If you’re in the market for a lightweight, nippy and affordably priced naked, VOGE’s AC350 could be just the ticket. Andy Bell fills us in…
What is it?
Before starting, I am aware that not everyone is up to speed with the name VOGE. Briefly, VOGE was established in 2018 as a subsidiary brand to Loncin, which itself began producing motorcycles in 1983 in Chongquing (central-southern China). The VOGE range is aimed at producing a more premium-feeling motorcycle with a higher level of performance using the latest technology.
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The AC350 here is a machine I can see appealing to a wide audience of potential buyers. To start with, its low price makes it more affordable to the majority of the market, whether you are looking for a lighter/smaller capacity bike to get started on or something to use as a daily workhorse to commute to work on whilst not wanting to forgo a decent level of quality.
Talking tech…
The powerplant of this model is a 322cc parallel-twin which is based on Yamaha’s YZF-R3 sport bike and produces a little over 40bhp. Regarding the style of the AC, it has some classic-looking features such as a blacked-out frame and exhaust, whilst also leaning towards a streetfighter presence.
On the suspension side of things there is a pair of chunky-looking USD forks up front with a monoshock at the rear which, despite not being branded, should be capable of offering enough of the right support to the lightweight bike at only 165kg. It has stylish LED lights with a classic round headlight up front and a tidy, yet modern-looking, rear taillight tucked neatly under the seat unit, with the compact indicators also doing their bit to not stand out until needed.
The 7-inch colour LED display panel is super-clear and laid out in a fashion that you would expect for a quick glance, with the vitals most prominent and like so many of the features of the bike, it doesn’t give off a ‘budget feel’.
Cracking on…
With two colour options (grey and yellow), I must admit I was questioning if I would go for the yellow that was supplied for the test should I buy one for myself. However, I feel it nods towards its playful side as I will come to mention, and as it happens the colour did actually grow on me.
Climbing aboard would be the wrong term to use so much as swinging your leg over due to the low seat height of 780mm, meaning both feet can make good contact with the floor when stationary. Without knowing the figures ahead of the ride, it was clear from the start that this bike was light and the weight it did have felt quite low, which is always a bonus for handling and control, or even confidence if you are new to bikes.
The ergonomics were a little strange to start with. The bars felt slightly too narrow, and the pegs had my feet tucked a little further back and higher than I expected, whilst also putting my body weight further forwards than I had hoped for from a naked bike. The handlebar grips had a funky raised diamond pattern in the rubber that added a different level of grip that I never thought was necessary but I`ll take it. There was nothing complicated or clumsy with the switchgear, with all the controls evenly spaced and super-easy to operate.
Within the first few miles it was obvious that the engine was going to be quite a strong point of the AC, pulling well through the gears whilst also able to sit happily in town traffic, not needing to be ridden flat out throwing gears at it all the time. The motor gave off a bulletproof feeling and I felt that I would be happy with it knowing it has the ability to take the bike to a dual carriageway/motorway when needed, without feeling like you are in the way, as you sometimes feel when riding some smaller-capacity bikes.
Something else I have experienced from bikes of a similar size and cost is excessive vibration through the ‘bars and pegs, but there was nothing to note here even when pushing towards the higher end of the rev range. When cruising at 60mph in 6th gear I often found myself looking to click up another gear as I felt 6th could warrant being a little taller because there was more pull to be had from the strong engine. The sweet spot for power occurred around the 8000rpm mark and if you keep it there through the gears then it is a rewarding experience, taking me back to the days of riding a lower capacity to its potential everywhere I went.
The single brake disc set up with dual channel at both ends was more than enough to pull the bike up when asking from them to do so, despite what my first concerns were of only having a single front disc, even from the higher speeds. While the suspension did do an amazing job (not just considering the low cost overall), I felt a lack of support when breaking hard at times with the front diving more than I would have liked.
VOGE have a claimed 90mpg average for the AC and while I didn’t test this myself, I did top up the small 12.5-litre fuel tank at the start of my time with the bike, and then covered quite a few miles over a couple of hours, and could see the quoted figure being not far from the truth as I hardly noticed the level drop while out and about.
Going back to the start of this section, I mentioned the ‘playful’ nature of this bike. The more time I spent riding the AC, the more I got used to the narrow ‘bars and footpeg position that you don’t normally get from a more upright machine. When out in the open and riding through some of my favourite twisty roads they actually added to this sensation and encouraged me to push on to make the most from each corner, using all of its agility that it had to offer.
Worth a punt?
£4k for a brand-new bike? You would be forgiven for assuming that you wouldn’t be getting much for your money, but if you have any remote interest then I’d say this is worth a look. This is one of those all-rounder bikes that can be used to navigate a busy city with its low centre of gravity and overall weight, or to commute on a flowing motorway with its strong motor and large seat for comfort. I could see a potential buyer wanting something affordable to get to work on that also lets them have a blast with on the way home.
Rivals…
If you are looking for a commuter then typically (in my corner of the country at least) many folks look towards the 125cc market, normally due to licence entitlement or costs, but with some of the more popular manufacturers pricing their new 125s nearer to the £5k mark, I know I would like to spend my money on a bike with the extra power.
You could look to the used market for something like a 2024 KTM Duke 390 which you may pick up for the same price, or looking slightly older, the 2017-23 model for between £3,000-£4,000. Sticking to the price and cc, if you still wanted a new bike then Royal Enfield’s Hunter 350 comes in at £3979, with more colour options but with a drop in power at 20bhp.
The stuff that matters…
Power: 40bhp @ 10,500rpm
Weight 165kg
Price: £3999
Contact: [email protected]
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