I admit I care less for the MCN reports (still watch them though 😅) This is what I’m looking in real world bike reviews. Intelligent, experienced, humble and knowledgeable about all the little tidbits that matter to us as riders. Thank you for all the hard work you put into-it! 🍻🍻
Good honest review. I've had mine since start of July and done 2.5k miles and I love it. I take my ZZR1400 out but this is now my everyday and has made me fall in love with biking again!
As usual, an interesting, unbiased opinion. A few words on the Voge 525's immediate competitors: the Macbor Montana XR5, Kove 510 and Rieju Aventura 500 all use the Loncin-Voge engine as used in the Voge 500DSX/DS and 525DSX ( for the 2nd-gen Macbor and the Kove). And according to much of the chatter I've heard on the grapevine, the motor sitting in the Honda CB 500X's frame is the Loncin-Voge lump too, albeit with different external castings; so I wonder if the new NX500 uses the same powerplant as the 525DSX... Regarding service intervals, I have the crossover version of the Voge 500DSX (so 17" cast alloys with road tyres fore & aft) and I've pushed it to Honda-esque service intervals (12,000 km on this side of the Channel) with no adverse effects. I should point out that my bike is my only vehicle, so I use it for everything: popping down to the shops, commuting, weekend rides and touring. And as I live just outside Barcelona, I do a lot of riding up in the Pyrenees or in the Priorat/Montsant if I go down towards Tarragona. I therefore reckon that Voge's short service intervals are just of case of the brand erring on the side of caution more than anything else. Finally, you can run the bike on E10 without any significant problems. For next year I'm considering fitting an eFlexMoto unit to be able to run on E85 if I so wish, while still being able to run on E5 or E10 if no E85 pumps are available. It's a joint development between eFlexFuel, a Finnish firm, and Frank Nourry, the boss of Thorn Bike, a bike shop and engine-tuning specialist in Béziers. Next time you're down in Catalonia, give a wave!
Thanks for making this video, and I look forward to your impressions as you put some miles on it. I value your opinion more than other reviewers as you cover the issues that concern me, not just with the bike but with ownership as well. Voge do seem to be attacking the adventure bike market with both this and the 900 and putting all the toys on.
Love this bike. I sold my triumph tiger 660, and I was going to buy a himalayan 450 but had issues with the dealership, I then looked at the honda 500 , x and to saying it boring is a understatement , I known owned the voge 525dsx for 2 months and it amazing bike and I'm so glad I got rid off the triumph and not followed the heard, and money I saved paid for more trips away ,
Took delivery of mine on 1st August done just under 1000 miles up to now and gotta say im loving it , it sits alongside my fazer 1000 and ducati monster . Dont care about future value its all about wanting to get out on it again and how it looks . Doubt ill loose any more than i did on my 9 week old street triple 😢
Good, reasonable review. Having owned a Himalayan since 2018 the scarcity of dealers for the first few years, and the 3k service intervals have presented a challenge. The sticker price is only half of the ownership story.
I've had my 525 DSX for a few months and a few thousand km and I am perfectly happy with it. Comfortable and tons of fun on the back roads. I don't know how but you've nailed 99% of this dead on after just 20 miles. It's not perfect in any one area but it is really good in a lot of areas. Personally, I think the competition for Voge is the 450MT and not the Honda. Folks who won't buy a Chinese bike won't buy it no matter what, and for folks who might buy a Chinese bike the apples to apples choice is between this and CF Moto. Looking forward to a longer review soon.
Thanks Eric. Great to hear from an owner. The last commentor will be most pleased as he thought my brief review was 'shite.' I guess it takes all sorts. But I think with a bike like this, and no offence meant, that it's a very one dimensional machine. It does what it does. And it does it in the first 20 minutes just as well as it'll do it in the 120th minute. It's got no hidden corners. No hidden skills. It's just a good engine (I've found a bit vibey around 4k-5k today whilst out on it) but a cracking chassis. It makes very brisk progress. It's a bit weighty. I had it on my scales and it's 230 kilos fully fuelled, and for me it doesn't have the MT450s off road credentials, so I'd probably stick with that. But as a bread and butter machine for day to day or longer distance touring it's hard to find fault bar that bit of buzz in the pegs. And I bet you soon stop noticing it once things have loosened up. Hope you get some good miles on it.
@@nathanthepostman it's certainly a road focused bike which is fine for me because I'm not an off-road guy. I primarily use it knocking around the countryside on weekends and that is its sweet spot. Of course there are negatives, but the bike is affordable, all-day comfortable, and such great fun on the backroads. Everybody makes their own choices and I'm happy with mine. I really enjoy the channel, keep up the good stuff!
Vx300 is supposed to be run at high rpm. Thats why it can do 100 mph where larger more expensive bikes run out of steam at 75-80. Also first gear is perfect for situations that require max torque at slower speeds. Vx300 is my next purchase and is perfect for my needs. For some it may take awhile to learn how and why to use this wonderful machine.
Will be very interested to hear what you find out about the Voge E5/E10 conundrum. E5 not allways available and the big question is does the lower grade do any harm long term? Looking forward the the Italy trip videos too.👍
Hi Nathan I have ridden the RIEJU 500 for a couple of hundred miles and currently have the moto Mondo demonstrator in our show room i under stand it is going to be available to you shortly after some of our potential customers have tested it we have sold one two months ago and have had good reports from the customer first service proved easy we preformed two minor recalls and part for the service were quickly sent from moto Mondo's parts portal good video Neale Rakeway motorcycles
Cheers Neale. Thanks for the info. Glad to hear there's one on the road up there. Looking forward to trying it. Most anticipated bike of 2024 for me, which is why I've been desperate to try it, or see other people try it.
I rode a Voge 500 DSX last October while my 500X was having a new tyre fitted and really enjoyed it. I then rode an hour home on my Honda. My conclusion was that I preferred the Honda, a subjective judgement perhaps but there was something about it that I preferred. It might have been simply that the Voge had 4km on the clock when I set out and the Honda 20,000 but the Honda felt more refined. I’ve got nothing against Voge whatsoever, I’m just about to go outside and park my 300 Rally next to my 500X and lock them away for the night. At this moment in time I’m sticking with my Honda but I will certainly have another close look at the Voge and others when I next look at changing my bike. What I’m sure of is that I will be sticking with a bike of this size and power, the 500X is the best touring bike I’ve ever owned for my needs. That was quite a revelation when the bike I owned before was an ST1300 Pan European which I’d owned for 9 years and loved. My annual mileage has doubled since downsizing and that says a lot. A real world touring bike does not need to be any bigger or more powerful than this.
Agreed. I've got my 500X with 16000 miles on it, 7000 of those were ridden by me. I love it. Admittedly I'm tempted to upgrade or swap out but nothing I look at has the same feeling/ reliability. Somewhat tempted by the CFMoto 450MT as I'm part of the TRF and would be more appropriate but the 500X does it all with a set of knoblies. Maybe next year I'll have a look again.
