Kove MX 450

Carson Brown did a video riding their 250f. That 450 doesn’t look half bad. 

For $8000 I hope it's legit.

When 999blazer (english youtube bike guy) did a review on it, the first one had issues right out of the box.  With Kove mechanics there.

Big Honda knock off

Not worth real bike money for China bike quality 

All mx bikes are a knock off each other.

There are different grades of Chinese a quality.

Everyone made that statement when the Japenese bikes first arrived.

As are Japanese mechanics on site when a new model is released to the media the first time.

Something tells me you went to MMI 😂

No because I actually know how to repair motorcycles. The 5 idiots ive worked with who "graduated" from there shouldnt be allowed anywhere near a motorcycle. 

Different grades of Chinese crap yes, but its all crap. 

One last thing, the have been around since 2017, longer than Triumph mx. Going by social media reports the Kove have a better reliabilty so far.

And Japan innovated whereas China is nothing more than a rip off merchant.

What does it have in common with a Honda?

🤔

I don't see any indication that Kove is more of a rip-off merchant than other manufacturers. They seem to be doing all their development and team building organically, and already ran their own world superbike and rally race teams.

The engine/frame use alot of similar looking components. Notice the battery box location behind the cylinder.

But fewer similarities in the chassis than the Ducati.

...so when your Chinese gearbox locks up solid over the big jump and you lawn dart like Chase Sexton at Colorado, will the 2 grand less you spent on this thing be worth it?

I'd buy a used Honda or KTM before I would trust this thing.   Good luck finding parts easily too.

Support your established Japanese and Austrian dirt bike dealers instead of a country that copies existing technology and sell it with lower quality materials.

 Fuck China.

Didn't Jubal Brown just race one to multiple A class wins over a full season with 250 hours on it?

By all evidence, the bike is a lot more reliable than what Chase was on.

PM sent

name checks out

Other way around.

CFMoto has been building engines for KTM.

All of the KTM parallel twins with camshaft issues? Those are the Austrian built ones. The CFMoto built engines are good.

2026 dirt bike magazine bike tests and included in thier 450 shoot out. Where they copped out on ranking it for some bs reason they gave. 

https://youtu.be/6Uv5CH8kkw0?is=S4bJTEobd4nkWZ9Q

Hilarious to see the cope any time something good happens in China. Keep resisting it all you want.

I don't see much of a problem with it being a rip off or knock off of Honda (if it is - I have no idea whether it is or not). Being a rip off or knock off of something that works seems like a better idea than creating something novel that doesn't work (Cannondale, Aprilia, BMW). Reinventing the wheel generally tends not to work even with a big budget, which presumably the makers of this budget bike did not have. 

I agree with the sentiment that you'd be better off buying a used Japanese or Austrian bike - if you can find a good one (e.g. a vet rider who maintains it well and doesn't live on the rev limiter). But there is plenty of absolute garbage on the used market. It's easier to find a good used bike if you're part of the moto scene and know people. But put yourself in the shoes of someone completely new to riding. I can see why someone in that position might be more comfortable buying a new Kove than trying to find a good used bike. 

Even assuming the quality were the same as Japanese bikes, which I very highly doubt, I prefer to make purchases (especially larger dollar examples like this) from a democratic nation that does not threaten and harass its neighbors and lock up its citizens in what are essentially re-education camps.

(And yes, I'm aware the US government removed Japanese Americans from their homes on the west coast after Pearl Harbor.  It was wrong then, and I believe now almost universally accepted as a grievous mistake on the part of our government, made during the hysteria following the attack on Hawaii).

The founder of Kove does actually have a pretty cool story and is a real enthusiast. Their bikes are really touted by their owners in the dualsport world. Not a a lot of adoption but the Kove 450 rally owners seem happy. 

However, the founder stepped away from Kove at some point in 2023, and now has yet another company making dirtbikes called ZX Moto. They will supposedly compete in MXGP in 2027. As will Kove. 

Kinda seems like a bunch of mumbo jumbo. I'm certainly not jumping to pick one up...

Edit: I guess ZX Moto won a world superbike race earlier this year:

 https://www.roadracingworld.com/news/wssp-chinese-brand-zxmoto-takes-historic-first-victory/

Can't be all BS I guess... Still not buying one.

So did you mean to compare the quality to that of the KX that failed and spiked Sexton into the ground?? Guess I’m failing to see how the Kove is worse than that??

The Triumph has a near carbon copy of a previous gen Yamaha frame.  Should we cry foul?  It's just smart business for a new player to not waste time by trying to reinvent the wheel.  Kove, just like Triumph, probably took a good look at what they considered good starting points.  Everyone loved that earlier Yamaha frame that came on the 250F's in 2010 and it seems people love the frame on the Triumph as well.  

As to quality, China can produce the same quality as anyone else.  They just have to be held to a standard.  If just held to a price point like everyone has pushed for over decades, then the quality suffers to justify the price.  

Thats the point, this aint Japanese bike quality but their asking Japanese bike money.

I dont care either way who they copy, just pointing out its not some revolutionary machine. 

I deal with Cheap Chinese crap every day when they try and pass it off as OEM Honda parts on ebay and I have to explain to the customer why that carburetor we quoted $400 for/ we cant purchase anymore from Honda isnt selling for $100 on the internet.