Sinnis 125 Terrain
Can a small bike take you on big adventures?
Our small-capacity expert Ross tests the diminutive adventurer.
When most motorcyclists think of adventure bikes, they’ll picture a big hulking GS or Africa Twin. But over the last couple of years some of the biggest players in the motorcycle game have scaled down their adventure bikes, making them more accessible, and more affordable. There’s the Kawasaki Versys X-300, the Suzuki V-Strom 250 and the BMW GS 310 – and now, scaling down adventure even further, there’s the Sinnis Terrain 125.
For the uninitiated, Sinnis Motorcycles has been selling bikes built by Chinese manufacturer Jinan Qingqi (who makes parts for the likes of Suzuki and Peugeot, in addition to producing small capacity motorcycles) in the UK since 2006.
Of course, there are still a few issues regardingthe perception of Chinese manufactured machines, but with each passing year quality improves, and the suggestion that Chinese motorcycles are poor quality is gradually moving further from the truth.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Looking at the Sinnis Terrain in the flesh you’d easily be forgiven for thinking there’s more than a 125cc on offer, with its big-bike styling disguising its limited, learner-friendly power output. It’s equipped with all the typical adventure-style add-ons as well, including crash bars, a taller screen, full luggage set, a USB charging port, a bash plate, and it’s even got an adventure beak on it. Cool, right?
Admittedly, the headlights aren’t the best I’ve seen, and in the dead of night there’s not really enough light to give you a full field of vision. They help you be seen, but don’t necessarily help you see. The panniers and top box are decidedly ‘budget’ too, but they’re more than capable of lugging a few essentials around. I just wouldn’t place to much trust in them from a security perspective.
What really sets it apart from other adventure motorcycles on the market, despite its big-bike appearance, is its relatively low size and weight.
Firstly, it weighs in at just 150kg, which helps to make it easy to manoeuvreon the open road, paddle round car parks, and even pick it up (when you inevitably drop it) off-road. Its seat stands at 800mm too, so the Terrain should be within the bounds of most riders.
ON THE ROAD
The little Terrain is powered by a 125cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine which kicks out just 11bhp, so it’s not going to be setting any records for speed. But, it’s plenty nippy enough off the mark, and you’ll easily get the jump on traffic, up to about 30mph, before acceleration becomes
a little more laboured up to its top speed of around 60mph. Consequently, overtakes are pretty much out of the question and instead you’d do better to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Touching back on its low weight, the Terrain is also great for flicking in and out of traffic when riding through towns or cities.
From a braking perspective, the Terrain is equipped with linked brakes. Although a little strange to get used to, they offer ample stopping power – and in an emergency stop they pulled me up with relative ease, with just a little skid from the back wheel.
Suspension comes in the form of telescopic USD forks at the front, and a monoshock at the rear. In practice, they’re more than up to the job and offer a great balance between comfort and performance. As you’d expect, it’s all set up fairly soft – to deal with the worst that the roads and dirt can throw at it – and the Terrain handles it all with no real trouble. Its 17-inch wheels are clad with budget rubber, geared more towards road use.
Impressively, with its new Electronic Fuel Injection and 14-litre fuel tank, the Terrain is capable of returning up to 200 miles of ‘hard’ road riding from a single fuel stop – and if you were more restrained with the throttle, I’m confident you’d be able to eek a few more miles from the tank.
OFF-ROAD
Off-road the bike is great fun to ride. Ok, so it’s not the most accomplished off-road machine we’ve ever seen, with its fairly low ground clearance, road-oriented rubber and 17-inch cast wheels slightly limiting its ability, but ultimately it’s low enough and lightweight enough to be an absolute doddle to throw around on the trails. And you won’t need a hand picking it up, like you would a monster
BMW GS.
If you’re planning to get really stuck into some off-road riding on the Terrain, I would recommend finding some more dual-sport appropriate rubber. In the wet, I found the OEM tyres slightly lacking in grip, with the back end sliding around all over the pace, but with a bit of puffing, panting and paddling, it’s still more than capable of tackling the worst of terrains.
SHOULD I BUY ONE?
Right, so who’s going to want a Terrain 125? Personally, I reckon its easy-going, confidence-inspiring nature would help to make the Terrain a great first motorcycle for those on a CBT. Alternatively, I could see it ticking boxes for a rider who wants adventure styling without having to clamber over a gigantic adventure bike.
It offers comfort, responsive power delivery low down, nimble handling and fantastic fuel economy. In short, if you’re looking for a small-capacity, lightweight, affordable machine that’ll handle some commuting, slow-paced touring, or even a few green lanes, the Sinnis Terrain 125 is definitely worth a look.