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I don't understand the massive support for Suzuki not updating their bike or supporting racing because we "need an affordable bike", but a new manufacturer of "affordable bikes" who has race teams in DAKAR, WSBK, and ESBK gets shit talked. So we need cheap bikes or we don't? I wouldn't want either, I genuinely think all dirt bikes are a screaming deal in the grand scheme of things, but where are all the "cheap bike" proponents.
I'm on vital everyday and this is first I've heard of a Kove. How did I miss this
Your clearly missing the fact the shit talking is about kove usas approach to promoting the bike. Its not professional or realistic. Kove have never had a really fast guy on the bike, sorry carson brown lovers, and triumph has race winners with savagty and swoll, the goat, it9, six time and a slew of the best guys in the industry. Its not even a comparison
The Kove sounds like a hopped up xr400.
Which is perfect for most people. Especially newbs.
If the price point gets folks out riding that otherwise wouldn’t be able to I'm all for it.
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It doesn’t matter how good the Kove turns out to be. It won’t sell in great number in the US unless they offer it in a different color. Red sells…….teal not so much. How many of you drive a teal colored truck.
https://dirtbikemagazine.com/riding-the-kove-mx250-the-wrap/
From Dirt Bike…
Of course, you can’t give away 7 horsepower in the 250 class today and expect to win races. This is a great practice bike, a fantastic playbike and a wonderful trail bike, but Kove still isn’t to the point where it can go head to head with more established brands on the track. That day will probably come, but frankly, we’re in no hurry. Right now, we would rather have the low price.
The only company with less r&d time on their bikes than Suzuki...
That sounds entirely reasonable and quite practical for people who are looking for that sort of thing and can keep their ego out of the equation.
The US importer is clearly a fucking maniac and that is unfortunate.
Keeping the price in check, reliable real world info and product/parts support will be the 'make or break'.
I may be pessimistic but I just can't see people buying them on mass, I reckon most will still go for a used Japanese/Austrian bike over a new Chinese one... But then again, like people have posted out before, there was a time when people said that about Japanese bikes.
I think they won Daytona this year with Eli. Oh wait. 🤦♂️ in fairness they say there is no bad press, I never heard of them but it got me to look to see who they were, but yeah I. pretty sure Triumphs test rider, the one the call RC, could still mop the floor with their fast guy.
“The engine is a joint venture between Kove and Zongshen.”
I think this renders the whole question a moot point.
I’ll believe it when I see Mitch build a PC exhaust for those things. I feel in the back of my mind that I would be thinking the bike is from china and it might break at any given second and that’s a scary thought if you’re hauling ass at Glen Helen 🤣🤣🤣🤣
People said the same thing about CFMoto ATV’s and SxS’s, said they won’t sell. As much as I hate to say it CFMoto appears to be legit and they sell and a good option. Aren’t cheap, maybe a tick under Honda, Yamaha and Polaris. But way more bang for the buck. The big KTM, Kawasaki dealership down the Gulf freeway from me sells more CF then anything they have. I’d guess KOVE is not far behind.
Viable option for a guy who's getting into the sport, and wants something new, but jeez, triumph isn't your competitor.
A stay in your lane situation.
Kove Moto Founder Zhang Xue Resigns, Steps Down From Post (rideapart.com)
also don't turn your personal twitter account into the brand's account
Kove suffers from every other Chinese made bike. Parts are incredibly hard to find/order.
When Kove figures out that western purchasers want parts lookup diagrams with part numbers for each and every component on the bike, and a way to quickly order them online, they'll be a step ahead of their other Chinese competition.
The Utah Kove guy waved off parts ordering with "you can order parts" without providing a link to an interactive fiche the same as we are used to with KTM/GasGas/Husky and the Japanese bikes.
The weird names of oddball brands sure doesn't help convey product legitimacy. They all sound like weed strains made up by dumb kids.
Pit Row
Careful suggesting this on the GPX/Kove pages, they are adamant that parts are so simple to get yet you can constantly see people searching for parts with, "Yea I emailed GPX and didn't get a response."
I wouldn't mind seeing Kove around, having more bikes is a good thing but as of right now, they are just a China bike. Their limiting factor is associating with and being controlled in the US by GPX, GPX isn't big enough or organized enough to handle an entire brand, they can sorta handle re-selling off-brand China bikes but that's about it. They need to change drastically to be able to handle Kove successfully, right now they are going the way of current GPX bikes. Add on that the Kove CEO just resigned, said was due to internal differences and I heard he's not making investors enough return which means possible cost cutting, the Kove we see NOW may be the best version of them we'll ever see. The CEO change has me worried on those 450 engines, saw a lot of issues with it in Dakar, heard more issues from some Rally guys I know so if the guy that wanted to make this bike is out and the bean counters are in....engine development requires money that I doubt they'll want to spend. They have a 'working high performance engine' they can sell to schmucks though
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I'm shocked to say it, but I've really been impressed with the 150cc Zongshen in my YCF pitbike. A lot more power than I expected and so far no issues
On the Dirt Bike Mag vlog released yesterday from testing the Kove they said it’s a long way off a race bike, said maybe similar performance to a 2002-2003 YZF 250
My buddy just bought a cf moto because it’s one of the only atvs that will fit in there race car hauler
A 2003 250?
Hell, Jerry Robin qualified for Loretta's 250B class on a 1985 250.
I could see Kove USA guy using that argument
And he'd be right. The bike has a target market and at that level, pretty much only rider matters. Reynard won motos in the highly competitive open 25+ class on a YZ125 (which also has power like an '03)
But you're right, that would be shitty marketing, even though it is the situation.
Welll the 85 CR250 is a more powerful bike than a 01-03 YZF250. This bike produces around 125 2 stroke power with 50 pounds more weight. More like a hopped up KLX300R.
Who is the bikes target? We all assumed it was entry level riders, but clearly Kove’s importer and marketing team has proven that’s not the case. They’ve openly stated they want to race supercross on it and they are directly comparing it to the top dogs of the class.
I think maybe you missed the "F". I did at first too. lol
That's I'd say exactly the target: a KLX300 type playbike, but one that is comparatively much more lightweight and also track/race capable, which is probably exactly what a large portion of 250F buyers could use. That's been a huge hole in the dirtbike market, probably since the KDX disappeared.
Yes, but the issue is that's not what Kove is framing the bike as. They are calling out major manufacturers and in the case of the 450 saying it's best in class.
Not sure what the argument is: I've already stated that Kove's USAs messaging is embarrassing.
Post a reply to: Kove moto vs Triumph!