A sporty, 125cc scooter for under the cost of an annual travelcard in central London. So just how good is a budget commuter? We tested WK Bikes’ SX 125 to find out.
Scooter and bike sales really have soared over the past few years, and for good reason too; rising public transport prices, the increased cost of driving and of course the pandemic has all pushed people in the direction of two-wheeled transport, which is great news all round for us bike fans.
And with so many offerings on the market, you really don’t need to break the bank in order to pick up something that’s not just brand new, but pretty smart, and spec’d nicely too. And that’s exactly where WK’s SX 125 sits; for £1,799 (+OTR) you get a sporty looking number, equipped with LED lights, a fuel gauge, underseat storage, a Euro5 compliant four-stroke engine and even a USB charging port. Couple that with a two year warranty and it really does sound like a great little package for under under two thousand pounds… but is it actually any good?
At first glance, I’ve got to say that the SX 125 looks far better than its price tag suggests. Sure, it’s never going to have the best finish or be the smartest looking machine on the planet, but even so the design is nice and sporty, without looking too tacky or cheap. Chinese scooters have come a long way in recent years, and this one has got some really nice little details too, such as the locking mechanism on the key which hides the keyhole, and the USB charging port, which works wonders whether you want to charge your phone, or even plug in some heated gloves on a cold day.
It’s fairly comfortable for a scooter too, and the dash offers everything you need, including speed and a fuel gauge. There’s ample room underneath the seat to fit a small bag or even a helmet, and the mechanism to open it is easy and positive too.
Although the fully automatic, twist and go, 125cc motor isn’t going to win any prizes or break any records, it does go about its business as it should, offering up an easy ride to the top of the speedo, and happily sitting there too.
With just shy of 9bhp on offer, it’s not the quickest machine in the sector but it is incredibly easy to use and is incredibly un-intimidating, making it the perfect machine to hone your skills on if you’re new to riding. The only niggle really is the small fuel tank that holds just a nip over 4 litres, but then again it barely drinks any fuel at all, so that can be excused.
All in all, it does the trick. The same goes for the handling; being so light, low and having such a small wheelbase makes it a doddle to ride. The turning circle is impressively small and the brakes do a good enough job of stopping things, especially as they utilise a combined braking system too.
But the most important part is, after hundreds of miles and over six months of usage, the WK never missed a single beat. It never needed anything besides fuel, and even after this time it has held together perfectly, without any rust or quality issues – even after weeks of sitting without use, the electric start fired into life with no qualms whatsoever.
Conclusion
All in all, the WK SX 125 has been an incredibly effective little commuter, which has done exactly what it says on the tin. For the price, it’s a great little machine that’s packed with some really nice touches, but most importantly it performed perfectly, and without any issues at all. It may be well known that ‘you get what you pay for’, but with the WK this is not true – you actually get a lot more.
Images: Raceline Images
