Meet The Voge 525R

It has a 494cc, twin-cylinder engine with 10 ponies more than the 390 Duke

Think beginner naked motorcycles and the KTM 390 Duke is bound to come up. It’s dominated the category for nearly a decade now, with its punchy powerhouse and impressive riding dynamics. Heck, Team Orange even made it reliable in recent years. However, the little Duke’s dominance days might be over soon, thanks to an aggressive attack from China’s Voge. For 2023, the Asian bikemaker has introduced the new Voge 525R, which has its eyes on the entry-level naked segment. More importantly, it one-ups the KTM in a few aspects.

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Unlike most Chinese offerings, the Voge 525R does its own thing in terms of design. And it’s a job well done. Up top, there’s a big, angry all-LED headlight, flanked by a muscular fender and edgy tank shrouds that extend till the forks. The rear end keeps the sporty flavor intact, credit to the sports bike-like raised split seat and sleek tail lamp. All this is topped by two funky liveries, with color-matched alloys.

As for features, the 525R is undoubtedly Chinese here i.e. loaded to the brim. It boasts a slipper clutch, all-LED lights, adjustable levers, smartphone connectivity, and a tire pressure monitoring system–all accessible via a generous TFT display.

Under the 525R’s skin lies a 494cc, twin-cylinder engine that produces 53 horsepower and 50Nm (36.8 pound-feet). The power reaches the rear wheel via a six-speed gearbox to enable a claimed top speed of over 100mph. For reference, the 390 Duke only manages 43 horsepower from its 373cc, single-cylinder powerhouse.

What about underpinnings, you ask? Well, Voge equipped the naked with 43 mm upside-down forks and a monoshock, both sourced from KaYaBa. These are paired to ten-spoke 17-inch wheels, clamped by dual 320 mm petal rotors and a single 280 mm rotor fore and aft, respectively. Both ends feature Nissin calipers. The double discs up top should promise plenty of bite, considering the motorcycle weighs a not-so-shabby 414 pounds (wet). Meanwhile, another noteworthy aspect is the uber-low 785 mm saddle height–a massive 45 mm down on the KTM.

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While Voge hasn’t commented on its American arrival, the bikemaker is extending its arm across the pond in Europe and Britain. So if the 525R succeeds there, it could then help Voge expand operations to North America later. Oh, and in case you feel iffy about the brand, you should know Voge comes from Chinese giant Loncin. The latter has been in a partnership with BMW Motorrad for over 15 years and produces its 853cc, twin-cylinder mill found in the F 850 GS.

Punya is an avid motorcyclist who's always up for a ride to the canyons or the racetrack. He insists his riding skills are better than his writing skills, even though he's worked with some world-renowned automotive websites.