Something you've never done but would be great to see would be a side by side test. So the Voge versus the Honda NX500 for instance. There is a vast difference between cost and value for money, depreciation, availability of parts and service support are all part of any purchase decision. Good to see you're getting the police escort you deserve.
The current price for the 500 nx is £6800, to get it to the same spec as the voge 525dsx, you need to spend another £3000, I did consider the nx , but I decided to take a gamble on the voge , plus both bikes have the same engine?? Voge has more power though,
@luisvalentim99 you are so funny. Have you seen the price of a rally raid kit ? , or the price for full luggage, crash bars ,hand guards, full adjustable suspension, spot lights, centre stand,TPS, spoked wheels built in camera,these are all extra on the honda 500nx, all standard on the voge 525dsx ? The only benefits of owning a honda are the dealer network and a winged badge. If honda fitted everything that on the voge, I would buy it and at the same price???
The best thing about these Chinese bikes is that it's going to make other established manufacturers think long and hard about their pricing. You've got Honda producing a 1000 rocket ship for less than 9 grand, others are going to follow, hopefully.
I totally agree mate. This Voge is an excellent match for the Honda NX500 and yet is so much less expensive. Similarly, I have a Himalayan 450 and the Voge is less expensive than my machine yet, as TMF says, is probably a better buy. I hope the mainstream manufacturers take note and reduce their prices. If they don’t, the Chinese will become a dominant force in UK and European motorcycling. We have a very interesting and exciting few years ahead of us as motorcyclists.
Yes.ive been thinking about buying a Voge 300 Rally for greenlaning.its now available for 3.5k.The competition to it is a Honda 300 crf which are North of 6k.Theres a couple of dealers near me.Hard not to take the plunge and buy a new one,rather than a secondhand Honda
@@MotoBikerMike Have you considered the KURZ FS250 for greenlaning? I've just come across these and they seem very good value at £2,500. I also looked at the spare parts for them which seem very cheap too. And they only weigh about 119kg dry, so quite a bit lighter than the VOGE 300 Rally and the HONDA CRF 300 Might be worth investigating..
I’ve owned this bike since April and haven’t regretted my purchase for a second. From an owner’s perspective, your review is spot on. It is such a fun bike to knock around the countryside on. As for the speedo accuracy, on my bike at highway speed, indicated speed is consistently 5 mph faster than my phone GPS. Below 50 mph the indicated speed is on the money. I really enjoy your channel!
Would be good to review the 900 also. I have one and really rate it. It seems a lot of people have an opinion on Chinese made bikes but often with no experience of them. Thanks for the review - I fancy one of these as well!
@@badllama8090 woh there buddy. Straight on the attack with a “clearly not a bike rider”? You ok? My question was because the bikes seem very similar. Seems to be a lot of cross over between the two. Huge difference between a 1250 and this vs a 900 and this.
@ cool! I’m going to try one of the two so I can hold on to monster r and have a second bike. Had been thinking of selling the monster for a multistrada or an africa twin but my heart wasn’t really in selling it. Now I can potentially have both. Not sure which of the two makes more sense for me though, the 525 or the 900, hence why I was asking.
I put my distrust of Chinese bikes to one side and decided to visit my local Voge dealer over the Christmas period where I had a really good look at the 525's larger sibling the Voge 900 DSX , I came away very impressed with both the build quality and the spec , I was even more impressed with the price £8999.00 which included the three piece factory luggage, decided it was definitely worth a serious look so will be taking one for a test ride in the spring.
I've owned mine since July, 3k miles and no issues, true avg 70mpg and gets me to work in traffic in the same time as MY ZZR1400! I can't really fault it for what it is, a great all rounder!
As you said in your summing up I guess the main things which only time will establish is what the reliability, warranty, dealer network and spares availability is like. If it turns out their bikes are reliable etc that's only got to be a good thing, especially as the large Adv bikes are now silly money and heavy to lug around with it having more affordable reliable bikes available might just encourage more to either start biking or carry on when they were considering packing it in due to the ballooning costs involved, which as a pensioner myself will at some stage become an issue
Buying the bike is only half of ownership. As you say, if you can't get spares easily (and they're still available in five years) or get it serviced at a local dealer then it's a no from me.
I purchased one of these at the end of last summer after my VFR crossrunner was tsilended and written off on the M25. I use it to commute 45 miles a day 95% dual carriageway and moterway. I think it's brilliant and the best thing about it is that it comes with everything that you pay extra for on the 500 Honda such as centre stand, luggage lights etc as standard. The 900 is even better equipped. Sometimes wish that I had waited. 😊
A friend of mine has recently bought a CF Moto 450NK, from a local main dealer, brand new, for a staggeringly good value offer price of £4200. I've had a chance to ride this bike and was thoroughly impressed. The performance was remarkably good for a 46bhp engine, with a nice peppy engine with a surprisingly good mid-range (I'd come straight from my 1200cc Triumph). It also braked and handled superbly. The build quality, from what i could see, seemed perfectly acceptable, and the whole experience made me switch from sceptical to thoroughly impressed very quickly. As you quite rightly say... ignore Chinese bikes at your peril!
A built-in camera, now that would save me a job! Just a pity they didn't fit a rear one, as well. But, it looks like a cracking bike for the price, and the design looks really nice.
While the Japanese saved biking in the seventies,perhaps the Chinese may repeat history,what people forget its not that chinese bikes are cheap,its that most other brands are ridiculously expensive.
@@jimmyjam8795 No your wrong,yes labour costs are higher but that does not account in relistic terms to what is the ultimate cost of a bike,take a close look at Triumph,they are made abroad on cheap labour yet the price of them are still high.
I bought one of these bikes about seven weeks ago (in grey) and after over 900 miles I can safely say it's a little belter 😊. Just a couple of extremely minor things, the Speedo is extremely optimistic 🤔, I've fitted a Garmin sat nav and, a true 70mph is reading 77, the other slight problem is that the mpg reads in liters per 100km, and can't be changed🤔. Having said that, keep it below 4 liters and, it will be returning over 70 mpg! Brilliant! 👍.
I reviewed that exact bike on my channel and come to the same conclusion as yourself. The bike is outstanding value for money with no disappointments, the brand just needs more presence in the UK and I’m sure that will come. Watch this space.
You have to take your hat off to them. There is something definitely BMWesque about it, but not a direct copy of a GS model. It seems to sit midway between the F800 GS and G310 GS. Very clever Voge.
New to the channel, Watched a fair bit of your uploads, I am now a fan and I Watched your live feed ( Chuffed you mentioned me) And my pause skill's are petty good, I managed to capture and read your disclaimer. Keep up the excellent work ( I even like the flying stuff ) Australian by the way
I love this bike , I sold my triumph tiger 660 sports after taking a test ride , to answer a few of your questions, breaks are great once beded in , no rust I'm a all year rider ,windscreen I upgrade to a taller screen, no wind noise I'm 5"9, , screen is shiny but you can get film cover , it great for touring and 2s up, issues I have had is speedo is out but 4/5 miles, and the TPS pressure are way off , the luggage is good but be careful the lock can come lose , as for dealer my deal has just closed but I have found another so that not 2 bad , all in all it a great bike , and it put a smile on my face ,
Great review of a great bike. Bought a ex demo 525 dsx beginning of December with 400 miles on the clock for £5500. The bike is already run in and first service done which means its a bargain. As you say the looks, handling and value for money is outstanding. But you failed to mention some of the other features all included. Such as tyre pressure monitors, angled valve stems, adjustable levers, hand gaurds and bluetooth connectivity via the voge global app which also gives you turn by turn navigation. All this for the money is mind blowing. And for all you people worried about chinese products please don't look up where your apple phone was made.👍
We need a bigrockmoto for the UK, someone who buys the bikes, uses for 6 months gives the details. Reviews numbers and all, then moves on to something else. The press bikes are going to be spannered to a whole other level than a retail one, as he found out with some brands. John over on bikesocial, started to do something with a zontes, but it's gone radio silence lately. Either way, thanks for the review. :)
It is a lot of bike for the money, looking forward to your 900 review, that seems to have a great deal of interest as well. My Cf Moto 450mt is very well built, easily on a par with any Japanese bike, and comes with a 4 year warranty. Enjoyed your phone in last night, poor Dave, him being worried about telling you he had ordered a 1300 GSA. 😀
Looks to be a nice value bike that copper was hanging behind you for a while😅 Hope you and carol had a good Christmas and a happy New year Another great video has always Andy and carol 👍
Our local Honda dealership sells voge and I have to admit I personally prefer the look of the 525 over the NX and it comes fully loaded with luggage etc , I fully intend having a test ride on bothe the 525 and 900 models. The fact it’s Chinese doesn’t worry me too much as they already build the BMW engines for some models and probably make the electric switch gear and lcd screens for nearly all of the rest..
