The Voge 500DS Could Be The Perfect Alternative To The Honda CB500X

We already know that Loncin Motors has a dedicated 500cc range sold across Europe, including the 2021 Voge 500 AC, a retro roadster, and the Brivido 500R, a naked streetfighter. But there’s yet another motorcycle based on the same 500cc platform, and that’s the Voge 500DS. This sharp-looking adventure tourer packs a decent amount of kit and could undercut the Honda CB500X by a massive margin if it were ever launched in India via the CKD route. It’s currently priced at €5995, translating to nearly Rs 5.3 lakh.

It’s sharp, sleek, and looks particularly handsome for a Chinese-made motorcycle. You get full-LED lights, a Bluetooth-enabled full-colour TFT screen, an adjustable windscreen, and a USB charging port placed right under the display. Mounting points at the back mean you could easily slap a pair of panniers and set out. That said, we aren’t particularly fond of the engine crash guard that extends to protect the front fairing.

The engine seems to be the same 471cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine seen on the Honda CB500X. It's a slightly detuned version on the DS, though. The motor makes 46PS at 8500rpm and 42.5Nm at 7000rpm, 1.3PS and 0.5Nm less than the Honda. A 6-speed transmission transfers power to the rear wheel. More importantly, the bike could be detuned further to comply with A2 licence regulations in Europe.

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The 500DS has a 15mm longer wheelbase compared to the 500X, but it shouldn’t make much of a difference on the road. But it does have a lower seat height of 820mm (10mm less), which should be better suited for average-sized riders. 

The DS features 41mm KYB USD forks, a preload-adjustable monoshock, twin discs up front, and a single rear disc brake. Dual-channel ABS comes as standard, which is pretty much the norm these days. Its 17-inch 120-section front and 160-section rear tyres come shod with Pirelli Angel GT tyres. Overall, we must add that the 500X does have a slight edge in terms of hardware. Read about it here.

The Voge 500DS sure seems like an exciting proposition, especially against the CB500X. These China-made motorcycles do come cheap, but you can’t really discount Honda’s reliability quotient and extensive service network here in India.