High-displacement custom motorcycles no longer carry the same weight on the market as they once did, but if we’re talking about 125 cc bikes, then things take a different turn. This is the case in Portugal and Spain, where Macbor has been showing good numbers, so the time has come to renew the little Rockster, available in two versions and at a very competitive price.
High-displacement custom motorcycles no longer carry the same weight in the market as they once did, but if we’re talking about 125 cc bikes, then things take a different turn. This is the case in Portugal and Spain, where Macbor has been showing good figures, so the time has come to renew the little Rockster, available in two versions and at a very competitive price.
It was in Sitges, near Barcelona, that we got to know the two new Macbor 125s, the Rockster 125 and the Rockster Flat 125. These are two important proposals for the custom 125 segment, a segment that continues to sell many motorcycles on the Iberian Peninsula, with Macbor being a Catalan motorcycle brand that has grown steadily. And although it’s among the medium-sized models that it’s been most popular, among the 125s it stands out for offering products at a very interesting price, and which are still quite cool! Speaking of these Rocksters, they were already much-loved bikes in Portugal and Spain, and have now undergone an evolution following a development carried out in the city of Barcelona itself. Simplicity is the watchword, with air-cooled engines, but there are good details that show care, not least because in this segment every detail counts! Highlights include the full LED lighting, the 100% digital LCD dashboard, and the double rear shock absorber with separate reservoir. Braking with a disc on each wheel is combined between the two axles (CBS) and another interesting detail is the fact that these bikes are equipped with spoked rims – the front being 18 inches and the rear 15” – and also have a center stand.
MODELS – THE DIFFERENCES
These two models are practically identical but there are several differences between them. The base version is clearly more old school, more “easy rider”, through the wide, raised handlebars and passenger backrest, while the Flat shows more modern lines, as can be seen from the apartment handlebars, passenger grip and also the Macbor logo on the fuel tank. The seats are also slightly different, more in aesthetic terms than in terms of comfort, and in terms of footrests on the Flat version we have traditional elements, while on the base we find comfortable platforms to rest our feet on.
Basically these are the differences, plus the obvious ones in terms of decoration, with the Rockster 125s sharing the air-cooled engine that delivers 10.5 hp of power at 8,500 rpm, for a maximum torque of 9 Nm at 6,500 rpm. Quite simple figures, even for the segment, with the brand’s managers saying that they wanted to maintain simplicity and reliability, along with a very appealing final price.
An interesting detail is the fact that these models are very light, with 127 and 130 kg dry for the Flat and base respectively, which won’t scare anyone, even those just starting out on two wheels with a motor.
DRIVING
When it comes down to it, it’s important to say that the ride is easy and pleasant from the first few kilometers, which is important for the less experienced. The seat is low, the riding position is pleasant and the feel of the throttle is good, which isn’t always the case with low-displacement models, as is the feel of the brakes, even though they don’t have a lever-to-handle adjustment. However, despite the beautifully cut front disc, it offers little power, so you have to get used to using the brake pedal more, which distributes the braking power to both wheels, and then everything works well, with a good distribution of decelerating power to both axles. In terms of performance, with 10.5 hp of power, you can imagine that these aren’t the most powerful bikes in the 125 cc segment, but in town and on short laps the single-cylinder responds well, the 5-speed gearbox is well-shifted, and we managed to exceed 100 km/h.
If your routes include a lot of freeways and highways, then these Rocksters will suffer a little more. Only in a few respects did we feel that the Macbor deserved better. One of them is the suspension, as we noticed that the front fork is quite soft and the rear shock absorbers are too hard – although the spring preload can be adjusted – generating a slight discompensation and discomfort in bumpy areas. The other downside is the quality of the tires, which don’t offer the best feel, even in dry conditions. And by the way, we would have liked the instrumentation to be a little more complete and easier to read, but for the rest, these Macbor showed good components and a pleasant ride. The Flat version appealed to us more in aesthetic terms, but the base ended up convincing us more due to the different shape of the handlebars and the presence of the footrests, which guarantee additional comfort.
These are comfortable, affordable bikes that are good to ride for those taking their first steps into motorcycling, and that’s exactly what Macbor is aiming for with these models. These Rocksters already have good build quality and finishes, they’re also very pretty and, above all, they’re easy and very economical to buy and maintain.