On the issue of pricing, you make a good point about the difference between this Voge and Honda. If the difference is only £600, how quickly does that get eaten up by double the servicing frequency and depreciation of the bike. My guess would be within 1 year. If you have all your own luggage already (I prefer soft bags anyway), bolt on a couple of charging/power options, I think the Honda NX makes more sense.
I put both E5 and E10 in my Voge 650 and found performance was slightly improved with E5 which I guess is the reason why it is the preferred fuel. The manufacturer wants its customers to get the very best performance out of the bike. I have a Tenere World Raid and that bike on E10 is sluggish, performs so much better on E5. I now have the Voge 900, and currently running it on E5. After the first service I will make a comparison. Incidentally, we run a number of small commercial machines with Chinese engines plus chain saws and always use E5, they run very well on it and there’s never a problem starting from cold. Yes, it’s more expensive but unless you’re doing seriously high mileage, the benefits out weigh the small increased cost….that’s just my opinion based on useage.
Thanks Andy. Useful input. I certainly agree most machines will run better on E5, but I'm not entirely onboard with the argument, otherwise all manufacturers would do it. Is the 900 rated to E5/E10 as well?
It could be that the rubber parts, all seals etc may not be rated to the higher ethanol content of the E10. Being Chinese, I would have assumed to keep costs down they used cheaper parts, E10 breaks (over time) down the rubber and causes seals to fail
Nathan, thanks! Service intervals: the manuals for the Voge 300 Rally here in Germany state 10.000 km. Which is fine. Have this information from a Voge forum here (my bike is a Honda). 525 DSX: The importer here in Germany sells only the "old" 500 DSX. Which is strange. Market here in Europe, where the 525 DSX is doing very, very well: Italy. #1 there is the Benelly TRK 702 X, the Voge 525 DSX around #6 or #7. Well ahead of Honda NX 500. Lots and lots of great, new bikes. Parent company of Benelli - QJ Motors - launched in some countries the QJ Motors SRT 550 SX. Like in Italy, Spain and Poland. SRT 550 SX: Price tag is 5290 Euro. 554 ccm 56 CV or 41.2 kW 54 Nm Road focused adventure bike. In Spain QJ gives 6 years warranty... Here in Germany this QJ SRT 550 SX is not available yet. Many new bikes in your segment. Lots to do for you... Others, 850 ccm Adventure Bike: Beside the extreme success of the Voge 525 DSX in Italy, the Voge DS 900 X had it's market introduction there. In August 2024 the DS 900 X was in Italy the #9 best selling motorcycle. Means two Voge bikes in Italy in the Top 10... In the case Voge keeps the crazy good price tag of the DS 900 X - this bike might be one of the best selling bikes in Europe over the next years. Have a good week. Cheers from Germany, Andreas
Yes totally, 6000 miles is perfectly adequate. It's probably been lowered to 3750 miles by our local importer, which is a shame if other regions have longer intervals. It shows it's for business reasons rather than mechanical.
@@nathanthepostman Yes. Big bike companies from India and from China fight for the market share. Great situation. Another new adventure bike: Zontes 703 F Market launch in France was those days. At the "Route des Grandes Alpes"...Ha. Best Road for such an bike! The Zontes might be a bit too heavy for your adventures. But 3 Cylinders and bit below 100 CV and a bit below 80 Nm. Great looks. I'am surprised of the very high technical level of all those bikes like the 450 MT, 525 DSX, DS 900 X, Himalayan 450 and, and and...some of the motorcycle markets in Europe start to change already. Like Italy. Honda as global #1 with production volume of around 20 Mio motorcycles / year will have the power to compete - means price tag of NX 500 will come down. Honda gives right now huge rebates on the 750 Transalp... Cheers, Andreas
Interesting video mate having bought the Honda Nx500 the reliability was a huge thing for us after the experience with rejecting the Ktm 390s n then getting bitten again with the Himmy with them not being able to get parts to fix it at the time along with all the other issues. We paid £6,500 for the nx with its first service done and a service plan for the first 3 services on it on a 24 plate build quality is really nice the dash doesn’t have any condensation issues being the later type of tft. 1k on the clock was a few pre reg similar prices about but they are getting tricky to find the nx so I went with a dealer I knew with it being available n at that point not knowing how long dad had (he’s got 2 years ahead now before they try taking him of the meds to see how the radio therapy went he’s doing amazing at the mo, so Devon it is in a few months to live n make memories. I got £6250 back for the Tenere. 2020 4 owner paid 7,500 from a main dealer fully serviced with 8k on it 3 months before was great for me but not for dad and as an out an out travel bike to cover distance on the road n light gravel tracks the nx500 is more manageable with better fuel economy and wind protection we got caught in a thunderstorm n that helped dad out a great to stay warm. An the fireblade I sold that i owned since 2010 for the t7 id paid 10k for an got £6,300 for so in 14 years that still retained over half its value When I sold my 1200gs te rally I paid 11k so approved used n got 10,500 back for it 5 months later when I needed to help dad out funds wise. So it’s always handy having good residuals. Just a really nice package the nx500 that’s got the development behind it the 12v socket is £26.90 if you want one on them I use a thunderbox by healtech miles better bit of kit you can move from bike to bike. Luggage wise probably look at Mosko as it can be used on future bikes. Can use either fuel on the Nx super efficient handles on rails and fun engine. It’d be interesting to see why voge are doing that with the fuel if it’s mapping or not using the higher quality fuel lines a rubbers in the fi system a throttle bodies an fuel pump, Or it it’s tank construction. I hope these companies can catch the Japanese designed bikes up in the reliability and parts availability stakes as it makes it better for all of us. When I had the t7 n wanted bits had them next day from fowlers, bmw is about 3 weeks now from a main dealer because 1150 stock is in Germany although motorworks is next day ordered some pannier hinges yesterday came today. I think the more bikes that are about the better that’s my take on it competition improves the breed. I’m back on my 1150gsa since I got the classic insurance on it mot’d n cracking on the miles so gonna sign the 500nx over to dad as he’s really been enjoying it an either look at a 2nd nx500 for dad or 2nd gsa in the form of a 1250 or 1300 as I’ve really enjoyed being back on the boxer engine on my 1150 so be cool to have a modern one to sit along side it if money ends up a big tight at first though be a 2nd nx500 as I don’t have a car all year riding :) An im not planning on any single track green lanes so covering distance into Europe which is my plan from mid Devon the beemers n nx being twins are a nicer fit or other twin cylinder bikes. Just gotta find what suits us individually I always think :)
Just bought a Voge 300 rally (rode the himalayan , my first choice and hated it) felt at home as soon as I climbed on board, but as you say, whether voge succeed or not is down to the importer (waranty and spares back up) Lets hope they get it right, as at the moment it is an exact mirror of when the japanese started making bikes, it will be good for the consumer if they find their niche.
I think it's a brand that will last because there's a lot of infrastructure behind it. The new 900dsx looks good and the Chinese company build the engine for the BMW so it has credentials. Hope you enjoy the 300!
