Kove 450R Rally Full Maintenance Schedule
This is the complete maintenance schedule and service information for the Kove 450R Rally, extracted from the owner’s manual. The 450R Rally is also known as the 450Rally, or the FSE 450R Rally.
The Kove 450R Rally is a middleweight enduro motorcycle from emerging Chinese manufacturer Kove. It’s based on a 449 cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine with four valves. The engine makes an impressive 38 kW / 52 hp at 9500 rpm.
As a lightweight enduro motorcycle, the Kove 450R Rally’s competition is mainly the Honda CRF450L, another highly-strung enduro.
Final drive is via a six-speed box and chain.
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Kove 450R Rally Service Intervals
The Kove 450R Rally, being a bike intended for racing, has very intense 2000 km (1200 mile) or 3 month service intervals. In fact, Kove wants you to change the oil even more regularly for the first few services.
The valve service is due every interval — every 2000 km or every 30 hours.
Kove also recommends regularly changing the shock absorber oil.
Aside from that, regularly change the coolant and brake fluid, and also attend to the chain.
While Kove doesn’t specify it, intense use of the Kove 450R Rally for racing is going to imply regular rebuilds.
Maintenance Schedule for the Kove 450R Rally
The below information came from the manual for the Kove 450R Rally. It’s the same maintenance schedule for different spec levels of the bike.
The maintenance information in the manual has typos and odd language (e.g. to “adjust the free itinerary” of the clutch, to check the “drape” of the drive chain, or to check the “headlight dimming” where “angle” would be more intuitive), and presents items in an unusual order. We’ve reproduced it below in a more easy-to-read structure.
You can check it against the screenshots in the reference section at the end if you’re unsure.
Pre-ride / Regular inspection
Below is a list of pre-ride checks to do on the Kove 450R Rally. Do these before rides or at least regularly.
| Item | Check |
|---|---|
| Fuel level | Sufficient fuel level for trip |
| Oil level | Check level. If necessary, add engine oil and check for leaks |
| Drive chain | Check condition, slack, and lubrication status (see section below) |
| Cooling System | Check coolant level and that radiator operation is normal |
| Brake system | Check function, fluid levels, and pad wear |
| Throttle | Check for free play and smooth operation |
| Clutch | Check function and free play |
| Handlebar | Smooth and firm rotation, no clearance issues |
| Wheels and tires | Check condition and tire pressure, and adjust as necessary |
| Lighting, horns | Check whether lights and horns perform well |
| Instruments | Check for normal display |
Scheduled service
Below is the full maintenance schedule for the Kove 450R Rally.
The below recommended service assumes “normal” mixed use of the 450R Rally on-road and off-road. You should adjust the maintenance if you’re using it for racing or off-road rallies.
Notes
- Keep following it in the pattern shown. Most minor items are every 2,000 km or 1,200 miles, or 3 months
- Follow the earlier of time-based or distance-based intervals.
| mi x 1000 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 3.0 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | |
| Months | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 | Notes |
| Engine oil — Change | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Change every 300 mi / 500 km for first few changes |
| Oil filter — Change | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Change with oil change |
| Air filter — Change | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | Change every 1000 km or 1 month; more often for destination or desert rides |
| Spark plugs — Check. Replace as needed (NGK CR8E) Target gap: 0.7-0.8 mm | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Valve clearances — Check / Adjust | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Or every 30 hours Intake valve: 0.10 mm Exhaust valve: 0.15 mm |
| Throttle system operation — Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Timing chain tension — Adjust | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Drive chain — Inspect / Lube | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Brake pad wear — Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fasteners — Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Steering bearings — Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fuel system — Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Oil circuits — Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Fuel injection system — Inspect | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Battery — Check voltage / capacity | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Check every month | ||
| Headlight dimming | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Brake fluid — Change | Every 2 years, more often if racing | |||||
| Coolant — Change | Every 30,000 km or 2 years |
Wheel Sizes and Tire specs
The Kove 450R Rally runs 21/18 tube-type tires with spokes. You need to regularly check the condition of the spokes, and also carry a repair kit.
The 450R Rally has a sponge inner tube (otherwise known as a “foam tube” or “mousse tube”) that doesn’t need to be inflated or patched in case of a puncture.
However, repeated punctures, high-intensity riding, or simply using it to its indicated service life will mean you have to replace the tubes.
