Restricted power but the Rieju SMX125 still has lofty ambitions

Rieju is fast becoming one of the 125 class’s leading lights thanks to its combination of European style and Japanese engineering, quality and price, as its new SM125 proves.

With a seat height as lofty as a full-blown supermoto, standing tall at 900mm, you’d be forgiven for mistaking Rieju’s SMX125 for a much larger machine. But it’s not. It’s a full learner-legal bike and an extremely stylish and well-equipped one at that.

And it’s not just the seat that’s big – everything about the SMX is on a large scale: The brakes, forks and chassis all look the business and prove more than capable of keeping the SOHC Minarelli/Yamaha engine in check.

The Rieju SMX125 is priced competitively, too, and, with a burgeoning UK dealer network, it shouldn’t be too hard to locate one for a better look. There is also a ‘standard’ version of the SMX available, without the fancy cast wheels and radial brakes, but, with a saving of only £100 I know which I would opt for.

You can read more about Chris Pearson’s adventure on the Rieju SMX125 and see all the specifications in this week’s MCN, out Wednesday, May 21, 2008.