This year, 2025, very quickly seems to be shaping up as the year in which Chinese built and branded bikes hit the big time – and you can’t say it hasn’t been coming. 

In just 20 years once widely derided Chinese machines have evolved from ultra-basic copies of obsolete Chinese 125s with few features, less quality and even smaller prices into full-blown, completely competitive 1000cc adventure bikes loaded with features and quality and yet still for very keen prices. In fact, all they often lack is brands and tank badges with the familiarity and reassurance that sometimes brings. 

The latest – and possibly greatest – of these, following hard on the heels of the all-new and immensely impressive Morbidelli T1002V we tested recently, is the DS625X, the latest from new Chinese brand Voge. 

Voge was launched in 2018 as the new premium export brand of massive Chinese manufacturer Loncin which currently produces 2million motorcycles per year in addition to 3million motorcycle engines, produced for the likes of BMW most notably for its F800/900 series. 

That in turn (with the expiry of BMW’s exclusive licence) led to Voge’s breakout DS900X model in 2024, which uses a version of the same engine but in a well-specced package costing £1000s less and has, perhaps unsurprisingly as a result, proved a huge Europe-wide hit. 

Now Voge is following that up with the DS625X, a more middleweight adventure bike intended as a successor to its DS525X. We attended the newcomer’s UK press launch organized by UK importers MotoGB in Nottinghamshire, before spending a whole day riding the bike through neighbouring Leicestershire and Rutland to see if the experience lived up to the promise… 

As mentioned, the DS625X is a new, updated successor to the Voge DS525X, although the latter is set to continue as a more affordable, A2-compliant alternative. 

As with its predecessor, the 625 is based around a parallel twin engine derived, like Voge’s 900, from a familiar, pre-existing engine from a different manufacturer. In the 900’s case that was BMW’s F800/900 series; in the 525/625 it’s the unit developed for Honda’s successful, A2-compliant CB500 family currently headed by the NX500 adventure bike. 

As such, compared to the 900, the 625 is a more lightweight, more middleweight adventure bike and also one at an even keener price. 

But although the frame is a fairly basic tubular steel cradle, there are few signs elsewhere that this is a budget bike. Suspension is quality, fully adjustable and by KYB; there’s a big 7in colour TFT dash; plenty of standard features including backlit switchgear, adjustable screen, crash bars, DRLs and centre stand and you can even get as extras heated grips, seat and even a full-3-box aluminium luggage set. 

The result is stylish, well-equipped, should appeal to both ‘newbies’ and experienced riders alike, is a genuine dual-purpose machine (although we didn’t really test it off-road) and comes with an almost irresistible price. 

The Voge DS625X comes as just one model which available in two different colourways (the satin finish sand/camo and a black variant) and is available now through importer MotoGB’s growing network of dealers. 

At launch the DS625X was priced at an astonishingly low £5999 (+£200 OTR costs). As already mentioned, the only additional optional accessories available at launch were heated grips and/or rider’s seat (for which prices were yet to be announced) and a full aluminium three-box luggage set which is currently available for very affordable £499. 

At the time of writing no PCP deal was yet available (although it is expected shortly). 

Even so, at £5999 (plus £200 OTR) the DS625X is incredibly cheap, not just compared to the more familiar European and Japanese rivals but even against Voge’s own DS900X and the recent Morbidelli T1002V, at £8999 and £7999 respectively. By comparison, the 625’s closest Japanese rivals are the aging Suzuki V-Strom 650 and equally aging Kawasaki Versys 650, both of which are around £2000 more. 

The DS625X’s engine is a 581cc parallel twin which is an update of the 494cc version in the existing DS525X (and yes, those capacities don’t tally with the bikes’ names so does make things slightly confusing). The 525, meanwhile, was launched in 2022 based on the long-established 471cc parallel twin used in Honda’s CB500R, CBR500R and CB500X/NX500.  

The capacity increase has been achieved by bore and stroke changes with the 625’s dimensions being a much more ‘oversquare’ 76 x 64mm compared to the Honda’s 67 x 66mm and also now featuring a 270-degree rather than 180-degree crank. 

