Voge DS900X (2024 – ) review

Just like the SUVs and crossovers in car world, adventure bikes are hugely popular for their tough image, confidence-inspiring stature and promise of go-anywhere versatility. It’s a hugely competitive market, packed with talented bikes with established reputations from big-name manufacturers, so Voge faces quite the challenge to stand out. It does so in the first instance on price, which we’ll get to in due course. But in terms of the bike itself it very much fits the template of a modern, middleweight adventure bike with the 895cc parallel-twin engine at its heart, steel frame and aluminium swingarm combo, off-road friendly 21-inch front and 17-inch rear tubeless wire wheels and long-travel, KYB-supplied suspension with fully adjustable forks up front and monoshock rear. So far so good, and if the looks do little more than conform to class norms they at least align with what buyers seem to like on bikes of this type.

With its big front wheel, long-travel suspension and decent ground clearance the Voge makes no apologies for its proper adventure bike ambitions. And Lancashire-based importer MotoGB has already slung some more serious rubber on it and got it muddy to prove it can cope with a bit of rough stuff. Back in the real world these qualities can sometimes compromise liveability but the 825mm seat height isn’t too bad and the narrower frame makes it easier to get your feet down on a middleweight than it is on a big adventure bike like the Honda Africa Twin or Ducati Multistrada Rally we’ve been riding recently. Once up and running the riding position is typically upright, comfortable and confidence-inspiring while striking a good balance between substance and usability. We only rode it for a relatively short period on this test but everything points to it being just as amenable over the long haul, the standard adjustable screen giving you something to shelter behind on the motorway.

Big adventure bikes are great for summer expeditions and two-up riding but can prove a bit cumbersome in more everyday situations like commuting, which is where middleweights like the Voge come into their own. Small enough to carve through traffic on the day-to-day but substantial enough to load up the luggage and make a weekend of it (or more), the DS900X is typical of the breed and no worse for that. Where it really stands out, though, is in the incredible range of standard equipment. That three-piece aluminium luggage is included in the price, and looks better made than the same we had on the Multistrada with proper metal fixings and posh fabric linings on the inside. It’s easily removable when not required while standard features like heated grips and saddle will score well with commuters and others who ride through all seasons. There’s even a standard centre stand – BMW makes you pay extra for this on the F 900 GS – to make regular maintenance easier. LED spotlights, cruise control, crash bars to spare the engine casings if you drop it, hand guards … the Voge includes it all in the price where most rivals make you pay extra as options or accessories.

Voge parent company Loncin has been building engines for BMW since 2007, the 895cc parallel twin at the heart of the DS900X effectively the same as that across the German brand’s F series bikes, the 900 GS this competes with this included. Voge varyingly quotes 94 or 95 horsepower and 95Nm for its version (we’ll not split hairs over one horsepower here or there!), which is more than rivals like the Suzuki V-Strom 800DE, on a par with the Honda Transalp and a little down on the 105 horsepower of the BMW but towards the upper end of this class. It’s paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and slipper clutch with a standard quickshifter and well-judged ratios. If not exactly charismatic it’s got plenty of shove, and willingness to haul from taller gears as required. This feels more natural than revving it out, though it’ll indulge you that if you want. For a solo tourer and loaded up with luggage that’s probably plenty to be going on with, but if you rack up big miles with a passenger as well you might have to work it harder than you would some bigger adventure bikes. Which is fine – pays your money and all that. Brembo brakes meanwhile inspire confidence, even if their axial rather than radial fixings may not look as snazzy as those on some rivals. That’s of less importance than the firm, easily modulated lever feel and strong stopping power while choosing Enduro mode switches off ABS on the rear for off-roading.

Proven suspension parts from KYB comprising fully adjustable forks and monoshock with just shy of 200mm of travel are another confidence-inspiring feature on the 900 DSX, the fact you can tweak them according to your tastes, riding style and load helping overcome any doubts about Voge’s own set-up. We rode a mix of tight, twisty and occasionally bumpy lanes and some faster, smoother tarmac and neither revealed any unpleasant surprises in the stock configuration, the travel soaking up potholes and other road imperfections without feeling too wallowy when pressing on. That big front wheel – controlled by a standard-fit steering damper – demands a bit of muscle to tip into the turns but the DS900X doesn’t feel unwieldy and settles quickly. It’s not to be hurried but then you wouldn’t expect that of a bike of this type, and you can still cover ground at a decent lick if the mood takes you. Or just chill out and enjoy the view. Pirelli Scorpion tyres are another example of Voge wisely opting for big brand bits, though are more skewed to road than off-road use. If you have ambitions for the latter a set of more aggressive rubber should be all that’s required to unlock the DS900X’s apparent potential when the going gets rougher.

Beyond the astonishing asking price Voge’s position as a relatively unknown brand makes ongoing ownership costs harder to pin down than it would be for a bike from a rival with an established reputation. So, we’ll have to see how things like residuals and insurance play out. We didn’t get long enough on the bike to get a meaningful sense of things like fuel consumption but the power and weight mean it should be a little gentler on chains, brakes and tyres than burlier adventure bikes like that Africa Twin or a V-Strom 1050.

Consider this a holding score for now, on the basis the DS900X is new to the market, as is the brand itself. We’d take some confidence in the fact BMW wouldn’t have partnered with Voge parent company Loncin as an engine supplier if it didn’t have some faith in its engineering, and that relationship has only grown in recent years. But there’s no escaping you’re taking something of a punt compared with more established names in the market.

Given it’s trying to get a foothold in the market you might have expected Voge to offer a longer than average warranty as a selling point, much as Kia did when it was establishing itself in the car world. As it stands, though, it’s a regular two-year manufacturer guarantee. Meanwhile after some initial confusion on service intervals Voge's UK distributor has now confirmed these come round every 6,200 miles or annually after the initial 600-mile check, which should suit all but the hardest of commuters or expedition riders.

If the foundations of the DS900X are impressive enough the Voge’s real killer feature is its incredible range standard equipment. This includes the fully adjustable suspension, quickshifter, LED riding lights, centre stand, cruise control, blind spot warnings, four rider modes, 7.0-inch TFT screen, the heated grips, the heated seat, multi-position screen, hand guards, keyless start and more, a fairing mounted dashcam included. Then there’s the removable luggage, which seems like real high-quality stuff. The starting price already looks astonishing, but when you consider equivalent bikes from big-name brands charge extra for equivalent features and kit that cost advantage looks even more compelling. Indeed, speccing up a BMW F 900 GS with all this kit would leave you with a bike costing nearly twice as much, which is a sobering thought.

If value for money is a bigger influence on your buying decisions than brand and you’re willing to take a bit of a punt the decision to go for the Voge over a Transalp, V-Strom or similar seems to make itself, given you’ll be saving thousands on purchase price alone. We can’t yet vouch for what it’ll be like to live with but first impressions indicate Voge has done a good job of bolting those proven bits to foundations that stand comparison with any mainstream middleweight adventure bike, and if the reliability stands up the DS900X could serve as a real warning shot for what the Chinese motorcycle industry is now capable of.