Great video as usual! I was torn on buying the 525DSX. But the niggle that kept biting me was the fact it was Chinese and its resale value and selling it on. So in the end I bought the Honda NX500
@@user-xh3lh9ck3t the resale value worry really isn’t an issue,when you consider purchase price, you actually lose a similar amount of money, that’s what I’ve found anyway. Nx is a great bike though 👍
Hi Andy, thanks for your first impressions, along with Mark Pulling, both of you give the V 525DSX a thumbs up. It's engine is (I understand) a licenced Honda 500 twin. There's a 625DSX coming out now, available to order in Portugal/Spain etc.; Bored out to 560CC ish, 63hp with an A2 version. Price in Portugal, 6500 Euros + on-road costs. Will the 625 come to the UK....it possibly could.
Looks very nice, and I completely understand your early positive comments, but, as ever, it's how well it goes and looks after say 5 British winters and 30,000 miles on our awful roads.
Ive had over 50 bikes over the years honda. Suzuki . Triumph. Then a couple if years back i dived in and tried chibese bikes.. Ive never looked back. Currently i have a Benelli TRK702x. And its epic. Brace for impact big marks. Your expensive price tags are about to be numbered
With these price tags attached, do remember that there always is someone who pays the price. If it´s not you, it may be Uigurs or others. It´s bad enough if BMW take such deals for the benefit of their shareholders.
my wife bought one back in may probably one of the first none test bikes on the road, she absolutely loves it, she passed her test 2 years ago got a sv650 which was ok, then a vstrom 650 didn't like that one, then a 900 gt low great bike but top heavy, and still says this ds525x is the best buy far, light weight, enough power to keep up with us guys on 1200gsa, 1250gs, and 900 gtpro, as for reliability, in 7 months its not skipped a beat, 65 70 mpg all day 3500 miles in,cant find a problem, i think Mrs miss may love it
I have the earlier version of this bike, the Voge 500DS, which is a little less refined but intrinsically the same bike. It’s been excellent - no issues whatsoever. It is holding up well to the elements with no rust or build quality problems. I’ve owned more premium bike brands and the Voge compares very well.
You have just answered the question that everyone is asking in relation to this bike, however, everyone appears to have missed it in the rush to put forward their own views. From your experience with the DS500X (from which the DS525X appears to be a face-lift rather than a complete redesign), would you recommend the purchase of the improved 525 version, do you have any significant negatives in relation to the Voge brand?.
@ I test rode the DS525X and was impressed but the dealership had a DS500. Other than slightly different styling and a more modern dash, I couldn’t see much between the older and newer versions (other than price). I’ve put over 2k miles on my bike in 6 months and it’s been great, so yes, I’d recommend Voge as a brand.
Hi Andy …. Such an interesting review!!! The looks reminds me of the Honda Transalp….. Great value providing the residual values don’t tank !! But at this price point what’s not to like!! I have been a martyr to brands … maybe time to lose prejudice and shop around more especially when on a retirement budget …. Riding experience looks good !! Thanks Mike
This is no doubt a BMW GS slayer. Why would you spend a fortune for an over-weight behemoth of a machine that in all practical senses is NO BETTER. Who needs 1200+cc when this bike will travel all over Europe, even two up, with ease? All you need is a £25 screen spoiler and you are good to go. Itchy boots has proven again and again that touring over challenging terrain or long distance is not about power but about reliability, low weight and easy handling. The price of the Voge is spectacularly better than all of the other established "adventure" bikes. Well done review. Thanks.
Another great video. It’s amazing how these bikes cost less than their equivalent counterparts from well known brands. Reliability…time will tell. And BTW… you do mention your frozen shoulder on a few videos. 😊
I test rode this bike last July, it is a very good bike with a fantastic spec. Only issue at the moment (and it does need to change) is with spare parts
@@daviddring3744 Maybe they are so reliable that at this point spares aren’t a priority?? 🤪 Clearly things like oil filters and other ‘maintenance/consumables parts’ have to be readily available….I have no idea whether they are though.
@@daviddring3744 taking in account the small number of their bikes riding in UK and small UK market is probably big part of parts are located somewhere in Main land Europe like many other brands already doing it ...
I reviewed the VOGE 650 DSX back in 2022…these Chinese bikes have come a long way recently. Hopefully they’re available with good warranty’s and dealer support. Cheers Jake.
Very interesting review, as always. What a great bike for the price. Like chinese cars they are definitely going to challenge the legacy manufacturers here in Europe. Mind you, in that regard ,interesting to see MG in bottom place in the recent What Car reliability survey, so buyer beware! Loncin are a very established engine manufacturer, but I don't think it is quite correct to say they make engines and flog them to BMW. They manufacture BMW designed engines under licence and supervision of BMW which is a different thing.
As a white van owner , one thing you notice , you rarely get tailgated . Something about the colour and a taller vehicle stops most vehicles behind seeing an inviting empty space in front of you. Yes you get overtaken but not tailed closely like what happens in a lower to the ground vehicle .👍
Missenden flyer has always had a built in prejudice against white van man, even though nearly all his parcels for which he is no doubt grateful for early and reliable delivery come from said vans!
I haven't heard of Voge coming to the U.S. yet, but I've seen some really positive reviews of their version on the 300 Rally. This 525 looks like a winner.
Not rode or seen one in person, so cant give honest opinion, however just awaiting a new bike as a second bike, never rode or seen one in person ? Honda GB350s in puco blue for under £4000, great price, great reliability and great local family run business, cheers Andy
exactly, or buy them 2nd hand and you get it for bugger all - people should buy the bike, ride it and own it rather than worrying about what it is or isn't worth down the road, people forget this simple bahviour hahahaa
Excellent value and the built in dash cam is a great selling point. I dare say the real test is how the bike looks after 2 years or so, does it look tired, rusty etc as well as reliability. If your a commuter and or occasional trip rider it could be a great buy
I test rode one about 15 months ago while my bike was having a new rear tyre fitted. I was really impressed especially when the price is taken into consideration. What interested me most was that it is very similar to the Honda 500X and so was the bike getting the new tyre. When I got back on the 500X I was worried that my experience on the Voge might make me think it was time to change bikes. The ride home was about an hour and during that time I discovered that, for me, the Honda is still the bike to keep. If and when I change it the Voge will be high on my list of bikes to look at closely. I am already a Voge owner. I was getting my new tyre there because I had recently ordered a 300Rally and got a good quote for the tyre at the same time. I’ve had the 300 for just over a year and used it a lot. I bought it as a dual sport to use on the tracks and trails around my home (something it excels at) but it’s also proven to be the go to bike for local on-road journeys as well. Recently I’ve been fitting a couple of accessories to it, an additional USB charger an£ heated grips. This has meant removing some of the bodywork and exposing the hidden bits. What I’ve found is that the Voge is a vey well built and put together motorcycle. There are no signs of cost cutting whatsoever and considering it’s off-road use no worrying signs of dilapidation due to water, mud,sand and the like. The 525 DSX seems to be well built and capable motorcycle. People who don’t take it and others like it seriously are fools.
Voge are great bikes. The 625dsx is due in March here in Spain and in June the Voge 800 Rally. Looking forward to that one. Great review thanks. Ride safe
I bought mine in August last year after test riding the Benelli 702x and I've got to say the first 3000 miles have been great with the handling and comfort are the highlights for me . The only thing I had to do was fit an anti reflection screen cover on the dash which sorted it. It sits in my garage alongside my Yamaha fazer 1000 and Ducati monster and it doesn't look out of place. Future values may turn out to be an issue but in all honesty I'm not worried about that either it was some cheap and the fun I've had on it so far it's irrelevant.
Good video as usual I think if you didn’t tell anyone what it was the first 2 things people would be asking is how much and where can I get 1 As for the Chinese thing I always ask the critics how many Chinese bikes have you ridden and owned the answer is usually none Never ignore or dismiss the new bikes
might be an idea to have a phone holder and gps going on these reviews to see how accurate the speedos are, the quality of these chinese bikes are getting good, now we just have to wait to see how reliability and parts availability is on them as that's the real test
An impressive bike review and a lot of bike for the money. I’m assuming the “E” mode is Economy”. It will be interesting to see if the quality and reliability maintains over time that more people will buy them and the prices will slowly increase to match Japanese and European competitors. I’m surprised the South Koreans have not jumped into the motorcycle market. They’ve done very well in the automobile market and now offer good quality and reliability at a reasonable cost.
Nice looking bike that would suit a first time big adventure bike. With all that is has on it would definitely make other manufacturers look at pricing. I would give it a go if looking for that type of bike. Great video and ride safe 👍
No1 Son had a Chinese 125, 15 years ago and it was fine. He did 20k kms in the first year with very few problems, the main one being the cush drive system in the rear wheel. The lad that bought it off him wrecked it in no time though. I've tried the TRK502 which is similar to the Voge and I was impressed. I'm trying the Voge 525DSX next, when the weather improves
Hi Andy, firstly enjoyed your live stream, back to the Voge what good value from a first impression, if they build to the same stringent requirements BMW must impose on them it should be a good bike. One thing to consider also, if the Chinese bikes do become more main stream the likes of BMW will have to consider their pricing. Thank you.
