#MCNwednesday 25 BUYING & SELLING SPORT www.motorcyclenews.com 24 FEATURES GARAGE THIS WEEK NEW BIKES February 3 2016 February 3 2016 Do you really need that big expensive adventure bike? Four of the toughest, most affordable 125cc trailies tackle a green-lane odyssey The mission The bikes If you’ve no plans to go on an epic global expedition, could a small trail bike actually be all you need? We cover five green lanes in a day to find out how much fun you can have on a 125cc trailie. AJP PR3 125 Enduro, £2550 Portugal’s only bike manufacturer. For an extra £800 you can get the 240cc PR3. Kawasaki KLX125, £2949 Baby brother to the popular KLX250, the 125 version has been around since 2010. Rieju Marathon 125 Pro, £3399 The Pro is our high-spec enduro, produced in Spain with a Yamaha- supplied engine Sinnis Blade 125, £1595 The Sinnis is the cheapest bike in our test. It’s produced in China and uses a copy of a Suzuki engine. The riders Andy Davidson MCN Staff Writer Age 28 Height 5ft 7in Adventure rider and long distance traveller Michael Guy MCN Sports Editor Age 43 Height 5ft 10in Former road racer, rally racer, trials rider and off-road fanatic Gareth Ashman MCN Commercial Director Age 43 Height 6ft Enduro rider with 20 years’ experience Simon Relph MCN Senior Designer Age 50 Height 6ft 1in Riding trials and off- road for 41 years JASON CRITCHELL TRAIL BLAZERS By Andy Davidson MCN STAFF WRITER Continued over 125 TRAILIE SHOOTOUT M urky water lapped over my boots as I stood at the foot of the bay, peering into the abyss. I saw the rusty spokes of long forgotten motorcycles that once attempted the same perilous crossing. They lay en- tangled with seaweed and the sails of sunken ships. As I stood debating my impending doom, I didn’t notice Michael and Simon had already started their engines and were plunging into the trench’s depths. I felt a slap on my back as Gareth shouted “Get stuck in mate, it’s only a puddle”. “Yeah, a puddle brimming with the swirling souls of lost sailors,” I whispered.
Transcript
#MCNwednesday
25 BUYING & SELLING SPORT
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24 FEATURES GARAGETHIS WEEK NEW BIKES February 3 2016February 3 2016
Do you really need that big expensive adventure bike? Four of the toughest, most affordable 125cc trailies tackle a green-lane odyssey
The mission
The bikes
If you’ve no plans to go on an epic global expedition, could a small
trail bike actually be all you need? We cover five green lanes in a day to find out how much fun you can
have on a 125cc trailie.
AJP PR3 125 Enduro, £2550Portugal’s only bike manufacturer. For an extra £800 you can get the
240cc PR3.
Kawasaki KLX125, £2949Baby brother to the popular
KLX250, the 125 version has been around since 2010.
Rieju Marathon 125 Pro, £3399The Pro is our high-spec enduro,
produced in Spain with a Yamaha-supplied engine
Sinnis Blade 125, £1595The Sinnis is the cheapest bike in
our test. It’s produced in China and uses a copy of a Suzuki engine.
The ridersAndy DavidsonMCN Staff WriterAge 28 Height 5ft 7inAdventure rider and long distance traveller
Michael GuyMCN Sports EditorAge 43 Height 5ft 10inFormer road racer, rally racer, trials rider and off-road fanatic
Simon RelphMCN Senior DesignerAge 50 Height 6ft 1inRiding trials and off-road for 41 years
JASO
N C
RITC
HEL
L
TRAIL BLAZERS
By Andy DavidsonMCN STAFF WRITER
Continued over
125 TRAILIE SHOOTOUT
Murky water lapped over my boots as I stood at the foot of the bay, peering into the abyss. I saw the rusty spokes of long forgotten
motorcycles that once attempted the same perilous crossing. They lay en-tangled with seaweed and the sails of sunken ships. As I stood debating my impending doom, I didn’t notice Michael and Simon had already started their engines and were plunging into the trench’s depths. I felt a slap on my back as Gareth shouted “Get stuck in mate, it’s only a puddle”.
