FRANCIS-BARNETT FALCON 250 (2015 - on) Review

The Falcon 250 commands a hefty premium on the Sinnis Retrostar machine that it’s based on and with little more than a few minor cosmetic tweaks it’s hard to justify the extra outlay for the sake of the historic tank badge. That aside, it is a handsome bike and reasonably well made.

The Falcon, unsurprisingly, feels very similar to the Sinnis and Herald machines that it shares so many similarities with. The ride isn’t overwhelming but with a dry weight of just 130kg, it handles okay and should be lively enough to keep you entertained, a nudge on the wide bars tips it into corners easily.

The engine is identical to the one that powers the Sinnis Retrostar and is even branded as such on the casings of the Falcon. It’s a simple 249cc, carb fed single cylinder that is based on an old Suzuki motor. Despite its size, it delivers a surprisingly punchy performance, all helped by the bikes low weight.

The build quality is generally good and for the extra you pay over a Sinnis you get a different paint scheme and minor styling tweaks. The reliability is as yet unproven but the machine seems to be reasonably well made.

The Sinnis Retrostar, Herald Classic and the Francis-Barnett Falcon are all variants of the same machine. For the money, you can get the Retrostar for far less than what you would have to pay for the Falcon and it’s almost identical which begs the question why you would spend so much more for a tank badge. Even the Herald Classic costs far less than the Falcon (but still more than the Sinnis) but with the Classic you do at least get upgraded parts and adjustable suspension.

Creature comforts are all pretty bog-standard with the Falcon. It’s a straightforward bike built to a price and as such you don’t get much in the way of extras. It does come with a few cosmetic extras over the Sinnis Retrostar, but that’s about it.