CFMoto 800MT-X vs Kove 800X Rally vs Yamaha Ténéré 700: The 21-Inch Twins Compared
If you want a middleweight twin with a 21-inch front wheel, the Yamaha Ténéré 700 is still the bike everyone measures against. Since 2025 two Chinese bikes have been pointed straight at it: CFMoto’s 800MT-X and Kove’s 800X Rally. Both use 799 cc twins with KTM roots. Both claim around 20 hp more than the Yamaha. Both undercut it in the UK.
The real question is whether more power, travel and fuel are worth giving up the T7’s long record, a dealer in most towns and the deepest parts list in the class. We have not ridden these bikes for this article. What reviewers, long-term testers and owners found is credited in the text and linked at the end. Prices are as listed in October 2026.
Quick answer
- Pick the Ténéré 700 if you ride far from big towns and want dealers, parts and a long record. On a 2025 bike, check the recall has been done and that your parts are listed for 2025.
- Pick the 800MT-X if you want the most touring kit and range for the money: a 22.5 L tank, cruise control and cornering ABS for £7,999 in the UK. A US launch is not confirmed.
- Pick the 800X Rally if off-road travel and low weight come first and you ride alone: 270/250 mm of travel and about 180 kg wet, but an 890 mm seat and no passenger pegs.
Head-to-head · MotoWild data
- The CFMoto 800MT-X (2025+) has the lowest seat, about 2 cm (0.8 in) lower than the Kove 800X Rally.
- Ready to ride, the Kove 800X Rally is the lightest here, roughly 40 kg (88 lb) less than the CFMoto 800MT-X (2025+). Makers weigh differently, so treat small gaps as a draw.
- The CFMoto 800MT-X (2025+) carries the most fuel (22.5 L).
Seat height (standard)
A range means sources disagree. Lower is easier at a stop, but weight and seat width matter too.
Weight, ready to ride
Figures as published, with their basis. Wet, kerb and full-tank weights are close but not identical, so a few kilos either way is a draw.
Fuel tank
| Spec | CFMoto 800MT-X (2025+) | Kove 800X Rally | Yamaha Ténéré 700 (2025+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 799 cc parallel twin | 799 cc parallel twin | 689–690 cc parallel twin |
| Power (claimed) | About 90–94 hp (sources differ) | 95 hp at 9,000 rpm | About 72–73 hp |
| Weight | 220 kg kerb (claimed) | 176 kg (claimed by Kove UK); Cycle News lists 397 lb (about 180 kg) wet | 208 kg wet (claimed) |
| Seat height | 870 mm (830 mm Low Seat version) | 890 mm | 875 mm (low version 860 mm) |
| Fuel tank | 22.5 L | 20 L (one source lists 19 L) | 16 L |
| Wheels | 21 / 18 in spoked, tubeless | 21 / 18 in spoked, tube-type | 21 / 18 in spoked |
| Suspension travel | 230 mm front and rear, fully adjustable (190 mm on the Low Seat version) | 270 mm front, 250 mm rear | 210 mm front, 200 mm rear, fully adjustable (standard model) |
| US price | Not confirmed for the US in our sources (UK £7,999) | $12,999 (2026 MSRP); $11,999 at the 2025 US launch | $10,999 plus destination |
| Tyres | 90/90-21 / 150/70-18 Spoked 21/18 on tubeless rims. CST Ambro A4 as original equipment. | 90/90-21 / 140/80-18 Spoked 21/18, tube-type: CST off-road tyres with inner tubes, per a UK Kove dealer. Sizes per Kove UK. | 90/90-21 54V / 150/70R18 70V Spoked 21/18, tube-type (TT) per Michelin's listing |
Versions and model years
- CFMoto 800MT-X: The 800MT-X is a different bike from the 19-inch 800MT Sport, Touring and Explore: different frame, 21/18-inch wheels and 230 mm of travel.
- Kove 800X: The 800X Rally is not just a Pro with stickers: it has longer-travel suspension, a taller seat and its own rear tyre size. The 2026 800X GT has 19/17-inch wheels. Check the version as well as the year.
- Yamaha Ténéré 700: The 2025 Ténéré 700 changed the tank, seat, bodywork and the frame at the rack mounts. Check the model year when you compare specs.
Figures: bennetts.co.uk · motorcyclenews.com · 1000ps.com · 1000ps.de · bikereview.com.au · koveuk.com · cyclenews.com · motorcycle.com · ultimatemotorcycling.com · ruggedroads.co.uk · motorcycle.com · motorcycles.news · cyclenews.com.
Weight, on the same basis
Every maker measures weight differently. The closest like-for-like figures are “wet” or “kerb”: ready to ride, with fuel.