Really useful 'real world' review as usual. Interesting what you say about the Rieju - it's such a disappointment as that bike could really find a niche in the 'travel bike' market. And before exploring that route I'm waiting for another one of your 'real world' assessments of it. But hey-ho, will keep waiting...
The CF Moto 450MT didn’t have a big fanfare launch event either though, and it was all word of mouth through the ADV community that highlighted that this was a seriously good bike. May be the same thing will happen with the Reiju when it’s available and can get ridden.
@@peakrider4886 Yes I think with CF Moto they did at least have a global launch, and the social media that's followed from that has been constant and growing. And bikes are available. The Rieju just hasn't gathered any momentum for some reason and I think it's been out a year in some regions.
Looks a good value alternative to the other 500 bikes of that style. Still hoping one of these Chinese brands is brave enough to bring in a bog basic, well made low cc trail bike, aka a modern CCM 230 with fi and better quality.
The new 2025 Voge 300x is looking very tempting in that segment - 30hp, all LED lighting now and a new TFT screen. Relatively simple but now just a bit more refined than the previous model.
Lex Moto checked with Voge on the DS500 it will run ok on E10 petrol. I ran a DS500 for 2 1/2 years and did 12,500 miles the inlet valves (tappets) were the same as when New, I did have to move some of the shims around to put them closer to the middle tolerance but none went out of tolerance.The reason I sold the bike was Vibration, When new the vibration was unacceptable,but did improve with milage, but above 5,000 rpm was still bad.
Looks a good proposition if you’re doing mainly road riding and touring, and I’m sure it would be more than able to do 2-up as well. Looks like you put it through its paces judging by that right footpeg and the undergrowth you took back to the Speed Shop 😂
Years ago I used to buy MCN every week, looked fwd to Wed. and read it cover to cover. A few months back I picked one up again. The cost!!! Fewer pages and in truth poor value. I bought one every Wed. for 4 weeks and then stopped. It’s come a long way down! Sadly!
I know. I picked up RiDE the other day. It was either £6 or £7. Feels like a lot of money for how much content they have in them now. Glad they're still being published. For how long, who knows!
My only concern in buying this type of bike over a more readily available brand is parts, both genuine service parts and then aftermarket parts and bolt on's. While the bike is new I'm sure you'll be able to get things, but as an owner who keeps bikes a long while and looks after them myself, I would worry about getting bits for it later on. The only advantage to main brands is the availability of such bits, and indeed add on options such as rally raid parts and the like. Sadly these days main brand does not guarantee quality, so that side of it isn't an issue I don't think.
I think the resale value of these bikes will improve as there are more and more people buying them Lots of bikers don't actually do many miles, so a cheaper bike in the garage isn't a financial problem I had an exclusive invitation to my Honda dealership last Saturday and was 1 of only 3 people there I then rode 40 miles to my Enfield dealer, which was packed Think the writing is on the wall Nathan
@@nathanthepostman really? In 2023 there were no Chinese brands with a product in the top 10 best selling bikes / scooters and if you exclude scooter sales driven by delivery riders (who almost exclusively choose Honda / Yamaha) the best selling two wheeler was still BMWs 1250GSA starting at over £16k...
@@BikingChap Yes long term I think they will. Who'd have thought Honda/VW et all would have been replaced in the car market by Hyundai/Kai/MG? Slightly different market and customer but the principles the same. You can only milk heritage for so long.
@@nathanthepostman I for one will be said to see the end of European / Japanese brands as we know it but as you say, if that’s what the market wants, it’s what we’ll all get. Certainly the car buyers of today’s don’t seem concerned with the sporting heritage of the manufacturer as was the case in our day which begs the question, why compete in motorsport at all?
Reliability and parts availability for me is a huge issue. Voge is a enormous brand in Asia. This bike has great specs and lots of extras. That kind of "bird" front section is a little strange for me. Can't decide if like it or not. It's different. CF Moto 450 is more appealing to me because is lighter and I really prefer to ride a more intuitive and easy going lighter machine. I know that parts (at least here in Portugal) it's not an issue. Importer makes good work and Voge is working to be a very strong brand outside Asia. So....., As I prefer the CFmoto because is nimble, I wonder about reliability. Anyway I'm really pending for the FCmoto. I think these new brands are a good thing for consumers who don't want to pay big money but still look for a fair product. Thanks for your awesome work and impressions.
Nathan just got back from scotland plenty E5 to be had brother. A s usual a good over all first impression over view . Would you do another at the 5000 mile marker . cheers .
Tricky one. Even as a road bike I'd go for the CF Moto. It's just a more exciting, complete bike. The Voge is great value though and is faster than the CF Moto. Handles great. And comes with the luggage. I can see why you're torn. Personally I'd go for the CF Moto and compromise a little. But you'll be happy with the Voge I reckon
Looking for a new bike ATM and like you say it feels impossible to ride them - main dealers either don't have demo bikes (and won't be getting any more this year) or don't want them going out over winter. You can't take a second hand one out as that put miles on a devalues it plus they need to do their however many point safety check again when it comes in... I have money to spend but nobody wants it! Just looking for a nice middleweight naked, nothing fancy.
I was trying to think of a truly Japanese motorcycle and the transverse inline four and V-4 bikes came to mind. A lot of the early parallel twins were British. The GoldWing is American as are the metric cruisers. The MX and Rally are western developments. I think I've seen Chinese bikes, but they were skin treatment of a western bike - dragon's head boxer.
Looks good, but the service interval + fuel restriction + unknown depreciation still makes a 1 or 2 year old 500x with under 3k for under £6.5k a better option for me
When the Voge 900 came to the UK I traded my 2 1/2 year old Voge 650 as part ex and was amazed at the figure given by the dealer. The bike had been ridden throughout the year in all weathers and I expected to find rust everywhere but there was less than my last BMW 650….much less. In my opinion, Voge are the new Honda. They are producing machines that will last and once the snob image is lost they will and are or did in my case, hold their value. The 900 together with the 525 are Spains best sellers in 2024 with a 2/3 month waiting list. Nothing failed on the 650, the engine and transmission made it a fun bike, over 3000 rpm it pulled like a John Deer tractor on steroids. I will keep the 900 for about three years, by which time they will be well established and I’m guessing, more expensive. We said the same negative comments about Honda in the 70’s, we were wrong then and Voge will prove to be very much the same.
in Germany, Italy and other European countries where Voge is competing against Honda the service intervals are 10000kms after the second service, the same applies to the Voge 300 rally
It's quicker than the CF moto. More grunt. But less character. Less suspension travel. Brakes maybe better. Probably in some ways better as a road bike than the CF Moto. But not a patch on it as an all rounder. With the panniers on it's also 30 kilos heavier.
Hair cut by the council Nathan ? I'll hold on to my G310GS with upgraded suspension and try to get my hands on a CF NT450, or a 2nd hand 500x and add the full Rally Raid.