“Yeah, a puddle brimming with the swirling souls of lost sailors,” I whispered.
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27 BUYING & SELLING SPORT
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26 FEATURES GARAGETHIS WEEK NEW BIKES February 3 2016February 3 2016
‘Last one in buys the brews!’ Rieju splashes down The great outdoors is even better on a little trail bikeGreen laning you say? This is more like watersports ‘Look out for that tree!’ No traffic but plenty to hitAndy convinces the boys to take the dry way round In the pub, it’s time to warm up and dry out soggy kitThey’re only 125s but they’re still proper enduros Bikes like these mean no tarmac’s no problem
125 TRAILIE SHOOTOUT
Continued over
OFF-ROAD TOP TIPS
● The clutch is used to accelerate, not decelerate. The clutch is your biggest control lever.
● Weight the inside peg on turn-in, then weight the outside peg through the turn to get the most possible traction when leant over.
● Get your crotch right up over the tank.
● Relax your arms and let the bars move freely.
● If in doubt, gas it; if the front feels like it’s going to tuck then blip the throttle.
● Keep one or two fingers over clutch and brake at all times, so you can react quickly to changing situations.
● Resist the temptation to look down. Instead, fix your eyes on where you want to get to. If you look down, you’ll end up getting stuck in a rut, losing balance, and having to stop.
Wet socks? Who cares? Simon and the Sinnis walk on water
“What?” He shouted as he dived in after the other two. I made plenty of excuses, mainly about why we were crossing the Nile first thing on a frosty morning; we’d be riding with soggy socks for the rest of the day. Obviously no one listened, leaving me no choice but to wade in after them.
Gareth was in his element on the Rieju Marathon, the glimmering gold fork bobbing up and down as he pow-ered through, creating a mini bow wave. Simon followed on the Sinnis Blade, the tallest bike on test, looking like a giraffe stepping into a thimble of water. Trailing behind was Michael on the Kawasaki KLX, more resembling a puppy paddling across a stream, barely keeping its head above the water. But thankfully the AJP PR3 took it all in its stride with more than enough bal-ance and poise to negotiate the raging rapids left by Gareth.
This was only the start of our second trail of the day. Our first one wasn’t really a trail; more of a warm-up on a crumbling old road, and most of the ‘dirt’ on it had emanated from the back end of a horse. Gareth pulled out his map and pointed to our route. “That’s the two easy ones done, three hard ones to go! It’s going to take a while to get there so we’ve got to push on!”
Beauty contestWe didn’t ‘push on’ anywhere. Im-mediately after finishing the second trail we spotted a pub and changed the plan a little – it seemed rude to just ride past it. Our gear was hung up to dry, Michael’s socks were strewn over the radiator as he massaged his cold toes and we ordered four cups of tea. Sufficiently warmed up, we threw our gear back on and jumped back onboard. The Rieju stands the proud-
est; it looks pukka with a chunky gold fork, eye-catching paint scheme and posh rims. It’s purposeful and sharp and would surely be any 17-year-old’s first choice. Our testers all agreed that the AJP should take second place in the beauty pageant. The clear rear fuel tank is reminiscent of a KTM enduro bike; purposeful and it looks like it was built to do a proper job. It’s tight, compact and focussed. The Sinnis is only let down by its dated colour scheme and decals, while the Kawasaki’s small stature makes it look decidedly less serious than the rest.