That extra capacity is the main contributor to the Voge’s higher claimed peak power and torque (63hp and 57Nm respectively, compared to the Honda’s 47hp and 43Nm). The DS625X also features two switchable riding modes – E (for Economy) and S (for Sport) – which, thankfully, compared to the Morbidelli, are switchable on the move or ‘fly’, plus there’s also a fairly rudimentary cruise control system, although no quickshifter and it also should be pointed out that the new Voge’s recommended service intervals are only 3,600 miles, which is significantly less than most European and Japanese rivals. 

But as we start our test ride, departing MotoGB’s latest dealer, Bikers Nottingham, which has taken over Pidcock BMW’s old site, first impressions are all impressive. 

Although a smaller capacity, more middleweight adventure bike than the DS900X, the 625 is still fairly substantial. Its 835mm seat height is tall, but not intimidating and, once on board, the scalloped saddle and tank help make the bike feel slim and manageable, in a similar way to Yamaha’s successful Ténéré 700. 

On board, the rider’s eye view is of a substantial yet quality machine. Styling is smart and modern with premium finishes and the tank area is pleasingly unencumbered with gaudy badging. The reach to the bars is wide and roomy; switchgear is backlit on both sides and quality; both levers are span adjustable; there are both 12v and USB-C charging sockets each side of the smart and impressive big 7-inch TFT dash and, in front of all of that is a camera mounted in the fairing front and height adjustable screen (although it does have to be pointed out that it’s not as easily adjusted as some, requiring both hands and standstill to do so.) 

I start in ‘E’ mode and everything’s easy and familiar. The clutch is impressively light with lots of feel, the gearbox, even without the benefit of a quickshifter, snicks between gears without complaint, the bike’s weight is barely noticeable and sweetly balanced and the bike pulls away effortlessly for a short cruise through Nottingham’s outskirts before we hit more open roads. 

But by the time we hit Kegworth then head beyond I’m already noticing a few quirks both good… and less so. 

Although feeling physically like a quite substantial machine it doesn’t – quite – perform like one. Though boasting more power than its Honda engine donor over early miles it doesn’t particularly feel like it (that will come later), instead coming over as a little flat and flaccid. 

Its otherwise slick and stylish switchgear and dash isn’t perfect, either, giving away, perhaps, its slightly budget origins. Although on the whole fine, the dash is only slightly customizable, its just two riding modes seems a bit miserly and it also has the same indicator quirk we experienced on its Morbidelli ‘sister bike’ the month before: the flashers unusually don’t self-cancel and the warners on the dash are both a little small and dim so much so that you often don’t notice. Result? You often leave the indicators on to the annoyance of all around you. Oh well…  

The mirrors, though, are good, I’ve few complaints elsewhere (although I’ve yet to try adjusting the screen) and I find I’m constantly reminding myself that it costs just £5999 for what, for the most part, is an impressively able and even more premium-equipped machine. 

The roads open up, speeds increase and I shift, easily, into Sport mode. Power isn’t affected but the DS’s throttle response is immediately sharper and edgier. It’s also when I first work out the foibles of its seemingly slightly flaccid power delivery. Don’t get me wrong: it’s not bad and for the most part is more than adequate – it just feels a little flat up to 6000rpm or so. But if you keep it ‘pinned’, as I start to, from 7000 up to over eight it almost gains a second wind and is at this point – higher up the rev range than you originally expect – that where the whole corral of 64 horse live. Yes, it does require a more aggressive application of the throttle than most bikes of this type would welcome, and it doesn’t quite compensate for its slightly hum-drum midrange, but enough performance is there – if you look for it. 

Handling-wise things aren’t ‘quite’ as impressive as they might be, either. On paper, the DS625X has a truly premium chassis, certainly spec-wise. The 19/17 inch wheels are ‘posh’ cross-spoke, alloy rimmed wires allowing tubeless tyres, in this case the equally premium Metzeler Tourance. 

While suspension front and rear is by leading Japanese brand KYB (formerly Kayaba) and is fully-adjustable. At the front are beefy 41mm inverted forks with a linkage operated monoshock at the rear. Overall… they’re alright, but I somehow expected, given the specification, something better. 

