The adventure bike segment is bustling with options for riders of all backgrounds. Of course, at the top of the food chain remain players like the iconic BMW GS, Ducati Multistrada, and KTM Adventure series. However, beginner riders looking to ball on a budget now have a variety of options, a lot of which come from Chinese manufacturers like Kove.
We previously talked about Kove’s premium middleweight offering the 800X Adventure. This time around, the fledgling Chinese manufacturer is looking to take a slice of the entry-level pie with the new 510X Adventure. The 500cc ADV segment was once dominated by the Honda CB500X. These days, however, the CB500X, recently renamed NX500, is joined by a lot of Chinese bikes such as the Benelli TRK502, CFMoto 450MT, and now, the Kove 510X Adventure. As expected, Kove’s new adventurer follows a tried and tested formula, and features tech that’s eerily similar to that of its competitors.
For starters, it’s powered by a 498cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, parallel-twin engine. It pumps out a respectable 47.6 horsepower and 45 Nm (33 pound-feet) of torque, falling squarely within A2 licensing parameters. It has a top speed of 170 kilometers per hour, or just a hair over 100 miles per hour. Beneath the surface, the bike is underpinned by a basic steel tube frame, but it gets a premium aluminum swing arm to keep unsprung weight low. Front suspension is a 41-millimeter adjustable inverted fork from KYB, while the rear shock is a fully adjustable progressive monoshock – fancy stuff for the segment.
The new Kove 510X rolls on a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel combo, and rocks Metzeler tires. As for the brakes, it gets dual front brakes that clamp upon 298-millimeter rotors, and a single piston rear brake. With its 20-liter fuel tank filled to the brim, Kove claims a weight of 205 kilograms (451 pounds), which is pretty average for the segment.
Styling-wise, the Kove 510X is hardly original, boasting angular bodywork, a tall windscreen, LED lights, and as-standard crash bars. It’s priced substantially lower than its main rivals at 6,990 euros, or about $7,600 USD, so chances are it’ll be an attractive option for younger riders looking to hit the roads and the occasional trail on a budget.
