larley-Davidson
FIRST RIDE
LEXMOTO MICHIGAN
‘130-section rear tyre and high bars add
up to a fairly plausible take on full-size’
| By Peter Henshaw
MCN CONTRIBUTOR
Despite its looks and name, the
Lexmoto Michigan is no more American
thana Full English. It’s made in China,
but if you have an 11 licence and like the
cruiser style it could be worth a look.
The Michigan works because it’s all
in proportion, physically big fora 125
with a long 1435mm wheelbase, fat
130-section rear tyre and high bars,
but it all adds up to a fairly plausible
take on full-size.
The giveaway is the tiny 125cc sin-
gle nestling underneath the tank,
though even that doesn't look too ri-
diculous. Being mounted in a budget
Chinese bike, it’s carburettor-fed, air-
cooled and ina low state of tune. That
is brought home as soon as you fire it
up, because it’s whisper-quiet at idle.
Underway, it doesn’t get much more
raucous, the smooth and mild-man-
nered motor barely making itself felt.
In keeping with the cruiser image, the
Michigan is geared high, so it’s got even
less go than the average 125. It’s quick
enough to keep up in town, but pro-
gress on the open roadis leisurely. The
upside of that is that the Michigan feels
quite relaxed by 125 standards, and it'll
bop along at an indicated 55-60mph
without buzzing its little heart out.
In true cruiser fashion, the front
tyre’s a skinny-ish 90/90-18 and the
rear a much chunkier 15-inch, but it
still handles pretty well, negotiating
sodden roads without giving cause
for concern. The basic front forks and
twin rear shocks do the job, as do the
front disc/rear drum brakes - the rear
drum especially is nice and progressive.
In fact, in the way of 125s, it’s an
easy bike to ride, thanks to light clutch
and gearchange, low seat and simple
switchgear. Comfy too, with a decent
riding position and a seat that really
wouldn't disgrace a full-size cruiser.
The quality looks good as well, with
paint, chrome and welds all far better
than the average Chinese bike of five
years ago. Finally, the fuel tank holds a
whopping 13.5 litres, so given atypical
125 fuel consumption of 100mpg, a 300-
mile range looks within reach -all the
excuse you need to hit the open road.
TECH SPEC
LEXMOTO MICHIGAN 125
ice £1400 __
Air-cooled 125cc single
9.6bhp,
140kg
Fuelcapacity 13.5litres
MPG _ 100mpg(est)
Seatheight 680mm
Onsale Now
Contact www.lexmoto.co.uk
Lilt] VERDICT
Convincing Harley lookalike that
goes easy on the chrome
KkKwKK*
WE LIKE
& Understated style
& Relaxed cruising
WE DON'T LIKE
& Still pretending to be something
it’s not
& Born to be mild motor