Voge 300 Rally - BREAKDOWN - Too good to be true?
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- čas přidán 17. 09. 2023
- Having ridden the bike to the Alps and back for the Stella Alpina trip in July, plus Land's End to John o'Groats in August, I took the Voge 300 Rally on the Pilgrimage tour which was a group of riders sailing into Santander in Spain, through the Picos and Pyrenees to Andorra, up into France, then Switzerland before returning home through France. 2250 miles in 12 days.
Next year's tours will go live in the coming weeks at www.dorothysspeedshop.com
Sorry about the audio quality, I'd left the wireless mic at home at didn't have time to get it. Just recorded on the phone.
maybe don't sit so far away next time you need to record with the phone, for me as a non natve English speaker it is very hard to nderstand cause your voice mixes with the echo.. 😊
You are by far the most down to earth motorcycle reviewer on the internet today , and trust me its a compliment these days
And so rare.
Well done Nathan. You're a breadth of fresh air compared to the naysayers at MCN!
The MCN review of this bike couldn't be further from the findings of those of us who actually own one. Makes you wonder.
Mcn is a complete blag of paper in my books .
MCN are only interested in the big advertisers sports bikes. Easier to listen to TMF.
@@snox7320 Always has been.............
You are one the few giving sensible advice for the average bloke. Well done.
Nathan, what a fantastic idea!
If you are successful in setting up as a dealer, I think you couldn't ask, for a better person.
You've tested the bike, beyond any normal level, you've proved it's worth.
With your knowledge, experience and passion, I truely believe, you're onto a winner there mate!
Add to this, your knowledge of suitable equipment and clothing?!
What more could a customer with a (sensible) budget want?!
I believe, that more of us, are looking at smaller to middle weight bikes now, due to costs, weight, in my case, old age!
Riders are realising, you don't 'need' a GS or Super Adventure, you can do the same job on a smaller, cheaper, and above all, lighter bike!
I really do, hope you're successful in getting this buisness up and running, we, as bikers, and an industry, need more people like yourself, who live in the 'real world', not just the high finance, high profit, high risk world that most companies live in.
Best of luck, will be following closely, to see how you get on.
Grumps.
Thanks grumps
I reckon you running these bikes as your fleet and getting people out on Devon lanes would sell a fair few. But I have known a few enthusiasts who started selling a marque and getting burned. One a small European marque, one a big European marque. Same pattern. Be suspicious Nathan and talk to people in the trade.
Enjoyed watching that trip Nathan, and refreshing to see that like me and alot of other motorcyclists you highlight the insanity of how crazy the motorcycle world is getting, these cheap bikes are the future,big smiles and going back to the days when riding bikes were just fun..keep it up dude..👍
The Loncin-Voge motor is copy of the Kawasaki Klx250/300 engine which is very reliable, (I have one that did 120K before needing a major rebuild).
So no worries from a design point of view.
Good to know, thanks Gibbs. The motor is definitely it's strong point.
Great video, and a possible new direction for the Speedshop. Best of luck. The Picos/Pyrenees/Alps coverage has been great.
So glad you rate it so highly Nathan as I have just bought one! Great vids as always. Cheers.
What an amazing trip, thanks for sharing these amazing roads and views, all the best Mark
The voge did well 👍
Small issue. Sounds like a great little bike. I like it. The usual understated video, and understatement is rare nowadays. Nick J
Great to hear that you and the Voge 300 had an awesome time on this trip! But honestly I'm not surprised (it seems to be a great bike). Best regards from Brasilia, Brazil.
It has been a pleasure watching you demo the VOGE,so much so I am going to purchase one instead of the CRF300,I feel if I was to spend the price difference on upgrades it would make a fantastic all purpose bike, so thank you for making my choice much easier.
Great news that he`s running, a real success story. It does show that when people are shooting the bike down it is easy to assume it was a big problem. A great success story for the affordable little Voge!
If I was in the market for a new bike I think this is where my money would be going. Thanks Nathan, as always, for a sensible, real-world test of a decent and exciting-looking bike. Les
That was a brilliant series of videos. Well done.
Great video to come back to and watch as I'm contemplating a voge. Love the honesty and the fact I can trust you as you actually ride the bikes as they should be ridden, thanks
I’m so pleased to hear that! I’ve just come back from test riding a 300 Rally and I’m going to order one. It was even better to ride than I was expecting. I don’t think it will rack up 7000 miles quite as quickly as you’ve managed.
