Mitt Legend 125 test: Introduction, positioning and rivals of the Mitt Legend 125
The second youth of the Café Racer at the beginning of the 21st century motivated the birth of a category based on a trend. Far from going out of fashion, the Café Racer concept has caught on across the entire planet, to the point of creating subsegments, such as the 125 Café Racer. The Café Racer postulates include lightening motorcycles, to the point of leaving present what is strictly necessary, of course, always within aesthetic canons, which must be found somewhere between classicism and minimalism.
The Mitt Legend 125 (9.5 HP, €2,795) meets all the requirements, but as we will see later and despite its spartan appearance, it comes well equipped.
Cheap motorcycles are also asked to be pretty and vice versa. Brands are aware that a 125, no matter how beautiful and Café Racer it may be, must also be versatile enough to become the only vehicle for, for example, an urban customer. The presence of semi-handlebars above the seatpost is an example of this. It has few rivals with semi-handlebars, but there are some, such as the Brixton Sunray 125 ABS (11 HP, €3,068), the Brixton Crossfire 125 (13.4 HP, €3,668), or the Macbor Johnny Be Good 125 (10.6 CV, €2,599).
On a more modern plane, but also with a Café Racer flavor, is the FB Mondial HPS 125 ABS (14, 28 HP, €3,999), while any of the Mutt Café Racer 125 configurations (12 HP, from €3,299). Our protagonist today arrives with larger displacement motorcycle construction and equipment and it is not by chance. It shares components with its older sister, the Legend 301, so it can be considered oversized in terms of cycle part.
Mitt Legend 125 test: Technical characteristics
The Mitt Legend 125 uses a simple engine architecture, such as a 125 cc 4-stroke single-cylinder air-cooled and powered by electronic injection (Delphi). It delivers 9.5 HP at 8,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 9 Nm at 6,500 rpm, which indicates that it must be revved up to obtain performance. The manual transmission is 5 speeds. It’s smooth, as is the clutch, and it’s not difficult to locate neutral.
The chassis is a simple interrupted cradle of steel tube, in which the engine is also part of the structure. The swingarm is also made of steel and however, the final weight of the motorcycle remains at 136 kilos dry, a very good figure that will be decisive in the behavior of the motorcycle.
Oils and fuel must be added to that figure; The Legend 125 holds 12 liters of fuel (gasoline weighs less than water), so the figure in running order will be close to 150 kilos. We do not have information on approved consumption, but I can tell you that it is not thirsty. With this tank, the autonomy will be close to 500 kilometers; They will see you little at the gas station.
The suspensions combine a modern inverted fork (without adjustment) and two classic rear shock absorbers, with preload adjustment. The brakes are simple and effective. Up front there is a 276 mm double piston disc. It offers power, but the touch only appears if we rely on the 220 mm rear with a single piston and very good functioning. The size of the caliper is surprising due to its large size, which together with the fender support (both are metal, mind you), contrasts with the modern-looking inverted fork.
The tires, in sizes 110/90-17 and 130/80-17 and with a large tire, surround two gold rims with black spokes, and contribute to the quality that the bike exudes, matching the gold trim on the tank.
The fork bars are joined at the top by the seat post, above which the semi-handlebars emerge, whose width and opening angle allow the turning angle to be outstanding for a motorcycle with semi-handlebars and a luxury for wriggling between cars. .
The small digital clock also rests on the seatpost, with a very successful design in which there is just the right information, but which does not ignore the gear engaged, a good detail. One can only criticize how difficult it is to read the rpm; In the end you end up changing your ears, which is how we should all change (doing it well, of course). The partial reset button is behind the watch, an aspect that reveals the attention to detail and clean lines.
The cones are simple to a fault, to the point that to cancel the flashing you have to return the switch to the center of the three positions it has. At first glance, the whole is convincing; to the touch, too.
The lighting is full LED and includes DRL daytime running light. It is strange that a motorcycle with such complete equipment does not have a USB charging port, so useful for charging your cell phone/GPS. In contrast, it has details that amaze on an economical 125 cc motorcycle, such as the “Legend” emblem embroidered on the rear edge of the seat.