I’m not an adventure bike rider but this one looks just like a GS to me and the tech sounds comprehensive plus the fit and finish of a high standard so what’s not to like. Yam R1 and MT10 have wooden breaks so I’m sure some new pads would improve the stopping power and feel if that was a problem. I’ve been riding bikes on and off for 42 years and given the current state of the bike market, these Chinese imports offers some hope for the future of affordable motorcycling as it’s highly unlikely that the current established crop of manufacturers would reduce their pricing which for me is collective madness. I popped into my local Yamaha dealership yesterday and as ever, they are a great bunch of super friendly, helpful people but they are struggling for business so these lovely girls and boys jobs are at risk because of greedy manufacturers. We need to attract more younger riders and these amazing Chinese imports (appreciate they are not proven long term) are offering some hope…. Ramble/rant over 😊
A worthy ramble/rant imho. I’d guess the main brands have higher pricing in part due to the likes of MotoGP and other global racing overheads..not sure the Chinese have those at this time? Plus the obvious labour cost differences. I’m interested in the Voge 900DSX this year… TMF putting out a review soon..handy timing…happy new year to all… Atb..Alan
Nice looking bike. I have seen one close up, parked outside the pub. Nice touch is the V emblem on the handlebar clamp. I wish they could paint the forks and wheels the same shade of gold…
Great review, I'm waiting for the bigger tourer chinese engines/bikes, tired of trails😑 the market is overcrowded by trails, I've got a BMW gsa 1250...we need more tourer bikes! Mitt Gt-k(another chinese brand) has a 800 cc tourer!!Happy new year
Amazing value for money. I believe, you can get it with the luggage included for the price too😊 I've thought about adding one of these as a winter bike due to my others being modern classics with rather more sensitive finishes.
Hi Andy have recently bought the big brother to the 525 , that being the 900 i can honestly say that for the money it is a sensational bike. previously had the 1250 gsa and can say that they are complete opposites on the money scale i dont really miss the BMW. Live very local to you , perhaps if you wanted to see the big brother it would be a pleasure to meet up.
great review , looks very flickable through the lanes , tyre pressure monitors as well , found a brand new voge 650 dsx with full luggage at £5495 + tax and otr , thats a bargain , but a single cylinder ! i had the honda CX500 , and it sounded very similar , great alround bike and very economical , will definatly keep these in the options list .
The Chinese manufacturers seem to have improved exponentially over the last five or so years. If you think of CF Moto as the "Honda" of Chinese brands, I think Voge could be analogous to Yamaha. Even if you would never consider buying a Chinese model, I think we're all going to benefit from their (and Royal Enfield's) competitive pricing, which will force the mainstream manufacturers to offer more budget-friendly models. A couple of corrections, 2:08 while the tyres may have "tubeless" on the sidewalls, they are run with tubes (generally, if the spoke nipples are on the rim, they're tubed, and if they're at the hub, tubeless). 14:23 There is no Euro 6 for bikes; you're thinking of Euro 5+, which is the latest standard. The actual emissions limits of Euro 5+ are the same as Euro 5. The main difference is the adoption of the OBD II standards to monitor the condition of the emissions control equipment.
Another good honest review 👌 I think the Chinese 🇨🇳 will do what the Japanese 🇯🇵di to the British manufacturers in the 60s 10 years ago I wouldn’t touch a Chinese bike but now you definitely get a lot of bike for your money 👌
@magaudion hey buddy, just wondering what the service intervals are like? How often you back into the garage on chinese bike? I had a chinese 125 as lil commuter before big bike and needed service every 1500km otherwise warranty would be void. Found the money I saved purchasing cheaper chinese bike got spent on maintenance and turned out more expensive over a year or two. Would of been cheaper paying more for Japanese bike and only needing service once a year or about every 4000miles after running in service
@magaudion 6200 miles or annually is amazing, really pleased to hear it. Sorry to hear you are out of the saddle at the moment mate, hope you have speedy and easy recovery so can enjoy your new wheels come the spring time
I have had this bike for around 4 months now, almost 8K kilometers on it. It's definitely a great bike, been great for me both for city use and for my travels. It maneuvers and responds really well, and it's very comfortable even for longer rides. I have not done any type of hardcore off-roading with that so I myself cannot speak about that but other people that have it in my country said that even for off-roading it's a good bike. Though it is an adventure bike so don't expect to be the best for off-road. Also, I don't know if it's because my bike came straight to china to my country so it did not need to abide by ther A2 permit standards but it's highly likely that its engine produces 55HP rather than 48HP as advertised. As I was able to reach 185KMPH with a rather heavy passenger and a fully loaded top case plus baggage on top of it, and it still seemed like it had power to spare as it was still stable and barely redlining. I do not regret buying it, however it is not without flaws, as minor as they may be. First, after buying it make sure to visit a mechanic or tighten the screws by yourself if that's what you fancy. I have had a few screws loosen, and one of the handguard screws fell off recently. But this has been my personal experience and I have had an accident with the bike so that may be why. Secondly, the dealership's service in my country is terrible though that is highly likely not tied to the company itself and more so because the dealership itself is incompetent. Just wanted to give my thoughts on it for anyone considering buying it. TLDR: Great bike and a bang for the buck for what it offers. The problems I had with it are rather subjective and may not apply to other people that have it or will have it.
My local Royal Enfield has started selling these and they go like hot cakes. Not my style of bike but if it were I’d be all over it. Looks proper quality in the showroom at least.
Hey Andy, I caught up with some of your shenanigans on the livestream this morning & was going to phone in. Turns out I don’t have international calling on my phone. I will get it sorted before the next one. Cheers
On the subject of dealer availability, I have an R1200RS and as my local BMW dealer in Maidenhead has closed down, my next closest dealer is Welwyn Garden City 35 miles away which is a right pain.
@@sergentcolon1 😲 BMW dealerships seem to be 'dropping like fly's' all over. (I watch a chap in a NW of USA dealership that have 'pulled out' of their BMW franchise due to lack of sales, in addition to the one's that have closed in the UK over the years.
Andy, please review the 2025 Voge DS900X and do an honest comparison with the GS...I think it's a real competitor, for £9k, and if you added all the gear that comes as standard on the Voge (heated seat, radar, quickshifter, etc) it's probably less than half the price of the BMW. And it's 'lon-chin' btw.
Yes please Andy. I suspect many BMW bike owners won’t be open minded though. Like BMW car drivers who consider their cars to be “The ultimate driving machine”……they certainly drive as though they are Formula 1 drivers (not all of them obviously!)
If Voge can fit quality traditional looking spoke wheels on this bike the question I find myself asking is, what is Triumph's excuse for continuing to foist tubed rims on its Bonneville/classic range customers?
Cost !! Can you imagine the buying power of energy and commodities that a company like Voge has when it manufactures 3 million bikes a year ??? That is more bikes manufactured than all the major manufacturers in the EU and America and Japan combined. Triumph makes 80,000 bikes in total. It cannot compete. BMW cannot either. No western or Japanese manufacturer can compete with this. China buys cheap commodities from Russia, Iran and Saudi. They produce 4 times the number of STEM graduates That the USA does. China produces as many new patents as the rest of the planet. Expect to see China dominate world hi tech manufacturing within ten years. Why do you think America wants to go to war with China using Taiwan , Phillipines as proxy's in the same way it has used Ukraine versus Russia..... Just saying....
Yup, you like the looks because it’s very BMW-esque. Most bike owners buy/sell a lot. Seems like the Honda equivalent (NX?) would cost more but be worth more as a trade. So maybe no more expensive over time. (You did say the used ones were keeping their value, which surprises me). Who’s it for? Someone that’s new to biking? Wants the bells and whistles. Someone with a cherished bike in the garage, for Sunday rides) that wants a second bike to tool around on? Maybe a good fleet bike for someone like your mate in the Canary Islands?
I have no issues with a stigma because I own a Chinese bike. I feel more than happy explaining why I bought my CF Moto 800MT over the Honda Transalp. That £4k I saved helps. For anybody who thinks the transalp is similar money to the CF Moto, go and spec one up, a top box alone is £600!
according to voge this has been updated to a 625DSX again not not 625 but 581cc with 63 hbp and a slightly higher seat height at 835 cm , i test rode a 525 dsx and like you i thought what a bike great review
I got the CFMoto800 mt a few years back and its been a great bike. The Voge also looks like great quality and value The Chinese have arrived. And as far as I'm concerned I can't wait for them to stick it to the Euros and Japanese. We have been getting well and truelly ripped off for years.
You cant argue with the value. An integrated dash cam! I don't know of another bike with that. The only issues I can see are the dealer coverage and the ethical issues. However, a lot of what we buy now is made in China.
