China prepares to enter European sports market with Colove 400 RR

SPANISH publication SoyMotero has reported on the possible future arrival of Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Colove in the European sports and adventure markets. 

Colove, also known as Kove, is reportedly developing a new four-cylinder, 400cc sports bike called the 400RR, whose engine will rev to 16,000rpm, produce a peak power output of 74 horsepower at 13,500 rpm, and peak torque of 44Nm at 12,000rpm. Those figures, combined with the light-weight approach Colove are apparently taking with their design, should produce a top speed of around 220kph, or 136mph. 

Here at Visordown, we delved into the details of Colove 400cc, four-cylinder earlier this year. 

Compared to Kawasaki’s Ninja 400, which Cycle World reported produces around 43 horsepower with its twin-cylinder, 399cc engine, Colove's 400cc with double the cylinders is anticipated to almost double that output.

This 400 RR would follow on from Colove’s 321cc sports bike, called the 321RR, which features a twin-cylinder engine producing peak power of around 39 horsepower at 10,500rpm. 

Perhaps the most important difference between the 321RR and the 400RR is that Colove seem to be preparing to export the 400 to Europe, while the 321 followed Colove’s established model of internal sales only - so only in China.

SoyMotero also report that as well as the the 400cc sports bike, Colove will send to Europe an adventure bike with an 800cc engine, and potentially an “RR” version of that 800. SoyMotero suggest that this 800cc duo would go toe-to-toe in the European market with Aprilia’s 660 pair: the RS 660 and Tuono 660. Mat Oxley reported in Motor Sport Magazine last year that John Hopkins was planning to use the Aprilia RS 660 to establish with the Noale marque a pipeline of American talent ready for Grand Prix racing akin to that which KTM operate.

Lead image courtesy of SoyMotero; second text image courtesy of Cycle World.