Motorcycle specifications Bullit MotorcyclesSpirit 2017 Attraper l'esprit

The war in the neo-retro / vintage / revival segment is in full swing, and gets bigger every year. But we'd be wrong to think that these battles are only fought on the big bikes: Nine-T, Bonneville, Thruxton, CB 1100 RS, Commando and others. On the 125 side, things are biting hard too. After Mash, Orcal and Icône, among others, the Bullit brand launches its offensive with the Spirtit. A caustic little café-racer with English blazer charm.

worked to suggest the English spirit, racy in the old-fashioned way and aggressive as a hungry mutt, this 125 looks like a new kid on the block. And the styling is a real eye-catcher. With its rock-solid front end, the road could be intimidated by the Spirit. The fork crowns drop more than enough to trap the upside-down fork and tip the rider forward. The bracelets under the upper fork crown are an invitation to attack, while the small, centrally-placed speedo adds a distinctly modern touch to the old-school ambience. It's a pity, though, that the brake jar looks really cheap, and some parts don't seem to have come from a top-quality foundry.

enthusiasts will have plenty to detail elsewhere, with this pair of spoked rims, this minimalist front mudguard, the conical pot, the shocks with shocks, the racing-garage-style drilled airbox, the black-cased headlight, and the provocative chrome cladding on the windscreen guard and mirrors.

As with all vintage-low-cost motorcycles in this segment, Bullit has also chosen a very vintage powertrain. There's no room here for a latest-generation block like on a Duke or MT-125. Nostalgia and economy take precedence, hence the old-fashioned engine, extrapolated from an antique Suzuki block: 2-valve, air-cooled, with power peaking at 11.6 hp, and plenty of power to go around. That said, a cafe-racer of this displacement isn't bought for its performance, but for its looks. However, technology allows itself to be dominated by the laws and standards of modernism. The Bullit is equipped with fuel injection and coupled braking. The latter combines a 300 mm front disc bitten by a 3-piston caliper with a 210 mm rear disc + 1-piston caliper. It should do the job, not the work.

based on the same platform as the Hunt and Hero, the 125 Spirit plunges headlong into the cafe-racer spirit. The seat hood gives the illusion of a single-seater seat, just as the wrist-mounted handlebars will make you want to ride a street GP. The trend is there, and the market just needs to be convinced.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos