Look at these. Did you hear anything about them?
CB500X knockoff....(not sure if this one is real)
http://motor.newmotor.com.cn/HJ500X7304/
and this
http://www.newmotor.com.cn/html/cpkd/91351.html
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Look at these. Did you hear anything about them?
CB500X knockoff....(not sure if this one is real)
http://motor.newmotor.com.cn/HJ500X7304/
and this
http://www.newmotor.com.cn/html/cpkd/91351.html
Have not heard anything about them but if you threw a BMW GS badge on the side you would fool most Chinese people. I would be interested in finding out who made the motors and more about the quality. They look nice and for 30k... well that is a cheap 500cc bike.
My Avast anti virus went ape sh!+ when I clicked on these two links ! , open with caution .
Beanerds .
haha, its just a normal Chinese website. They all try to sneak in some adware
Who manufactured those bikes?
I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has one of these bikes. I did see one a dealer here in Chongqing and I have found information on it.
http://www.colovemoto.com/home-produ...-catId-21.html
The brand is Colove and the model is KY500X. The engine is manufactured by Loncin (look for Longxin on the web for information). Loncin has made that motor for some time and all indications are it is based on the Honda CB500 motor. It looks to me like it is manufactured with some agreement with Honda but I cannot confirm that.
Of all the Chinese ADV bikes I have found to date this one clicks the most boxes for me. Relatively light, 178kg, decent power 37kW (50hp), spoked wheels that are tubeless, and seemingly decent suspension, KYB USD forks and possibly a KYB shock.
I would love to hear opinions of others on this model, particularly if they own it or at least have ridden one.
I'm in a fake yamaha tricker wechat group and about 2-3weeks ago there was a big buzz there about that Colove bike. It would seem that the Chinese love it. Its very popular.
Does it really have Kayaba suspension? It's hard to believe
The specs I listed came off the web. Your post made me go back and do more research, thanks for that. What I found clarified a comment I didn't understand in a YouTube review. The bike comes in two variations, standard and adventure. The adventure version adds the KYB suspension, Nissin brakes and Pirelli Metzeler tires. The site says 'vaccum tire,' which I take to mean tubeless. Glad your post alerted me to that. I would have hated to negotiate a purchase and find I'd bought the cheaper model. 32800 verses 37800 listed prices.
If it really has the Kayaba suspension it should be worth that price. You picked my interest tho I don't really like bikes like this.
I'm planning on going back to the dealer and probably buying one in the next few days; depending on a few preliminary issues being resolved that is. I'll do a visual, take pics and pass on what I see.
@ GSR - to answer your question made elsewhere - I've only seen the KTM 390 Duke or RC on offer in China so far - but they keep promising an Adventure version for 2019. I'd be keen to check that out.
The COLOVE 500 looks nice
http://www.newmotor.com.cn/html/cpkd/95761.html
I'm looking at the Benelli TRK X currently. I'm planning an overland trip and parts and service may be more readily available for this than a purely Chinese market bike.
Still - it's HEAVY- not to keen on that since there'll be offroading on this run - hence the interest in the KTM.
Ngali,
I've heard rumors and even suggestions that KTM was launching a 390 adventure. To my knowledge it hasn't actually launched anywhere as of yet. When I was at the KTM dealership earlier this week I even asked about the possibility of that bike being brought into China this year. The salesman ? (kid hanging out at the shop who spoke some english and seemed to say he worked there?) had no idea what I was talking about. After I asked about the KTM 790 adventure that is new this year he stated that yes, they (China) would be getting the "690 Adventure." I'd love to have a 790 but I'm guessing it will be in the range of 100,000 RMB plus. I'd expect the India made 390 to be much more reasonable. I'm ready to get a bike now so waiting on a possibility of a 390 is not in the cards for me. If it weren't for the weight of the Benelli, and that the reviewers have mostly agreed that it does not carry that weight well, I'd be seriously considering that bike. It does look good.
When you say you're planning an overland trip does that mean out of China?