Hi Nathan,greets from Germany.If I can buy this bike here,IAM sure it will stand in garage. Unfortunately the old VOGE 500 ds,was selling bummer in Germany.Therefore they decided to bring this bike not here.I guess the dealers hope to sell the old one first.😢
Yeah definitely they have. The CF motos and some of the Voge/Benelli/Morini are solid bikes. They've moved on a lot from the cheap 125 rebrands... thankfully!
So £6,200 for the Voge and £6,800 for the NX500. I get the Voge has a lot of bolt ons but I'd take the known Honda with it's huge support network for just a few hundred more and just add any extras I felt I needed as I went along.
I tested one of these, on delivery the wheel and spokes where all rusty and it was a new bike. Engine was short geared and gutless. Build quality was shocking. Seat was not comfortable with plastic pressing through the seat. It’s was a 2023 model so maybe it’s improved.
Most of the Chinese bikes dont look quite right, the Benelli included. When you notice the price they do grab your attention but as you stand back and look at them they seem to have such a large amount of plastic around the front end. They look like some kind of mock up from a new sifi film. The MT450 looks purposefully like a Tenere, the Voge 300 looks like a trail bike like a CRF, that's why I feel they work, they have a desirability to them which is important, it's not just about the riding. The Himalayan and your CCM look like they've come straightout of the army, strong and dependable, which to some is appealing. And a note on MCN, full of nothing at the moment, the last adventure tyre test was ridiculous, Hargreaves kept comparing to the other brands and it was supposed to be a blind test. Then the summary person said they both agreed with each other on the last place tyre but they didn't, their views were completely different. Total load of rubbish.
I think you're spot on about the visuals. They're trying to copy what they think it should look like rather than go their own way, which does create a slightly artificial look. The MT is a big step forward I think for Chinese bike design/styling.
It looks decent but the dash is hideous. Nothing wrong with an LCD but the combination of size, design and colours don’t do it for me. The price discussion is an interesting one. I don’t like alu panniers on a small bike like this, so I’d want it spec’ed down and cheaper, and I’d be happy with the basic NX500, I don’t need the other extras, plus when you factor in services and resale (if you can actually get anyone to buy it or take it in part exchange), plus dealer backup, real world warranty, parts and servicing, you’d have to really want a Voge to buy one. I looked up dealers on the Voge UK website and the three closest to me (up to 50 miles away) don’t even list Voge as a brand on their website. The established brands may trade on their name but you know they’ll still be there next week, next month, next year. The worry is with rotating brands/models in the Chinese market is that they won’t be and you’ll be left with a lemon that breaks, and that you can’t sell.
I ordered one in March without the luggage then priced at £5600 OTR only to be informed a few weeks later that Moto GB had decided to only bring in the model with full luggage priced at £6100 OTR. In all other markets it’s available in both variants so don’t fall for the free luggage crap as you are paying for it. As I didn’t want the luggage or to pay the extra for something I’d never use I decided not to buy it. So long story short it’s a 5.5k bike in reality, if Moto GB got there head out of there butt and offered both variants im sure they would sell more.
I think you're probably right. North of £6k it feels possibly overpriced; great spec and all. But £5500 is more accessible and feels about right for the bike it is.
At £5999 this bike is more or less the price KTM charge for fixing the so called "cheese" cam issue. This begs the question are bikes becoming disposable? i.e. With manufacturers like KTM not providing a gold standard should we start looking at the new wave of companies Voge, CFmoto & Cove with a view of I'll take my chances with a cheaper machine?
Yes it's a good point. Expensive stuff is so expensive to fix and so with cheaper bikes getting better why not buy one to use and abuse and dispose of at the end
travel suspension is kind of irrelevant, if the suspension components are cheap, and they're cheap on most hondas, most yamahas, let alone these chinese bikes. the centimeters of travel suspension dont matter at all when the springs are super soft, the oil is very thin and by the time you sit on it you already used up 10cm of that 20cm travel. they're all set up for 60kg rider with 10kg of luggage, as soon as a european thats 80-90kg and 10-20kg luggage with those big topboxes sits on it, the suspension is destroyed and its useless, no matter what the spec sheet says.
Yeah all good points. stock suspension isn't going to suit everyone. Honda CRF300 Rally universally seen as too soft, but the suspension on the CF Moto 450MT is arguably too firm. Royal Enfield's done a good job with the new 450 but definitely hard to please everyone with stock set up.
Went to buy one, called the local agent, not a frigging clue about either the bike or Voge, I really wanted to get this but after the local agent conversation, bought a Honda. Voge, educate your idiot agents if you want ZuK sales 🤷♂️
Like you say the Honda is a safe purchase, Voge is a bit unknown, extra servicing and for sure low resale value and less dealerships makes the Honda a no brainer.
I have more avowed dealerships near to me than Honda. I’m sure of that as I have one of each. Forget depreciation, people trading in big bikes after two years will be loosing more than this Voge cost.
I admit I care less for the MCN reports (still watch them though 😅)
This is what I’m looking in real world bike reviews.
Intelligent, experienced, humble and knowledgeable about all the little tidbits that matter to us as riders.
Thank you for all the hard work you put into-it! 🍻🍻
Good honest review. I've had mine since start of July and done 2.5k miles and I love it. I take my ZZR1400 out but this is now my everyday and has made me fall in love with biking again!
As usual, an interesting, unbiased opinion. A few words on the Voge 525's immediate competitors: the Macbor Montana XR5, Kove 510 and Rieju Aventura 500 all use the Loncin-Voge engine as used in the Voge 500DSX/DS and 525DSX ( for the 2nd-gen Macbor and the Kove). And according to much of the chatter I've heard on the grapevine, the motor sitting in the Honda CB 500X's frame is the Loncin-Voge lump too, albeit with different external castings; so I wonder if the new NX500 uses the same powerplant as the 525DSX...
Regarding service intervals, I have the crossover version of the Voge 500DSX (so 17" cast alloys with road tyres fore & aft) and I've pushed it to Honda-esque service intervals (12,000 km on this side of the Channel) with no adverse effects. I should point out that my bike is my only vehicle, so I use it for everything: popping down to the shops, commuting, weekend rides and touring. And as I live just outside Barcelona, I do a lot of riding up in the Pyrenees or in the Priorat/Montsant if I go down towards Tarragona. I therefore reckon that Voge's short service intervals are just of case of the brand erring on the side of caution more than anything else.
Finally, you can run the bike on E10 without any significant problems. For next year I'm considering fitting an eFlexMoto unit to be able to run on E85 if I so wish, while still being able to run on E5 or E10 if no E85 pumps are available. It's a joint development between eFlexFuel, a Finnish firm, and Frank Nourry, the boss of Thorn Bike, a bike shop and engine-tuning specialist in Béziers.
Next time you're down in Catalonia, give a wave!
Thanks for making this video, and I look forward to your impressions as you put some miles on it. I value your opinion more than other reviewers as you cover the issues that concern me, not just with the bike but with ownership as well. Voge do seem to be attacking the adventure bike market with both this and the 900 and putting all the toys on.
