Kove 350RR on the track: What the 4,999-euro A2 sports bike can do

• 344 cc parallel twin with 47.6 hp (35 kW), A2-compliant without restriction
• 164 kg (362 lbs) ready to ride, 790 mm seat height
• 4,999 euros in France, 4,499 euros in Spain, no market launch announced for Germany yet

In Europe, Kove has so far been known mainly for rally and adventure bikes. With the 350RR, the Chinese brand is now bringing a small supersport bike to the road that comes directly from its World Championship programme. In summer 2026, Kove presented the motorcycle at Circuit Castellolí north of Barcelona, together with its four-cylinder sister model, the 450RR. On track, the 350RR leaves a good impression despite simple suspension and brake components. At the same time, it becomes clear that the 350RR gets cramped for tall riders and shows its strengths mainly at high revs.

Where does the Kove 350RR come from?

The 350RR is the further development of the motorcycle with which Kove won the Supersport 300 World Championship in 2025. However, Beñat Fernández took the title on the predecessor model, the 321RR-S.

At the time, Kove had only been competing in WorldSSP300 for a few years. The title was decided in the very last race the class ever held: at Jerez, Fernández went from fourth to the lead in the final corner, won the race and secured the championship. For a Chinese manufacturer, it was the first world title in the World Superbike paddock. The bike was entered by the Irish team #109 Retro Traffic Kove, for which Fernández rode in his first season in the class.

The 350RR was first shown at EICMA 2024 as the successor to the 321RR-S. Displacement grew to 344 cc, the frame was revised and the fairing was designed using data from racing. For the 2026 model year, Kove rebuilt the engine, which now meets Euro 5+ and is 2.7 kg (6 lbs) lighter than before. The “Jerez” livery, named after the venue of the finale, recalls the world title. In France, the 350RR is available exclusively in this version.

Fernández himself has since moved up a step: in the Sportbike World Championship (WorldSPB), newly created in 2026 to replace Supersport 300, he rode the 450RR for Kove, with the team competing as a factory squad.

What technology is in the Kove 350RR?

The 350RR is powered by a liquid-cooled 344 cc parallel twin that produces 47.6 hp (35 kW) at 11,500 rpm and 32 Nm (23.6 lb-ft) at 9,000 rpm. At exactly 35 kW, output sits at the upper limit of the A2 licence class, so no restriction is needed.

Bore and stroke measure 69 and 46 mm, making the engine distinctly short-stroke. Double overhead camshafts operate four valves per cylinder, and the fuel injection comes from Bosch. The crankshaft has a 270-degree crankpin offset. This crank design creates uneven firing intervals and is meant to give the twin more character and a smoother response. Shifting is via a six-speed gearbox, and the slipper clutch is cable-operated. It prevents the rear wheel from hopping under hard downshifts.

For a motorcycle in this price class, the electronics package is extensive. There are Sport and Eco riding modes, launch control and switchable traction control. ABS can be deactivated at the rear wheel, and a setting with no ABS at all is provided for track use. Everything is operated via a colour TFT display that can also show smartphone navigation via mirroring. The menus are only available in Spanish, English and Chinese. On top of that come full LED lighting and USB ports in the fairing.

Suspension and brakes of the 350RR

The steel trellis frame adopts the basic architecture of the race bike. At 1,374 mm, the wheelbase is very short, even shorter than that of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R. The steering head angle is 24.5 degrees and the trail is 95 mm. At the front is a non-adjustable upside-down fork from Yuan with 37 mm stanchions and 125 mm of travel, and at the rear a shock from the same manufacturer on which only the preload can be adjusted.

The brakes are supplied by Taisko. At the front, a single 320 mm disc with a floating two-piston caliper does the work, at the rear a 220 mm disc with a single-piston caliper. From the factory, the 350RR rolls on tubeless CST Ride Migra S1 tyres in 110/70-17 and 150/60-17. Kove quotes 149 kg (328 lbs) dry and 164 kg (362 lbs) ready to ride, the tank holds 15 litres and ground clearance is 135 mm.

How does the Kove 350RR ride on the track?

On track, the 350RR feels very light and can be flicked effortlessly from one lean angle to the other. The engine wants to be revved hard consistently.

