Who Makes Kove Motorcycles And Where Are They Built?

By News Update On Oct 31, 2024

If you live in the United States, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, and BMW are likely some of the brands you associate with motorcycles. This may not necessarily be the case in China, where local manufacturers like CFMOTO have a significant market presence.

Conversely, Chinese motorcycles do not have a great reputation in the West — consumers often associate them with lower quality and reliability compared to established American, European, and Japanese motorcycle brands. Up-and-coming companies such as Kove (also stylized as KOVE MOTO) could change that perception, however.

Founded in 2017, Kove focuses on adventure, off-road, and motocross bikes. It is currently one of the top five most successful motorcycle brands in China for bikes with engines larger than 300cc. Kove is now also entering international markets, with distributors across North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Unsurprisingly, Kove motorcycles are built in China — the company has manufacturing facilities in Chongqing and Chengdu. Here’s what else you need to know about Kove motorcycles.

Kove Moto: Company history and rebranding efforts

It can be challenging to find information about Chinese companies, but Kove has been around long enough to establish something of a presence in the motorcycle industry, albeit under different names. Kove previously marketed motorcycles under the brand names Colove and Excelle. Publicly available information suggests the company operated under the name Tibet Summit Colove Motorcycle Sales Co. at one point. More recently, it has been described as part of Tibet New Summit Motor Co. Ltd, a Chinese motorcycle manufacturer that was founded in 1994.

Like other Chinese motorcycle manufacturers, Kove has faced accusations of “cloning” other companies’ bikes. Some Kove motorcycles do seem to take inspiration from popular models produced by well-established global manufacturers. For example, the 321RR motorcycle has an engine that is nearly identical to the engine that powers Yamaha’s YZF-R3 and MT-03. However, it appears that Kove is making a conscious effort to differentiate itself from other manufacturers, investing in research, engineering, and original design.

Who is Zhang Xue?

Kove was founded by Zhang Xue, a former motocross rider. Xue explained in a 2023 interview that he fell in love with motorcycles as a child.

“I have loved motorcycles since I was a kid. From my first memories, I knew I loved motorcycles. There was once a time my mom took me to my grandma’s home. It was 1 a.m. and I saw the Dakar Rally on TV. I didn’t know that was Dakar but saw lots of bikes running on the sand. The bike was a very old KTM and I felt I loved it so much! From there, I kept loving it, never changed,” Xue said at the time (via WorldSBK).

Xue’s association with Kove has been a significant selling point for the brand, as he is featured in numerous videos on the company’s official YouTube channel. In February 2024, Xue stepped down from his management role in Kove but remains a shareholder.