Sadly, I think a lot of people who’ve spent a lot on top brand large capacity bikes really can struggle with the idea that there is a bike out there that is performing anywhere as near as the one that they’ve spent double the cost on…. I’ve had so many comments over the years on cycles and climbing gears, cars where mine has performed just as good, but not perceived a good brand.
Thank you for your earthy straightforward speak and honestly that’s all we need .
Cheers John
So sorry to hear that ! Thank goodness you have many friends to help out.
Amazes me how incredible your moto adventures/stories are with Dorothy and how down to earth you are in your vids that you don't have more subs and views either way keep doing what you're doing 👍 As in this video I rode my not so popular bike on my dream adventure and even thou its not the latest and greatest I had a great time as well. Wishing you lots more CZcams success and more so great rides to come.
Maybe if he had blue eyes, blonde hair, and a nice pair of er, boots?
@@stevec-b6214 nice pair of boots 🤣🤣
No BS or bling = less subs and views, sadly.
You had me worried there. I'll remember to check my plug cap.
On the whole though seems like a very good bike judged by any criteria and made even better by the amazing value.
Hope to join in on a trip next year 🤞
That bike sounds like it will be in high demand in the future. Nice one Nathan.
Fantastic on going review Nathan, I'm sure Motogb will do all they can to keep you on board, that must of been the cheapest advertising any company could get and so positive. Well done
Awsome - it happens to all of us!! Best real reviews on the net - keep it going
Glad the bike didn't disappoint in the end! I've had issues with bikes before and it turned out to be the simplest thing. Now I tend to think, the easiest solution is generally the best.
Nath you are a brilliant breathe of fresh air for motorcycle reviews, a true champion of the affordable bike, im a big fan of getting a good deal, got 2 enfields and had a benelli the other year, all brilliant bikes, atb Chris
Brilliant trip and definitely put that bike through its paces.
Looks a damn good bike for the money 👍👍
Enjoyed watching the snippets Nathan..really hope to see some longer vids from the trip please? 🙏🏼…loving the smaller bikes. Went down from a 650 Versys to a g310gs and love it…way, way more fun to ride..plus, more manageable, cheaper to run, insure, tax etc…smaller cc is what it’s all about for me 👍
Great review of what is obviously a cracking little bike, definitely proves you don’t have to spend a fortune on a bike to have fun, something you have been doing for years 👍 all the best for your future plans
Got me worried then 😅hopefully picking mine up tomorrow from dealer or the weekend. Can't wait to get some miles on it.
Thanks for the videos Nathan, very enjoyable. I'm currently on my annual trip to Spain and it is by for the best country in Europe to ride in (imho) having done most of the other countries. I totally agree with you in this regard.
Great stuff mate. Completely agree. I’ve just bought an old 650 gs for just over a grand, and it’s brilliant fun
Excellent review as usual!👍
Appreciate your honesty about the bike - great advert. You’ve probably increased its saleability now.
Well that's made my mind up. Thanks for the review. Voge it is.
Absolutely great trip and video content. Hope you get a good arrangement with Voge and become a dealer. Think it would be a success.
Maybe plan a trip to Spain next year?
Corrosion, on a cheap bike, it's the same on the CRF300, exhaust looked like it's been in a swamp after a couple of rides, spokes starting to corrode at 6500 miles, and was the same on the T7 I had 🤦 I've stopped worrying about it, and just getting on and riding them. I've enjoyed your time with this one, and it's been an interesting "long term" (based on the miles you have covered) review, so thanks and keep the video's coming fella.
I wish you luck Nathan. If you are confident in the product then you will stand by it.
Good luck at the importers.
Good luck with getting the dealership and I agree with you about today's pricing!
I have said it before several times - I have never heard you talk anything but sense. The Voge has come out of this very well, like a boxer who get knocked down in the last round and gets back up.
Greatly enjoyed your content on the Voge, great to know you can get such a good bike for £4000
Hi Nathan,
good to hear your words of wisdom in these short videos. Not sure how long they are in production from thought, filming and editing but the format is great and informative.
Perhaps the Voge importer was brave to let you loose with the bike but you've torture tested it beyond what the average bike would do and its been a success. Like the logic in not having to buy the most expensive bike and the fanciest of kit to have an adventure.
