First ride: WK Bikes RT125 Café

In a modern world, retro looks are very much a lifestyle for some people. This new model from WK Bikes – the RT 125 Café – fits very much into that mould.

Styling

If you want to retain the looks of 60s motorcycles, but would prefer it to come with more reliable, modern technology, then the RT 125 Café certainly fulfils both those requirements with some nice retro-looking touches, like the on/off fuel tap, the metal grab rail, and even the colour choices – dark green or black – adding to that appeal.

Equipment

In a motorcycle harking back to the 60s, you shouldn’t be expecting to find many modern gadgets; the exception to this on the RT 125 Café is the digital instrumentation cluster. On the singular information unit the rev counter is a progressive blue line which winds its way around the rev indicator, red-lining at 10,000rpm – whether the engine will ever reach that limit is another matter (out on the road I couldn’t get it past 7,000rpm). Clustered inside the outer rev counter is an array of digital information (mph, fuel level, gear indicator, etc).

On the road

The bike isn’t unpleasant to ride. The slightly dropped handlebars aren’t my cup of tea, but that said they weren’t at all uncomfortable in use and didn’t cause any back or neck ache. The suspension setup was firm and did its job well and the bike maintained a firm grip on the road – even over the bumps. The front and rear brakes did their job well, offering a smooth braking progression without any brake snatching or other nasty surprises. I never had to use them in an emergency situation, but I have every confidence they would be up to the job.

Quoted engine output is 7.8kW/8,000rpm, which in real terms should see you up near the national legal speed limit once the engine is bedded-in (mine had 40 miles on the clock and was still a little tight). I only had the bike on test for a morning, so can’t say what the fuel consumption will be – I did 40 miles and the needle never moved.

The RT 125 is a more of a fun bike than a commuter; there’s no room for a backrack or topbox, so if you wanted to use it as such, you’ll need a rucksack or holdall.

Reviewer: Mau

Tech spec:

LICENCE REQUIREMENTS: A1

ENGINE: 124cc single cylinder 4-stroke

COOLING: Air cooled

MAX POWER: 7.8W/8,000rpm

TRANSMISSION: 5 speed manual

BRAKES: Disc front and rear

TYRES: Front: 90/90-18, Rear: 120/80-16

SEAT HEIGHT: 720mm

FUEL TANK CAPACITY: 12.8 litres

WEIGHT: 106kg

COLOURS: Green, black

CONTACT: www.wkbikes.com

PRICE: £1499