Zontes C125 test: Introduction, positioning and rivals of the Zontes C125
There are few things more comforting than a pleasant and unexpected surprise in the terrible job of the motorcycle tester. You may like a motorcycle more or less, also depending on the expectations you had before trying it.
In the case of the Zontes C125 (14.7 HP, €3,087), it goes beyond that; More than exceeding expectations, it has shaken my principles of what a 125 cc custom could be. If there was one thing I didn't expect before this test, it was to have a good time, not just on a curvy road, but on my reference road.
With this introduction, it is difficult to place the Zontes C125 within the 125 cc custom motorcycles, a truly effervescent segment in which there are many brands involved. But it is not so difficult to understand that Zontes has emerged as the leading manufacturer in sales in Spain among the 125 cc gears.
Returning to the segment in question, we must look for its rivals among the Hyosung Bobber GV125S EVO 2024 (13.45 HP, €4,387), Hyosung Aquila GV 125 (13.45 HP, €3,987), Macbor Rockster 125 2023 (9.5 HP, €2,699), Keeway Superlight 125 (10.6 HP, €2,490), Mitt 125 MB Twin Custom (14 HP, €3,845), Motron Revolver 125 (11.46 HP, €2,868), QJ Motor SRV 125 2023 (14.9 HP, €3,299) or the UM Renegade Freedom 125 (12.2 HP, €3,880).
Yes, it is true that Zontes has strayed from the path of orthodox American custom, but it can also be inferred that its references are in other motorcycles, at least in the aesthetic section. The trellis frame, the inclined tank and the 16-inch wheels with a thick profile evoke the Honda CMX500 Rebel, while the shape of the seat is reminiscent of the 1985 Yamaha V-Max 1200. They are Asian references in terms of design. What is original about the Zontes C125 is its dynamic behavior, far from what could be expected from the long & low postulates.
Zontes C125 test: Technical characteristics of the Zontes C125
The curious thing about the behavior of the Zontes C125 is that, reading its technical sheet by section, nothing indicates that it could be a particularly dynamic motorcycle. The engine is a water-cooled SOHC single-cylinder, powered by Bosch 8.0 electronic injection that delivers 14.7 HP at 9,000 rpm and 13 Nm at 7,000 rpm. The clutch is multi-disc with an oil bath and anti-rebound mechanism. The gearbox is 6 gears.
The frame is a double steel cradle, closed by the engine crankcase itself. The conventional fork, with bellows and without adjustment, has 127 mm of travel, while at the rear it uses double shock absorbers with 87 mm of travel and preload adjustment, anchored in its lower part to an aluminum swingarm that is 10 cm longer than that of the other Zontes 125 gears.
The wheels are 16 inches on both axles, with tire sizes 120/80 and 140/70, CST in this case. The brakes are a 300 mm front disc clamped by a double-piston Zontes caliper and a 230 mm rear disc clamped by a single-piston caliper.
The equipment, as in all Zontes, is neater than usual for its segment. The full LED lighting and the instrument panel use a very complete LCD panel that includes speedometer, lap counter, coolant and gasoline temperature graphic levels, time clock, total and partial odometer, and fuel consumption. There are ten warning lights arranged on both sides of the screen, among which the low tire pressure warning light stands out.
The pinecones that govern it are backlit and the handles are adjustable. It has a Keyless key system (contact and tank) with a smart proximity key with IP67 waterproof standard. If the key battery runs out, the motorcycle can be started by induction, bringing the key close to a specific point on the motorcycle (which only the user will know).
The 16-liter gasoline tank promises a range of over 400 km, very high in its category. The dimensions of the motorcycle are not small despite the fact that the seat is only 700 mm from the ground. With my height of 178 cm, the bike is not small for me and at the same time, no one will have problems reaching the ground sufficiently.