Spain looks like a sensible place to go, you know you've gone foreign, got trails and adventure as good as anywhere, but if something went wrong it can be sorted easily.
Thanks roly. These short ones are mostly just spur of the moment single edit. I hate editing so try and say it in one go. Or else I'd never upload anything!
Yes, brave move from the importer lending one. To be honest they didn't know I was taking it on this trip. They were expecting it in for service then saw on Facebook that I was in Spain on it. Not overly professional on my part but I was keen to stretch it to see how it would perform.
Hey Nathan. It’s good to know that even the most experienced can be tripped up by something simple. I dropped mine and it would not start. I tried and tried for ages. Then suddenly realised that I had flipped the kill switch on the way down 🤣
Great to see your videos, especially about the Voge. I absolutely love mine. So agree with you about the overrated an overpriced adventure bikes. It’s goodbye Tiger 900 from me 👋
Glad it was just a plug cap, it certainly looks a nice bike
Best review on CZcams❤❤❤
You got me think about buying one!
Glad it was nowt serious. like u said don't need a expensive fancy bike to have fun Nathan 😊
Loved this trip/series Nathan and I have to say the Voge has surprised me. I think Honda have long corned that segment of the market so another competitor will be a good thing for sure. Same thing with the Kove 450 rally, also looks a bargain bike, although that I feel will be far too much bike for most, too heavy for what the average rider is doing on a weekend. Done a fair bit of racing over the last 2 years and at events like the Sweet Lamb Baja Rally the guys who seem to be having the most fun are the ones on the Himalayas, were as, all those with all the gear and no idea are just stressing over whether they spent enough money to enable themselves to compete. There are so many out there who' don't realise they'd have so much more fun riding a smaller bike but taking it to bigger and better places . I'm hoping to do a long trip with some friends down to Spain, thru Portugal and then back one way or another, and I can't help but feel in the back of my mind if I was on the Voge or the Kove I'd just have this little niggle in my mind about the 'what ifs'. Sure you can carry a few bits but obviously not everything, I'm gonna take either my CRF450L or T7 on that trip, and I know getting parts shouldn't be a problem if the worst should happen. So I guess that's what makes me wonder is the availability or what's the intercompatibilty of parts on the cheaper bikes - will you easily get fork seals or wheel bearings, brake pads etc. Time will tell on that I guess. Anyway, as ever I've waffled on too much. Thanks for this, I'm sure the Voge will soon have an enthusiastic bunch of followers, seems a good, cheap and reliable option. Regards, Mike
I've had a Voge Rally since July and loving it as cheap do it all trail bike. Myself and others have been using it to commute to sections of the TET and gradually complete the routes as and when we get time to go and play. It has been working brilliantly for that and I think a fairly good allrounder both on-road and off-road.
In terms of spare parts, MotoGB have been doing a great job so far and deliver orders from thier website within a couple of days. I have a little stock of spares (fork seals, bearings, cables etc) that were supplied by Motogb and broke the chain case the other day after a mishap with luggage and had a replacement arrive by post in a couple of days. Hopefully they can maintain a good stock and keep up the excellent service.
I've seen a few of your videos and am interested in doing a similar sort of riding on the Voge rally; enduro fun days, rally events etc. Need to do a bit of research to find events around Bristol / South West / South Wales. Looks fun!
Thanks for sharing Nathan, best of British luck with the new venture, just watched with my dad an we both agree about more expensive bikes, far to much tech, which leads to expensive service costs, an hekkin expensive parts costs when stuff goes wrong especially with the premium brands, speaking from recent experience.
I'm lucky that i can spanner on bikes myself which keeps the cost down to just parts.
Keep up the brilliant video's 👏
Great , honest review , wouldn't mind a voge to replace my himmy .
Glad it wasnt a major issue! I found a missing bolt on my Himmy exhaust after a 1000 miles so you never know, I check the bike every few hundred miles now. (Tighten bolts etc).
Interesting review, have been holding out for the himi 450, but this looks like a great alternative as lead times have been getting pushed back for ages
Yes keen to try the himi 450. With 40 bhp and a 21 inch front it could be the ktm390adv/crf300 rally infusion we've been waiting for.
