Kove 450 Rally versus AJP PR7 review! Is there a clear winner?︱Cross Training Adventure

The Kove 450 Rally versus the AJP PR7! Is there a clear winner? Which would suit you better? Many viewers have asked for this review. I think it's a slightly unfair comparison for two main reasons. The first? There is no 'replacement for displacement'. I think the bigger engine of the PR7 puts it in a different class. Second? The Kove has been designed as a race motorbike with all the pros and cons that entails. Welcome to Cross Training Adventure, we are into all things dual sport and adventure on the east coast of Australia. The AJP PR7 has been designed as a lightweight adventure motorbike. However, these are the only two serious rally-style motorbikes available except for the KTM 450 Rally Replica which is crazy expensive! So let's compare the Kove and the AJP. Keen on adventure riding in Australia? Check out our vids. Weight. The Kove and the AJP both weigh about the same with empty tanks. Around 152kg or 335lb. We rode three Koves all with different ECU maps. Despite small differences, we found the power only really kicks in at high revs. The AJP PR7 has a 17 litre capacity which gives us a range of around 340km or 210 miles on our adventure rides. If you like dual sport riding in Australia then you might like our adventure riding vids. Suspension. The Kove 450 Rally is designed for racing. The harder you ride, the better it works. However all our riders found it too firm and jarring for adventure riding. And that's where the PR7 shines. It's very plush and still works well as the pace increases. The problem? The PR7 and the Kove sit in the same spot. Perhaps the better comparison is a spectrum between racing and everyday riding. We think the base model Kove would probably sit in between. And of course there's the expensive full racing version which will sit around here. As usual, the only way to know which motorbikes will suit you better is to get a test ride. The AJP PR7 is completely different. It's designed for power at low to midrange revs. You can see the rev limiter kicks in much earlier than the Kove. You can see the full story when you look at the torque figures. The AJP has very strong torque from 3000 RPM and peaking at only 6000 RPM. The Kove 450 Rally generates its best torque from 6000 RPM to 9000 RPM. The engines. Again, the Kove has been set up for racing. For adventure riding, we found the power quite disappointing at low to midrange revs. Comfort. The AJP is designed for adventure riding so it tends to be a more comfortable ride.It's quieter. Both motorbikes have top-mounted airboxes that generate intake noise, but it's very loud on the Kove. But of course some riders like this sound. Ditto for the exhausts. If PR7 owners fit the Doma exhaust its quite a lot louder but still doesn't have the bark of the Kove. Again, some owners love the noise. It is a reminder that they are riding a motorbike designed for racing. Ergonomics? Both feel very similar. A common complaint from taller riders is the foot pegs are quite high due to the rally exhaust on the AJP and Kove. It's usually resolved with foot pegs like the Fastway brand set in the low position. But it's common for your left boot to touch the exhaust heat shield. Handling. You can look at dyno charts and specifications endlessly but they won't give you the full picture. On a budget? There are many happy Kove owners out there who then had cash left over to get a comfortable seat, get the suspension working better, and fitted accessories like the tablet which are standard on the PR7. The Kove website claim 155kg 'curb weight' which should include a full fuel tank so the claimed figure is very inaccurate. With just the 13L front tank filled the Kove actually weighs 166kg. The AJP PR7 weighs 165kg or 364lb with a full fuel tank - 17 litres. he NC450 engine is made by Zongshen in China. In stock tune you can see the torque actually drops between 4500 and 5500 RPM, the common rev range for dual sport and adventure riding. Others are happy to pay the extra cash for an adventure motorbike straight out of the box, with great suspension and monster torque. In that case, the PR7 could be the ticket. Have you ridden or owned the Kove or PR7? Brands like Kove and CFmoto are finally showing it's not always true. We have been closely monitoring this over the years it's certainly changed. The turning circle is quite limited and small dents in the radiators are needed to improve this. See our AJP PR7 review for a full breakdown. Price. The Kove wins here of course. Although it's interesting to see that the difference in Europe isn't that great. And the Kove Rally Pro is more expensive. There is a much bigger price difference in the USA. INDEX 0:13 An unfair comparison? 0:52 Weight 1:33 Fuel capacity 1:53 Suspension 2:20 Engine 3:35 Comfort & ergonomics 4:46 Handling 5:31 Known issues 6:44 Prices 7:44 Which would suit you? #crosstrainingadventure #adventureriding #adventurebikes #dualsportriding #dualsportbikes