Love this bike. I sold my triumph tiger 660, and I was going to buy a himalayan 450 but had issues with the dealership, I then looked at the honda 500 , x and to saying it boring is a understatement , I known owned the voge 525dsx for 2 months and it amazing bike and I'm so glad I got rid off the triumph and not followed the heard, and money I saved paid for more trips away ,
Took delivery of mine on 1st August done just under 1000 miles up to now and gotta say im loving it , it sits alongside my fazer 1000 and ducati monster . Dont care about future value its all about wanting to get out on it again and how it looks . Doubt ill loose any more than i did on my 9 week old street triple 😢
Good, reasonable review. Having owned a Himalayan since 2018 the scarcity of dealers for the first few years, and the 3k service intervals have presented a challenge. The sticker price is only half of the ownership story.
I've had my 525 DSX for a few months and a few thousand km and I am perfectly happy with it. Comfortable and tons of fun on the back roads. I don't know how but you've nailed 99% of this dead on after just 20 miles. It's not perfect in any one area but it is really good in a lot of areas. Personally, I think the competition for Voge is the 450MT and not the Honda. Folks who won't buy a Chinese bike won't buy it no matter what, and for folks who might buy a Chinese bike the apples to apples choice is between this and CF Moto.
Looking forward to a longer review soon.
Thanks Eric. Great to hear from an owner. The last commentor will be most pleased as he thought my brief review was 'shite.' I guess it takes all sorts. But I think with a bike like this, and no offence meant, that it's a very one dimensional machine. It does what it does. And it does it in the first 20 minutes just as well as it'll do it in the 120th minute. It's got no hidden corners. No hidden skills. It's just a good engine (I've found a bit vibey around 4k-5k today whilst out on it) but a cracking chassis. It makes very brisk progress. It's a bit weighty. I had it on my scales and it's 230 kilos fully fuelled, and for me it doesn't have the MT450s off road credentials, so I'd probably stick with that. But as a bread and butter machine for day to day or longer distance touring it's hard to find fault bar that bit of buzz in the pegs. And I bet you soon stop noticing it once things have loosened up. Hope you get some good miles on it.
@@nathanthepostman it's certainly a road focused bike which is fine for me because I'm not an off-road guy. I primarily use it knocking around the countryside on weekends and that is its sweet spot. Of course there are negatives, but the bike is affordable, all-day comfortable, and such great fun on the backroads. Everybody makes their own choices and I'm happy with mine.
I really enjoy the channel, keep up the good stuff!
You are absolutely right.. I'm considering between voge 525DSX and cfmoto 450mt.. It's a tough choice 😅
Great video Nathan. Thanks.
I’m waiting for more videos from you on the CF Moto 450 😊
I'm off to Italy on it this Friday to ride some trails so will have some videos on it soon!
Vx300 is supposed to be run at high rpm. Thats why it can do 100 mph where larger more expensive bikes run out of steam at 75-80. Also first gear is perfect for situations that require max torque at slower speeds. Vx300 is my next purchase and is perfect for my needs. For some it may take awhile to learn how and why to use this wonderful machine.
Nice one Nathan, editing to the next level 👌👍
Will be very interested to hear what you find out about the Voge E5/E10 conundrum. E5 not allways available and the big question is does the lower grade do any harm long term?
Looking forward the the Italy trip videos too.👍
A very well balanced review of a well balanced machine.
Hi Nathan
I have ridden the RIEJU 500 for a couple of hundred miles and currently have the moto Mondo demonstrator in our show room
i under stand it is going to be available to you shortly after some of our potential customers have tested it we have sold one two months ago
and have had good reports from the customer first service proved easy we preformed two minor recalls and part for the service were quickly
sent from moto Mondo's parts portal
good video
Neale
Rakeway motorcycles
Cheers Neale. Thanks for the info. Glad to hear there's one on the road up there. Looking forward to trying it. Most anticipated bike of 2024 for me, which is why I've been desperate to try it, or see other people try it.
As always a great reveiw and very thought provoking.
I rode a Voge 500 DSX last October while my 500X was having a new tyre fitted and really enjoyed it. I then rode an hour home on my Honda. My conclusion was that I preferred the Honda, a subjective judgement perhaps but there was something about it that I preferred. It might have been simply that the Voge had 4km on the clock when I set out and the Honda 20,000 but the Honda felt more refined. I’ve got nothing against Voge whatsoever, I’m just about to go outside and park my 300 Rally next to my 500X and lock them away for the night. At this moment in time I’m sticking with my Honda but I will certainly have another close look at the Voge and others when I next look at changing my bike. What I’m sure of is that I will be sticking with a bike of this size and power, the 500X is the best touring bike I’ve ever owned for my needs. That was quite a revelation when the bike I owned before was an ST1300 Pan European which I’d owned for 9 years and loved. My annual mileage has doubled since downsizing and that says a lot. A real world touring bike does not need to be any bigger or more powerful than this.
Agreed. I've got my 500X with 16000 miles on it, 7000 of those were ridden by me. I love it. Admittedly I'm tempted to upgrade or swap out but nothing I look at has the same feeling/ reliability. Somewhat tempted by the CFMoto 450MT as I'm part of the TRF and would be more appropriate but the 500X does it all with a set of knoblies. Maybe next year I'll have a look again.
This is a very good review, more like imparting advice and observations than the usual silly stuff for a pay cheque.
On the issue of pricing, you make a good point about the difference between this Voge and Honda. If the difference is only £600, how quickly does that get eaten up by double the servicing frequency and depreciation of the bike. My guess would be within 1 year. If you have all your own luggage already (I prefer soft bags anyway), bolt on a couple of charging/power options, I think the Honda NX makes more sense.
Exactly. I think the "The Voge is £3,000 less!" claim is getting a bit silly imoh.
Very good review , better than the “ pros” !
I put both E5 and E10 in my Voge 650 and found performance was slightly improved with E5 which I guess is the reason why it is the preferred fuel. The manufacturer wants its customers to get the very best performance out of the bike.
I have a Tenere World Raid and that bike on E10 is sluggish, performs so much better on E5.
I now have the Voge 900, and currently running it on E5. After the first service I will make a comparison. Incidentally, we run a number of small commercial machines with Chinese engines plus chain saws and always use E5, they run very well on it and there’s never a problem starting from cold.
Yes, it’s more expensive but unless you’re doing seriously high mileage, the benefits out weigh the small increased cost….that’s just my opinion based on useage.
Thanks Andy. Useful input. I certainly agree most machines will run better on E5, but I'm not entirely onboard with the argument, otherwise all manufacturers would do it. Is the 900 rated to E5/E10 as well?
It could be that the rubber parts, all seals etc may not be rated to the higher ethanol content of the E10. Being Chinese, I would have assumed to keep costs down they used cheaper parts, E10 breaks (over time) down the rubber and causes seals to fail
Nathan, thanks!
Service intervals: the manuals for the Voge 300 Rally here in Germany state 10.000 km. Which is fine.
Have this information from a Voge forum here (my bike is a Honda).
525 DSX:
The importer here in Germany sells only the "old" 500 DSX. Which is strange.