- Kove 800X Rally: about 180 kg. Cycle News lists 397 lb wet and RideApart 394 lb. Kove UK’s 176 kg claim does not say what it includes.
- Ténéré 700 (2025): 208 kg wet, as claimed by Yamaha.
- 800MT-X: 220 kg kerb, as claimed by CFMoto. Autotrader NZ gives the same 220 kg, split 106 kg front and 114 kg rear.
On those numbers the X is about 12 kg heavier than the T7, and the Rally about 28 kg lighter. Between the CFMoto and the Kove the gap is roughly 40 kg. You notice that most when the bike is on its side in a rut and nobody is there to help. Nobody has weighed all three on the same scales, so treat these as a guide. For reference, MCN weighed the 800X Pro at 196 kg with its tank full.
If you are shorter
None of these is a low bike. The standard T7 is 875 mm and the X is 870 mm. The Rally is 890 mm, which is 1.5 cm taller than the T7, and we found no low version of it.
There are ways down. Yamaha sells a T7 low version at 860 mm. CFMoto sells an 800MT-X Low Seat at 830 mm in some markets. That is 4.5 cm under a standard T7, but travel drops from 230 mm to 190 mm. Picture a loaded bike on a sloping fuel-station forecourt: the Rally keeps you on tiptoe longest. The 800X Pro is 875 mm, or 865 mm on its low setting. See Ténéré 700 lowering.
Off the tarmac: travel and tyres
The Rally has by far the most suspension travel: 270 mm at the front and 250 mm at the rear, with 293 mm of ground clearance, according to Kove UK. The X has 230 mm at each end and the T7 210/200 mm.
Tyres matter as much as travel when you are a long way from help. The X runs tubeless rims, so you can plug a puncture at the roadside. The T7 is tube-type according to Michelin’s listing. A UK Kove dealer says the Rally comes on CST off-road tyres with inner tubes. On either of those, carry levers and a spare tube. BRM’s verdict on the X was that the throttle mapping and stock CST tyres “could be better”.
1000PS’s 2026 test found the X settled over ruts, pitching only slightly over bumps at speed. Motorrad Online saw the engine warning light come on after water crossings on some launch bikes; no cause was given. Ask the dealer whether this has been fixed.
Loaded for a trip: tank, range and two-up
The X carries 22.5 L, the Rally 20 L (one source says 19 L) and the 2025 T7 16 L. Claimed consumption is close across all three. A 1000PS listing gives 4.6 L/100 km for the X and 4.3 L/100 km for the T7, and Motorrad & Reisen lists Kove’s figure for the 800X as 4.7 L/100 km.
Real riding uses more fuel than lab figures. Finnish magazine Moottori ran the X as an everyday bike and said its real range is over 400 km. We found no like-for-like tested figure for the Rally or the 2025 T7, so we will not guess at their range. The T7’s tank is 6.5 L smaller than the X’s. On long, empty roads that decides whether you can skip a fuel stop.
If you carry a passenger, the choice gets simpler. Ultimate Motorcycling notes that the Rally has no passenger pegs. The X and the T7 both take a pillion, and Yamaha reinforced the 2025 T7’s frame at the rack mounts and backstay.
Electronics: simple to fully loaded
Ténéré 700 (2025): the first T7 with ride-by-wire. It has Sport and Explore throttle maps, switchable traction control, ABS modes and a new TFT dash (1000PS says 6.3 inches, Bennetts 6.5). 1000PS points out that Yamaha still does not fit cruise control.
800MT-X: the most equipped of the three. Bikesales’ launch review lists cruise control, a two-way quickshifter, tyre-pressure monitoring, three ride modes, a 7-inch TFT and a Bosch six-axis IMU for cornering ABS and traction control. Motorrad Online felt a slight stutter at full throttle from low revs, below about 3,000 rpm.
800X Rally: the least clear. The pre-production Rally that Cycle News tested had a display that did not work and ABS switching that did not function. For 2026, Motofichas reports that the 800X Pro gained an electronic throttle, cruise control and a two-way quickshifter. We found no source confirming the same changes on the Rally. Check the specification of the exact bike you are offered.
Price by market
| Market | 800MT-X | 800X Rally | Ténéré 700 (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | £7,999 | £9,499 (Kove UK); Bennetts quoted a provisional £8,698 plus OTR | £10,404 (MCN listing) |
| US | Not confirmed: we found no US launch or price | $12,999 (2026); $11,999 at the 2025 launch | $10,999 plus destination |
| Australia | A$14,990 ride-away (introductory) | Not in our sources | Not in our sources |
In the UK the X is the cheapest by more than £2,000. In the US the T7 is the cheapest you can actually buy. CFMoto’s 21-inch twin heading to US dealers is the larger Ibex 950 (1000MT-X), listed by RideApart at $12,499.