The manual doesn’t suggest tire pressures, but the below is a common guideline for bikes of this class as a starting point.
| Wheel | Tire size | Tire pressure (cold) |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 90/90-21M/C 54R | 29 psi / 2.0 bar |
| Rear | 140/80-18M/C 70R | 29-32 psi / 2.0-2.2 bar |
Chain maintenance
Below is guidance for maintaining the chain of the Kove 450R Rally. Given that it’s an enduro/rally motorcycle, the chain needs frequent attention, especially if riding in untoward conditions.
To check the chain slack on the Kove 450R Rally, put the motorcycle in neutral, onto its kickstand, and on a level surface, with nothing in the luggage (if any luggage is fitted).
The upper part of the chain must be under tension to make the check.
Check the slack on the lower part of the chain, midway between the sprockets, and check it in multiple places (move the motorcycle forwards and backwards) as chains wear unevenly.
Slack on the Kove 450R Rally is defined as the free vertical movement of the chain.
Target chain slack for the Kove 450R Rally: 35 – 50 mm (1.4 – 2.0 in)
If the chain slack is out of spec, you need to adjust it. If the slack is over 50 mm, don’t ride the motorcycle.
Adjusting chain slack
To adjust the chain slack on the 450R Rally, follow the steps below. As with measuring chain slack, make sure that the motorcycle is on a level surface on its kickstand, in neutral, with no weight on it (no saddlebags/luggage).
- Loosen the rear axle (with a breaker bar) and the adjuster lock nuts on either side of the axle.
- Turn the adjuster nuts to tighten (or loosen) the chain. Keep checking the chain tension to see if it has come within spec.
- Keep an eye on the adjuster alignment marks on either side of the axle. Make sure that the adjustment is to the same point.
- When you’re done, tighten the axle to 128 Nm / 94 lb-ft (this is mentioned in the maintenance torque section of the manual
- Re-check the chain slack again to make sure it’s still within spec.
Maintenance Torque Specs
Below are some commonly needed maintenance torque specs for the Kove 450 Rally. The manual has a longer list.
| Item | Nm | lb-ft |
|---|---|---|
| Front sprocket | 88 | 65 |
| Front wheel axle nut | 88 | 65 |
| Front wheel brake caliper bolts | 32 | 21 |
| Rear wheel axle nut | 128 | 94 |
| Muffler connection bolts | 22 | 16 |
| Fuel tank connecting bolts — Front | 22 | 16 |
| Rear fuel tank mounting bolts | 30 | 22 |
About the Kove 450R Rally
Kove Moto is a relatively new company from China, but already with an impressive lineup of interesting motorcycles.
While many traditional motorcyclists take a pass on Chinese motorcycles for various reasons (spanning quality, politics, or servicing options), some people are seduced by the price and steadily increasing quality of what’s coming out of some brands in China, Love Moto is an example of one of these brands whose quality eclipses many stereotypes.
The 450R Rally is a full-fledged rally-ready motorcycle that’s road legal. It’s the holy grail for many motorcyclists who want to hit the deserts!
Yes, it’s possible to build your own rally motorcycle out of other dirt bikes, dual sports, or MX bikes, but the 450 Rally is the whole package — and cheap, too.
In the realm where lightness is everything, the Kove 450R Rally hits a sweet spot of weight, features, and price (which varies, but suffice it to say that it’s cheap).
The core of the Kove 450R Rally is the 449 cc single-cylinder four-valve engine with liquid cooling and dual overhead cams. With a relatively high compression ratio, it makes peak power of 38 kW / 51 hp at 9500 rpm, though a lot of the power comes high up in the rev range.
The engine is unremarkable in its feel — it’s like any other single-cylinder engine of its class. But it does the job!
The light weight of 145 kg / 320 lb (in running order) is including everything needed for full-fledged rally raids. There’s a windscreen, engine protection, and covers over the side. The 450R Rally is ready to go!
The suspension is fully adjustable at the front and rear.
Early reviews of the Kove 450R Rally are very positive. It’s a very capable bike — able to deal with everything from deep sand to the road. But bear in mind that the motor does tend to like to be revved, and can bog down in low-rpm runs… which a gearing change should help with.
Highway runs are also fine, provided you aren’t continually doing over 70 mph / 120 km/h, at which point it’s not the ideal steed for long distances.
Handling is also reportedly excellent. The center of gravity of the Kove 450R Rally is quite low, helping with low-speed manoeuvering even when the tank is full.
Reference — Screenshots from the Kove 450R Rally Manual
The above info came from the manual for the Kove 450 Rally, though as mentioned above, we re-structured the contents for easier parsing.
You can get manuals for Kove motorcycles directly from their website.