Market here in Europe, where the 525 DSX is doing very, very well: Italy.
#1 there is the Benelly TRK 702 X, the Voge 525 DSX around #6 or #7. Well ahead of Honda NX 500.
Lots and lots of great, new bikes.
Parent company of Benelli - QJ Motors - launched in some countries the QJ Motors SRT 550 SX. Like in Italy, Spain and Poland.
SRT 550 SX:
Price tag is 5290 Euro.
554 ccm
56 CV or 41.2 kW
54 Nm
Road focused adventure bike.
In Spain QJ gives 6 years warranty...
Here in Germany this QJ SRT 550 SX is not available yet.
Many new bikes in your segment. Lots to do for you...
Others, 850 ccm Adventure Bike:
Beside the extreme success of the Voge 525 DSX in Italy, the Voge DS 900 X had it's market introduction there.
In August 2024 the DS 900 X was in Italy the #9 best selling motorcycle. Means two Voge bikes in Italy in the Top 10...
In the case Voge keeps the crazy good price tag of the DS 900 X - this bike might be one of the best selling bikes in Europe over the next years.
Have a good week.
Cheers from Germany,
Andreas
Yes totally, 6000 miles is perfectly adequate. It's probably been lowered to 3750 miles by our local importer, which is a shame if other regions have longer intervals. It shows it's for business reasons rather than mechanical.
@@nathanthepostman Yes.
Big bike companies from India and from China fight for the market share.
Great situation.
Another new adventure bike:
Zontes 703 F
Market launch in France was those days. At the "Route des Grandes Alpes"...Ha. Best Road for such an bike!
The Zontes might be a bit too heavy for your adventures.
But 3 Cylinders and bit below 100 CV and a bit below 80 Nm.
Great looks.
I'am surprised of the very high technical level of all those bikes like the 450 MT, 525 DSX, DS 900 X, Himalayan 450 and, and and...some of the motorcycle markets in Europe start to change already. Like Italy.
Honda as global #1 with production volume of around 20 Mio motorcycles / year will have the power to compete - means price tag of NX 500 will come down.
Honda gives right now huge rebates on the 750 Transalp...
Cheers,
Andreas
@@nathanthepostman This or CF MOTO 450MT?
Interesting video mate having bought the Honda Nx500 the reliability was a huge thing for us after the experience with rejecting the Ktm 390s n then getting bitten again with the Himmy with them not being able to get parts to fix it at the time along with all the other issues.
We paid £6,500 for the nx with its first service done and a service plan for the first 3 services on it on a 24 plate build quality is really nice the dash doesn’t have any condensation issues being the later type of tft. 1k on the clock was a few pre reg similar prices about but they are getting tricky to find the nx so I went with a dealer I knew with it being available n at that point not knowing how long dad had (he’s got 2 years ahead now before they try taking him of the meds to see how the radio therapy went he’s doing amazing at the mo, so Devon it is in a few months to live n make memories.
I got £6250 back for the Tenere. 2020 4 owner paid 7,500 from a main dealer fully serviced with 8k on it 3 months before was great for me but not for dad and as an out an out travel bike to cover distance on the road n light gravel tracks the nx500 is more manageable with better fuel economy and wind protection we got caught in a thunderstorm n that helped dad out a great to stay warm.
An the fireblade I sold that i owned since 2010 for the t7 id paid 10k for an got £6,300 for so in 14 years that still retained over half its value
When I sold my 1200gs te rally I paid 11k so approved used n got 10,500 back for it 5 months later when I needed to help dad out funds wise. So it’s always handy having good residuals.
Just a really nice package the nx500 that’s got the development behind it the 12v socket is £26.90 if you want one on them I use a thunderbox by healtech miles better bit of kit you can move from bike to bike. Luggage wise probably look at Mosko as it can be used on future bikes.
Can use either fuel on the Nx super efficient handles on rails and fun engine.
It’d be interesting to see why voge are doing that with the fuel if it’s mapping or not using the higher quality fuel lines a rubbers in the fi system a throttle bodies an fuel pump, Or it it’s tank construction.
I hope these companies can catch the Japanese designed bikes up in the reliability and parts availability stakes as it makes it better for all of us.
When I had the t7 n wanted bits had them next day from fowlers, bmw is about 3 weeks now from a main dealer because 1150 stock is in Germany although motorworks is next day ordered some pannier hinges yesterday came today.
I think the more bikes that are about the better that’s my take on it competition improves the breed.
I’m back on my 1150gsa since I got the classic insurance on it mot’d n cracking on the miles so gonna sign the 500nx over to dad as he’s really been enjoying it an either look at a 2nd nx500 for dad or 2nd gsa in the form of a 1250 or 1300 as I’ve really enjoyed being back on the boxer engine on my 1150 so be cool to have a modern one to sit along side it if money ends up a big tight at first though be a 2nd nx500 as I don’t have a car all year riding :)
An im not planning on any single track green lanes so covering distance into Europe which is my plan from mid Devon the beemers n nx being twins are a nicer fit or other twin cylinder bikes.
Just gotta find what suits us individually I always think :)
Just bought a Voge 300 rally (rode the himalayan , my first choice and hated it) felt at home as soon as I climbed on board, but as you say, whether voge succeed or not is down to the importer (waranty and spares back up) Lets hope they get it right, as at the moment it is an exact mirror of when the japanese started making bikes, it will be good for the consumer if they find their niche.
I think it's a brand that will last because there's a lot of infrastructure behind it. The new 900dsx looks good and the Chinese company build the engine for the BMW so it has credentials. Hope you enjoy the 300!
Really useful 'real world' review as usual. Interesting what you say about the Rieju - it's such a disappointment as that bike could really find a niche in the 'travel bike' market. And before exploring that route I'm waiting for another one of your 'real world' assessments of it. But hey-ho, will keep waiting...
The CF Moto 450MT didn’t have a big fanfare launch event either though, and it was all word of mouth through the ADV community that highlighted that this was a seriously good bike. May be the same thing will happen with the Reiju when it’s available and can get ridden.
@@peakrider4886 Yes I think with CF Moto they did at least have a global launch, and the social media that's followed from that has been constant and growing. And bikes are available. The Rieju just hasn't gathered any momentum for some reason and I think it's been out a year in some regions.
Looks a good value alternative to the other 500 bikes of that style. Still hoping one of these Chinese brands is brave enough to bring in a bog basic, well made low cc trail bike, aka a modern CCM 230 with fi and better quality.
The new 2025 Voge 300x is looking very tempting in that segment - 30hp, all LED lighting now and a new TFT screen. Relatively simple but now just a bit more refined than the previous model.
I'd be interested on your views on the bigger model too. E5/E10 thing I didn't know about.
Lex Moto checked with Voge on the DS500 it will run ok on E10 petrol. I ran a DS500 for 2 1/2 years and did 12,500 miles the inlet valves (tappets) were the same as when New, I did have to move some of the shims around to put them closer to the middle tolerance but none went out of tolerance.The reason I sold the bike was Vibration, When new the vibration was unacceptable,but did improve with milage, but above 5,000 rpm was still bad.