The quality appears great, value for money is off the scale, parts supply and service availability perhaps a bit of a question mark, though to be fair we’ve been buying Japanese bikes for decades! I believe there is a larger engined version Andy, would be interesting if you could get your hands on one! Cheers. 🏍
I love the matt paint finish, looks very premium from the vids. Auxiliary lights as standard are nice! And the fact it has a built in dashcam as standard is, as you say, a first for any bike that I know of, very impressive (although 2K or 4K would be nice, plus one to the rear), I have often wondered for many years now why more car and bike manufacturers don't do this! Could I own one? In a word - no! Give it 5-10 years. The Chinese are coming! Watch this space...
yes they do, usually by 2mph or so, but some chinese bikes have been known to be as much as 8-10 mph out at about 70 - 80mph which in my opinion is not a good thing
Put a deposit on one of these last year. Dealer gave me a mega trade in price against my F750GS. Was due to pick it up on Wednesday afternoon so phoned the Insurance pirates on the Monday. They quoted me £600+ to change 2 months into my policy. I was paying £149 FC for my GS. Spoke to the Dealer who spoke to Importer, can't do anything about it. I had to cancel my order and luckily got my deposit back. Couple of thing's, yes the wind blast was a bit disappointing and the reflection from the LCD screen was quite bad on a sunny day. Shame really as was a really nice bike. I am currently waiting on my CFMOTO 450MT to be delivered Feb March time. Hopefully the Pirates are not so greedy.
Nice review. I'm assuming that you switched the speedo readout from mph to kmh for some reason during the review. I was concerned for you with that police patrol behind you at around 6:26 until I realised what had happened.
I took one of these out & did around 150 miles on it in 6 degree wet road conditions in November and was very suprised how close it came to what I want from a bike. Great ergos (I'm 5' 9" & 31" inseam and had no issues with reaching the ground, bars, pegs or with seat comfort), competent handling and suspension, OEM Metzler Tourance tyres fine in cold wet conditions, didn't notice the brakes being in any way marginal & suprisingly good protection from the bodywork & screen (which is adjustable - was yours set low ? ). 3 issues would stop me buying one as it stands : the model I rode (which had covered around 1K miles at the time) was vibey above 4k, to the point that my hands were still tingling 2 days later ! The gearchange action on the model I rode was excessively long travel and had a "mushy" imprecise feel. Constantly kept getting neutral when changing up to 2nd even when attempting to move the lever further. Also needed to let the lever fully retun to the central position on multiple downshifts, or it didn't change gear depsite the lever moving. Spoiled an anotherwise great ride. And it is too loud - 98 db is not "Tirol" compliant, so would limit how I use the bike (I like Austria ! ). My wife (who was following on another bike) commented that it was loud compared to my (standard) Interceptor. Which is a shame, as it is probably the neareast I have come to a bike that could be used for a Continental tour straight out of the showroom for a very good price. Maybe the recently announced DS625X might address the negatives that currently stop me considering one. Didn't investigate insurance or service costs. Short service intervals seems to be a MotoGB thing rather than manufacturer mandated - intervals seem longer in other markets ? Trade-in values not really an issue on a "cheap" bike for me - you would loose more in cash terms on a £15k BMW after 2 years than the Voge costs outright. You get your value from using it !
I have no issues with the quality of Chinese bikes, just the service intervals seem to be a bit short. I'm more interested in the Voge 900DSX, that looks like an incredible bargain for what you get.
Well done review sir! These bikes (Chinese made) are not "cheap" at all. What they are is affordable, quality built motorbikes. Is that the same motor that goes in the Benelli Leoncino 500s? If people avoid this bike because of its lineage then they should also ignore any other bikes like the BMWs that come from this company's factory. America doesn't have any Voge dealers. But to answer the question of whether or not I would buy one? If it was the best I could afford, then yes. Motorcycling needs new/young buyers. They're not likely to buy a $10,000 and up bike because they're not likely able to afford one. The thing that will keep them out of the USA (and I have zero problem with this) is the possibility of high tariffs. In the world of politics and nations, that's China's self created problem. Thank you and keep putting the great back into Great Britain! SS in America!
Just had a look, to change the air filter on this is a 10 min job, simple to do, big big selling point in my opinion, I see they even come with angled valve stems, I'm very impressed, just think the power of the 900 would maybe suit me better.
Hello Andy-Thanks for your review of the Voge 525 DSX. Interesting to learn about this brand and wondering if they are considering the US as a market? I agree with you that the biggest hurdle here would be a mental one. Hopefully, you'll be able to ride the BMW 450 GS when that arrives. Thanks again.
TMF! Thoughtful, concise and honest review as ever! I’ve no doubt that the bike will be a winner and will certainly appeal to the cash conscious biker who’s not too fussed about brand identity or loyalty. Despite being a very happy GSA owner even I can see the appeal of the VOGE and would struggle to casually disregard them. HOWEVER, I can’t help feeling that Chinese VOGE and CF MOTO, Indian BSA, Royal Enfield and Norton are all, for good reason I’m sure, pandering to the cost conscious amongst us and that in a few short years when all the European manufacturers have gone tits up we will start the good old British tradition of lamenting the past and wondering how we ever got into such a position! Desolate, run down high streets and Amazon!? Ring any bells! Countries with dubious human rights laws, who routinely steal European IP and who produce products at low prices using secretive Govt subsidies only need to rely on the bargain hunting mentality of us Brits for success!
The same context in the 1960s ,, about Japanese bikes ,, it's the material not the machinery for previous products ,,was the issues,, seems to be resolved by the looks of your video,☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️ from northern Ireland
Enjoyed another review by you. However, you got the dry weight wrong it's 191 dry and upto 206 wet also currently has S.W Motech top and side boxes included in the price. The engine and gearbox are also suggested to be Honda and looking at the engine casings are pretty much identical !!! Looking at the European sales for November 2024 both the 525 and 900 are 2nd and 4th respectively so bit of a no trainer for £5999
Like the idea of the built in dash cam.
Chinese police bike?
I reviewed this a while ago ... Brilliant bike for the money ... The Chinese bikes are getting very good now .. cheers Andy
They say Japanese brands were like this back in time. I think Chinese will have the same fate but they directly copying the design :)
Yeah I agree Mark, great bike. I’ve also reviewed this bike and came to the same conclusions
@nicksepisode yes hi Nick brilliant isn't it 😁
So are their cars, people calling them cheap Chinese crap are so wrong.
true, Benelli too but my onlyissue nothing unique or original they copy anything... they just produce shitload
Something you've never done but would be great to see would be a side by side test. So the Voge versus the Honda NX500 for instance. There is a vast difference between cost and value for money, depreciation, availability of parts and service support are all part of any purchase decision. Good to see you're getting the police escort you deserve.
only £300.00 more for the Honda
@graemetaylor629 I know where my money would go.
The current price for the 500 nx is £6800, to get it to the same spec as the voge 525dsx, you need to spend another £3000, I did consider the nx , but I decided to take a gamble on the voge , plus both bikes have the same engine?? Voge has more power though,
@@graemetaylor629 better do your home work better and compare it properly
@luisvalentim99 you are so funny. Have you seen the price of a rally raid kit ? , or the price for full luggage, crash bars ,hand guards, full adjustable suspension, spot lights, centre stand,TPS, spoked wheels built in camera,these are all extra on the honda 500nx, all standard on the voge 525dsx ? The only benefits of owning a honda are the dealer network and a winged badge. If honda fitted everything that on the voge, I would buy it and at the same price???
The best thing about these Chinese bikes is that it's going to make other established manufacturers think long and hard about their pricing. You've got Honda producing a 1000 rocket ship for less than 9 grand, others are going to follow, hopefully.
I totally agree mate. This Voge is an excellent match for the Honda NX500 and yet is so much less expensive. Similarly, I have a Himalayan 450 and the Voge is less expensive than my machine yet, as TMF says, is probably a better buy. I hope the mainstream manufacturers take note and reduce their prices. If they don’t, the Chinese will become a dominant force in UK and European motorcycling. We have a very interesting and exciting few years ahead of us as motorcyclists.
Yes.ive been thinking about buying a Voge 300 Rally for greenlaning.its now available for 3.5k.The competition to it is a Honda 300 crf which are North of 6k.Theres a couple of dealers near me.Hard not to take the plunge and buy a new one,rather than a secondhand Honda
Spot on, it’s a bit like when the parallel imports took off. Forced the importers to drop prices.
Competition can only be a good thing.
@@PaulJackson-w6m I’ve been considering something similar for some light green lanes, I’m gong to check the Voge 300 out now 👍🏼
@@MotoBikerMike Have you considered the KURZ FS250 for greenlaning? I've just come across these and they seem very good value at £2,500. I also looked at the spare parts for them which seem very cheap too. And they only weigh about 119kg dry, so quite a bit lighter than the VOGE 300 Rally and the HONDA CRF 300 Might be worth investigating..
I’ve owned this bike since April and haven’t regretted my purchase for a second. From an owner’s perspective, your review is spot on. It is such a fun bike to knock around the countryside on. As for the speedo accuracy, on my bike at highway speed, indicated speed is consistently 5 mph faster than my phone GPS. Below 50 mph the indicated speed is on the money. I really enjoy your channel!