The twin shows its best side above 8,000 rpm, and for fast laps the revs should even stay above 10,000 rpm. That matches the position of peak torque at 9,000 rpm. Even so, the 350RR does not feel weak lower down, because its low weight makes up for a lot. The twin revs up eagerly and sounds strong even with the stock exhaust. The factory figure for top speed is 180 km/h, but on the straight the speedometer already shows almost 190 km/h in fifth gear.

When turning in, the 350RR demands precise inputs but little effort. Anyone who usually rides motorcycles weighing 200 kg or more first has to get used to the light handling. Line corrections are possible at any time, and on a wide track like Castellolí there are many options for the ideal line. Because many corners can be taken in two different gears, the 350RR quickly teaches you which gear and which revs work best where. For newcomers to track riding, this is a good school.

The firmly set-up fork cannot be adjusted, but that is not noticeable in a negative way on track. The suspension also soaks up high kerbs without becoming unsettled. Under braking, the front stays stable and does not dive excessively. A second brake disc is not missed on track, and even without traction control and ABS the 350RR remains easy to control. When downshifting quickly before a hairpin, the rear wheel does not lock, and the rear can be made to drift in a controlled way if desired.

A direct switch shows how big the gap to the 450RR is. The four-cylinder sister weighs just one kilo more at 165 kg, but produces around 67 hp from 443 cc and revs beyond 14,000 rpm. On top of that come fully adjustable KYB suspension and two front brake discs. The 450RR is therefore not a more powerful 350RR, but a motorcycle in its own right for riders who already have experience.

Where does the Kove 350RR reach its limits?

The biggest limitation is the lack of space. Up to a height of around 1.80 metres the riding position fits well, while significantly taller riders sit cramped.

It gets especially tight at the footpegs. When the rider stands on the balls of the feet for track riding, the heels hit the brackets of the passenger pegs and the exhaust. On the left side, the side stand bracket touches down first, and the peg feelers should come off for trackdays anyway. The riding position itself remains moderate despite clip-ons above the triple clamp and a 790 mm seat height, and wrists and knees are not overstrained.

The simpler components are also noticeable: the fork cannot be adjusted, the front brake master cylinder is axial rather than radial, and the brake lines are standard parts. For regular trackdays, braided steel lines are a good idea. How the 350RR performs on country roads, on bumpy tarmac or on longer motorway rides is still open. There are also no findings yet on fuel consumption or pillion comfort. All that is clear is that the narrow windscreen and compact fairing are not designed for long motorway stages.

How much does the Kove 350RR cost compared to the competition?

In France, the 350RR costs 4,999 euros (around 5,525 US dollars), in Spain 4,499 euros (around 4,970 US dollars). In Japan, it goes on sale in August 2026 for 798,000 yen (around 4,515 euros / 4,990 US dollars).

The most direct rival is the Yamaha R3. In France it costs 6,999 euros, i.e. 2,000 euros more, and with 42 hp produces around 5.6 hp less from 321 cc. In Spain, the gap to the R3 is as much as 2,400 euros. The Kawasaki Ninja 500 costs 6,599 euros in France, 1,600 euros more than the Kove, and the Honda CBR 500 R costs 6,799 euros, 1,800 euros more. Both are heavier and, at 45 and 47.5 hp respectively, offer similar power. The Aprilia RS 457 costs 7,300 euros in Spain, which is 2,801 euros more than the 350RR.

In France, the 350RR is distributed by MB Motor, a subsidiary of the Spanish Moto Bordoy group, which also represents Kove in Spain. In July 2026, Kove had around 80 dealers and sales points in France.

Will the Kove 350RR come to Germany?

A market launch of the 350RR in Germany has not been announced so far, and there is no German price yet.

The Kove brand itself is represented in Germany, however: in 2026, the KSR Group took over the import of Kove motorcycles for Germany and Austria. So far, the range only includes models from the off-road and adventure segment, namely the 450 Rally and the twins 800X Pro and 800X Rally. The 800X Touring can also be ordered. Further Kove models are to follow according to the manufacturer’s schedule. Whether the 350RR and 450RR sports bikes will be among them remains open.

Among the new motorcycles of the 2026 model year, the 350RR is therefore one of the models that are so far only available in some European markets.

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