A smart looking learner legal cruiser for less than £2700, Sinnis’ new Outlaw 125 looks like a lot of bike for the money…
The Sinnis name may not be familiar to all motorcyclists, but the Brighton based company has been doing some brisk trade with its small capacity Chinese built machines in recent years. For 2022 the brand has introduced a phalanx of stylish, on trend, machines, including this, the cruiser styled Outlaw 125.
If you like cruisers, it’s a cool looking thing. The styling, from a distance at least, has more than a whiff of Harley-Davidson Sportster about it, in particular the large side mounted air filter cover, ignition barrel under the tank and large single dial speedo.
There’s no big V-twin at the heart of the Outlaw though. Instead, it runs a basic two-valve air-cooled single cylinder motor shared with Sinnis’ other cruiser, the slightly cheaper Hoodlum 125, which takes on more of a classic Harley Softail vibe.
With around 10.5bhp on tap, the Outlaw is no ripsnorter but it is quick enough for the city riding most owners will tackle. Head out on the open road and it’ll run through the five-speed gearbox quickly enough. Top speed can vary depending on conditions. We saw 60mph on the large and easy to read analogue speedometer, but hitting slight inclines or headwinds could easily see 10mph lopped off that.
Around town the Sinnis is very easy to ride. As you would expect from a cruiser style machine, the seat height is low and claimed weight is just 141kg, making it manageable for riders of all levels of experience. The engine is typical of a Chinese built 125, using well tried and tested technology but updated to include fuel injection and meet the latest Euro5 emissions regulations.
It is a basic design but very smooth, with a light clutch and positive gearchange. The dashboard also includes a gear indicator as well, which is a neat touch on a budget motorcycle. It’ll be cheap to run too, with a claimed fuel consumption of around 100mpg.
The fat tyres look great and give the Outlaw the stance of a bigger bike, as do the trick looking piggy back style rear shock absorbers, which can be adjusted for preload. This is good if you plan to take a passenger, although the small pillion pad is better suited to short hops than big tours.
The suspension felt adequate enough and more than acceptable for a sub £3k learner bike. With a lazy cruiser style setup and a slightly foot forward riding position, it gives a surprisingly relaxed ride on A roads. There are no ABS braking system, although the brakes are linked as per the latest regulations, and it all works well enough for the Outlaw’s level of performance, without being outstanding in any way.
Probably the best thing about the Outlaw is the look, especially in the vibrant yellow and black combination of our test bike. Fit and finish isn’t quite up to the level of Japanese learner bikes, but then again neither is the price tag.
Sinnis, like fellow Chinese brand Lexmoto, is continuing to raise its game year on year and although not quite matching more expensive machines in terms of technology, the build quality is better than you might expect from a budget machine. If the yellow isn’t up your street, there’s also a classic matt black option, which is more discrete but still perfectly suits the custom styling.
Conclusion
It’s rare to see 125cc cruisers. It is a genre that typically lends itself well to a big lazy twin, but if you like that style of bike and want to stick to L plates the Sinnis Outlaw 125 brings something new to the learner class.
It sits above Lexmoto’s ZSB and Michigan cruisers, both of which are a good bit cheaper than the Sinnis, but the Outlaw definitely has that bit extra edge about it.
There’s a full parts and labour warranty, as well as breakdown cover, for a year and an additional parts warranty for year two. It’s inexpensive, cheap to run and a very stylish city runaround that brings something new to the British motorcycling landscape.
Sinnis Outlaw 125 technical specifications
Max Power: 10.5bhp @ 8500rpm
Max Torque: 9Nm @ 6500rpm
Displacement: 125cc (124.8cm3)
Gear Type: 5 Speed
Weight: 141kg
Fuel Capacity: 13 litres