Bare bones — naked bike, anyone? — and gnarly, the Ruckus looks like it’s right out of Mad Max. Even though it does have a 50 cc engine, no one is going to say, “Awww, isn’t that cute?” when you ride by on a Ruckus. Granted, you won’t be going very fast, so on-lookers will get a good, long look.

Indoctrination is best started young, and Kawasaki shows that it agrees with that assertion with its new-for-2019 Ninja 125 targeting the youngest riders within the tiered licensing system favored by much of the EU and UK. The A1 bracket’s restrictions are fairly severe, and it takes a special machine to balance the limited performance requirements against what it takes to make something actually fun to ride. Kawi’s littlest Ninja brings the right blend of small-bike power and big-bike handling to the table to fit that bill, so today I want to check out this exciting new ride and see how it stacks up against the competition from some of the other big four.

Continue reading for my review of the Kawasaki Ninja 125.

Honda produced its CBR125R for one reason, and one reason only; as a trainer bike for new riders who are into, or who want to be into, supersport motorcycles. It’s built to deliver the same eager and agile handling as its larger-displacement siblings, just with a powerplant that meets A1 license requirements. Big-bike style and feel helps train the next generation of would-be fiery-eyed pegdraggers, whether they be destined for that actual “Track Life,” or just want to look like they are. The 125 cc bracket may be the lowest meaningful classification, but it’s also one of the most important as it targets the entry-level market and represents the first real opportunity to instill some brand loyalty. Let’s check out Honda’s littlest CBR today and see what all the Red Riders have going on over there, then we’ll see how it stacks up against one of its domestic competitors.

Continue reading for my review of the Honda CBR125R.

The Genuine Scooter Company filled its Rattler range back out ahead of MY2019 by resurrecting its Rattler 50. The Rattler carries itself with a youthful exuberance that clearly targets the entry-level market, and this newest iteration boasts a handful of improvements over the previous generation. It rocks the same look and feel as its big brother, the Buck Ten (110), just with a smaller engine to keep the price low and power/displacement manageable for newest/lowest-tier license holders.

Continue reading for my review of the Genuine Scooters Rattler.

The Japanese Green Team have officially released images and introductory videos of their new babies of both their sports and naked categories, finally after a couple of years of speculation ever since the 2017 EICMA. It is the Ninja 125 and Z125 that will be revealed at the upcoming EICMA in Milan.

Although we already have the naked Z125 in our markets, it will be replaced with a newer, more advanced update along with its sportier Ninja sibling. While doing so, Kawasaki will finally have a product to cater to the basic A1 license that has so far limited them to the use of mopeds.

For 2019, the Japanese green team is bringing in smaller babies of both their sports and naked categories to our markets finally after a couple of years of speculation ever since the 2017 EICMA. It is the Ninja 125 and Z125 that will be revealed at the upcoming EICMA in Milan.

Although we already have the naked Z125 in our markets, it will be replaced with a newer, more advanced update along with its sportier Ninja sibling. While doing so, Kawasaki will finally have a product to cater to the basic A1 license that has so far limited them to the use of mopeds.

Suzuki has announced a new product for the young greats of the motorcycle world, and a 49cc four-stroke motor powers it. Called the 2019 Suzuki DR-Z50, this small motocross machines provides the easiest access into the life of two-wheelers by being a simple and resilient machine to go frolicking around with.

It will have a strict competition only specs: sans a headlamp cluster, indicators or license plates; for hence cannot be registered to be used on the public roads. This motorcycles specifically offer electric start engines, a significantly lighter chassis, high ground clearance, long travel suspension and slimmer ergonomics to be able to move around the dirt and jump hills without any hindrance.

Prior to 2013, the PCX came with a 125 cc engine and a 1.6-gallon fuel tank in the US. With a make-over in 2013, the PCX125 gave way to the PCX150 and a new chapter in the globally produced Honda scooter was launched. Since then, the scooter has received periodical updates to keep things fresh in the segment.

Now, Honda Japan is launching a new PCX carrying the same old 125cc mill but this time, they have a new trick up its sleeve. Launching a couple of months from now, the new PCX 125 will carry a hybrid powertrain. Doing so, Honda Motor will become the first manufacturer to launch a production hybrid scooter and it was first showcased at the previous Tokyo Auto Show.

The greats of the motorcycle world have always had in their stride since the very beginning of their life. You look at every legendary figure of the motorsports world, one thing they have in common is their passion for things on two wheels from a very young age, some even when they have just begun to walk and talk. And the easiest access into this life is on the small motocross machines like the Japanese Green Team’s KX100.

The KX100 is a natural progression from the smaller KX65 and KX85 and will continue to widen this segment and get in a much lighter bike with a more sophisticated engine, better suspension and braking units to go the full throttle way for the young stars interested in dirt riding and want to make a career out of it. An ideal learning curve en-route to the bigger KX250. In return, Kawasaki has relied on its aspiring young stars to provide input to help develop winning products.

Piaggio rebuilt its fun-and-young Typhoon 50 ahead of the 2018 model year, and the changes are sufficient to give it an “all-new” tag. New body details modify the looks slightly, but what remains is still recognizable as a Typhoon with plenty of key elements that keep it close to the family tree. Not only is the engine new, it’s a super-clean two-stroke that meets Euro 4 standards due to a number of improvements in induction and emissions control. The factory plans on bringing this little ride to the U.S. for the entry-level/teenager market, so let’s take a look at what the Italian scooter maker has in store for us.

Continue reading for my look at the Piaggio Typhoon 50.

After much speculation and anticipation, Honda has finally announced that the all-new Super Cub C125 ABS will be hitting U.S. dealerships in January 2019. This iconic ride brings the same 124.9 cc powerplant that drives the popular Grom coupled with a semi-automatic, clutchless shifter and four-speed gearbox that delivers the same ease of operation that helped to make the original such a hit. A disc front brake and ABS help bring the classic design up to modern standards, but the looks are straight outta’ the ’50s for a genuinely dated vibe that is impossible to imitate. Entry-level pricing provides the icing for this charming little cake in order to endear itself to that critical market segment, but I’d argue that this ride is good for more than just as a trainer. Don’t believe me? Read on.

Continue reading for my review of the Honda Super Cub C125.

Honda puts out a lot of fun products, it’s true, but few machines can match the level of whimsy one gets from the Honda Monkey. That’s right folks, the iconic “Monkey Bike” that served as a mini self-Uber in Japanese amusement parks back in the ’60s is back with a new look and powerplant for what the factory surely hopes is a new era of monkey madness. The 2019 version of this little pocket bike bears the genetic markers of the original without being a slave to it with a 9.25-horsepower modern powerplant, larger wheels (thank goodness) and disc brakes. Join me whilst I take a trip down memory lane and take a look at this pint-sized icon destined to hit showroom floors this year.

Continue reading for my review of the Honda Monkey.

Lance Powersports takes a stab at the cruiser market with the Cali Classic model range. Produced by the Sanyang Motor Company since 2010 and branded for Lance, the Cali falls into areas already covered by other models in the lineup, but it offers a bit of a more Western flavor in a bid to draw more of the North American market. Neither SYM nor Lance are particularly well-know entities on this side of the pond, but they might be worth a look for someone in the market for a scooter in the 50-to-200 cc range. New last year, the Cali Classic 200i replaced the 150, bringing fuel injection to the table.

Continue reading for my review of the Lance Cali Classic.