The Voge 900 DSX marks a significant shift, purposeful intent to enter the European ‘bigbike’ market with motorcycles that have been designed, developed and durability tested to stand handlebar to handlebar with the trusted establishment, be they European or Japanese as genuine rivals rather than the low cost, no frills option.
The 900 DSX represents several years of development and research from its parent company Loncin (itself one of the largest motorcycle manufacturers in China producing some 2.5 million motorcycles and 3 million engines annually) and leans upon its long- standing reciprocal trade agreement with BMW motorcycles which dates all the way back to 2005.
At the heart of the 900 DSX is a 895cc 270 degree parallel twin engine which has been utilised across several BMW models over the years albeit now manufactured under the agreement in its own name and to its own specification producing a lower claimed 93.8 BHP at 8250rpm (F900 GS 105 bhp @ 8500rpm) but with a stronger claimed torque figure of 95nm at a lower 6000 rpm (F900 GS 93nm @ 6750rpm) which points towards a development path seeking more driveability than outright power.
With bespoke mapping and 4 rider modes including ‘Enduro’ which disables most of the systems to allow for the usual skids, wheelspin and wheelies should the need arise.
Following a tried and tested path of an underdog entering a new market the Vogue leans heavily on offering more for less with items such as adjustable KYB suspension, Fast ace steering damper, Brembo brakes with switchable dual channel Bosch ABS, Pirelli Scorpion trail tyres to list a few, however, this is where Vogue have pushed the boundaries further as the 900 DSX also brings new and innovative tech to market.
A clear focus has been placed on safety, not only through the usual reactive rider aid based systems such as ABS/traction and lift control but with the addition of several of the advanced proactive systems that have been seen within the car world during the last decade. Systems which give the rider as much upto date information as possible so as to help minimise the ever-present external dangers the modern day roads harbour. Tyre pressure monitoring, wing mirrors with blind spot warning radar and the item which stood out most for me during the days riding – the rear proximity alert warning system which alerts you via the dash of a too fast rearward approaching vehicle via the dash, but also alerts the vehicle behind that the closing speed is greater than they realise by flashing the rear lights and hazards quickly drawing the following persons focus.
This system really could save lives as there are a significant number of serious accidents each year where people collide at high closing speeds. The systems range is significant enough that there’s time for either the person following to react or if you’re riding the bike to try and get out of the way.
There’s also a 1080p HD front facing camera integrated within the front of the bike with a memory card accepting hard drive fitted under the seat which can continuously record each ride. As well as being useful to have should you be victim of a non-fault accident it also has the benefit of being able to easily record your off-road antics or hopefully not, your ill-advised track day experience. As well as the video there is also a ‘quick picture’ button on the handlebars which will produce an additional still image upon request.
If you’re worried about potentially creating your own prosecution material then the system can be disengaged by leaving the SD card slot empty. The system works in 5 minute recording segments which once the fitted SD card is full begins overwriting the card 5 minutes at a time, in a bid to keep all footage available as long as possible. A 7” full colour TFT dash, app-driven navigation/phone connectivity, cruise control, full LED lighting, with DRL spotlights which act as cornering lights with one side illuminating when indicators are used, keyless ignition, heated seat and handlebar grips, 12v sockets (USB/c) along with a full 3-piece hard luggage system, adjustable windscreen, hand guards, centre stand, engine protection and sump guard all fitted as standard with a price of £8,999 plus OTR represents exception value for money.
At a claimed 220kg (excluding boxes) the DSX is right in the ball park and despite offering 190mm of ground clearance manages a sensible 825mm seat height, which resulted in both feet being firmly on the ground which is something of a novelty for me from an adventure motorcycle and something I feel points to where the DXS looks to fit within the market.
A model which isn’t looking to directly compete with existing purchasers of large adventure bikes but those seeking to enter the motorcycle market buoyed on by the ‘conquer the world’ adventure lifestyle that was started all those years ago with the ‘Long way down’ gang. Be it as their first or first larger motorcycle or as a soft entry to those riders who are looking to see what all the adventure fuss is about. Someone who perhaps already owns another motorcycle and wants to add another to their life, wants all the latest toys with the added security of a 2 year parts and labour warranty without spending upwards of £16,000.
The low seat height is coupled with a wide and wonderfully comfortable seat which rises at an angle to form the pillion perch. The angled portion acts as a comfortable backstop which locks you into position. The handlebars placed me slightly canted forward with my arms slightly higher than my elbows which meant despite several hours of riding during the day, comfort was never an issue. The overall feeling was of being sat in rather than on the bike, cocooned within.
