Voge RR500S Officially Revealed

Back in December Chinese brand Loncin—one of the most well-established motorcycle brands in the country—filed approval paperwork for a new 475cc inline-four-powered sportbike from its Voge sub-brand. Now the RR500S has been officially revealed in China along with some strong specs in an increasingly competitive field for sub-500cc fours.

It was only a couple of years ago that Kawasaki revived the idea of a 400cc four-cylinder sportbike with the Ninja ZX-4RR, but China has latched onto the idea and we’ve seen a surprisingly rapid adoption of the class over there. New small inline-fours from China include the CFMoto 500SR Voom, QJMotor’s 421cc SRK450RR, 399cc SRK400RS, and 249cc SRK250RD, Kove’s 450RR, and the new ZXJC 500RR, all competing in a segment of the market that seemingly had vanished until a few years ago. Now we can add the Voge RR500S to the list.

Voge’s official info shows that its new 475cc inline-four puts out 76 hp at 12,500 rpm on its way to a 14,000 rpm redline, with max torque of 35 lb.-ft. at 11,000 rpm. While those numbers suggest, rightly, that the engine is a screamer, the company claims that 80% of the torque can be reached from 5000 rpm upward, giving it a bit more flexibility than the bare numbers suggest. Top speed is pegged at a claimed 136 mph, impressive for a sub-500cc machine.

Details of the motor that have been released so far include the use of finger followers to operate the 16 valves, a forged crankshaft, and DLC treatment for several of the engine components. The frame is steel, with a tubular front section, paired to a cast-aluminum swingarm and an upside-down fork set at 24 degrees of rake, giving a 54.5-inch wheelbase and a 50:50 weight distribution. The brakes are familiar Nissin four-piston calipers up front, and tech includes both ABS and traction control. A higher-spec version of the bike with cornering ABS and tire-pressure monitors is also expected, complete with a titanium exhaust. And the price? In China, the bikes are expected to cost the equivalent of $4000 to $4500, but should the model be exported, you can expect that figure to be substantially higher.

When it comes to quality, Voge already has a good footing. Its Loncin parent company has built engines and complete scooters for BMW in a partnership that dates back 20 years, and several of Voge’s bikes have already drawn upon that, most notably the DS900X adventure bike, which uses the same engine as BMW’s F 900 machines. And while the Voge brand isn’t yet sold in the US, it’s rapidly spreading around the globe with importers throughout Europe and Asia as well as Central and South America, where Voges are sold in countries including Costa Rica, Argentina, Chile, and the Dominican Republic.