There’s nothing majorly wrong: the ride is plush and comfortable enough at cruising speed (although after an hour my backside was calling for a break, mostly due to the over-hard saddle); it’s more than stable enough in a straight line and it tips into and tracks around corners reasonably willingly, too. But I also never felt it was as assured, predictable and as precise as I’d like, it seemed a little mushy and unpredictable and also felt like it would benefit from some fine-tuning from all those adjustment possibilities. Don ‘t get me wrong, it’s not bad and is actually really good considering the Voge’s price point. But it’s also not quite as refined, reassuring or as ‘sorted’ as it might have been. 

Braking is a similar story. Although the Voge DS626X is reasonably equipped with twin 298mm ‘wavy’ discs gripped by two-piston Nissin calipers supported by ABS which are up to the job, they also require a fairly hefty, prolonged squeeze and the lack the finesse and sheer power of some rivals. If fully loaded up with luggage and pillion, you’d undoubtedly notice it more. 

On the other hand, equipment is an area where, really, the Voge DS625X is beyond criticism – certainly considering its price. Its 7in TFT dash is bigger than a £20K BMW’s. It has smart, back-lit switchgear; an adjustable screen, cruise control, LEDs all round; DRLs; crash bars and sump guard; 12v and USB-C chargers; centre stand, ‘dash-cam style camera, the list goes on… Most of it’s decent quality, too, although just two riding modes, the two-hand adjustable screen, lack of quickshifter and irritating indicators annoy slightly – but only until you remind yourself of the £5999 price. 

Nor is that the end of it. For just £699 you can get as an optional extra full, three-box aluminium luggage set complete with removable velvet-alike liners, while further options include heated grips and a heated riders seat, although none of these were present on our test bikes and the price of the heated items wasn’t available at the time of writing. 

The ‘middleweight adventure bike’ category is arguably the most competitive, dynamic and interesting of all right now. After pioneering bikes such as Triumph’s Tiger 800 and BMW’s F800GS questioned the need for full-size, litre-class adventures over a decade ago, the category really took off after 2019 with the launch of Yamaha’s MT-07-derived Ténéré 700. That bike’s success, due to its combination of style, immense versatility and (originally) sub-£10K value prompted a wave of competitors now including Honda’s Transalp 750, Suzuki’s V-Strom 800, a whole family of KTMs and, most recently, a flood of Chinese offerings. 

The Voge DS625X is the latest of these and, in many ways, the most impressive and thought-provoking. By being ‘just’ a 625 (well, 581cc actually) it’s closer to bikes like Honda’s NX500 than the bigger 750s and 800s so is more novice-friendly, lighter, retains credible off-road potential and crucially is so cheap it’s available to a group of riders with a much tighter budget while still providing big bike spec’. In that sense, it’s a bit like Benelli’s TRK502 in being a smaller, more budget adventure with big bike appeal. In every other sense the Voge blows the Benelli away.  

• Unbelievable price
• Impressive spec
• Very versatile  

•  Some minor annoyances
• Slightly unrefined
• Short service intervals 

Just the other month we were dazzled by the value of another Chinese-sourced adventure bike – the £7999 Morbidelli T1002V (and that came after being similarly impressed by the £8999 Voge DS900X). But the new Voge DS625X, at just £5999, with big bike feel and spec yet credible performance and versatility takes the concept of Chinese value to a whole new level.  

Don’t get me wrong: the DS625X isn’t perfect. There are a few niggly ‘budget’ items – the non-cancelling indicators, just two modes, slightly awkward screen adjustment and short 3600-mile service intervals spring to mind. On top of that it’s also a touch unrefined in terms of handling and performance. The suspension would benefit from a little setting up (although thankfully you can); its power-delivery at first seems a little flaccid, is oddly rev-hungry and takes some getting used to. 

But, overall, these are minor quibbles. Taken as a whole, the DS625X is a helluva lot of bike for a confoundingly-cheap price that should make the rest of the industry sit up and take note. It’s also stylish, well built, rides more than adequately and is better equipped than many bikes at twice the price. 

We’ve long suspected the Chinese were on the cusp of ‘arriving’. With the DS625X they’re most definitely here. To stay. 

Thanks to MotoGB for having us on the UK launch, check the full specs and information on the MotoGB website! 

Pictures by Joe Dick.