Good honest review Nathan, Must admit if I get a problem on any motorcycle I always check/change spark plug and check leads etc. There again I am 67 years old and grew up with bikes that were no where as near reliable as they are now. Truthfully one of the most reliable bikes I ever owned and I have tried a few was a 1978 Triumph T140V Bonneville. air cooled on points, safe riding Nathan.
Yeah I never thought to check the plug lead but to be honest I was just keen to get it off the motorway and Steve was already on route so didn't really have a proper look until yesterday. Should have thought to check it tho!
The only time I broke down on my old GS was when a lead came off the battery and I found the problem more by luck than any fault finding skills. I laughed out loud when you told us the problem you had on the Rally.
I’m about your age but I don’t check my plug caps on my main bike or either of my cars. I might if I could see them but they’re hidden , out of sight, on all three.
Fantastic, Kove should be on to you next for positive reviews. Both bikes look amazing.
Haven't seen anyone do a big trip on the Kove yet, although it did get round the Dakar, albeit not Malle Moto. That may come with time.
Excuse me but I laughed until getting asphyxiated with aching ribs with the spark plug cap. Long time ago I had a similar "adventure" with a kill switch...I wish you the best for your projects.
Brilliant!.
You convinced me. I am goint to try a bike like this...
I have a 2000 Honda NX 650 Dominator, paid €2100 for it. Drove through the Balkins last year and from Sicily to poland this year. Buying a good old reliable machine still allows for a lot of "smiles per hour".
Great video, couldn't agree more about reasonable price bikes no less fun than a £15k bike.
Last year my mountain bike was stolen it was cheaper to replace it with a Triumph speed four. £800 plus £150 on brakes, oil and filters and Mot.
Not off road but a summers fun for not much money.
Hi Nathan. Glad you and everyone got back safe and sound. You omitted to say those 7000 miles without a service (unless I missed that part), so a very robust test of the Voge and its capabilities and reliability. Still hoping to get up to N. Devon at some point, and don’t forget the kettle’s always on if your riding past Looe! Cheers, Richard
Cheers mate. Yeah I changed the oil and filter at 4700 miles before leaving for Spain. A good old fashioned N. Devon tune up
Nice one. Thanks
Love your philosophy regarding cheaper/ smaller bikes.
Nice to see the brand getting some love. I had the Voge 500DSX and did 10,000 miles on it. Such a nice bike and good cheap fun. With the 300 I don't know who Voge/MotoGB have pee'd off but Ride and MCN are slamming this bike in their reviews... of course in the same copy the £27k Multi V4S Rally is award winning 😉😉😁😁
Great video Nathan. Agree biking has got daft with the amount of coin involved now. Used to be if you couldn't afford a car you got a bike.
That bike does look bloody amazing for the dosh. I think Honda are gonna have to either fix the crappy suspension on the 300L or just seriously lower the price to compete with Voge🤔I'm looking to maybe get a more capable TET bike to partner my 500x, maybe this bad boy is it😉love your vids Nathan👌
If you get a franchise and do little rideouts on them I would be happy to be your first customer. I was looking at one at a dealer when my Kawasaki was being serviced and I am very tempted. I don't really need a dual sport and was a poor off road rider on my last attempt 12 years ago. I got rid of my KTM EXC as it was a lot of upkeep, quite a bit of money tied up in a bike I didnt really use much. i have occasionally been tempted to give the greenlanes another bash but here in Kent it is all clay over chalk so muddy and slippery most of the year and dusty and slippery the rest. So byways, unpaved roads etc would be more my limit
Nice one for that. Seriously considering one of these
I've followed these voge 300 reviews with interest and they are excellent. I went the Himalayan route early this year (from an ST1300 Pan European would you believe) and did so in no small part because of your reviews.
Definitely not disappointed. I love the Himalayan but if I'd been looking now instead of 8 months ago i may well have gone the voge rally route instead.
The luggage/load carrying ability of the Himalayan was a big factor for me and i guess the voge will always be a lighter luggage option in comparison. Although you did Spain ok so how much do we really need?
Nathan can i say first that you're one of the most honest reviewers of bikes on the Internet.and I enjoy your videos immensely, well done.
So watching all the Voge 300 rally reviews one of the other you tubers said it only runs on E5, if thats so how did you get on in the remote parts of Spain/France and the Highlands of Scotland on your trips ?