Would be good to review the 900 also. I have one and really rate it. It seems a lot of people have an opinion on Chinese made bikes but often with no experience of them. Thanks for the review - I fancy one of these as well!
Why would you consider this if you have the 900?
@@AAKhanivore Clearly not a bike rider then.... I have a GS1250 ADV and I wouldn't mid one for blatting around on, can never have too many....
@@badllama8090 woh there buddy. Straight on the attack with a “clearly not a bike rider”? You ok? My question was because the bikes seem very similar. Seems to be a lot of cross over between the two. Huge difference between a 1250 and this vs a 900 and this.
@@AAKhanivore Just because I like to try different bikes. Nothing more nothing less.
@ cool! I’m going to try one of the two so I can hold on to monster r and have a second bike. Had been thinking of selling the monster for a multistrada or an africa twin but my heart wasn’t really in selling it. Now I can potentially have both. Not sure which of the two makes more sense for me though, the 525 or the 900, hence why I was asking.
I put my distrust of Chinese bikes to one side and decided to visit my local Voge dealer over the Christmas period where I had a really good look at the 525's larger sibling the Voge 900 DSX , I came away very impressed with both the build quality and the spec , I was even more impressed with the price £8999.00 which included the three piece factory luggage, decided it was definitely worth a serious look so will be taking one for a test ride in the spring.
My review coming soon!
Also check out the CF Moto 800MT, that’s what I bought in the end. Really like it so far after 6 months of ownership.
I've owned mine since July, 3k miles and no issues, true avg 70mpg and gets me to work in traffic in the same time as MY ZZR1400! I can't really fault it for what it is, a great all rounder!
As you said in your summing up I guess the main things which only time will establish is what the reliability, warranty, dealer network and spares availability is like. If it turns out their bikes are reliable etc that's only got to be a good thing, especially as the large Adv bikes are now silly money and heavy to lug around with it having more affordable reliable bikes available might just encourage more to either start biking or carry on when they were considering packing it in due to the ballooning costs involved, which as a pensioner myself will at some stage become an issue
Buying the bike is only half of ownership. As you say, if you can't get spares easily (and they're still available in five years) or get it serviced at a local dealer then it's a no from me.
I purchased one of these at the end of last summer after my VFR crossrunner was tsilended and written off on the M25. I use it to commute 45 miles a day 95% dual carriageway and moterway. I think it's brilliant and the best thing about it is that it comes with everything that you pay extra for on the 500 Honda such as centre stand, luggage lights etc as standard. The 900 is even better equipped. Sometimes wish that I had waited. 😊
Thanks for sharing
A friend of mine has recently bought a CF Moto 450NK, from a local main dealer, brand new, for a staggeringly good value offer price of £4200. I've had a chance to ride this bike and was thoroughly impressed. The performance was remarkably good for a 46bhp engine, with a nice peppy engine with a surprisingly good mid-range (I'd come straight from my 1200cc Triumph). It also braked and handled superbly. The build quality, from what i could see, seemed perfectly acceptable, and the whole experience made me switch from sceptical to thoroughly impressed very quickly. As you quite rightly say... ignore Chinese bikes at your peril!
A built-in camera, now that would save me a job! Just a pity they didn't fit a rear one, as well. But, it looks like a cracking bike for the price, and the design looks really nice.
While the Japanese saved biking in the seventies,perhaps the Chinese may repeat history,what people forget its not that chinese bikes are cheap,its that most other brands are ridiculously expensive.
All relative to what you are paying your employees really. If they were built in the UK they would cost a lot more just on labour rates alone.
@@jimmyjam8795 No your wrong,yes labour costs are higher but that does not account in relistic terms to what is the ultimate cost of a bike,take a close look at Triumph,they are made abroad on cheap labour yet the price of them are still high.
I bought one of these bikes about seven weeks ago (in grey) and after over 900 miles I can safely say it's a little belter 😊. Just a couple of extremely minor things, the Speedo is extremely optimistic 🤔, I've fitted a Garmin sat nav and, a true 70mph is reading 77, the other slight problem is that the mpg reads in liters per 100km, and can't be changed🤔. Having said that, keep it below 4 liters and, it will be returning over 70 mpg! Brilliant! 👍.
If you put a BMW badge on it, even as a GS owner I would believe it!
Add 5k to the sale price too :)
@@stephennewell6628 Loncin (voge) make the f series engines for BMW
Not everyone is as gullible as you my friend 🙄🤦🏻♂️
@@ScottRoneynone taken my friend!
I reviewed that exact bike on my channel and come to the same conclusion as yourself. The bike is outstanding value for money with no disappointments, the brand just needs more presence in the UK and I’m sure that will come. Watch this space.
You have to take your hat off to them. There is something definitely BMWesque about it, but not a direct copy of a GS model. It seems to sit midway between the F800 GS and G310 GS. Very clever Voge.
New to the channel, Watched a fair bit of your uploads, I am now a fan and I Watched your live feed ( Chuffed you mentioned me) And my pause skill's are petty good, I managed to capture and read your disclaimer. Keep up the excellent work ( I even like the flying stuff ) Australian by the way
Welcome aboard! Glad you found us!
I love this bike , I sold my triumph tiger 660 sports after taking a test ride , to answer a few of your questions, breaks are great once beded in , no rust I'm a all year rider ,windscreen I upgrade to a taller screen, no wind noise I'm 5"9, , screen is shiny but you can get film cover , it great for touring and 2s up, issues I have had is speedo is out but 4/5 miles, and the TPS pressure are way off , the luggage is good but be careful the lock can come lose , as for dealer my deal has just closed but I have found another so that not 2 bad , all in all it a great bike , and it put a smile on my face ,
Great review of a great bike. Bought a ex demo 525 dsx beginning of December with 400 miles on the clock for £5500. The bike is already run in and first service done which means its a bargain. As you say the looks, handling and value for money is outstanding. But you failed to mention some of the other features all included. Such as tyre pressure monitors, angled valve stems, adjustable levers, hand gaurds and bluetooth connectivity via the voge global app which also gives you turn by turn navigation. All this for the money is mind blowing. And for all you people worried about chinese products please don't look up where your apple phone was made.👍
We need a bigrockmoto for the UK, someone who buys the bikes, uses for 6 months gives the details. Reviews numbers and all, then moves on to something else.
The press bikes are going to be spannered to a whole other level than a retail one, as he found out with some brands.
John over on bikesocial, started to do something with a zontes, but it's gone radio silence lately.
Either way, thanks for the review. :)
It is a lot of bike for the money, looking forward to your 900 review, that seems to have a great deal of interest as well. My Cf Moto 450mt is very well built, easily on a par with any Japanese bike, and comes with a 4 year warranty. Enjoyed your phone in last night, poor Dave, him being worried about telling you he had ordered a 1300 GSA. 😀
Looks to be a nice value bike that copper was hanging behind you for a while😅
Hope you and carol had a good Christmas and a happy New year
Another great video has always Andy and carol 👍
Thanks, you too!
Our local Honda dealership sells voge and I have to admit I personally prefer the look of the 525 over the NX and it comes fully loaded with luggage etc , I fully intend having a test ride on bothe the 525 and 900 models. The fact it’s Chinese doesn’t worry me too much as they already build the BMW engines for some models and probably make the electric switch gear and lcd screens for nearly all of the rest..
Great video as usual! I was torn on buying the 525DSX. But the niggle that kept biting me was the fact it was Chinese and its resale value and selling it on. So in the end I bought the Honda NX500
@@user-xh3lh9ck3t the resale value worry really isn’t an issue,when you consider purchase price, you actually lose a similar amount of money, that’s what I’ve found anyway. Nx is a great bike though 👍
Hi Andy, thanks for your first impressions, along with Mark Pulling, both of you give the V 525DSX a thumbs up. It's engine is (I understand) a licenced Honda 500 twin. There's a 625DSX coming out now, available to order in Portugal/Spain etc.; Bored out to 560CC ish, 63hp with an A2 version. Price in Portugal, 6500 Euros + on-road costs. Will the 625 come to the UK....it possibly could.
I'd get one . Love the idea of the dashcam . Great review as always and a belated Happy New Year 🎉
Looks very nice, and I completely understand your early positive comments, but, as ever, it's how well it goes and looks after say 5 British winters and 30,000 miles on our awful roads.
That is what I'm intereted in too....
The trouble with reviewing a Chinese motorcycle is, 30 minutes later you want to review another one 😁
He he - like it.....
