It’s one of the only beginner-friendly naked bikes to come with a single-sided swingarm.
Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Kove has been working hard to get its models to market, especially in Europe. This comes just a few months after the brand made its global debut at EICMA 2022. Since then, the brand has competed in and completed the Dakar Rally with respectable standing, with hopes of joining the World SSP300 in 2023.
Apart from its racing initiatives, Kove has also begun rolling out its road-oriented motorcycles. One model in particular is catered to beginner riders, and looks to go head-to-head with the crop of 125cc naked bikes in Europe. It’s called the Cobra 125 R, and it’s pretty clear to see where it gets its design inspirations from. At first glance, it’s obvious that Kove has borrowed a few styling elements from the KTM Duke—the trellis frame, angular bodywork, and supermoto-esque proportions all scream Ready to Race.
Interestingly, however, Kove has tried to one-up the Duke by fitting the Cobra with a single-sided swingarm, a feature otherwise found in much more premium motorcycles. Naturally, a single-sided swingarm is more expensive to manufacture, so it’ll be interesting to see how this translates to the final price tag of the Cobra. Apart from that, however, the Kove Cobra 125 R is thoroughly designed for beginner riders.
On the performance side of the equation, the Kove Cobra 125 R is powered by a 125cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, single-cylinder, engine with a power output of 15 horsepower at 9,500 rpm and 8 lb-ft of torque at 8,000 rpm. With these performance figures, the Cobra sits at the very limit of beginner-focused legislation for most European countries.
Other components include front and rear disc brakes, presumably with ABS. The bike rolls on 17-inch wheels front and back, while suspension consists of inverted front forks and a preload-adjustable rear monoshock. Just like the KTM, the Cobra has a fuel tank capacity of 13 liters. As of this writing, Kove has yet to announce official pricing and availability of the Cobra 125 R.