Thanks Steve. Very kind. For the fuel I had no problems at all getting E5 in Europe. It was at every pump we stopped at. In Britain it is more problematic. I had to run it on E10 on the LEJOG trip and it does IMO impact the pick up off a closed throttle. Like a dirty carb feeling. Not terrible. But I find it noticeable.
Great viewing, honest and brave as usual to fess up to a minor fault that most wouldn't have mentioned. Still playing catchup with your Spanish capers but loving the content, friend, thank you for sharing. I'm rather smitten with the Voge from the outset but your 7.5k experience is icing on the 4 grand bun, mate. However, at 5 feet 4, most off-roaders of any kind are an utterly pointless exercise for me, as they usually need you to be a basketball player to have the remotest chance of getting any part of even 1 foot on the deck. What-say-you, fine sir on the Voge, for my 29" inside leg? Any point me even considering one, friend? Joking aside, I get why they are tall, it just irritates me that short-@rse folk have been around a while, as has trail riding. As me granny would say..........they can put a man on the moon but no-one can figure out how to build a trail bike I can sit on and touch the ground. ...........'erm, apart from the Himalayan........and the 500x.......oh and those fancy-pants new trailies that drop down as you stop(but they are lottery money)...........OK, forget my moaning! I really like this Voge, friend? Is it worth dragging my 29" inside legs down to a dealer, d'you reckon? Might even be a new, rather boyishy handsome new dealer in town, down south soon, from the sound of it! Cheers, chap, keep smilin'.
There is a Spanish company making a link to lower suspension. Similar to Kouba link for CRF.
@nathanthepostman, loving the look of the Voge, but with 29inch inside leg it looks flippin' tall for me. What is the rear suspension linkage like, do you thinsk there is a possibility to lower the suspension for us verticaly challanged riders? Cheers.
Great little bike I think 7000 miles speaks very well for the bike
It's usual Chinese cheap out on parts probably better with a branded plug cap and bearings .It's good your highlighting possible problems .
I'm very tempted by one. You did 7000 miles from new with a set of wheel bearings and an oil change. It seems very capable and would have a little bit more power than my 250L. Thanks for these amazing videos.
Thanks Malcolm. Yes the wheel bearings I changed at about 5000 miles. Interestingly the wobble still persisted afterwards and I finally found that the swingarm bolts needed a nip up as some of the play was coming from there, so I wonder if that's what prematurely finished off the wheel bearing. So something to check if you do get one. No problems since nipping up the swingarm mount
Hi Nathan, just curious , I'm assuming it didn't get any first 1000km service or check over 🙂.
@@damien9975it had the first service at 90 miles after it's usage at ABR festival then I oil changed it at about 4700 miles
@@nathanthepostman thanks for the reply
Hello good morning! Amazing ride! Can you please share the route?
Seems to have a commonality with the Enfields then where you sort of have to finish building the bike for them? As long as the internals are done properly I guess it's not the end of the world. Will be very interesting seeing what price the 450 Himalayan comes out at compared with this machine though.
In fairness I did take the spark plug cap off about 3000 miles back just fiddling around so could have been me not locating it properly
Hi Nathan, thank you for the information you give from your video's they are great!
You hage convinced me with the Voge!
I have a quick question, with regards ro the Voge, if you need replacement parts, where would you purchase these from?
This is whay has always worried me with Chinese Bikes.
Thanks again,
John
I like the fact you laughed about the lose plug Years ago by bike stopped and couldn’t get it started in central London. My local repair guy recovered the bike What do I owe you? A tenner for the recovery(1980)we tightened the battery terminal for free
Hi Nathan I bought a honda crf300l in March had it for 45 mins stole off petrol station has I was paying for fuel, key in my hand they rode it off. So now not sure what to buy but these are good value for money bikes.
Gutted for you on that Craig. That must have been almost unbelievable. See if you can get a test ride on one.
What an experience. But it shows that the engine (like the Kawasaki) rattles a bit more the the Honda CRF 300. I do like your honest opinion, so useful. Might displace my old Translap 600, because I want something lighter and more exciting. Maybe the Kobe 450 Rally, when we get it with Euro 5 on the continent. Günter/Nürnberg
Great review and Im happy that you are honest about Chinese bikes. It's time to respect them more! Our iPhones are also made is China, no one sees that as an issue from a quality perspective.