Getting seriousAn ancient-looking railway bridge marked the entrance to the third trail. Overgrown and strangled with weeds it looked like a gateway to a forgotten world. We timidly rode through, not knowing what to expect. The hard
mud soon softened and quickly gave way to water-filled ruts and miniature swamps – perfect for our lightweight 125s. Their tough little engines might only just scrape into double bhp fig-ures, but that’s more than enough to keep you clawing for traction in this gloop. The Sinnis and Rieju both wear 21-inch front tyres, which make light work of the ruts. But the AJP – despite its smaller 19-inch front – whizzes past the group. It’s incredibly light, agile and composed. It blasts through the muck flicking a poetic roost from its rear tyre. It’s a proper little enduro bike with wide bars, extra grippy pegs, the most substantial bash plate, excellent stand-up riding position and decent handguards. Most importantly it boasts a fully adjustable inverted fork, and adjustable Sachs shock, too. The Rieju is the only other bike on test with a similar set-up, but it’s not adjustable.
As I watched Simon disappear into the distance on the AJP, I realised swapping it for the Sinnis was a fool-ish move. In terms of physical size, the Chinese-made Blade is the biggest bike on test. Its 920mm seat height means I can’t even tip toe both feet on the ground, which will make off-roading tricky for shorter and less experienced riders – especially when negotiat-ing slippery ruts. But it is set up for the rough stuff with decent ground clearance, collapsible brake and gear pedals, metal pegs, nifty external tool tube and a solid-looking sump guard. After finally catching Simon, he wholeheartedly agreed: “I found it easy to clear off on the AJP, mainly because of the quality suspension, which makes it the best bike off-road by far. And while the Sinnis is good, it’s just not as good on the rough stuff.”
Just follow these tips to tackle your local green lane with confidence
Get that weight on the rear and let the AJP’s 12.5bhp pull you free
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29 BUYING & SELLING SPORTFEATURES GARAGETHIS WEEK NEW BIKES February 3 2016125 TRAILIE SHOOTOUT
Get yourself an Ordnance Survey map of the areas you are interested in. There are two types of public rights of way that are likely to be open to motorcyclists:
● BOAT (Byway Open to All Traffic) Usually unproblematic, unless there’s signage prohibiting motorcycles or all motor vehicles, then there’s nothing to stop you.
● ORPA (Other Route with Public Access) Can be more contentious, but the majority will in fact be
UCRs (Unclassified County Road), and legal to ride. Ironically, the sign Unsuitable for Motor Vehicles actually confirms that they are vehicular rights of way, but don’t expect the council to stump up if you ding a rim.
● You can always check or go for a ride with your local TRF (Trail Riders Fellowship) group. It’s the best way to start – see trf.org.uk
● For more information on OS maps visit: ordnancesurvey.co.uk
HOW TO START GREEN LANING
‘This was the Dakar Rally of green lanes.
It started slushy and only got worse’
LCD dash shows speed, voltage and trips
Nicely finished with a fully digital display
A pared-down enduro bike, dash is basic
Yamaha-made motor packs most punch
It’s a smooth operator but lacks power
It’s a little crude, but returns good mpg
Traditional tacho and digital gear position Chinese copy of a faithful Suzuki engine
AJP
The details up close
Continued over
RIEJU
SINNIS
KAWASAKI
Physically very small, the Kawasaki is smooth but lacks presence
Gareth makes good use of the Rieju’s 8.9ftlb of torque
Black topAfter lacking confidence off-road, the lanky Sinnis gives the complete oppo-site feeling as we spit out the end of the trail and back onto the more predict-able black stuff. Its stature makes you feel like you’re on a proper big bike and gives you a commanding view of the road ahead. It uses a copy of a Suzuki 125 engine, and it’s the third most powerful bike on test with a fully rounded 11bhp. But it pulls well enough and would be our first choice for a commuter bike, perhaps making it the most versatile of the bunch. It’s let down by a some-what basic analogue dash and a boring graphics, but in terms of practicality - with its long seat, chunky switchgear, grab rails, decent travel suspension and wavy discs – it performs well as an all-rounder. Our test bike has also been treated to an optional exhaust system (£160), which helps it stand out from the rest of the pack and also means that it sounds the sportiest.