The wheelbase is 1,480 mm, a long motorcycle without a doubt, but as you can see if you continue reading, the combination of its geometries together with the 16-inch wheels and 153 kg in running order, is a motorcycle that, in addition to good looking, gives sensations. The good ones.
Test Zontes C125: How the Zontes C125 performs
In the introduction to this article I told you that with the Zontes C125 I have had a blast on “my” road. At this point I am going to elaborate: near where I live, there is a curved road with one lane in each direction, in which half a lane – the outer part – is made of cement, so that only half a lane in each direction has asphalt ( the two inner halves of each lane). There is a particularly twisty section, which goes down and up a river canyon.
With such a narrow road, only the most efficient and instinctive motorcycles are capable of continuously traveling along its layout and in its lane without difficulty. In this section, the Zontes C125 is one of the motorcycles that has had the best performance. What's more, perhaps it has been one of the most fun (the most in 2024), including scrapes on the footrests.
But, let us start at the beginning. The bike surprises at first glance because, apart from its references to the Rebel or the V-Max, it seems to have more displacement than a 125 cc. That's why you smile when, after getting on its “saddle”, you see that the bike is actually light and manageable.
The tips of the handlebars close and extend backwards to, together with slightly forward footpegs, form a very relaxed ergonomic triangle for everyday use. The levers are adjustable, while the footrests (with tools) are height adjustable; In reality you will always wear them in the highest position, which is the one shown in the photos.
The posture will not be so good for the hypothetical passenger, surely more of an emergency matter than a regular occupant. You will have little space: high and forward footpegs, perhaps very comfortable for a chimpanzee. Holding on to the pilot's waist will be more of an obligation than an option.
The mirrors below the cuffs do not allow you to see anything, unless you “cup the wing”, or raise your elbows. It helps prevent them from rubbing between cars when wriggling, but they do not fulfill their main function. Fortunately, all you have to do is cross them with your fist to put them above it, at the same level as conventional ones.
Once on the move, everything is easy. The clutch feel is very well tuned; So much so that getting the point right the first time is normal. The engine revs easily. You soon discover that the March It is on higher floors, not only that, but the engine breathes better.
It is not an engine that feels forced to circulate at sustained high speeds. At 100 km/h, it circulates perfectly normally and has sufficient gas reserve. The feel of the gear lever is also very good, something very appreciated on a motorcycle that will have to change gears if you want to speed up the pace.
I began the test by driving around Madrid and going out on expressways to check the performance of the 125 cc. My impression was very good, including the comfort of the suspensions. Surprise turned into amazement when I entered “my” section, where I discovered that the bike has a very natural corner entry, instinctive even, on a custom!
The limits are marked by the footpegs, which rub as soon as you get into a rumbero mood. However, the rubbing of the footpegs is almost natural. The reason is that there are no warning devices, so that every time it is touched, the lower part of the footboard – cylindrical – progressively flattens. There comes a point when you are able to feel three points of support (the two wheels and the footpeg) and perceive that, if you insist on scratching, the support on the wheels decreases to the same extent.
I don't mean that it's the norm, but when it happens, it feels organic, without any surprises. In a way, in that section it is also a motorcycle school. There is no need to abandon the playful approach to learn: keeping the engine in the good torque zone while you negotiate curves and against tight curves is like reviewing your race notes, but with fun.
Even the suspensions are up to par for sporty driving. In this regard, they are more effective than the brakes, sufficient for the C125 and its scant 157 kg in running order, but in which force must be used on the lever to obtain braking power. In this sense, the 4-piston J.Juan calipers fitted to its cousin, the Zontes E125, would have been great.
But in that case, we would not be talking about an introductory price of €3,087, really competitive for what this Zontes C125 offers. Aesthetics, power and price. As far as I'm concerned, it's one of the surprises of this season. Not only does it satisfy, but it far exceeds what is expected from a 125 cc custom, no matter how you look at it. To that we must add what I did not expect: it is a very fun motorcycle.
