One month with a… Voge DS625X

Planning some adventures for your summer riding? There’s no shortage of bikes to choose from whether you’re headed on- or off-the-beaten-track, the ever-popular adventure class gaining a new generation of affordable, accessible machines open to those on on restricted A2 licences or perhaps recognising smaller, lighter machines are just that bit more manageable on mixed terrain. It’s certainly a diverse spectrum of bikes, ranging from the likes of the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 we’ve been living with through to the ‘enduro bike with a fairing’ KTM 390 Adventure R we tested recently, as well as new players like the eagerly anticipated BMW F 450 GS. All do variations of the same thing for around six grand, and into the thick of it comes a wave of new and impressively affordable Chinese bikes like this Voge DS625X. We were impressed with its DS900X big brother, which we lived with last winter, and this seemingly offers much of the same vibe but in a more manageable size and at an even more tempting price. We’ve got a month with it to find out how it sizes up.
Skip to: First impressions – Adventure bike right-sizing

“Mid-life convert to motorcycling making up for lost time by riding as many bikes as possible to figure out his riding tastes! Rides to work on a mixed commute of moorland, motorway and city roads Monday to Friday and takes advantage of living up north to head out at the weekends into the Yorkshire Dales, Peak District and North York Moors.”

Being new to bikes means I come to them without any emotional baggage about the brands or what they represent, so I’m perhaps more open-minded than most about the influx of new Chinese names to the market. Right now any motorbike is an exciting novelty, and I have no snobbery or preconceptions!
That probably makes me the perfect target audience for brands like Voge, and others from China like CFMoto, QJMotor, Kove and many like them, all of which have tempting looking adventure bikes at the six-grand pricepoint at which this DS625X operates. I’m familiar with Voge after running a DS900X over last winter, and being impressed with its incredible standard equipment, performance and apparent quality. This is basically the same deal, but even more affordable and with a 64 horsepower 581cc twin at its heart. For those on a budget this should also help running costs in terms of fuel, maintenance and insurance, though the standard power output rules it out for younger A2 riders. As luck would have it I’m running it the same time as having a Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 on long-term loan. Given the Enfield revels in its old-school simplicity as much as the Voge celebrates its tech they might look very different bikes, but in fact they both cost the same and could, in theory, serve a similar purpose of daily commuting with the versatility to serve as a mixed-terrain tourer for longer summer trips. If that’s your aim the option to add a full set of quality metal luggage for just £699 (at the time of writing) looks a no-brainer.

Jumping from the Himalayan to the Voge it’s like moving forward a generation in motorcycle engineering. The big, bold TFT display and adjustable screen take centre stage, the ‘office’ including such novelties as a built-in dashcam, tyre pressure monitoring, snazzy back-lit controls and full LED lighting while dual front brakes and fully adjustable KYB suspension are a level up from the Enfield.
Given the relatively small capacity of the engine the DS625X feels a substantial bike as well, with a commanding riding position and stature not far off that of the 900 I rode previously. Side impact bars, tubeless wire wheels and a high-level exhaust shout ‘adventure’ but the real off-roaders will probably prefer the more off-road optimised DS800X Rally for its bigger 21-inch front wheel and longer travel. While dressed for the outdoors this DS625X feels more like a chunky all-rounder and tourer than the more back to basics Royal Enfield but pays your money and takes your choice. The DS626X makes a strong first impression, the relatively small-capacity twin firing with an impressively bassy bark and greater smoothness than I recall from the more powerful but somewhat characterless 900. On the move it feels nice and smooth as well, and impressively punchy for a heavy bike with a relatively modest 64 horsepower. A clunky, mechanical shift from the gearbox inspires confidence in the engineering, the fuelling is smoother than I remember from other Voges I’ve ridden and for the kind of mixed commute I do with its combination of desolate moorland roads, a bit of motorway and then some low-speed urban filtering first impressions are that it strikes a winning balance, with a bit more refinement than the 800 Rally. Could it be the pick of the Voge line-up? I’ve got a month to find out!