Model-year and version traps
The Kove Pro vs Rally trap. The Rally is not a Pro with stickers. It has its own rear tyre size (140/80-18 against the Pro’s 150/70-18), longer-travel suspension and a taller seat, so check which version a spec, review or accessory refers to. The 2026 800X GT is a different bike again, on 19/17 wheels.
The Ténéré 2025 trap. For 2025 Yamaha changed the tank, seat, bodywork and rack mounting points, and fitted ride-by-wire. Specs and parts for 2019–2024 bikes often do not carry over, so check the model year.
Check the recall too. In June 2026 RideApart reported a “Do Not Ride” recall from Yamaha USA covering every 2025 Ténéré 700 sold in the US, about 4,173 bikes, over a possible turn-signal fault. Give your VIN to a dealer before you buy a used one.
Owning one: what owners and long-term testers report
Ténéré 700. The deepest record by far. An Upshift contributor wrote up 52,000 miles on his T7 with no mechanical failures, though he lost count of the drops. That is one owner, and he kept up the servicing. Rider Magazine’s long-term test found servicing routine and simple. UK MOT records collated by Motodealers show a 92% pass rate across 1,092 tests. The 2025 recall above is the one current blemish.
Kove 800X. MCN’s long-term test is the best evidence so far: 8,000 miles across a Pro and then a Rally. The Rally’s rear shock failed and left fluid under the bike, and the fuelling needed work. MCN said the jury was out on buying one with its own money. Farmers Weekly (South Africa) summarised owner feedback on the Pro as minor electrical niggles, battery issues and early fastener wear. Kove UK’s warranty is 18 months with unlimited mileage, shorter than Yamaha’s. Motorrad Online’s 2025 test called the thin dealer network a reason for caution. In the US, Kove is imported by USA Motortoys.
800MT-X. We found no long-term owner reports yet, so we cannot tell you how it ages. The closest is 1000PS’s week-long everyday test by a Husqvarna Norden owner, who felt the X was closer to the European brands than its price suggests. CFMoto told Bikesales it redesigned the top end and lubrication for the X; owners have yet to prove that. In the UK, CFMoto bikes moved from KTM’s distribution to Quadzilla, according to Visordown. One dealer, Orwell, reported a good supply of bikes and parts in January 2026. Visordown reports a four-year warranty on CFMoto’s 2026 800MT-ES. Check what applies to the X in your country.
Who should buy which
| You are… | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Riding remote routes, far from any dealer | Ténéré 700 |
| Covering long tarmac days to reach the trails | 800MT-X (cruise control, 22.5 L) |
| Mostly riding hard off-road, solo | 800X Rally |
| Riding two-up | 800MT-X or Ténéré 700; not the Rally |
| Shorter rider who wants a 21-inch front | 800MT-X Low Seat (830 mm) or T7 low version (860 mm) |
| Planning Givi hard cases on a Kove | 800X Pro, not the Rally |
| Buying in the US | Ténéré 700 or 800X Rally; the 800MT-X is not confirmed there |
Want the two-bike versions? Read 800MT vs Ténéré 700 and Kove 800X vs Ténéré 700. If the 800 feels like too much bike, see CFMoto 450MT vs 800MT, or line them up in compare bikes.
Frequently asked questions
Which is lightest: the 800MT-X, the Kove 800X Rally or the Ténéré 700?
The Kove 800X Rally, at about 180 kg wet according to Cycle News. Yamaha claims 208 kg wet for the 2025 Ténéré 700, and CFMoto claims 220 kg kerb for the 800MT-X.
Is the CFMoto 800MT-X sold in the US?
We found no US launch or price for the 800MT-X as of October 2026. CFMoto’s US adventure range includes the 19-inch Ibex 800 models and, from late 2026, the larger Ibex 950.
Do Kove 800X Pro luggage racks fit the Rally?
Not all of them. Givi lists its holder and rack for the Pro only, and Outback Motortek says its pannier racks are not compatible with the Rally. Check that the Rally is named before you order.
Which has the longest range?
The 800MT-X has the biggest tank at 22.5 L, and a Finnish everyday test reported a real range of over 400 km. The Rally holds 20 L and the 2025 Ténéré 700 holds 16 L.
Does the 2025 Ténéré 700 have cruise control?
No. It gained ride-by-wire, two throttle maps and switchable traction control, but 1000PS notes that cruise control is still not fitted. The 800MT-X has it as standard.
