the ride is relaxed, we would have appreciated a cruise control on the bike, as well as a more effective windscreen.
Off-road riding
Leaving asphalt behind, you’re back on the terrain this bike was designed for, and it looks it. The Kove 800X Pro 2025 is surprisingly playful. Indeed, the engine/suspension/chassis combo is a well-prepared recipe that will appeal to the off-road enthusiast. The bike is very dynamic, thanks to the willingness of its engine and the effective rebound control of its suspension. Bumps are absorbed thanks to the suspension travel, and the bike’s balance is excellent. You feel confident and enjoy pushing the bike harder on gravel roads. It’s unflappable, and you never feel the ground jolt, even through the handlebars. Thanks to the steering damper, which keeps a close eye on things. Traction control is very intrusive, but you can easily deactivate it in the menu.
Throttle response at low revs on technical terrain is one of the only drawbacks. Engine mapping management lacks a little refinement and causes a few jerks. You get used to it and compensate a little. However, it’s a sad ness to break the riding momentum with a tuning problem like this.
Strengths
- A highly advantageous power-to-weight ratio that dynamically animates the bike.
- Feel-good rigidity and excellent chassis balance.
- Suspensions that provide good damping for big bumps without being a handicap on the road.
Areas for improvement
- Engine mapping causes jerky acceleration at low revs. To be reviewed.
- Cruise control desirable.
Conclusion
The new Kove 800X Pro is designed to be efficient on off-road trails, and the manufacturer has made the technical decisions to achieve this. With dynamic mechanics and good-level performance, it’s competitively priced ($13,999) in this demanding market. Its versatility will enable it to be used on the road, but this is not its preferred terrain. The brand is new to Canada, its dealer network is small, and long-term reliability remains unknown, but the build quality inspires confidence.
The 4Riders Magazine team warmly thanks Kove Canada for making this test drive possible.
Pierre Allard
Reviewer