Testing the 900 DSX as it comes meant fully loaded with its 3 piece hard luggage system which I put to good use by loading with several kgs worth of items ranging from camera cases to bottled water. All of which made its presence known during low speed manoeuvring (turning in the road, backing out of parking spaces etc) and during the sudden strong sidewinds that we had on the launch which I can only compare to having a smaller passenger sat on the back at all times. Despite this the 900 DSX handled in a confidence inspiring way despite my best efforts at times to make it misbehave. The combination of its weight, wheelbase, geometry and steering damper meant that even with its rider aids disabled in ‘Enduro’ mode, the 900 DSX never overstepped from being playful to dangerous.
The Pirelli Scorpion tyres offered great feedback and grip, far more than I’d expected and resulted in ground clearance (centre stand) becoming the limiting factor. The inherent traction offered from a 270 degree twin and the Scorpions meant that not once did the bike lose traction, even with ham fisted throttle openings.
The 900 twin offers a good spread of torque, happier when revs are over 2000 rpm, with the sweet spot being between 3>7000 rpm the additional revs to the redline being handy for overrev into between corners or to use as a third brake as the engine braking strategy is strong.
For me, the majority of the more off-road leaning adventure bikes offer a more rugged riding experience than the newer all on-road based models. Their fuelling and power deliveries are more raw, gruff even. They pop, bang and snatch in places you wouldn’t expect in comparison to modern all road based models. They’re designed to meter out traction aiding power on varying surfaces at very low speeds, add compliant long travel suspension and the other subtle off-roading touches the end result is a completely involving riding experience. I would describe the difference as jumping from a sports car to a Dakar prepared SUV. It results in a completely different mindset and for me, riding style. I found myself actively seeking out poor surfaces, gravel, damp patches and trying all manner of bike control based tomfoolery.
With the 21” wheel up it takes a little extra effort to tip into a turn before being met with heaps of mid corner stability resulting in an secure, fluid type of riding utilising your full upper body to coax the bike from side to side. Navigating a particularly undulating and snake like narrow high banked road was excellent fun on the 900 DSX with the only close call coming from forgetting about the additional foot or so width the side boxes add, luckily I remembered just before passing the jutting stone wall.
The KYB fully adjustable suspension (194mm front & 198mm rear) is softly sprung and damped, which results in a comfortable and compliant ride suitable for the majority of users and uses the average 900 DSX will face. It allowed me to aim at pot holes for fun and to still be able to hustle along at speed however for the heavier rider, or those looking to tour two up or venture off-road some time making the relevant adjustments will be required.
Despite having a quick shifter/blipper fitted I found it generally best overall to shift traditionally, largely in part to the more agricultural feeling form the gearbox. In keeping with its adventure bike roots the long throw change and fuelling meant the gearbox rarely felt ‘off- load’ for the electronics to execute clean up or down shifts consistently or cleanly enough for me to use all the time. It also just felt more in keeping with the overall experience for the road riding we carried out during the launch, however it could well be that off-road the system makes more sense.
The Brembo brakes work as you’d expect, both front and rear offering plenty of feel and stopping power with a special mention to the rear which allowed controllable locking of the rear when in Enduro mode or activation of the ABS when in any of the other modes. The inherent stability and weight distribution of the package also meant that the front ABS was entirely absent from the days events, again despite my best efforts.
An engaging and despite sporting the latest technology, analogue riding experience is how I’d describe the 900 DSX. Just as bungee jumping allows you to experience total free fall but catches you just before it all gets messy so does the 900 DSX. At all other times it’s all down to you to explore your limits and have fun.
A successful product launch is only ever as good as the backup it has, and this is where Voge did their homework. Teaming up with the long standing MotoGB in 2023. MotoGB are a family owned business and one of the UK’s largest importers and distributors of motorcycles with over 40 years of experience, currently representing 10 manufacturers through the UK’s largest motorcycle and scooter dealer network (circa 300 dealers) as well as having their own 14 branch retail arm and some 270 members of staff. Instrumental with the launching and facilitation of the Royal Enfield relaunch several years ago they have taken the lessons that can be learned through rapid and exponential brand growth and applied these in advance of the 900 DSX launch with such things as plentiful demo bikes, technical knowledge and an already well stocked UK spare/servicing parts warehouse.
In conclusion with the 900 DSX, Voge have created a more affordable, genuine alternative to the establishment and should be on any prospective medium capacity adventure bike purchasers short list.
Demo bikes will be hitting the dealers shortly. For more information on the 900 DSX and
other Voge models or to locate your local dealer please visit www.vogemotorcycles.com
Thank you to Helmet City and Richa for kitting me out for the ride, race leathers not required! I will be doing a full review on the kit which will be out next month but in the mean time you can find them here:
Jacket: Richa Infinity 2 Adventure Textile Jacket
Trousers: Richa Infinity 2 Adventure Textile Trousers
Please remember my readers all benefit from a 15% discount across the whole of the Helmet City Website with code: HCDMR15
Want to work together? Please email me at info@FirstTurnMedia.co.uk
