VOLUME ISSUE DECEMBER , P85
X
KOVE 800
X
RALLY
K
ove first hit my radar in 2022 when a
group of employees/racers came out
of nowhere to race—and finish—the
Dakar Rally on 450cc rally bikes nobody
had ever seen. The bikes absolutely looked
the part of a mainstream factory rally bike.
Consider my interest piqued. Since then, we
have tested the 450 Rally bike variants, and
Kove has been making noise in the light
adventure, dual-sport and ADV world. They
even have some off-road/MX bikes. But the
800X Rally is by far their loudest statement
yet. I rode a pre-production version over
two tire-destroying days at the 2024 Giant
Loop Ride in Central Oregon.
Built around a 799cc parallel-twin power
-
plant, one very familiar to KTM 790/890 Ad-
venture and CFMoto Ibex 800 E observers,
the Kove has good, recognizable power (95
horsepower claimed). That's where similari
-
ties to other bikes on the market stop.
Kove is going minimalist with the 800X
Rally to radically strip bodywork and hard
-
ware to make this machine a true adventure
hooligan. Think of a modern-day KTM 950
Super Enduro as inspiration.
