Lightweight Adventure bikes are becoming popular, and many major manufacturers are producing models. Sinnis, a Brighton-based motorcycle design company, has made small capacity Learner friendly motorcycles since 2005. Their Terrain 125 Adventure has become one of the most popular in the sector.
The 125 cc market is enormous, with Learners aged 17 to 19 having to ride this lower capacity on an A1 licence before progressing to higher-powered machines. Manufacturers want to capture these youngsters to maintain their brand loyalty for future purchases. Their motorbikes must cut the mustard to grab buyers' attention and get them to hand over their hard-earned money.
Sinnis is a brand that has been around since 2005 and specialises in 125 cc bikes, currently with eight models to choose from. The Terrain is their Adventure bike model, and it looks great. Kitted out with many features you will find on a larger capacity, higher-priced brand machine. You get a lot for your money.
I don't foresee many buyers of the Terrain 125 Adventure venturing too far off the beaten tracks, but if they do, the machine has a complete set of engine protection bars wrapping around the vital heart of the bike. It also has rear protection bars in front of the panniers that protrude past the boxes, offering good security if you happen to topple over. I would have thought the Terrain 125 Adventure would have come with handguards on the bars, especially if Sinnis does consider that owners will take the bikes off-road. They would also add to the look of the machine and offer a degree of weather protection to the rider.
As I mentioned, you get panniers with the Terrian 125 Adventure and a top box, although they are pretty small. If I owned one, I would buy a more significant top box so I could at least store my helmet when parking up.
I will be reviewing more 125 cc machines from all the manufacturers as there is a demand from potential bikers to read what Testers think. I am fortunate to have a good-sized audience of Beginner and Learner riders, so it will be nice to test bikes they can ride.
The last Sinnis I reviewed was the Hoodlum, and I liked that. (Www.roadtestsandreviews.co.uk full review).
Back to the Terrian 125 Adventure and how it performs.
The 125 cc engine is liquid-cooled, with an improved electrical system and produces 12.7BHP. It is enough to get you up to 63 mph in sixth gear, and for a Learner, it can get there reasonably quickly. The delivery is smooth, as are gear changes, and Sinnis has put on a finely-tuned balancer shaft. This smooths engine vibration and adds to a more comfortable ride.
The Terrain 125 Adventure is light and agile, which I love as I revelled in throwing the bike around off-road and nipped in and out of traffic on the roads. The upright riding position is superb, as is the position of the handlebars. Your arms are spread wide and weight dispersed, so no pressure builds on your wrists. A small touring screen is above the headlight and deflects wind off you to a small degree, but it won't stop any rain.
Your display area is tidy and clear, with all the necessary information. An inbuilt USB port is ideally placed by the rider display, so you can connect a smartphone to charge or show you navigation.
The travel set that comes with the Sinnis Terrain 125 Adventure gives you a potential 66.5-litre luggage capacity, although, as I mentioned, I would opt for a more significant top box for more practicality. You get a 14-litre fuel tank or around three gallons, and with the Terrain 125 giving you approximately 90 mpg, you get a healthy range of 270 miles. That is a lot of lessons, commutes to college/ work or fun riding. And you will have fun riding the Terrain 125 Adventure, but if you want to go off-road, change the tyres.
Competition to the Sinnis Terrian 125 comes from the Zontes ZT 125 G1. https://zontes.co.uk, the Lexmoto Assault 125 EFI. https://www.lexmoto.co.uk and Aprilia have their RX 125 Adventure style https://www.aprilia.com/gb_EN/models/rx-125. These are a few of many.
Sinnis Terrain 125 Adventure. £3600
Total of 2-Year Warranty Covering Parts, Labour & Breakdown
Year 1: Parts, Labour & Breakdown (L&B in Partnership with The Motoring Organisation®)