2026-on Voge R625 review | Sub-£5k naked worth considering?
Voge R625 expert review
The R625 is a new low-price naked parallel-twin middleweight from Voge, the Chinese manufacturer and luxury subsidiary brand of the Loncin Motor group.
It’s an upgrade in engine size, chassis spec and performance over its predecessor, the R525 – which was itself an improved derivative of the Voge 500R, closely based on (or a copy of) Honda’s CB500, down to bore, stroke and frame design.
But whatever its original DNA, the new R625 is almost pure Voge, and features some surprisingly familiar, up-spec component brand names for the price.
Is the Voge R625 right for you?
Reasons to buy:
+ Under £5000 and with quality standard equipment from Pirelli, KYB, Nissin
+ Electronics including traction control, riding modes, turn-by-turn navigation and a USB-C charger
+ Light clutch feel and lively engine
Reasons to avoid:
– Inaccurate speedo makes it hard to confidently navigate at set road speeds
– Mixed level of finish quality, with some shortcomings obvious
– TFT display functionality is unintuitive
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Get ready to get riding
The Voge R625 sends out all the right signals to prospective buyers, if you look at the right bits; it’s got plenty of nice touches and quality details.
A large 7in TFT dash is bright and suitably high-tech (if a bit confusing), the sand-blasted bars and top yoke are painted with a high-flake silver, as used on BMW’s F-series.
Switchgear (backlit at night) feels durable and the general level of finish is good – whatever our preconceptions about bikes built in China, Voge are working hard to dispel them, at least at a visual level.
A USB-C port sits discretely under the left bar cluster; anyone who’s clapped eyes on Kawasaki’s USB accessory carbuncle will appreciate the difference – and it’s a nice touch at this price.
But there are areas that need work: pillion footpegs are bare aluminium and look straight off a 1990s Kawasaki ZXR, yet rider footpegs and foot levers are budget steel.
It’s a small point, outweighed by a carbon fibre end can cap, bronze engine cases, beefy bottom yoke and cast aluminium swingarm.
All good-looking stuff – throw in rudimentary traction control (overkeen to be activated) and Sport or Eco riding modes (which don’t seem to make a difference), and the Voge is spec’d to the eyeballs for its price.
Home ergonomics
The R625 also feels good to sit on – riding position is spacious and natural, canted forward for a hint of aggression with bars and pegs where you want them for maximum comfort and control.
The 785mm seat height is manageable for most, and the R625 is slim and agile in town where it’s happy to barge through traffic with ease – featherweight clutch action is very Honda-esque, and welcome.
But although the Voge isn’t heavy, it’s not the lightest bike in its class – a claimed 190kg dry weight stacks up to over 210kg with a full 16.5-litre tank. Which, at a measured 42mpg (it has to be measured, because there’s no average fuel trip), will last 150 miles.
Out on the road
The Voge’s 64bhp, 581cc, 270° parallel-twin is fit and lively on the road, punting through six gears cleanly with cheerful abandon. It’s not got the funky hilarity of the more powerful Yamaha MT-07, and feels, in outright performance, closer to Kawasaki’s 180° Z650 parallel twin.
But the Voge isn’t lacking in day-to-day poke, happy to sit at a cosy indicated 70mph and 4600rpm with plenty left for overtaking. And don’t worry about speeding if you do; an indicated 80mph is only 68mph in real speed – the Voge speedo overreads by 16.6% (which exceeds the limit allowed by EEC type approval on speedo accuracy).
If you’re in a 50 limit with 50 on your clocks, following traffic might wonder why you’re doing only 42mph. And when you come to sell your Voge with 10,000 miles on it, you might want to point out it’s only actually done 8430 miles.
Handle the shocks
The R625’s chassis lines up some big names, with non-adjustable 43mm KYB upside down forks and preload-only shock, Pirelli Angel GT tyres and twin Nissin axial calipers on 320mm petal discs with Bosch ABS.
And it mostly works well – high speed handling is balanced, ride quality and chassis control is beyond reproach at this price point, and there’s plenty of feedback and grip from the Pirellis.
The R625 doesn’t quite have the intimate control of Yamaha’s MT-07 – the brakes are noticeably slow to bite; push on and the Voge chassis starts to move around as forces pile up into the suspension’s damping circuits. But under most riding conditions, the R625 has solid and dependable ride dynamics.
Details spotlight
Dashed if I know
The 7in TFT is big and bright, but some functionality is wonky; there’s no mpg figure and resetting the trip is fiddly. But important info is clear; it’s even got ambient air temperature and Bluetooth turn-by-turn nav.
What’s in a name
KYB forks, Pirelli rubber and Nissin brakes are all signs Voge are making an effort to impress buyers. And, on the whole, it’s good stuff.
LED lighting
The Voge’s headlights, indicators are rear light are all LED; no bulbs. Also, check out the beefy bottom yoke gripping the 43mm usd forks – total overkill, but looks great.
MCN Verdict
‘Nearly but not quite’
The naked middleweight class is rammed with choice; anything from high-revving inline-fours and triples down to overgrown singles.
But at this price point, the Voge has a good go at presenting an engine and chassis that does everything a more established brand can do, and then adding gadgets and gizmos to woo potential buyers.
And it nearly works – the menus and switchgear are hard to navigate, some functionality isn’t quite right – but the overall effect is a budget bike that punches above its weight, albeit starting from low expectations. Yet, based on the riding experience, you’d be pushed to find much better for less.
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