2025-on Kove 125R Review: Teenage Kicks! Kove’s mini super naked makes all the right moves
Highlights
- 15bhp 125cc DOHC 4v single
- Single-sided swingarm, upside down fork, radial caliper
- Costs just £3499!
At a glance
Power: | 15 bhp |
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Seat height: | Medium (32.3 in / 820 mm) |
Weight: | Low (298 lbs / 135 kg) |
Prices
Overall rating
Next up: Ride & brakesKove’s new 125R costs just £3499 and for that you get the kind of goodies you’d be happy to see on a mega-bucks super naked. Its single sided swingarm and underslung exhaust have a whiff of MV Agusta Brutale, or KTM Super Duke about them, while the back end and undertray mimics the look of an old Triumph Daytona 675 or Street Triple. For a little 125 it stops you in your tracks.
It might not be the cheapest Chinese-made 125 you around, but the Kove 125R is still affordable and is way less than its Japanese and European rivals. It’s light, agile, has tight handling and best of all, comes choc-full of mini-super naked styling cues and equipment. The engine is refined, easy to use and even barks through its airbox at full throttle. It has enough go for most situations, but it can’t keep with dual carriageway traffic if there’s an uphill involved and lacks playfulness.
Kove have only been around since 2017, but MCN rates their bigger capacity 510X and 800X Pro adventure bikes, which can only bode well for the 125R. Reliability and durability will always be a question mark hanging over the heads of Chinese brands, so the Kove will need to earn its stripes, but it does very little wrong and doesn’t feel cheap. It’s a class little act.
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Ride quality & brakes
Next up: EngineWeighing just 135kg and with a slim seat and fuel tank, the Kove is light, balanced and a piece of cake to manage around town. Smaller riders will be on tiptoes at a standstill, but for the tall it’s roomy and comfortable, for a 125.
It stops and handles well, too. Ride quality is as refined as the best of its rivals and the 125R never bangs or crashes over bumps, which is a testament to its well-sorted suspension. There were no cornering heroics when we tested it on a one-degree January day, but at normal speeds the Kove is planted, the steering natural and its Helios tyres never give any cause for concern. Braking power at each end is progressive and as strong as it needs to be.
Engine
Next up: ReliabilityHappily, the Kove 125R goes as well as it looks. Its single cylinder 125cc engine is well finished on the outside and punchy within. There’s none of the nasty vibration you get with cheap and cheerful Chinese 125s and instead, the motor is smooth through the revs and accelerates swiftly.
It has a surprisingly deep and roarty induction roar at full throttle, too. Everything from the way the power is delivered, to the lightness and accuracy of the throttle, clutch and slick gearbox makes it easy to ride and more importantly, friendly for new riders.
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Kove claims 15bhp@9000rpm, which is on par with most A1 licence-restricted 125s. It’s perky enough in town and easy hangs with traffic…unless you’re going uphill, where it won’t pull all the way through the top two gears and struggles to hit 50mph. That can leave you a sitting duck on a dual carriageway, but it’ll do an easy 65mph on the flat and another 10mph on top of that, downhill with a screaming tailwind.
Our test bike only had 58 miles on the clock when we started, so it’ll no doubt loosen up and get faster over time. For new riders learning their craft, the 125R’s performance will be more than enough, but it won’t get the juices going for those with the devil in them.
Reliability & build quality
Next up: ValueChinese bikes of old have never had the best reputation for reliability or durability and most of the time, deservedly so. It’s impossible to say whether the Kove will buck that trend. We hope so, because out of the box, the build quality and paint finishes are a world away from the bad old days of early-generation Chinese (rusty) metal.
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Value vs rivals
Next up: EquipmentPut simply, the Kove is a lot of 125 for the money. It comfortably undercuts its sporty naked Japanese rivals, like the £4699 Honda CB125R, £4299 Kawasaki Z125, £4999 Suzuki GSX-S125 and £5250 Yamaha MT125. It’s also a chunk cheaper than European offerings, like the £4780 Aprilia Tuono 125 and £4899 KTM 125 Duke.
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That said, the Kove is at the premium end of the scale compared to its Chinese rivals and in particular, two sports nakeds that are the closest in style, spirit and equipment: the £2799 Voge R125 and MCN’s highly rated Zontes ZT125 U. You can also pick up Honda’s utilitarian CB125F for £3149.
Equipment
It's well-equipped for a 125, with ABS, a colour LCD dash, adjustable front brake lever, upside down forks, radial front brake caliper, wavy discs, single sided swingarm, LED lights, bellypan, rear hugger and shock protector.
Specs |
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Engine size | 124cc |
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Engine type | Liquid cooled DOHC 4v single |
Frame type | Tubular steel trellis |
Fuel capacity | 17 litres |
Seat height | 820mm |
Bike weight | 135kg |
Front suspension | 41mm USD forks, non-adjustable |
Rear suspension | Single shock, non-adjustable |
Front brake | Single disc with four piston radial caliper. ABS |
Rear brake | 220mm disc with twin-piston caliper. ABS |
Front tyre size | 110/70 x 17 |
Rear tyre size | 140/60 x 17 |
Mpg, costs & insurance |
|
Average fuel consumption | 157 mpg |
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Annual road tax | £25 |
Annual service cost | - |
New price | £3,499 |
Used price | - |
Insurance group |
- How much to insure? |
Warranty term | Two years |
Top speed & performance |
|
Max power | 15 bhp |
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Max torque | 9 ft-lb |
Top speed | 75 mph |
1/4 mile acceleration | - |
Tank range | 478 miles |
Model history & versions
Model history
- 2025: Model introduced in the UK
Other versions
- None
Owners' reviews for the KOVE 125R (2025 - on)
No owners have yet reviewed the KOVE 125R (2025 - on).