HERALD CLASSIC RETRO COOL 125CC GEARED LEARNER LEGAL MOTORBIKE MOTORCYCLE

"Review from the Mirror" READERS of a certain age will remember the days when motorcycling was a much more “hands-on” affair. Bikers were forever tinkering with their machines – in the garage during the winter months or proudly in front of the house when the sun was out. invariably watched by other greasy-handed chaps imparting words of mechanical wisdom. In those days you could look at the lump sitting in the middle of the frame and pretty much identify all the constituent parts. And. if you were so inclined. you could take them apart and put them back together again – with barely any bits left over at the end. Even starting the things involved getting your mitts dirty – pulling the enriching lever. thumbing the choke. holding down the float plunger. And that’s not to mention the risk of braking your leg as you jumped up and down on the kickstart while those self-same buddies stood around watching. advising – and stifling their chortles. Even when Japanese bikes first came to these shores and caused the revolution which saw the demise of the old British manufacturers. riders continued. for a while at least. to tinker. Replacing the air filters for after-market ones or splashing out on a new exhaust. anything to gain a couple of extra horsepower and to make your machine stand out from the crowd. Obviously I impart all this knowledge second hand. as I am far too young to have any personal experience of these matters. Nowadays. of course. we are used to just pressing a button and having the motor start up first time. every time. And we have all manner of electronic and mechanical gadgetry from ABS and traction control to indicators for gear selection and tyre pressure. These were the sorts of thoughts running through my mind when I first saw the Herald Motor Company 125 Classic. The engine is based on – well. is essentially a straight copy of – the old Suzuki air-cooled four-stroke single cylinder. And nothing wrong with that – for a start. you can identify all the bits. The design and look of the bike is pure retro. in a very appealing kind of back-to-basics way. Miss W said it reminded her of her dad’s old Bonneville. but a scaled-down version and that’s a pretty apt description. Just look at that teardrop-shaped fuel tank. complete with rubber kneepads. the spoked wheels. the flat rider and pillion seat. and the “peashooter” exhaust. The rear shocks are nicely finished in chrome and the front forks have rubber gaiters. On board. the ride position is low and comfortable. ideal for learner riders. including ladies. The single. chrome-surround clock tells you your speed. your mileage and your gear selection. There are indicator lights and. that’s it. To start it up there’s an old-fashioned choke and a kickstart – but. if you prefer. there’s a push-button too. The old GS125 was always reliable and I had no trouble getting this motor to fire up. With just under 11bhp and maximum torque of around 8. 5NM. the Classic is never going to set the world alight. but that’s not the point. Around town it is nimble and plenty quick enough – even two-up. The suspension is a tad springy. but it goes round the corners quite happily and without any nasty surprises. Progression through the five gears is pleasantly smooth and braking is perfectly adequate via a rear drum and a modern-style wavy disc at the front. Unlike many current 125s. the Classic doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. It’s easy and fun to ride. it looks retro-cool. it’s a bargain price – and it’s just crying out to be tinkered with. General SpecificationWeight: 107 kgWheelbase: 1255mm (Classic S: 1272mm)Seat height: 780mmEngine: Air cooled single cylinder. 4-strokeMax power: 10. 7 bhptorque: 8. 5NMBrakes: Hydraulic disc (front and rear)Transmission: 5-speedStarting: ElectricMax speed: 65 mphFuel tank capacity: 12 litresPrice: ?1722. 00 on the road2 year parts warranty 1 years labour warranty. 12 months road tax

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