Useful to know David. What did you replace it with?
Looks a good proposition if you’re doing mainly road riding and touring, and I’m sure it would be more than able to do 2-up as well. Looks like you put it through its paces judging by that right footpeg and the undergrowth you took back to the Speed Shop 😂
Years ago I used to buy MCN every week, looked fwd to Wed. and read it cover to cover.
A few months back I picked one up again. The cost!!! Fewer pages and in truth poor value. I bought one every Wed. for 4 weeks and then stopped. It’s come a long way down! Sadly!
I know. I picked up RiDE the other day. It was either £6 or £7. Feels like a lot of money for how much content they have in them now. Glad they're still being published. For how long, who knows!
There are so many bikes that don't get enough coverage in the UK market
that kove 510 stick a bmw bange on it, its a ringer for the 310 rallyraid
My only concern in buying this type of bike over a more readily available brand is parts, both genuine service parts and then aftermarket parts and bolt on's.
While the bike is new I'm sure you'll be able to get things, but as an owner who keeps bikes a long while and looks after them myself, I would worry about getting bits for it later on. The only advantage to main brands is the availability of such bits, and indeed add on options such as rally raid parts and the like.
Sadly these days main brand does not guarantee quality, so that side of it isn't an issue I don't think.
I think the resale value of these bikes will improve as there are more and more people buying them
Lots of bikers don't actually do many miles, so a cheaper bike in the garage isn't a financial problem
I had an exclusive invitation to my Honda dealership last Saturday and was 1 of only 3 people there
I then rode 40 miles to my Enfield dealer, which was packed
Think the writing is on the wall Nathan
I think you're totally right. Price is king at the minute at the Japanese are pricing themselves out the game.
@@nathanthepostman really? In 2023 there were no Chinese brands with a product in the top 10 best selling bikes / scooters and if you exclude scooter sales driven by delivery riders (who almost exclusively choose Honda / Yamaha) the best selling two wheeler was still BMWs 1250GSA starting at over £16k...
@@BikingChap Yes long term I think they will. Who'd have thought Honda/VW et all would have been replaced in the car market by Hyundai/Kai/MG? Slightly different market and customer but the principles the same. You can only milk heritage for so long.
@@nathanthepostman I for one will be said to see the end of European / Japanese brands as we know it but as you say, if that’s what the market wants, it’s what we’ll all get. Certainly the car buyers of today’s don’t seem concerned with the sporting heritage of the manufacturer as was the case in our day which begs the question, why compete in motorsport at all?
Reliability and parts availability for me is a huge issue. Voge is a enormous brand in Asia. This bike has great specs and lots of extras. That kind of "bird" front section is a little strange for me. Can't decide if like it or not. It's different. CF Moto 450 is more appealing to me because is lighter and I really prefer to ride a more intuitive and easy going lighter machine. I know that parts (at least here in Portugal) it's not an issue. Importer makes good work and Voge is working to be a very strong brand outside Asia. So....., As I prefer the CFmoto because is nimble, I wonder about reliability. Anyway I'm really pending for the FCmoto. I think these new brands are a good thing for consumers who don't want to pay big money but still look for a fair product. Thanks for your awesome work and impressions.
Nathan just got back from scotland plenty E5 to be had brother. A s usual a good over all first
impression over view . Would you do another at the 5000 mile marker . cheers .
Cheers doc. On the nc500 I don't remember there being much. Or in cornwall for that matter. Plenty in Europe tho. Be good if it took the cheap stuff.
Thanks Nathan 👍
Best review 😊
😊Nathan as a road bike would you recommend the voge 525 better than the 450mt?
I'm about to splash the cash and really appreciate your feedback 😊
Tricky one. Even as a road bike I'd go for the CF Moto. It's just a more exciting, complete bike. The Voge is great value though and is faster than the CF Moto. Handles great. And comes with the luggage. I can see why you're torn. Personally I'd go for the CF Moto and compromise a little. But you'll be happy with the Voge I reckon
That's settled it then 😂 Thanks mate 👍
Watch this space 🎉
@meandjimi2024
Looking for a new bike ATM and like you say it feels impossible to ride them - main dealers either don't have demo bikes (and won't be getting any more this year) or don't want them going out over winter. You can't take a second hand one out as that put miles on a devalues it plus they need to do their however many point safety check again when it comes in...
I have money to spend but nobody wants it!
Just looking for a nice middleweight naked, nothing fancy.
I was trying to think of a truly Japanese motorcycle and the transverse inline four and V-4 bikes came to mind. A lot of the early parallel twins were British. The GoldWing is American as are the metric cruisers. The MX and Rally are western developments. I think I've seen Chinese bikes, but they were skin treatment of a western bike - dragon's head boxer.
Looks good, but the service interval + fuel restriction + unknown depreciation still makes a 1 or 2 year old 500x with under 3k for under £6.5k a better option for me
When the Voge 900 came to the UK I traded my 2 1/2 year old Voge 650 as part ex and was amazed at the figure given by the dealer. The bike had been ridden throughout the year in all weathers and I expected to find rust everywhere but there was less than my last BMW 650….much less.
In my opinion, Voge are the new Honda. They are producing machines that will last and once the snob image is lost they will and are or did in my case, hold their value.
The 900 together with the 525 are Spains best sellers in 2024 with a 2/3 month waiting list.
Nothing failed on the 650, the engine and transmission made it a fun bike, over 3000 rpm it pulled like a John Deer tractor on steroids.
I will keep the 900 for about three years, by which time they will be well established and I’m guessing, more expensive.
We said the same negative comments about Honda in the 70’s, we were wrong then and Voge will prove to be very much the same.
It looks quite good if you like this sort of thing. Nick
Interesting video. By the way, you definitely can buy E5 petrol in Scotland.
Thanks Glyn. I know from experience you're not going to get in the Highlands. Or even in parts of Devon, certainly not through all of Wales.
in Germany, Italy and other European countries where Voge is competing against Honda the service intervals are 10000kms after the second service, the same applies to the Voge 300 rally
Looks fantastic value.
Would this be good with 2 up, luggage, riding through the Swiss Alps?
Yes I think it would be good for that
Check out the fancy editing. Bikes appearing left, right and centre!
Haha. Thanks Bob. Just a fluke!
A 2 year old one with say 6000 miles for £3500 would be a great buy, service it yourself then.
definitely. Easy bike to work on.
how does it compare to cfmoto 450mt on-road perfermance?
It's quicker than the CF moto. More grunt. But less character. Less suspension travel. Brakes maybe better. Probably in some ways better as a road bike than the CF Moto. But not a patch on it as an all rounder. With the panniers on it's also 30 kilos heavier.
@@nathanthepostman wow, thanks!! ill prob take this bike since ill be covering more on-road than off road.. great review!! god bless
Hair cut by the council Nathan ?
I'll hold on to my G310GS with upgraded suspension and try to get my hands on a CF NT450, or a 2nd hand 500x and add the full Rally Raid.
