Voge DS625X (2025 - ) review

Chinese manufacturers have come on an awful long way and are now past the watershed of being properly credible as well as just affordable. The Voge DS625X is the latest demonstration of that. Voge itself was launched in 2018 by Chinese giant Loncin, better known for its own bikes (which it makes in the millions) and as an engine manufacturer for other brands. The DS900X we ran on long-term test was its big breakthrough for its incredible spec, punchy price and the fact it shares an engine with the BMW F 900 GS. The new DS625X build on that success. It’s an update on the existing DS525X, which itself was derived from Honda’s equivalent parallel-twin but with more capacity, power and spec. The result is good looking, well-built and equipped, has much of the appeal of a larger adventure bike but in a middleweight package that looks a lot fresher than ageing rivals like the Suzuki V-Strom 650 or Kawasaki Versys 650.

The Voge is on the slightly roomier side than many equivalent middleweight adventures, while also benefiting from a reasonably low 835mm seat and slim frame. Bars are wide and high in the adventure style, the tank is a handy 17.6 litres for a claimed 200 miles between fills, the big TFT screen is classy and the backlit controls feel premium. There’s also a manually adjustable screen, though it can’t be done on the fly and doesn’t seem to make that much difference. If we had one complaint it would be the saddle felt a little firm and meant we felt the need to take a break after an hour or so of riding. But it’s not a deal-breaker.

Adventure bikes are rightly popular for their practicality, given they are just as comfortable whether you’re touring, scratching, off-roading or just commuting. Middleweights like this are even more attractive for their more affordable pricing and manageable size, so arguably more useful still. In that context, the new Voge DS625X zooms straight to the top of the list, not least for an incredible spec including cruise control, 12V and USB sockets, engine bars, sump guard, rear rack and more. OK, the add-ons might not be of the highest quality but they do the job, while heated grips and seat are among the options and a three-box luggage set is available for a smidge under £700. At this price perhaps no bike is more versatile.

Sufficient rather than impressive sounds like damning with faint praise, but the DS625X is more than adequate for what it sets out to do. The 581cc twin at its heart is an update of the 494cc equivalent on the DS525X, itself ‘inspired’ by Honda’s long-established 471cc engine used on bikes like the CB500F, CBR500R and NX500. Bore and stroke changes mean the new 625 has dimensions of 76x64mm compared to the Honda’s 67x66mm – and you notice it. It’s slightly revvier than the NX, with peak power 500rpm higher up the range. Although the Voge’s peak power and torque of 63 horsepower and 57Nm trump the Honda’s 47 horsepower and 43Nm there also seems to be a bigger gulf between cruising pace and gunning it for overtakes and the like. Meaning you sometimes need to go down a gear or even two and rev it out to 8,000rpm to make real progress. Overall, it sits somewhere between the A2 licence compliant Honda and lustier middleweights like the Yamaha Ténéré, perhaps being closer in performance to the venerable Kawasaki Versys 650. Nor did the rider modes make that much difference, E for Eco and S for Sport altering the throttle response but not by so much as to make a huge difference. 298mm wavy discs up front gripped by Nissin calipers meanwhile look the part and do the job but lack the bite and ultimate power of those on some rivals, which is a consideration if you’re regularly riding fully loaded or two up.

The cycle parts on the Voge are impressively high quality, with preload and compression adjustable 41mm KYB forks and rear shock from the same, also adjustable. The 19- and 17-inch wire wheels and Metzler Tourance tyres are also decent. And yet it doesn’t quite ride as well as the parts suggest it should, the set-up as tested more towards the comfort end with good stability and light steering that perhaps loses a little precision in the process. Given the adjustability you could probably tweak things to feel a bit less mushy if you desired but you just sense it’s not quite as good as might have been if, say, Honda had built it.

When you set capability against the money asked it’s hard to criticise the DS625X, hence the top marks here. Middling performance won’t put any great demands on tyres, chain, brake pads and so on, either. Nor will fuel break the bank. You’ll feel less concerned about residual values given it costs so little to buy in the first place, too. The short 3,500-mile service intervals are a potential expense, but unless you cover stratospheric mileages it shouldn’t be a significant concern.

A currently unknown quantity but Voge’s UK importer says it’s had virtually zero warranty issues with any of its models, the base engine design is the utterly proven Honda unit, this new version remains fairly understressed and we’ve heard of no issues with previous Voge products. As we said at the start, it feels like any lingering stigma about the reliability of Chinese bikes is also fading into the past.

There aren’t many chinks in the armour of the new Voge DS625X but this is one of them. Although the warranty is the fairly standard manufacturer-backed, two-year/unlimited mileage affair covering all parts and labour the servicing offer isn’t as generous given it’ll need looking at every 3,500 miles or annually, whichever is first. That might not be an issue for a weekend bike but, given the kind of use the Voge encourages, that could end up being a pain.

Now the good news, and undoubtedly the DS625X’s trump card for the fact it has pretty much everything. As mentioned, suspension is fully adjustable, the screen likewise, you get cruise control, centre stand, the crash protection bars and more. For the extra £699 we’d take the three-piece luggage set and, when available, tick the box for heated grips and seat as well but beyond that you’re left wanting for nothing. Other than, perhaps, self-cancelling indicators for the fact the green flashers on the screen are easy to miss and you end up accidentally leaving them on. A lot.

If you’re after an adventure bike in the sub-750cc class there’s none better equipped, few as stylish and nothing anywhere near as good value. True, the DS625X doesn’t stand out for its handling or engine and there are some annoyances like the lack of self-cancelling indicators. But for the money you’ll forgive things like that, and instead enjoy the fact it makes more established rivals like the V-Strom 650 and Versys 650 look ridiculously overpriced.