Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Loncin has been storming through the European market thanks to its premium sub-brand Voge. Encompassing nearly all categories of motorcycling, Vogue first entered the market with beginner-friendly naked and neo-retro machines. It then branched out to small to mid-capacity adventure bikes, before going in full-force in the premium segment, as evidenced by the 900DS unveiled at EICMA.
As it would turn out, Voge is nowhere near finished when it comes to new surprises for the ADV crowd. Its newest model comes in the form of the Valico 525 DSX, and it’s an approachable adventure bike that boasts some off-road-ready goodies. Starting off with the engine, the Valico 525 DSX is designed as an A2-compliant machine, opening doors to younger riders to the ADV scene. As such, it’s rocking a 494cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, parallel-twin engine. With 47 horsepower on tap, performance is very similar to that of the Honda CB500X.
As with most modern-day adventure bikes, the Voge Valico 525 DSX gets long-travel suspension in the form of inverted front forks and an adjustable monoshock at the back. The Valico sets itself apart in the beginner segment, however, thanks to a set of tubeless wire-spoke wheels measuring 19 inches in the front and 17 inches at the back, that give it a much more rugged aesthetic, suggesting its willingness to tackle off-road terrain. Furthermore, Voge has equipped the bike with traction control and ABS—both of which can be switched off when riding off-road.
From a styling perspective, it’s hard not to compare the look of this bike with BMW’s GS range of ADV bikes, especially in this silver and blue colorway we see in the photos. It’s clear that Voge has gone for a premium look and feel for this bike, and its parent company Loncin indeed has a history of close ties with the German manufacturer. Even the tech features—a full-color seven-inch display with built-in navigation, as well as selectable Eco and Sport modes—provide some parallels with BMW’s smaller-capacity GS bikes.
Regardless, when the Voge Valico 525 DSX enters the European market, it’s sure to be a strong contender against the likes of the Honda CB500X and Benelli TRK 502 X, provided that the price is right. Voge has already pretty much developed a strong reputation in Europe, so it’ll be interesting to see the reception of this bike, as well as all the other models Voge has in the pipeline for 2023.
