Kove 650RR: Chinese four-cylinder comes to Europe in 2027 with 109 hp

• 645 cc inline four with 109 hp (80 kW) at 13,000 rpm, rated at 124 hp in China
• Front and rear cameras with blind-spot warning, cornering ABS and a two-way quickshifter
• Racing in the Sportbike World Championship (WorldSPB) from 2027

Four-cylinder sport bikes around 600 cc have become rare. Stricter emissions rules, high development costs and falling demand have made the once popular class almost disappear. Kove from Chongqing is betting on the concept anyway, even though the brand is best known for rally and adventure bikes. The 650RR was first unveiled at CIMA in Chongqing in September 2025 and shown in Europe for the first time shortly afterwards at EICMA 2025. In China, it has been available at dealers since September 13, 2026. At this year’s show in Milan, Kove has now presented it with its European specifications, alongside four other new models. That makes it one of the new models of EICMA 2026 and part of the 2027 model year.

What is inside the Kove 650RR’s four-cylinder engine?

Power comes from a liquid-cooled 645 cc inline four with double overhead camshafts and 16 valves. For the EICMA version, Kove quotes 109 hp (80 kW) at 13,000 rpm and 60 Nm (44 lb-ft) at 11,000 rpm.

The engine has a markedly short-stroke design. At 67.0 millimeters, the bore is much larger than the 45.7-millimeter stroke. Engines like this love to rev, which matches the high engine speeds at which peak power and torque arrive. The compression ratio is 12.9:1. The throttle is controlled electronically via ride-by-wire, so there is no throttle cable. Power reaches the rear wheel through a multi-plate wet clutch and a chain. Kove states a top speed of 260 km/h (162 mph).

How does the European version differ from the Chinese version?

On paper, the Chinese version has significantly more power. There, Kove quotes 124 hp (around 91 kW) at 13,000 rpm and 69 Nm (51 lb-ft) at 11,000 rpm, with the rev limiter at 15,000 rpm. Kove has not explained why the figures differ.

There is also a difference in weight. For China, Kove quotes a ready-to-ride weight of 188 kg (414 lbs), for the EICMA version 195 kg (430 lbs). In addition, the Chinese model has several extras that have not yet been mentioned for Europe. These include cruise control, a tire pressure monitoring system, launch control, a keyless start system and semi-active suspension. For the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h, Kove quotes around 3.4 seconds in China.

Chassis, brakes and dimensions

The 650RR is built around a bridge frame. The subframe and the 17-liter fuel tank are made of aluminum. The suspension elements front and rear are adjustable. Braking components come from the Chinese manufacturer Taisko. At the front, two floating wave-style discs work with radially mounted four-piston calipers, while a single-piston caliper is used at the rear.

The 17-inch wheels carry tires in the usual supersport sizes, 120/70 at the front and 180/55 at the rear. The seat height is 810 millimeters. How well the riding position and suspension setup suit everyday use can only be judged on a test ride.

What electronics does the Kove 650RR offer?

The 650RR is as extensively equipped as much larger sport bikes. At its heart is a six-axis IMU, a sensor that measures the motorcycle’s position in space and uses it to control the assistance systems when leaned over.

Cornering ABS, lean-sensitive traction control and wheelie control are all based on it. There are three riding modes called Standard, Sport and Custom. The quickshifter is standard and works in both directions, so you can shift up and down without the clutch.

Unusual for a supersport bike are the cameras at the front and rear. They record what happens ahead of and behind the motorcycle like a dashcam and work together with the lane change assistant, which Kove calls Lane Change Assist. The system monitors the area beside and behind the 650RR and warns as soon as a vehicle is in the blind spot. The cockpit is a 6-inch TFT running MotoPlay software, which connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Which racing series will the Kove 650RR compete in from 2027?

Kove will race the 650RR in the Sportbike World Championship (WorldSPB) in 2027. The manufacturer is already competing there in 2026 with the 450RR, the bike with the smallest displacement in the field.

For the project, Kove has signed European champion Iker García and WorldSPB race winner Antonio Torres. Several reports place the 650RR in the Supersport World Championship, but in its official announcement Kove itself explicitly refers to WorldSPB.

The brand has already gained experience in road racing. In 2025, Kove factory rider Beñat Fernández won the WorldSSP300 title. In the current season, the 450RR scored 20 points in WorldSPB and set a race lap record at Assen. Away from the circuit, Kove has been competing in the Dakar since 2023. Data from rallying and road racing is to flow into the production models.

When will the Kove 650RR come to Europe and how much will it cost?

Kove plans to launch the 650RR in the second half of 2027. In Italy, the first motorcycles are to be delivered from the third quarter of 2027.

There is no European price yet. In China, the 650RR costs 33,977 yuan (approx. 4,540 euros / 5,090 US dollars), which also applies to the Chuangshi Edition limited to 777 units. There is little to suggest a comparable price level in Europe, as customs duties, Euro 5+ homologation and building up a service network all add to the cost here.

Alongside the 650RR, Kove showed the adventure models 125 Rally and 350 Rally as well as the two electric motorcycles Bonic and E-500RR in Milan. For the three combustion-engined models, Kove gives the second half of 2027 as the timeline. The in-house developed electronic clutch, KOVE Electronic Clutch, with manual, automatic and automated manual modes, is to follow in the first half of 2028.

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