SINNIS AKUMA 125 (2022 - on) Review

Striking appearance has always set the Sinnis Akuma 125 apart from other modern-monkey rivals. Bikes like the more retro Honda Grom and the (now discontinued) WK Colt 125 look soft compared to its aggressive angles, and for 2022 the Akuma goes a little further with new blacked-out finishes and classier bodywork colours. There are significant chassis updates too, with new larger wheels, plus it has a sprinkling of entertaining new tech.

• Related: This bike appears in MCN's guide to the best 125 motorbikes on the market right now

Priced at £2599 the Akuma significantly undercuts the popular Honda MSX125 Grom, which is its obvious target. And though my preference is for traditional-looking bikes with a retro feel, like the WK Scrambler or Sinnis’s own Outlaw, after riding the updated Akuma I’m genuinely impressed.

Ride quality and handling are altogether spot on, and though not the outright fastest it’s plenty quick enough. Yes, perhaps the seat leans you a bit too far forwards and at six-foot tall my knees are a bit high, but this aggressive style and involving feel make the Akuma a confidence-inspiring and solid first ride for any newcomer. If I wasn’t a skint student on part-time wages, I’d buy one without a moment’s hesitation. Can’t say much more than that.

For 2022 the Sinnis has larger 14in wheels, upgraded from the previous 12in. Still small, they improve handling and give a stable feel around corners, while still making the Akuma very agile at low speed and in close quarters. The handling is smooth too, thanks to the suspension and low centre of gravity, and with the seat pushing you forwards you can really feel every inch the bike.

Leaning forwards into corners and tucking in on the straights, the Akuma might be a modern monkey bike but rides like… well, a proper bike. They call it the ‘mini monster’ and it deserves the nickname, being a down to earth yet modern bike that both looks and rides the part.

Being angled steeply forward means the seat does affect comfort, and with the abrupt shape of the tank you need to be gentle with the brakes. The Akuma is also very compact – it’s physically smaller than my own WK Scrambler 50. However, although perhaps better suited to smaller riders, with its 820mm seat height the Sinnis happily supports six feet of teenager.

Both the front and rear brakes very good, and they’re ‘combined’ which means the front is linked to the rear. There’s no ABS, however.

Power comes from a two-valve, 125cc, four-stroke single. Like many bikes manufactured in the Far East it’s based on older proven designs – it’s bore, stroke and appearance happen to be the same as a Honda CB125F engine.

Being air cooled instead of liquid cooled doesn’t really match the modern style of the Akuma, and with 9.7bhp it's not as powerful as other more modern bikes. However, this also means welcome simplicity and you’ll get your money’s worth of reliability. It's also fast enough. Accelerating sharply and with a more than adequate 67mph indicated top speed, the Akuma feels swift and has the smoothest, easiest gearchange of any 125cc bike I’ve ridden.

Most noticeable of all the Akuma’s features is the three-tiered exhaust. It’s not just an eye-catching MV Agusta styling trick but three fully functioning pipes that sound ace as well as looking great. With aggressive shapes, new blacked-out finishes, steel trellis frame (which is non-structural) and its raised tank giving the look of an arched back and so resembling a big cat (go on, imagine…), riding the Akuma makes me feel like I stand out from the crowd. Which is important for the teenage market.

Switchgear, components and overall finish look and feel pretty good for a two-and-a-half-grand bike. Some fasteners and smaller parts will need coating with anti-corrosion treatment for winter use, but that’s true of some bikes costing five times as much. And overall the Sinnis does a good job of disproving preconceptions about cheap, flimsy Chinese bikes.

Honda’s trendy MSX125 Grom costs £3849. Yes, it’s a bit nicer finished than the Sinnis and will hold its value better, but it’s only got the same power and the extra £1300 over the Akuma can be a big ask for a cash-strapped teen.

Benelli’s TNT125 is also made in China and costs the same as the Sinnis. It’s got a couple of horses more and a neat-looking trellis frame, but it’s also a tad gaudy and in-yer-face. Picking between them is as much down to their image and personal preference as anything else.

Tech fan? You’ll be interested to learn that the display now has multiple colour options as well as brightness settings. At first, I thought it was just another nick-nack, however it is helpful especially in changing weather or when looking through a tinted visor. And it’s like socks with days of the week on – every day can be a new colour. The display is also crystal clear and comes with a small array of function as expected – time, trip, odometer.

Something that I quite like are the large buttons that the Sinnis uses. None of this tapping the wrong control malarkey, just big simple buttons, easy as you like.