You should have a look at Benelli too mate, same importer. We sell both (I own a 502x) and we have very few problems with both brands 👍🏽👍🏽
Yes indeed, very keen to try the 702 x. Great price on it
Its been great watching the ‘dailys’ on that trip, as I’ve been looking to get the Voge or Himalayan for some small trips and RallyMoto events… I sat on the Voge in one of the dealers the other day, and the seat felt a bit boxy on the inner thigh! How’ve you found that seat on the trips, did it bed in?
It's a real conundrum between the Himalayan and voge 300. I like them both. The voge is a bit edgier/livelier. The Himalayan is still the go to relaxed travel bike. The seat on the voge was good, albeit I did start to get hip pain in the second week. I fitted a Cool Cover mesh cover which helps a lot on all the bikes I've used them on. But without one I'd have probably struggled.
Would definitely love to visit you and test the bike and buy one from yourself if you become a supplier
Absolutely agree, unfortunately sales of ‘adventure’ have pushed most adventure bikes way out of league for a lot of bikers. Small bike big adventure is exactly what people need to get back to their biker roots where bikes were a cheap form of transport. These Voge 300 rally’s really do prove you get a lot of bike for the money, the obvious comparison is with the Honda Crf 300 Rally but given how similar and capable both bikes are, the difference in price of over £2000 pays a long way to lots of mini adventures or a proper trip. When you then look at the price compared to a new GS, you could buy the voge and get most of the way RTW for the difference!
Hi Nathan. Love your philosophy on small bikes. I have test ridden a 300 rally and liked everything about it except the excessive vibration above 50mph. Does this get any better with more miles? Keep up the good work.
Mine is smooth as silk after 3000 miles. Upping the gearing helps a lot too.
Remember as a young un, I'm 55 now, disconnecting the side stand switch on a honda XL 125, as it would get wet and cut the engine
Mike on his tiger who was on this trip knows all about side stand switches. His fuses kept blowing and was finally traced back to sidestand switch
I love affordable, simple, reliable bikes.
Ive owned several 'big' brands like Bmw, Yamaha and Harley, ive had issues with all 3 in less distance than u did. Was I unlucky? maybe, but it does show that a brand like Voge is argueably at the same level as the top brands.
Your excellent advice goes down well here in Yorkshire. Can I ask ?.....did you change the oil on the Voge prior to this trip ? Impressive machine.
Thanks Andrews. Yes, oil and filter change before the Spanish trip. Not had a valve check yet.
Nathan do you ever go ot the corner house in Barnstaple on a saturday night?
Another great video….I hope you become a dealer….I will be over! Completely agree that bikes are way too complex, way to heavy and way, way too expensive!
Being a bit of a short arse 27 inseam could this be lowered to suit , the reduction in ground clearance is not an issue for me, I'm no Dave Thorpe.
Whip them corroded bolts out and replace with titanium, preferably, or stainless steel.job done🤣..no more corrosion. Brill reviews on this machine and im considering replacing my Ducati Scrambler with one of these thanks to your appraisals and fantastic trips! Respect!!
Hi Nathan would you still have a similar bike if you did little or no off roading , thinking of downsizing to maybe a triumph 400 scrambler next year
Great question Alan. For a trip with no trails I'd probably say something else would be more suitable; 310 GS or 390 KTM in this class, or the Morini I have. But to say the Voge is a trail bike it copes with the road pretty good. I think that Triumph could prove to be a great option. Price is still a bit part of its appeal. I'd say by the fact they're delaying announcing the price that it's not as favourable as most people are hoping for. Nigh on £7k is my bet.
HAHAHA That's awesome 🤣 I must admit my heart was in my mouth there for a minute but I knew she wouldn't let you down 😮💨🤣 I think it is a bit of a Unicorn. If they let you keep one, you need to change the gearing one end or the other as I think it will impress you even more.
Yeah I've got a 45 rear to go on but I didn't want to cut the chain before setting off to Spain so just went with stock. But keen to see how it rides with taller gearing
I once looked at a BMW GS but dismissed it due the corrosion on a 5500 mile bike.
Nathan - have you ever thought about selling your gpx files from your trips? I bet they’d be a lot of interest
Glad the tyres held up - mind you those tubes need chucking …