😂
Badum, tish! Here all week are you?!😂
@sergentcolon1 that's the same for most bikes we are always looking over the fence to see what's available
@@iandennis7836 try the roast lamb
Ive had over 50 bikes over the years honda. Suzuki . Triumph. Then a couple if years back i dived in and tried chibese bikes.. Ive never looked back. Currently i have a Benelli TRK702x. And its epic. Brace for impact big marks. Your expensive price tags are about to be numbered
With these price tags attached, do remember that there always is someone who pays the price. If it´s not you, it may be Uigurs or others. It´s bad enough if BMW take such deals for the benefit of their shareholders.
my wife bought one back in may probably one of the first none test bikes on the road, she absolutely loves it, she passed her test 2 years ago got a sv650 which was ok, then a vstrom 650 didn't like that one, then a 900 gt low great bike but top heavy, and still says this ds525x is the best buy far, light weight, enough power to keep up with us guys on 1200gsa, 1250gs, and 900 gtpro, as for reliability, in 7 months its not skipped a beat, 65 70 mpg all day 3500 miles in,cant find a problem, i think Mrs miss may love it
Great to hear that, Carl!
I have the earlier version of this bike, the Voge 500DS, which is a little less refined but intrinsically the same bike. It’s been excellent - no issues whatsoever. It is holding up well to the elements with no rust or build quality problems. I’ve owned more premium bike brands and the Voge compares very well.
You have just answered the question that everyone is asking in relation to this bike, however, everyone appears to have missed it in the rush to put forward their own views. From your experience with the DS500X (from which the DS525X appears to be a face-lift rather than a complete redesign), would you recommend the purchase of the improved 525 version, do you have any significant negatives in relation to the Voge brand?.
Thanks Phil, great to get some real world feedback from an actual owner.
@ I test rode the DS525X and was impressed but the dealership had a DS500. Other than slightly different styling and a more modern dash, I couldn’t see much between the older and newer versions (other than price). I’ve put over 2k miles on my bike in 6 months and it’s been great, so yes, I’d recommend Voge as a brand.
Hi Andy …. Such an interesting review!!! The looks reminds me of the Honda Transalp….. Great value providing the residual values don’t tank !! But at this price point what’s not to like!! I have been a martyr to brands … maybe time to lose prejudice and shop around more especially when on a retirement budget …. Riding experience looks good !! Thanks Mike
This is no doubt a BMW GS slayer. Why would you spend a fortune for an over-weight behemoth of a machine that in all practical senses is NO BETTER. Who needs 1200+cc when this bike will travel all over Europe, even two up, with ease? All you need is a £25 screen spoiler and you are good to go. Itchy boots has proven again and again that touring over challenging terrain or long distance is not about power but about reliability, low weight and easy handling. The price of the Voge is spectacularly better than all of the other established "adventure" bikes. Well done review. Thanks.
Another great video. It’s amazing how these bikes cost less than their equivalent counterparts from well known brands. Reliability…time will tell. And BTW… you do mention your frozen shoulder on a few videos. 😊
I test rode this bike last July, it is a very good bike with a fantastic spec. Only issue at the moment (and it does need to change) is with spare parts
What is the “issue” ?
There are no spares readily available in the UK, if needed they take a long time to arrive
@@daviddring3744 Maybe they are so reliable that at this point spares aren’t a priority?? 🤪 Clearly things like oil filters and other ‘maintenance/consumables parts’ have to be readily available….I have no idea whether they are though.
@@daviddring3744 taking in account the small number of their bikes riding in UK and small UK market is probably big part of parts are located somewhere in Main land Europe like many other brands already doing it ...
Thanks for another top-notch review, Andy! Happy New Year!
Same to you!
Great video as always, getting a bit tired of being blasted by the wind on my naked CB750 Hornet so will be one to consider for the next bike!!
I reviewed the VOGE 650 DSX back in 2022…these Chinese bikes have come a long way recently. Hopefully they’re available with good warranty’s and dealer support. Cheers Jake.
Very interesting review, as always. What a great bike for the price. Like chinese cars they are definitely going to challenge the legacy manufacturers here in Europe. Mind you, in that regard ,interesting to see MG in bottom place in the recent What Car reliability survey, so buyer beware!
Loncin are a very established engine manufacturer, but I don't think it is quite correct to say they make engines and flog them to BMW.
They manufacture BMW designed engines under licence and supervision of BMW which is a different thing.
Great review Andy, got to say the main stream manufactures have to watch out. Great value for what you get. 👍 I belive the 900DSX is another step up
Be good if you could review the 900 Voge and the BMW 900 for comparison
As a white van owner , one thing you notice , you rarely get tailgated .
Something about the colour and a taller vehicle stops most vehicles behind seeing an inviting empty space in front of you.
Yes you get overtaken but not tailed closely like what happens in a lower to the ground vehicle .👍
Missenden flyer has always had a built in prejudice against white van man, even though nearly all his parcels for which he is no doubt grateful for early and reliable delivery come from said vans!
That’s coz no one can catch ya!
I haven't heard of Voge coming to the U.S. yet, but I've seen some really positive reviews of their version on the 300 Rally. This 525 looks like a winner.
Not rode or seen one in person, so cant give honest opinion, however just awaiting a new bike as a second bike, never rode or seen one in person ? Honda GB350s in puco blue for under £4000, great price, great reliability and great local family run business, cheers Andy
The most you could lose is £6k, assuming it drops to zero…which it wouldn’t. Looks like a brilliant bike for the money 👍
exactly, or buy them 2nd hand and you get it for bugger all - people should buy the bike, ride it and own it rather than worrying about what it is or isn't worth down the road, people forget this simple bahviour hahahaa
Excellent value and the built in dash cam is a great selling point. I dare say the real test is how the bike looks after 2 years or so, does it look tired, rusty etc as well as reliability. If your a commuter and or occasional trip rider it could be a great buy
I test rode one about 15 months ago while my bike was having a new rear tyre fitted. I was really impressed especially when the price is taken into consideration. What interested me most was that it is very similar to the Honda 500X and so was the bike getting the new tyre. When I got back on the 500X I was worried that my experience on the Voge might make me think it was time to change bikes. The ride home was about an hour and during that time I discovered that, for me, the Honda is still the bike to keep. If and when I change it the Voge will be high on my list of bikes to look at closely. I am already a Voge owner. I was getting my new tyre there because I had recently ordered a 300Rally and got a good quote for the tyre at the same time. I’ve had the 300 for just over a year and used it a lot. I bought it as a dual sport to use on the tracks and trails around my home (something it excels at) but it’s also proven to be the go to bike for local on-road journeys as well. Recently I’ve been fitting a couple of accessories to it, an additional USB charger an£ heated grips. This has meant removing some of the bodywork and exposing the hidden bits. What I’ve found is that the Voge is a vey well built and put together motorcycle. There are no signs of cost cutting whatsoever and considering it’s off-road use no worrying signs of dilapidation due to water, mud,sand and the like. The 525 DSX seems to be well built and capable motorcycle. People who don’t take it and others like it seriously are fools.
Voge are great bikes. The 625dsx is due in March here in Spain and in June the Voge 800 Rally. Looking forward to that one. Great review thanks. Ride safe
Any idea of expected pricing in Spain?
@LesRitaMitsouko Hi yes the 625dsx around €7200 and the 800 Rally €9000.
I bought mine in August last year after test riding the Benelli 702x and I've got to say the first 3000 miles have been great with the handling and comfort are the highlights for me . The only thing I had to do was fit an anti reflection screen cover on the dash which sorted it. It sits in my garage alongside my Yamaha fazer 1000 and Ducati monster and it doesn't look out of place. Future values may turn out to be an issue but in all honesty I'm not worried about that either it was some cheap and the fun I've had on it so far it's irrelevant.
OK Derek...? 😁
Good video as usual I think if you didn’t tell anyone what it was the first 2 things people would be asking is how much and where can I get 1 As for the Chinese thing I always ask the critics how many Chinese bikes have you ridden and owned the answer is usually none Never ignore or dismiss the new bikes
Couldn’t agree more!
might be an idea to have a phone holder and gps going on these reviews to see how accurate the speedos are, the quality of these chinese bikes are getting good, now we just have to wait to see how reliability and parts availability is on them as that's the real test
@@WhippyWhip2 They show 5mph more than gps.
An impressive bike review and a lot of bike for the money. I’m assuming the “E” mode is Economy”. It will be interesting to see if the quality and reliability maintains over time that more people will buy them and the prices will slowly increase to match Japanese and European competitors. I’m surprised the South Koreans have not jumped into the motorcycle market. They’ve done very well in the automobile market and now offer good quality and reliability at a reasonable cost.
Nice looking bike that would suit a first time big adventure bike. With all that is has on it would definitely make other manufacturers look at pricing. I would give it a go if looking for that type of bike. Great video and ride safe 👍
No1 Son had a Chinese 125, 15 years ago and it was fine. He did 20k kms in the first year with very few problems, the main one being the cush drive system in the rear wheel. The lad that bought it off him wrecked it in no time though.
I've tried the TRK502 which is similar to the Voge and I was impressed. I'm trying the Voge 525DSX next, when the weather improves
A nice looking bike. The cockpit looks to be very comfortable.
Loncin aren’t flogging (sic) engines to BMW, BMW have chosen Loncin to build their engines. That’s quite different.
Its also not what MF said........
@@rogerkay8603My quote is what he said. That’s not the same as seeking an engine manufacturer.