Not sure if this is news to anyone here but I stumbled onto an article indicating that KTM and CF Moto have entered into an agreement where CF Moto will manufacture the mid-sized KTMs - specifically the 790 duke and adventure bike. Sounds like this will not kick in until next year, so it sounds like the current 790s will still be imports. A Chinese manufactured KTM 790 Adventure without the import taxes :clap: Still probably 75,000 plus. What are the odds that CF Moto won't leverage that deal to make a version under their brand at a cheaper price. 2020 could be a good year for this class of motorcycle.
Hey GSR - I am planning to exit into Mongolia - then Russia and the 'Stans, Iran if possible, spend winter months in Istanbul and Rome and then go through Europe before shipping the bike back to China. At the beginning it looks like a lot of off-road gravel, hardpack and sand, so I'm looking for a ADV bike that can deal with all that. Should be any ADV bike, right?Quote:
Originally Posted by GSR
I was pretty enthusiastic about the TRK-X as the right bike and price for the job - but the weight is something I'm concerned about. I've been in touch with a guy who's just done this trip on a previous model TRK and my research didn't mention handling as a particular issue - but with what you're reporting and the 235kg weight even before I start piling on luggage I'm less certain now...
But TIC (This is China) and nothing's easy. I happen to live in a city that bans motorbikes and so I cannot register a motorbike in my name - but I'm hoping whoever I buy from can help with this somehow. If they can't then I plan to go to India and buy a Royal Enfield Himalayan and go from there instead. A lot of the talk of the KTM 390 Adventure bikes are coming out of India - so maybe that's an option too. Likewise for me - prices for the bigger bikes are more than I want to spend - and really I haven't been riding that long, so it would feel like skipping a very necessary step experience wise to jump to a 690 or more.
Ngali
That sounds like an amazing trip. I know people pull it off all the time, just seems to take persistence. I'll throw in my 2 cents (.1 Yuan?) regarding a bike. Main points to consider are availability of parts or ability to fix problems that will arise, power and weight (of the bike and luggage), your riding ability and style. If you have time I'm a huge proponent of learning to ride in the dirt. A cheap simple, small cc dirt bike, a place to ride if it exists, good protective gear and go out and push yourself. Crashing in the dirt with good gear and a cheap bike is a whole lot easier way to learn than a big bike on the road in the middle of nowhere.
Packing; as hard as it is pack as little as possible. Weight on a bike is key, and luggage is typically high up making the bike handle worse.
As for the bikes, most "ADVs" are little more than street bikes with a little more suspension travel and a higher seat. Few are good in dirt (I have a Ducati Multistrada in the US and it is crap on even gravel road). In my opinion KTM is the World leader in building bikes for the purpose they advertise. (Full disclosure I also own a KTM 530exc in the US) I expect the 390 Adventurer, if you can get one, will be a very good bike, on the road and for mile off road. I'm not aware of any current small ADV that can say that. While the 390 would be small for the trip you are talking about I have little doubt it could do it. As for the bigger, particularly Chinese ADVs I have not riding experience but other than the Benelli and the bike I just bought, CoLove KY500x, I doubt any would be worth much in terrain approaching off-road. The only mid-sized ADVs that are or potentially are good off road are the BMW 700 (800?) the soon to be released KTM 790 and Yamaha 700 (probably at least a year from release. The Benelli is heavy and the reviews are not very favorable. still, it's a good looking bike and reviews are subjective. Throw in the price factor it compares pretty good.
I'll let everyone know what I think of the CoLove once I've had the chance to ride it. As others have pointed out, it's a new company and a new bike. This would concern me much more if I was undertaking a trip like you are planning. Last thought, have you thought about a Chinese scrambler model, similar to the Royal Enfield? Either a Chinese scramble or a Royal Enfield could be an ideal choice. Lower center of gravity. Less suspension means slower speeds in the rough stuff, but so what. No windscreen could be an issue but in all honesty they don't do much anyway.
Hope this helps a little but regardless, any motorcycle you take is going to be an adventure and worth doing, even if it was a scooter (well maybe not a scooter...)