I don’t remember another motorcycle on the market that offers what on this bike I call “three duplicities”, that is, duplicate systems that provide practicality, comfort and safety. The start is electric, but it also has a starting lever. It goes without saying how useful it is when you can’t start on battery power.
Furthermore, to kick start you have to raise the footrest, because if not, the lever will not be able to travel. It is fine as an anti-theft device, but since none of the footrests are retractable, in some actions, such as rowing with your legs, it can cause them to remain in an elevated position. For some it will be annoying; For others, a joy to move it standing still.
The second duplicate system is the kickstand and easel. It so happens that you cannot start the motorcycle with the kickstand extended (it is also a way to stop it, like scooters). On the one hand, it is a safety system that prevents riding with the leg extended, but you also cannot leave the motorcycle warming up on those winter mornings, unless you put it on the stand. The third duplicate element is the horn. It’s not just that it sounds stereo, it’s that it sounds like a truck. If you want, they will listen to you.
Mitt Legend 125 test: How the Mitt Legend 125 performs
The Mitt Legend 125 conquers at first glance. Black and gold have always worked on motorcycles and this case is no exception. Its lightness is surprising as soon as you put yourself at its command. It is also no problem to move it while standing, whether standing or standing on it, also due to the turning angle, which is truly remarkable.
The position is surprising, because at first it seems that the footpegs are very forward for a motorcycle with semi-handlebars. The truth is that these are very open and certainly elevated, however they are above the seatpost. The posture loads the front axle, but without excesses. As the kilometers go by, you realize that the posture is a good compromise between the comfort of the seat, the location of the footpegs and the information that comes from the front wheel.
The bike feels very balanced. Before riding it, I thought that tires with such a profile and section might be too big for it. Erré, as they contribute to the feeling of solidity that the Legend 125 transmits. The combination of brakes, suspensions, tires and low weight achieve stability and agility in equal parts. I haven’t tried the Mitt Legend 301, but its components work great in the 125.
The limitation of the motorcycle is given by the simplicity of its engine. With 9.5 HP, its performance cannot be dazzling. It is true that the top speed is not bad. I have seen 115 km/h on the marker, but in very favorable conditions, that is, with wind and a favorable slope.
When flat, it can reach 100 km/h, but as soon as a slope or headwind arrives, it accuses it, no doubt due to the development, which has been too long. The torque figure is modest; Taking into account that the maximum torque is delivered at 6,500 rpm, the gears must be stretched to the red zone (there is overspeed up to 9,000 rpm) so that the revolutions do not fall below 6,500 rpm, especially between 1st and 2nd, traffic in which will have to be attentive so that the engine does not fall over. This way we will achieve optimal driving dynamics.
This procedure serves as a school to take advantage of the power and torque of an engine. At first you can’t help but look at the lap counter, but after a while you learn to change your ear and it becomes a comforting activity. By changing the output sprocket for one with one tooth less, we will shorten the development and the accelerations and recoveries will be more forceful, yes, at the expense of top speed; but it will be easier to reach it.
I couldn’t help but take the Mitt Legend 125 to my favorite stretch of continuous twisty curves. There I was able to see the Legend’s very good handling on twisty stretches. Feeling the front wheel makes things easier, and the Legend lets you know what’s going on underneath. The setting of both trains is firm, which is appreciated in sporty driving, but pays a toll in potholes and speed bumps.
In my opinion, it is a good combination, which pairs perfectly with a firm seat, one of the best I have tried so far this year (it is October). In addition to not showing signs of passing kilometers, it has magnificent grab handles for the passenger. Due to its shape, it allows you to move in any direction, essential in sports driving and part of the versatility of the Legend 125 to accommodate all types of sizes.
On national and secondary roads it is very capable of defending itself, while on highways and highways (120 km/h limit) it struggles to keep up with the traffic. This is not the case in the city, of course, where its limitations are imposed by not having load capacity (as in all Café Racers), but not by agility or turning angle.
I could barely feel the CBS combined braking, partly because I usually use both brakes at once. It is not that it is strictly necessary on the Legend, because the front brake is enough to do the work for power, but the feel and effectiveness of the braking increases greatly with the use of both. This is good news for a motorcycle that in many cases will be the first contact with the world of motorcycling. Learning from the beginning the benefits of brakes together and separately is a lesson that many have missed and that only makes your life easier.