Hi Andy, firstly enjoyed your live stream, back to the Voge what good value from a first impression, if they build to the same stringent requirements BMW must impose on them it should be a good bike. One thing to consider also, if the Chinese bikes do become more main stream the likes of BMW will have to consider their pricing. Thank you.
I’m not an adventure bike rider but this one looks just like a GS to me and the tech sounds comprehensive plus the fit and finish of a high standard so what’s not to like. Yam R1 and MT10 have wooden breaks so I’m sure some new pads would improve the stopping power and feel if that was a problem. I’ve been riding bikes on and off for 42 years and given the current state of the bike market, these Chinese imports offers some hope for the future of affordable motorcycling as it’s highly unlikely that the current established crop of manufacturers would reduce their pricing which for me is collective madness. I popped into my local Yamaha dealership yesterday and as ever, they are a great bunch of super friendly, helpful people but they are struggling for business so these lovely girls and boys jobs are at risk because of greedy manufacturers. We need to attract more younger riders and these amazing Chinese imports (appreciate they are not proven long term) are offering some hope…. Ramble/rant over 😊
A worthy ramble/rant imho. I’d guess the main brands have higher pricing in part due to the likes of MotoGP and other global racing overheads..not sure the Chinese have those at this time? Plus the obvious labour cost differences. I’m interested in the Voge 900DSX this year… TMF putting out a review soon..handy timing…happy new year to all… Atb..Alan
Nice looking bike. I have seen one close up, parked outside the pub. Nice touch is the V emblem on the handlebar clamp. I wish they could paint the forks and wheels the same shade of gold…
Or better still silver anodised or satin silver paint ?
You are right about the speedo being a bit on the generous side when I test rode one at an indicated 70 my GPS was showing 60.
Great review, I'm waiting for the bigger tourer chinese engines/bikes, tired of trails😑 the market is overcrowded by trails, I've got a BMW gsa 1250...we need more tourer bikes! Mitt Gt-k(another chinese brand) has a 800 cc tourer!!Happy new year
Agreed. Apparently there’s a R800RT in the pipeline for 2025. I loved my 1250RT but don’t need all that size/weight/power.
Bloody hell, I just checked out the Mitt GTK 800 and it looks exactly like a R800RT would look😂
Brilliant review, thank you, but i might give the 800 a try, just a bit more oomph, Happy new year 🎉🎉
...and to you - My review of the 900 is coming soon!
Amazing value for money. I believe, you can get it with the luggage included for the price too😊 I've thought about adding one of these as a winter bike due to my others being modern classics with rather more sensitive finishes.
Good idea!
Hi Andy
have recently bought the big brother to the 525 , that being the 900 i can honestly say that for the money it is a sensational bike.
previously had the 1250 gsa and can say that they are complete opposites on the money scale i dont really miss the BMW.
Live very local to you , perhaps if you wanted to see the big brother it would be a pleasure to meet up.
Cheers Adam - I’ll let you into a secret though I have ridden the 900 and my review is coming very soon! Stay tuned…
If the other manufacturers don’t take notice, the Chinese will take a lot of their sales away, just like what is happening with Chinese cars.
And with TV’s, appliances and everything else.
Chinese factory's Don't comply with the higher environmental controls in the west.
So not really fair competition.
@@davidforsdike4343what facts do you have to back your statement up?
@@davidforsdike4343 That is true , but for many people that is of no consequence when money counts.
Yeh……BYD are almost up to Tesla sales now, they will overtake them soon as top EV car manufacturer
great review , looks very flickable through the lanes , tyre pressure monitors as well , found a brand new voge 650 dsx with full luggage at £5495 + tax and otr , thats a bargain , but a single cylinder ! i had the honda CX500 , and it sounded very similar , great alround bike and very economical , will definatly keep these in the options list .
The Chinese manufacturers seem to have improved exponentially over the last five or so years. If you think of CF Moto as the "Honda" of Chinese brands, I think Voge could be analogous to Yamaha. Even if you would never consider buying a Chinese model, I think we're all going to benefit from their (and Royal Enfield's) competitive pricing, which will force the mainstream manufacturers to offer more budget-friendly models. A couple of corrections, 2:08 while the tyres may have "tubeless" on the sidewalls, they are run with tubes (generally, if the spoke nipples are on the rim, they're tubed, and if they're at the hub, tubeless). 14:23 There is no Euro 6 for bikes; you're thinking of Euro 5+, which is the latest standard. The actual emissions limits of Euro 5+ are the same as Euro 5. The main difference is the adoption of the OBD II standards to monitor the condition of the emissions control equipment.
Another good honest review 👌 I think the Chinese 🇨🇳 will do what the Japanese 🇯🇵di to the British manufacturers in the 60s 10 years ago I wouldn’t touch a Chinese bike but now you definitely get a lot of bike for your money 👌
Great bikes. Bought a Voge DS900X recently. £9k fully loaded with everything including luggage, heated seats and grips. It’s utterly brilliant .
@magaudion hey buddy, just wondering what the service intervals are like? How often you back into the garage on chinese bike? I had a chinese 125 as lil commuter before big bike and needed service every 1500km otherwise warranty would be void.
Found the money I saved purchasing cheaper chinese bike got spent on maintenance and turned out more expensive over a year or two.
Would of been cheaper paying more for Japanese bike and only needing service once a year or about every 4000miles after running in service
@ I’ve only done 400 miles due recent surgery . Service intervals are every 6200 miles or annually .
@magaudion 6200 miles or annually is amazing, really pleased to hear it.
Sorry to hear you are out of the saddle at the moment mate, hope you have speedy and easy recovery so can enjoy your new wheels come the spring time
Thanks for sharing
I have had this bike for around 4 months now, almost 8K kilometers on it. It's definitely a great bike, been great for me both for city use and for my travels. It maneuvers and responds really well, and it's very comfortable even for longer rides. I have not done any type of hardcore off-roading with that so I myself cannot speak about that but other people that have it in my country said that even for off-roading it's a good bike. Though it is an adventure bike so don't expect to be the best for off-road. Also, I don't know if it's because my bike came straight to china to my country so it did not need to abide by ther A2 permit standards but it's highly likely that its engine produces 55HP rather than 48HP as advertised. As I was able to reach 185KMPH with a rather heavy passenger and a fully loaded top case plus baggage on top of it, and it still seemed like it had power to spare as it was still stable and barely redlining. I do not regret buying it, however it is not without flaws, as minor as they may be. First, after buying it make sure to visit a mechanic or tighten the screws by yourself if that's what you fancy. I have had a few screws loosen, and one of the handguard screws fell off recently. But this has been my personal experience and I have had an accident with the bike so that may be why. Secondly, the dealership's service in my country is terrible though that is highly likely not tied to the company itself and more so because the dealership itself is incompetent. Just wanted to give my thoughts on it for anyone considering buying it.
TLDR: Great bike and a bang for the buck for what it offers. The problems I had with it are rather subjective and may not apply to other people that have it or will have it.
Thanks for the real world feedback
My local Royal Enfield has started selling these and they go like hot cakes. Not my style of bike but if it were I’d be all over it. Looks proper quality in the showroom at least.
Bold RE dealer; I’d buy Voge over RE any day!
Hey Andy, I caught up with some of your shenanigans on the livestream this morning & was going to phone in. Turns out I don’t have international calling on my phone. I will get it sorted before the next one. Cheers
Thanks for watching none-the-less!
On the subject of dealer availability, I have an R1200RS and as my local BMW dealer in Maidenhead has closed down, my next closest dealer is Welwyn Garden City 35 miles away which is a right pain.
@@dpmorton you’re lucky you don’t live in Swansea, local dealer dropped its BMW franchise in Swansea and Cardiff, owners now need to go to Bristol.
@@sergentcolon1 😲 BMW dealerships seem to be 'dropping like fly's' all over. (I watch a chap in a NW of USA dealership that have 'pulled out' of their BMW franchise due to lack of sales, in addition to the one's that have closed in the UK over the years.
Just go to Bahnstormer Alton, or do what I do with my RS and service it yourself....
@@ljj808 It was Barnstormers in Maidenhead that shut down. Alton’s 55 Miles for me so a bit far for a service.
There’s North Oxford Motorrad approximate 30 mins from Maidenhead?Any use? Atb…Alan
I have to say (much as I don’t want to!) but that is a good looking bike for that price. From your report I think they are going to be a good seller …
Andy, please review the 2025 Voge DS900X and do an honest comparison with the GS...I think it's a real competitor, for £9k, and if you added all the gear that comes as standard on the Voge (heated seat, radar, quickshifter, etc) it's probably less than half the price of the BMW. And it's 'lon-chin' btw.
It's coming soon!
Yes please Andy. I suspect many BMW bike owners won’t be open minded though. Like BMW car drivers who consider their cars to be “The ultimate driving machine”……they certainly drive as though they are Formula 1 drivers (not all of them obviously!)
If Voge can fit quality traditional looking spoke wheels on this bike the question I find myself asking is, what is Triumph's excuse for continuing to foist tubed rims on its Bonneville/classic range customers?
