Kove Lancer 600
By Ben Purvis
The Kove brand hasn't been around long but it's already got a range of motorcycles from 250cc to 800cc with an array of different configurations and target markets as well as a growing international presence with importers around Europe and in the UK.
The company's current bikes include the four-cylinder 450RR sports bike and its naked 450R sibling, the 800X adventure bike, the 450 Rally and a brace of motocross machines, the MX450 and MX250, but it doesn't have a presence in the cruiser market. That's about to change with the upcoming launch of the Kove Lancer 600, a V-twin machine that's already type-approved and expected to make its official debut imminently.
The new bike has a 578 cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine that puts out 45 kW (60 hp), sitting in a steel tube chassis with upside-down forks and a twin-shock rear end. The styling is reminiscent of the cruisers from fellow Chinese brand Benda, with side indents on a fuel tank that's split down its centre by a console that houses the filler cap, along with a circular headlight featuring two LED lamps separated by a horizontal bar.
The engine is Kove's own work, and drives the rear wheel through a belt final drive and a conventional transmission - despite a growing number of Chinese-made cruisers are appearing with semi-automatic and even CVT gearboxes.
Equipment includes an 18-inch front wheel and 16-inch rear, with 120/70 and 160/60 tyres respectively, as well as Taisco-branded radial front brakes with ABS from Chinese brand Ningbo.