I went to that barber you recommended. I said give me the Rob Riddell look and this is how it turned out!
@@nathanthepostman Classy look, Mrs Postman will approve!
@@nathanthepostman looks like ya just came of of jail Nathan.
Hi Nathan,greets from Germany.If I can buy this bike here,IAM sure it will stand in garage. Unfortunately the old VOGE 500 ds,was selling bummer in Germany.Therefore they decided to bring this bike not here.I guess the dealers hope to sell the old one first.😢
That's a shame. I'm guessing you get the NX500 Honda?
@@nathanthepostman No, actually I drive my old BMW GS,single cylinder further.Till I found the real banger😀
I hope for the new KTM 390.😶🌫️
Used to lose a piece or two every ride on my Lexmoto, have Chonda bikes improved in that respect?
Yeah definitely they have. The CF motos and some of the Voge/Benelli/Morini are solid bikes. They've moved on a lot from the cheap 125 rebrands... thankfully!
So £6,200 for the Voge and £6,800 for the NX500. I get the Voge has a lot of bolt ons but I'd take the known Honda with it's huge support network for just a few hundred more and just add any extras I felt I needed as I went along.
I tested one of these, on delivery the wheel and spokes where all rusty and it was a new bike. Engine was short geared and gutless. Build quality was shocking. Seat was not comfortable with plastic pressing through the seat. It’s was a 2023 model so maybe it’s improved.
That's interesting. I don't recognise too much of that in this bike. Was it in the UK?
I looked at your channel and it looks like it was the 500dsx rather than the 525
You are a liar...nothing of what you Just said Is true...
@@nathanthepostman yes and was a press bike
@@MOTOUK1 Sounds like big improvements have been made from 500 to 525 which is good to know.
3K buys a lot of Fray Bentos, and it has the luggage for a good amount of pies......win-win.
Both E10 am 95 E5 have the same octane rating. E5 is not a higher octane fuel.
The 98 octane stuff which is usually e5 Is I guess higher octane
Most of the Chinese bikes dont look quite right, the Benelli included. When you notice the price they do grab your attention but as you stand back and look at them they seem to have such a large amount of plastic around the front end. They look like some kind of mock up from a new sifi film. The MT450 looks purposefully like a Tenere, the Voge 300 looks like a trail bike like a CRF, that's why I feel they work, they have a desirability to them which is important, it's not just about the riding. The Himalayan and your CCM look like they've come straightout of the army, strong and dependable, which to some is appealing. And a note on MCN, full of nothing at the moment, the last adventure tyre test was ridiculous, Hargreaves kept comparing to the other brands and it was supposed to be a blind test. Then the summary person said they both agreed with each other on the last place tyre but they didn't, their views were completely different. Total load of rubbish.
I think you're spot on about the visuals. They're trying to copy what they think it should look like rather than go their own way, which does create a slightly artificial look. The MT is a big step forward I think for Chinese bike design/styling.
Man, do I hate those wind farms.
Why, if no one farms wind how will we fly our kites? 🥴
It looks decent but the dash is hideous. Nothing wrong with an LCD but the combination of size, design and colours don’t do it for me. The price discussion is an interesting one. I don’t like alu panniers on a small bike like this, so I’d want it spec’ed down and cheaper, and I’d be happy with the basic NX500, I don’t need the other extras, plus when you factor in services and resale (if you can actually get anyone to buy it or take it in part exchange), plus dealer backup, real world warranty, parts and servicing, you’d have to really want a Voge to buy one. I looked up dealers on the Voge UK website and the three closest to me (up to 50 miles away) don’t even list Voge as a brand on their website. The established brands may trade on their name but you know they’ll still be there next week, next month, next year. The worry is with rotating brands/models in the Chinese market is that they won’t be and you’ll be left with a lemon that breaks, and that you can’t sell.
I ordered one in March without the luggage then priced at £5600 OTR only to be informed a few weeks later that Moto GB had decided to only bring in the model with full luggage priced at £6100 OTR. In all other markets it’s available in both variants so don’t fall for the free luggage crap as you are paying for it. As I didn’t want the luggage or to pay the extra for something I’d never use I decided not to buy it. So long story short it’s a 5.5k bike in reality, if Moto GB got there head out of there butt and offered both variants im sure they would sell more.
I think you're probably right. North of £6k it feels possibly overpriced; great spec and all. But £5500 is more accessible and feels about right for the bike it is.
It runs fine in E10
Good to know. Cheers Stephen
The worry has never been about how the engine runs it’s about whether the components in the fuel system can cope with the higher ethanol content.
Are there any of these Chinese 500's coming with cruise control yet?
Why would anybody want that on a 500?
No I don't think so. They're all cable throttle so probably unlikely. New voge 900 has it though
@@davidmatthews3093 Because I'd rather be watching the road, not the speedo, on some mindless 50mph, average speed camera motorway.
£1400 for the luggage on the honda so we are talking £2000 more for the honda
At £5999 this bike is more or less the price KTM charge for fixing the so called "cheese" cam issue. This begs the question are bikes becoming disposable? i.e. With manufacturers like KTM
not providing a gold standard should we start looking at the new wave of companies Voge, CFmoto & Cove with a view of I'll take my chances with a cheaper machine?
Yes it's a good point. Expensive stuff is so expensive to fix and so with cheaper bikes getting better why not buy one to use and abuse and dispose of at the end
don,t for get 1500 pound more for extra speck, on the honda
travel suspension is kind of irrelevant, if the suspension components are cheap, and they're cheap on most hondas, most yamahas, let alone these chinese bikes. the centimeters of travel suspension dont matter at all when the springs are super soft, the oil is very thin and by the time you sit on it you already used up 10cm of that 20cm travel. they're all set up for 60kg rider with 10kg of luggage, as soon as a european thats 80-90kg and 10-20kg luggage with those big topboxes sits on it, the suspension is destroyed and its useless, no matter what the spec sheet says.
Yeah all good points. stock suspension isn't going to suit everyone. Honda CRF300 Rally universally seen as too soft, but the suspension on the CF Moto 450MT is arguably too firm. Royal Enfield's done a good job with the new 450 but definitely hard to please everyone with stock set up.
Went to buy one, called the local agent, not a frigging clue about either the bike or Voge, I really wanted to get this but after the local agent conversation, bought a Honda. Voge, educate your idiot agents if you want ZuK sales 🤷♂️
😂sounds like you dont know how to ride the versys x 300😂
no haven't a clue
Like you say the Honda is a safe purchase, Voge is a bit unknown, extra servicing and for sure low resale value and less dealerships makes the Honda a no brainer.
I have more avowed dealerships near to me than Honda. I’m sure of that as I have one of each. Forget depreciation, people trading in big bikes after two years will be loosing more than this Voge cost.
voge is a far better bike then the honda, you just pay for the name,
Built to price is just a nice way of saying it's 💩
No far from it. Some elements could be improved - the dash - but the bike itself is good enough
Not at all. The build quality is great.