Engine and styling upgrades for Kove’s tiny four-cylinder.
Kove has updated its 400-class inline-four sportbike to 443cc in an effort to go head-to-head with Kawasaki’s ZX-4RR.
Last-minute specification changes to new motorcycles aren’t unusual but rarely have we seen changes as extensive as those applied to the Kove 450RR—a machine that was unveiled last November as the 400RR, but has now gained a larger engine and new styling for its production debut.
Whereas the 400RR had a distinctive, if brutal, style with a sharp-edged front and heavily hooded headlights, the production 450RR has adopted a much more conventional appearance with a hefty dose of Ducati influence that’s emphasized by the launch bike’s red paintwork. It’s more conventionally pretty than the original design, but also less distinctive and much more likely to fall foul of the “copying” accusations that are often leveled at Chinese-made bikes. That’s a shame, because the 450RR’s four-cylinder engine means it’s actually at the forefront of a surprising revival for small-capacity, multicylinder sportbikes, and in a strong position to take on and even beat Kawasaki’s new Ninja ZX-4RR.
Right side static of Kove 450RR.
The engine at the heart of the new Kove has also been upgraded, hence the name change since last year. Originally shown with a 399cc inline-four, the production version seen here has a 443cc version of the engine, putting out a claimed 70 hp at 13,000 rpm and 29 lb.-ft. of torque at 10,500 rpm on the way to a screaming 16,000 rpm redline. The central air intake on the nose—so prominent on last year’s bike, but nearly hidden on the production version—provides a ram-air boost adding another 3 hp at 93 mph.
How the bike compares to the Ninja ZX-4RR is hard to judge thanks to a variety of different power claims for Kawasaki’s four-cylinder contender. In Europe, that bike is good for 76 hp, rising to 79 hp with ram-air, but the US version is limited to only 56 hp, with a much lower redline. Whether the Kove will also be strangled in US form is another unknown at this stage, but the company is keen on selling the bike globally and already has a presence here in the States.
The Performance version gets KYB suspension and radial-mount four-piston brakes.
Other key specifications include a curb weight of 364 pounds, assisted by a trellis-style frame that weighs a mere 15.4 pounds, and a low seat height of 31.3 inches that can be dropped even further to just 30.7 inches.
Two versions of the bike are available at launch, a base model and a higher-spec “Performance” version. The differences start with the paintwork—the Performance models have two-tone colors—but run much deeper. The suspension is different, for instance, with a Yu-an 41mm fork and monoshock on the base model but adjustable KYB units on the Performance version. The tires are also different, as are the brakes, with the Performance version getting radial four-piston calipers at the front.
The front fairing of the Kove 450RR has been tamed down from the prototype.
On board, the base model gets LCD instruments whereas the Performance version gets a color TFT dash. Both bikes have traction control and a slipper clutch, but the Performance has a quickshifter (upshifts only), launch control and a steering damper that the base model does without. In China, the bike’s price starts at the equivalent of just over $5,000, rising to about $5,600 for the Performance version. In other markets the 450RR is sure to be more expensive thanks to shipping costs and import duties, but if Kove’s FSE 450R Rally is any indication, the 450RR is likely to be a bargain compared to its competition.
Keyword: Kove 450RR Targets Ninja ZX-4RR