After a quick stop I swiped the Rieju’s keys from Michael. It uses a Yamaha-derived liquid-cooled Minarelli engine, and is the most powerful and torquey of the bunch – perfect for what’s next. With Michael now aboard the AJP, the race to the next trail was on as the slippy country lanes gave way to a long stretch of dual carriageway. Gareth and Simon quickly fell behind – nothing to do with the weight of the riders at all – as the Rieju and AJP stretched out a lead. Throttles pinned, we prostrated ourselves over the tanks and tucked our chins down behind the handle-bars. The Rieju began to shake with adrenaline, or instability, as it reached an indicated 60mph. But despite my best efforts the AJP then sailed past in one fair, if slow, swoop as it ducked out of my slipstream. But it was a hollow victory as the Rieju’s 15bhp allowed me to push back past.
We sat at the entrance to the final trail waiting for the other two to catch
up. The Sinnis arrived next, followed by a panting Kawasaki. The green ma-chine is the lowest on power, so hitting 60mph is hard work, but it still feels the most refined of the bunch. The engine is super smooth and the fuel-ling is fantastic thanks to it being the only fuel injected bike on test. But once you get a move on the engine quickly flat-lines making it feel bland. It has the most comprehensive digital dash, removable rubber pegs and a comfy seat for a plush and easy-going ride.
Back in the dirtThis was the big one – the Dakar Rally of green lanes. It started slushy and only got worse. I had swapped to the Kawasaki, and it was immediately out of its depth; mainly let down by its OE tyres and low ground clearance, which left me slipping and sliding all over the place. Simon decided that this was actually a Dakar qualifier and got on
The AJP’s well-honed off-road set-up allowed Andy
to (almost) keep up with off-road madman Simon
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ANDY DAVIDSON STAFF WRITERVERDICT
THANKS TO Garw Valley Motor Cycles for the AJP loan, visit www.garwvalleymc.co.uk for more details n John Sutton Engineering for the use of their jet wash
Look out David Knight, the MCN boys and their 125s are coming for you...
Green laning all over, a little water clears the deed One or two brown trouser moments, eh fellas?
‘Perfect for work and play’Bringing up the rear is the Kawasaki, which is more of an off-road styled road bike than an off-roader, and while its engine is smooth and refined, it’s also a tad bland and unexciting.
The AJP was a used example and felt a little tired. It’s basic and simplistic in design, but has the best suspension and everything about it is purposeful. It represents function over style, and for a fair price.
The Sinnis Blade is excellent value at only £1595, nearly £1000
cheaper than its nearest rival. It’s the biggest of the bunch too, comes with all the right off-road credentials, is easy to ride and the most versatile — ideal for commuting and weekend dirt fun.
That leaves the Rieju in pole position. It feels like you’re on a proper enduro bike and is the quickest mover on test. It has the strongest motor, is smooth, balanced and great fun. It is the most expensive but its style, components and off-road cred make it our clear winner.
125 TRAILIE SHOOTOUT
the gas, provoking some spectacular close calls with the scenery. But he managed to keep the Sinnis’s front pointing forward and let the rear wheel make up its mind where to go. But as pro as Simon looked, the Sinnis was no match for the Rieju when the going got tough. Everything about it looks and feels competitive. It’s a pretty close call between the Rieju and the AJP. The AJP’s front brake lacked stopping power and the engine wasn’t fuelling correctly, which meant you couldn’t rely on the low-end torque and it had to be revved all the time
to get the most out of it. But in terms of balance, off-road credentials and function it’s still the best bike here.
Our last trail was the longest and muddiest of the five. And we spent
most of it with the rear wheel at 90-de-grees to the front. These bikes are incredibly light, manageable and unintimidating. It’s so easy to learn new skills and have a laugh with your mates on some of the most affordable bikes on the market. Like four giggling kids we chased each other down trails, stuck our legs out like supermoto riders on the road and couldn’t wait to get sideways again. And to top it off, each bike used less than £2.50 each in fuel for a full day’s riding, and we didn’t have to load our machines into a van to get home.
