Kove 450 Rally EX, Unveils Lighter, More Powerful Limited-Production Dakar Bike | Light Offroad

Early this year, Kove Moto turned heads with a trio of unproven 450 Rally Pro factory bikes mounted at Dakar and Ahead of the rally, Kove CEO Zhang Xue made it clear he wanted his team to finish the race. Impressively, all three bikes did.
Kove will be back at Dakar in the upcoming edition, and this time Xue says the team is in it for the win, not just the finish, unveiling at this week’s EICMA an all-new, even sharper weapon in the 450 Rally EX.
The new Dakar-spec EX will also carry an additional .98 gallons of fuel between its three tanks for a total of 8.98 gallons that Kove says are now positioned lower and more towards the center for an improved centralized mass that delivers better handling and stability. Selection of front or rear tanks can be done manually through a fuel pump switch located on the dash or the rider can opt to keep tank use on automatic mode.
And perhaps most impressive, the new bike is claimed to weigh just 282 pounds dry, an impressive 38 pounds less than the company’s last Dakar entry. This is said to be achieved by studying every detail of the bike and trading out even the smallest items with the lightest viable materials, say using magnesium alloy for the new cylinder heads and side covers and advanced plastics for the fuel pump rotors. Titanium was used for every single bolt on the bike as well as the exhaust pipe and muffler. Carbon fiber and CNC machined parts are also generously sprinkled throughout the design
For bump absorption, the EX features a fully adjustable 49mm USD fork and progressive link mono shock by Yu-an, delivering 12 inches of travel up front and 11.8 inches out back. The bike will slow its 21/18-inch wheelset using a floating single, 2-piston caliper front disc and single-piston rear disc supplied by Taisko. Other features mentioned at the unveiling include a new roadbook turret, hand guards, adjustable risers with dampers, and an Akrapovič exhaust.
Engine Type Single cylinder, DOHC, 4 stroke
Displacement 449.9cc
Bore x Stroke 96×62.15mm
Compression Ratio 14:01
Max Power 65 HP
Max Torque 49 NM @7500
Fuel Supply EFI
Max Speed 112 mph (180 km/h)
Front Suspension Fully adjustable 49mm USD, 12 in (305 mm)
Rear Suspension Damping adjustable, 11.8 in (300 mm)
Wheelbase 58.7 in (1490 mm)
Seat Height 38 in (960 mm)
Tank capacity 34 L
Dry Weight 282 lbs (128 kg)
Ground Clearance 12.2 in (310 mm)
Rake 28°
TRAIL 4.8 in (123 mm)
Steering angle 38.5°
Front Tire 90/90-21
Rear Tire 140/80-18
Front Brake Floating disc, 2-piston caliper
Rear Brake Single piston caliper