SACHS MADASS 125 (2005 - on) Review

Funky half-BMX, half-moped looks good and promises much as a cool urban tool for 16/17-year-olds. Shame it’s let down by disappointly feeble performance, iffy Chinese build quality and plasticine componentry.

None to speak of. The Madass is one step up from a Monkey bike. It’s small, cramped and silly. Its suspension is has less springing than a Bic biro and all the damping qualities of an overcooked pancake. Comfortable it isn’t. What it is, however, is a fun toy.

The aircooled, 4-valve single-cylinder four-stroke is old and slightly agricultural and won’t set anybody’s pants on fire. However, to its credit it’s simple, straightforward, fairly durable and, for the most part, idiot proof. Which, come to think of it, is probably what and engine in a machine like this needs to be. Just a shame it’s so slow…

Don’t expect much. We haven’t heard of anything terminal but in our (fairly serious, it has to be said) experience various bits rattled loose, bent or fell off and many of the components seemed to have all the durability of a cheap watch.

The Madass isn’t exactly expensive, but then it isn’t exactly cheap either, is not well made or durable, and the bike isn’t particularly versatile or practical. Which makes it a fairly pricey, brittle toy. Hmmmm. Find a Sachs Madass 125 for sale.

Not a lot, that wouldn’t be in keeping with it’s urban-techno-grunge styling, now would it?. Instead you get the bare minimum (and cheap and nasty it has to be said) speedo and idiot lights; downright nasty switchgear and not a lot else… Headlight looks cool, though…