Kove Moto has been tackling the world’s biggest motorcycle races left and right, primarily in the off-road realm like the Dakar Rally and Baja 1000. In 2026, the Chinese manufacturer will enter the legendary Isle of Man TT for the first time, fielding a Kove 450RR for 2013 Lightweight winner James Hillier.

Hillier is a 13-time podium finisher at Isle of Man excluding his win, having competed in the infamous event since 2008. He rode a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R at the most recent edition last year, finishing fourth and sixth in the two Supersport TT races along with fifth in the Superstock TT event.

In 2023, Hillier became the first Isle of Man champion to enter the Dakar Rally. He and his GasGas 450 finished 53rd in Rally2 and 13th in Original by Motul after dislocating his collarbone.

He later partnered with Kove, entering the 2024 FIM International Six Days Enduro in the Club Team Award class on a Kove 450 Rally EX. That bike was eventually brought with him to the 2025 Dakar Rally, where he overcame a Stage #1 crash that broke his nose to finish 77th overall in Rally2.

Kove plans to develop the 450RR in the British Superbike Championship in 2025. While familiar with developing 350cc multi-cylinder pavement racing bikes, the manufacturer hopes to step up to a 660cc platform for Isle of Man in the future.

“After a season of fierce competition in BSB, we will officially enter the Isle of Man TT in 2026,” reads a statement from Kove. “We believe that the data we obtain from the races will elevate the 450RR to a higher level, which also means we need a rider who can fully unleash its potential. We will join forces with Isle of Man TT champion James Hillier to create our own legend on this legendary track.”

Featured image credit: Julien Delfosse / DPPI