Sources
- MCN, CFMoto 800MT-X reveal (UK price, standard equipment): motorcyclenews.com
- Bennetts BikeSocial, CFMoto 800MT-X review (weight, seat, tank, travel): bennetts.co.uk
- Bikesales, CFMoto 800MT-X launch review (electronics, Australian price, engine changes): bikesales.com.au
- BRM, CFMoto 800MT-X review (throttle mapping, tyres): brm.co.nz
- Autotrader NZ, 2025 CFMoto 800MT-X review (weight split, tyres): autotrader.co.nz
- Bike Review, 800MT-X LS low-seat variant: bikereview.com.au
- 1000PS, CFMoto 800MT-X 2026 specs (claimed consumption): 1000ps.com
- 1000PS, 800MT-X everyday test by a Husqvarna Norden owner: 1000ps.de
- 1000PS, CFMoto 800 MT-X 2026 test (gravel behaviour): 1000ps.de
- Motorrad Online, CFMoto 800 MT-X first ride (low-rev stutter, warning light after water crossings): motorradonline.de
- Moottori, CFMoto 800 MT-X everyday test (real range): moottori.fi
- RideApart, CFMoto Ibex 950 coming to the US (US price): rideapart.com
- Visordown, CFMoto UK motorcycle distributor named (Quadzilla): visordown.com
- Visordown, CFMoto 800MT-ES UK launch (four-year warranty): visordown.com
- Orwell Motorcycles, CFMoto franchise update (parts supply, January 2026): orwell.co.uk
- Kove UK, 800X Rally specifications and price: koveuk.com
- Kove UK, 800X Pro specifications: koveuk.com
- Cycle News, 2025 Kove 800X Rally review (wet weight, pre-production bike): cyclenews.com
- RideApart, 2025 Kove 800X Rally specs (wet weight): rideapart.com
- Motorcycle.com, 2026 Kove 800X Rally specs (MSRP): motorcycle.com
- Ultimate Motorcycling, 2025 Kove 800X Rally first look (2025 price, no passenger pegs): ultimatemotorcycling.com
- Bennetts BikeSocial, Kove 800X Rally review (provisional UK price): bennetts.co.uk
- Rugged Roads (Kove dealer), 800X Rally (tyres with inner tubes): ruggedroads.co.uk
- MCN, Kove 800X Rally long-term test (shock failure, fuelling, verdict): motorcyclenews.com
- MCN, 2024 Kove 800X Pro review (weighed weight, engine): motorcyclenews.com
- MCN, Kove UK pricing (18-month warranty): motorcyclenews.com
- Motofichas, Kove 800X Pro 2026 (electronic throttle, cruise control, quickshifter): motofichas.com
- Motorrad & Reisen, Kove 800X Pro data sheet (claimed consumption): motorradundreisen.de
- Farmers Weekly, Kove 800X Pro (owner feedback summary): farmersweekly.co.za
- Motorrad Online, Kove 800 X Pro test (dealer network): motorradonline.de
- British Dealer News, Kove Moto UK dealer network: britishdealernews.co.uk
- RideApart, Kove 800X coming to the US (USA Motortoys): rideapart.com
- Givi, Kove 800 X Pro accessories (Pro only): givi.it
- Outback Motortek, Kove 800X pannier racks (not compatible with the Rally): outbackmotortek.com
- Mosko Moto, Kove pannier rack: moskomoto.com
- Kove USA, 800 Rally rear rack and side attachment system: kovemotousa.com
- Westwind Moto, Kove 800X luggage rack: westwindmoto.com
- R&G, Adventure Rack for Kove 800X: rg-racing.com
- Yakk EXP, crash bar for Kove 800X: yakkexp.com
- Motorcycle.com, 2025 Yamaha Ténéré 700 specs (MSRP, weight): motorcycle.com
- Motorcycles.news, Yamaha Ténéré 700 2025 (seat heights, suspension): motorcycles.news
- Cycle News, 2025 Ténéré 700 first look (tank, seat, frame): cyclenews.com
- 1000PS, Yamaha Ténéré 700 2025 road test (riding modes, traction control, no cruise control): 1000ps.com
- 1000PS, Yamaha Ténéré 700 2025 specs (claimed consumption): 1000ps.com
- Bennetts BikeSocial, Ténéré 700 Low and Rally 2025 review (dash, fuel figures): bennetts.co.uk
- MCN, 2025 Yamaha Ténéré 700 review (UK price): motorcyclenews.com
- Michelin, Ténéré 700 tyre fitment (tube-type): michelinman.com
- RideApart, 2025 Ténéré 700 “Do Not Ride” turn-signal recall: rideapart.com
- Upshift, 52,000 miles aboard a Ténéré 700 (owner report): upshiftonline.com
- Rider Magazine, 2021 Ténéré 700 long-term review, part 2: ridermagazine.com
- Motodealers, Ténéré 700 MOT pass rate: motodealers.co.uk
- SW-Motech, crash bar for 800MT-X: sw-motech.us
- Outback Motortek, 800MT-X heavy duty skid plate: outbackmotortek.com
- Outback Motortek, 800MT-X pannier racks: outbackmotortek.com
