HMC Classic first ride

Now a seemingly good idea: one so and obvious you wonder why no-one’s of it before.

Your average learner 125 is, shall we say, a tad and budget, right? Invariably by an old school, Suzuki-clone, air-cooled, single and with cycle and general quality more in with the stereotypical image of the East than with of the West End. Am I not right?

much I haven’t got a problem There’s a place for basic (as as it’s cheap) just as as there’s a place for posh, if prepared to pay for it. It’s when one to masquerade as the other that my goat.

And that, enfuriatingly, has been the case with bikes – until now: and basic machines which tried to pass themselves off as CBR125Rs and the like.

They’re not bad but they are usually mutton as lamb and, however there’s always a sense of of underachievement that comes it.

This, however is different.

the HMC Classic, it’s the latest from Chinese bikes Zing Bikes and while nothing new, and its style but, it all somehow adds up to a refreshing, breath of fresh

By being a retro-styled roadster – a Triumph Bonneville if you like – the HMC over-reaching technically or pretending to be it isn’t while at the same remaining true to its budget

Whichever way you look at it, 1750 for the basic version or another 200 for the posher ‘S’ model (see is chickenfeed compared to £3400 being asked for a Honda

That’s all well and good and The lucky bit on top of that is no-one is currently producing this of bike – a retro 125 or ‘Baby And the genius bit on top of it all is that, for the money, the HMC is so done where you’d expect plenty of corners to

So the Classic has a ‘proper’, retro-style fuel tank, complete knee pads; ‘proper’ wheels; a ‘proper’ ‘peashooter’ exhaust and more.

HMC had no real to equip it with rubber gaiters or chromed shocks or a seat – but they have and it all the experience so much more and rewarding.

On the move, of course, the is nothing to get excited about – but in context, in being a retro roadster rather than to be as good as a CBR125R, that’s fine.

The switchgear is modern, the tap and choke lever on the single quite the opposite yet quaintly it started on the button first every time during our and it’s a doddle to ride an impressively slick gearbox and crisp controls.

In town it wriggles through with the best of ‘em and easily up with the flow right up to 60-65mph (it’s hard to be the cable speedos on our two bikes been recalibrated for the different wheel sizes!).

Faster takes either patience or but then that’s true of much all 125s and, the brakes are markedly better on the S version and the suspension on both a bit and basic, there’s nothing really that unduly

Instead I buzzed around imagining I was some kind of ‘Fonz’ before realizing, at 6’3” I more likely like a gorilla on a monkeybike. Oh to be a 17-year-old once more…

at £1750, the HMC, fake or is charming, effective enough for town or short hops at less than a QUARTER of the of a £7199 T100 (which, not forget, is something of a fake and in Thailand anyway) eminently

For example, I’d quite happily one up and fit all sorts of goodies to. And if your of mates had them too, so the better.

Oh, and think on this: if you to be really, REALLY cheeky, you even peel off those HMC stickers (‘cos they’re not in) and glue on a pair of proper of Norton tankbadges (40 quid off instead. How cool would be?

Yes, I know this is But it also shows how cute, and appealing this bike is. I’m tempted…

The ‘S’ version

If you’re by the classic but want something a better equipped and more the solution could be the Classic ‘S’ – a spec version of the Classic £200 more.

For your you get different wheels (wider, anodized alloy rimmed rims front and rear in of the base version’s 19/17in steel combo); fatter forks and accompanying chunkier yokes; bigger brakes the rear switching to a drum; chrome (on the headlamp nacelle, base, lift handle and and different front mudguard.

At a standstill it’s all-round pleasing (although the standard only seems a little when parked alongside) if a little LESS authentically due to those modern touches.

on the move, though feeling a tad ‘planted’ with slightly twitchy steering and reassuringly powerful brakes, in truth, not a lot in it – the biggest difference is cosmetic.

If it was me – and if it was – I’d do a mix-and-match: keep the conventional and gaiters; slot in the ally rims (but ideally not black) and better front and swipe a few of the S’s chrome goodies, Then I’d have the best of worlds. You pays your you takes your…

HMC Classic, £1750

Engine: 124cc, sohc, single. 5 chain drive.

Claimed 10.7bhp

Torque: 6.3ftlb

Tubular steel cradle, steel swing arm

Suspension: forks, no adjust, front, shocks with preload rear

Claimed dry weight:

Front brake: single disc with twin-piston

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