Cost !! Can you imagine the buying power of energy and commodities that a company like Voge has when it manufactures 3 million bikes a year ???
That is more bikes manufactured than all the major manufacturers in the EU and America and Japan combined. Triumph makes 80,000 bikes in total. It cannot compete. BMW cannot either. No western or Japanese manufacturer can compete with this. China buys cheap commodities from Russia, Iran and Saudi. They produce 4 times the number of STEM graduates
That the USA does. China produces as many new patents as the rest of the planet. Expect to see China dominate world hi tech manufacturing within ten years. Why do you think America wants to go to war with China using Taiwan , Phillipines as proxy's in the same way it has used Ukraine versus Russia.....
Just saying....
Yup, you like the looks because it’s very BMW-esque. Most bike owners buy/sell a lot. Seems like the Honda equivalent (NX?) would cost more but be worth more as a trade. So maybe no more expensive over time. (You did say the used ones were keeping their value, which surprises me). Who’s it for? Someone that’s new to biking? Wants the bells and whistles. Someone with a cherished bike in the garage, for Sunday rides) that wants a second bike to tool around on? Maybe a good fleet bike for someone like your mate in the Canary Islands?
Good review. May see availability in New Zealand
I have no issues with a stigma because I own a Chinese bike. I feel more than happy explaining why I bought my CF Moto 800MT over the Honda Transalp. That £4k I saved helps. For anybody who thinks the transalp is similar money to the CF Moto, go and spec one up, a top box alone is £600!
according to voge this has been updated to a 625DSX again not not 625 but 581cc with 63 hbp and a slightly higher seat height at 835 cm , i test rode a 525 dsx and like you i thought what a bike great review
I got the CFMoto800 mt a few years back and its been a great bike.
The Voge also looks like great quality and value
The Chinese have arrived. And as far as I'm concerned I can't wait for them to stick it to the Euros and Japanese. We have been getting well and truelly ripped off for years.
You cant argue with the value. An integrated dash cam! I don't know of another bike with that. The only issues I can see are the dealer coverage and the ethical issues. However, a lot of what we buy now is made in China.
Exactly.....
The quality appears great, value for money is off the scale, parts supply and service availability perhaps a bit of a question mark, though to be fair we’ve been buying Japanese bikes for decades! I believe there is a larger engined version Andy, would be interesting if you could get your hands on one! Cheers. 🏍
Definitely looks the part, I would be interested if there was a dealer near by.
I love the matt paint finish, looks very premium from the vids.
Auxiliary lights as standard are nice!
And the fact it has a built in dashcam as standard is, as you say, a first for any bike that I know of, very impressive (although 2K or 4K would be nice, plus one to the rear), I have often wondered for many years now why more car and bike manufacturers don't do this!
Could I own one?
In a word - no!
Give it 5-10 years.
The Chinese are coming!
Watch this space...
Exactly
Really looks a good value option.
Don't all Speedo's over read my honda hornet does and so does my triumph tiger by at least 5mph compered with the sat nav
yes they do, usually by 2mph or so, but some chinese bikes have been known to be as much as 8-10 mph out at about 70 - 80mph which in my opinion is not a good thing
Most speedos over read, but 80+ into a 50? I am not sure that is a defence. I would hate you to get a knock on your door😃😃
@@WhippyWhip2My Voge 300 Rally has a more accurate (when compared to the GPS) than my Honda. Both bikes are more accurate than my cars.
Just an idea - maybe test the adjustable Madstad screens as their adjustability might save people from going through multiple screens..
Put a deposit on one of these last year. Dealer gave me a mega trade in price against my F750GS. Was due to pick it up on Wednesday afternoon so phoned the Insurance pirates on the Monday. They quoted me £600+ to change 2 months into my policy. I was paying £149 FC for my GS. Spoke to the Dealer who spoke to Importer, can't do anything about it.
I had to cancel my order and luckily got my deposit back. Couple of thing's, yes the wind blast was a bit disappointing and the reflection from the LCD screen was quite bad on a sunny day. Shame really as was a really nice bike. I am currently waiting on my CFMOTO 450MT to be delivered Feb March time. Hopefully the Pirates are not so greedy.
Nice review. I'm assuming that you switched the speedo readout from mph to kmh for some reason during the review. I was concerned for you with that police patrol behind you at around 6:26 until I realised what had happened.
I took one of these out & did around 150 miles on it in 6 degree wet road conditions in November and was very suprised how close it came to what I want from a bike.
Great ergos (I'm 5' 9" & 31" inseam and had no issues with reaching the ground, bars, pegs or with seat comfort), competent handling and suspension, OEM Metzler Tourance tyres fine in cold wet conditions, didn't notice the brakes being in any way marginal & suprisingly good protection from the bodywork & screen (which is adjustable - was yours set low ? ).
3 issues would stop me buying one as it stands : the model I rode (which had covered around 1K miles at the time) was vibey above 4k, to the point that my hands were still tingling 2 days later ! The gearchange action on the model I rode was excessively long travel and had a "mushy" imprecise feel. Constantly kept getting neutral when changing up to 2nd even when attempting to move the lever further. Also needed to let the lever fully retun to the central position on multiple downshifts, or it didn't change gear depsite the lever moving. Spoiled an anotherwise great ride. And it is too loud - 98 db is not "Tirol" compliant, so would limit how I use the bike (I like Austria ! ). My wife (who was following on another bike) commented that it was loud compared to my (standard) Interceptor.
Which is a shame, as it is probably the neareast I have come to a bike that could be used for a Continental tour straight out of the showroom for a very good price. Maybe the recently announced DS625X might address the negatives that currently stop me considering one.
Didn't investigate insurance or service costs. Short service intervals seems to be a MotoGB thing rather than manufacturer mandated - intervals seem longer in other markets ?
Trade-in values not really an issue on a "cheap" bike for me - you would loose more in cash terms on a £15k BMW after 2 years than the Voge costs outright. You get your value from using it !
Interesting details - thanks for the long comment
Voge/Loncin makes outstanding bikes for money. Pretty reliable as well
I have no issues with the quality of Chinese bikes, just the service intervals seem to be a bit short. I'm more interested in the Voge 900DSX, that looks like an incredible bargain for what you get.
I swapped my NX 500 for one of these... it is outstanding and excellent VFM
Well done review sir! These bikes (Chinese made) are not "cheap" at all. What they are is affordable, quality built motorbikes. Is that the same motor that goes in the Benelli Leoncino 500s? If people avoid this bike because of its lineage then they should also ignore any other bikes like the BMWs that come from this company's factory.
America doesn't have any Voge dealers. But to answer the question of whether or not I would buy one? If it was the best I could afford, then yes. Motorcycling needs new/young buyers. They're not likely to buy a $10,000 and up bike because they're not likely able to afford one. The thing that will keep them out of the USA (and I have zero problem with this) is the possibility of high tariffs. In the world of politics and nations, that's China's self created problem.
Thank you and keep putting the great back into Great Britain!
SS in America!
Just had a look, to change the air filter on this is a 10 min job, simple to do, big big selling point in my opinion,
I see they even come with angled valve stems,
I'm very impressed, just think the power of the 900 would maybe suit me better.
My review is coming soon, stay tuned!
Hello Andy-Thanks for your review of the Voge 525 DSX. Interesting to learn about this brand and wondering if they are considering the US as a market? I agree with you that the biggest hurdle here would be a mental one. Hopefully, you'll be able to ride the BMW 450 GS when that arrives. Thanks again.
TMF! Thoughtful, concise and honest review as ever!
I’ve no doubt that the bike will be a winner and will certainly appeal to the cash conscious biker who’s not too fussed about brand identity or loyalty. Despite being a very happy GSA owner even I can see the appeal of the VOGE and would struggle to casually disregard them.
HOWEVER, I can’t help feeling that Chinese VOGE and CF MOTO, Indian BSA, Royal Enfield and Norton are all, for good reason I’m sure, pandering to the cost conscious amongst us and that in a few short years when all the European manufacturers have gone tits up we will start the good old British tradition of lamenting the past and wondering how we ever got into such a position! Desolate, run down high streets and Amazon!? Ring any bells!
Countries with dubious human rights laws, who routinely steal European IP and who produce products at low prices using secretive Govt subsidies only need to rely on the bargain hunting mentality of us Brits for success!
We live in interesting times!
The same context in the 1960s ,, about Japanese bikes ,, it's the material not the machinery for previous products ,,was the issues,, seems to be resolved by the looks of your video,☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️ from northern Ireland
Enjoyed another review by you. However, you got the dry weight wrong it's 191 dry and upto 206 wet also currently has S.W Motech top and side boxes included in the price. The engine and gearbox are also suggested to be Honda and looking at the engine casings are pretty much identical !!! Looking at the European sales for November 2024 both the 525 and 900 are 2nd and 4th respectively so bit of a no trainer for £5999
Chinese always copy stuff, they have copied the Honda engine. It's used in a few models.