I really like it. The lightweight simplicity of it is just up my street. Like a lot of others have said, the £7k price makes it mix with a lot of other well proven and better performing bikes. If it were £6k it would be really compelling but at £7k it’s a tough one.
Herald are a great company and I like the direction that they are taking. However I think that the dealer network is weak and that they would be better advised selling this model directly to the public at a lesser price £5/5.5 k tops. I appreciate that don't need to add ABS but it is a big safety ommision in my eyes. I wish Herald well but it's taken too long to come to market and it's going to be a very niche market for this bike. Finally if you do purchase this motorcycle hang onto it for a long time as sure as hell it's depreciation will make you weep.
Totally agree with these comments Yes the price isnt befitting to the bike and needs to drop at least a grand and they could get money back by selling custom accessories They should go the same way Suzuki did with the Bandit, A whole lot of bike for an amazingly low price , it makes the bike more appealing and arouses intrest that makes people want an affordable machine , which this bike isnt because its limitations as an all weather bike , unless you enjoy having road grime flicked all over.
Did you see Fortnine's recent video on dealerships? He made some interesting points about direct sales, among many other things. Well worth a watch if you didn't see it.
@@Jesus_Iced Hi yep just given it a view. V interesting points indeed. Herald however are a small niche manufacturer. On the surface CCM appear to make direct sales work. But sure I agree there's alot more to it than meets the eye
Depends actually. If few of those will sell, it may be really sought-after bike in the future, so I wouldn’t be so sure about the depreciation. But it’s hard to tell at this point.
The heart of a bike is the engine. I feel that a British bike has to have a British heart. The Brute is getting there with the frame and UK ancillary suppliers, but is firmly in the "assembled in Britain" category for me.
I remember having the same type of conversation with Simon Skinner head designer at Norton. We had a deposit on all British Atlas Nomad in the Garner era. We later found out the engine was going to be made by Zongshen in China. He told us they would make a far better job of the engine due to their experience and huge manufacturing scale. Nothing to do with cost of manufacturing of course
Absolutely and only if that’s important to you. It doesn’t make it a better bike. I own the Fantic with the same engine which claims to be Italian 😂 It’s a great engine mind you, at least in performance terms it can hold 90mph uphill and trickle around town in 5th gear. I rarely use 4th on a bendy road, just the occasional hairpin, or steep hill. Not sure of its longevity, but so far, so good.
@@davideccles1617 Triumph are British, still owned by the Bloor family who live up the road from me. Still employ over 700 folks at Hinckley. Last time I did the factory tour Tiger 900's were being built.
I saw the Herald at the NEC last year and was impressed by what I saw, you have now had the benefit of riding one and it seems as good as it looked. I hope they can keep going with a UK based production and also keep a competitive price with quality! 👍
Best of luck to Herald. Some nice components, fantastic engine (who cares where it’s made, it’s the way it’s made that matters…) and it looks brilliant I think. Top stuff. 👍👍
I love it, i think it`s the right sort of machine for people who prefer to ride solo around back lanes. I`d have one in a heartbeat no matter what people think it lacks, if you`re a proper biker, you don`t need things like ABS, traction or cruise control, they`re all governed by you right hand and riding ability. Many thanks for posting this Andy.
$9k for a 500cc single from a manufacturer who’s only history to date is rebadging chinese bikes? Sounds like a terrible value proposition. There are so many bikes you can get for that price and you shouldn’t choose this one.
I'm all for giving new manufacturers a chance, especially when they're British.....they have to start somewhere and I'm not saying the bike is perfect, but I for one applaud their approach.....
@@TheMissendenFlyer I think of all the poor sods who took that position with the Hesketh Vampire and ended up with assorted bits in boxes hoping to offload a ‘project’ to some other mug.
I agree. It’s the same mentality that has sustained Harley Davidson for decades - with the assistance of US government tariffs and assistance. But that’s because Harley owners are demonstrably the biggest marks in the bike market. To be fair, this thing looks quite good. But that’s because they paid the design team a lot of money. And when you look closely, there are some very cheap parts on there. The brakes spring to mind…!👀🧐😎😜
@@TheMissendenFlyer I sat on this bike at the " bike festival " ( old BMF ) show in Peterborough in May. I really liked it, very light and in my opinion great looking, but over £7,000 is way too much. I have since bought a Benelli Leoncino 500, again Chinese twin engine, super smooth with a bit more power, but mainly the price. £5,200 . A few years earlier I liked the Svartpilen, and I have now seen these greatly reduced because they were overpriced in the first place, and I can see Herald unfortunately going the same way,
Nice bike but a big no from me 'cos of the price.... BSA 650 Will be cheaper, probably more chance for performance mods of you want that sort of thing, and it looks nicer...(to me but not everyone)
I fully understand that the financials of building their own engine in the UK don't stack up. But I think that, rightly or wrongly, the Chinese engine stops people from seeing this as a true British motorbike that they're happy to pay top dollar for.
With respect that’s because it’s using an unknown Chinese engine bought in and questionable other components. The ‘clocks’ look like something you’d get off eBay and the usd forks (pretty pointless on a big like this) have no stone protection. Sorry but the whole look of the bike feels like various existing parts brought together rather than it being designed as a whole.
Interesting review & a pretty cool bike too. I had a look on their website & price isn't too bad either for it's uniqueness. Only slight problem for me is the Husqvarna 401's which have very similar spec & performance, equally unique style & are quite a bit cheaper too by about £1700. Although this is definitely an interesting proposition I wouldn't rule out.
Amazing review as always! This was a strong contender for a second bike for me. I'm looking for a small light alternative to my Superduke GT for casual local jaunts. I absolutely love the design of this bike! But at that price point... uhhh... not so sure. I mean there are some amazing bikes within earshot of 7 grand that I'd take over this - the Royal Enfield Interceptor and Continental, Honda's CB650R, or Yamaha's MT07, are great examples. Buying British isn't that important to me (in general, I don't think patriotic capitalism matters as much to Brits as Americans) but if it was, I've seen a new Triumph Trident for only 500 more. That would be a no-brainer decision. I really hope Herald do well off this because their design work is great and I want to see more from them. But I think they've priced themselves into some brutal competition.
Good looking bike, and love the fact it's British. Well done for testing something I haven't seen ridden anywhere else. Publicity equals sales and they deserve a chance. That price does buy a lot of Royal Enfield, but like it. Happy travels 👍
In these times anything that can put a grin on your face is a good thing. I've even found that my cheap bicycle going down a country lane can be quite soothing and enjoyable. Also seems to be an age related issue that I have noticed lately. Sometimes the simple things reminds me of my earlier days. 👍👍🏍🏍🏍🙋♂️
What a pretty bike (except the tail of course) and the seat is really well done. I don't like the front light (should be more discreet) and the exhaust (same). Sound is interesting. Well done. And as always bravo for this review.
I really like the look of this new motorcycle. Very interesting indeed. Loads of competition at a lesser price. Still I gotta hand it to Herald for producing an 80% British bike. Well done 👍🏼
Seems to me a lot of people are missing the point of this bike. It is a limited production model certified for road use under the SVA (single vehicle approval) scheme. This means each one has to be taken to a DVLA test centre and inspected, just like a kit car. A limited production machine like this with bespoke parts and made in the UK is never going to compete on price with mass produced Asian made bikes like MT 07s or CB500s. You buy this at least in part because you want something others do not have, or because you want a single not a twin, or you want a carburettor engine, or because you do not want ABS.
Never heard of the Herald. Thanks for the review. I've a soft spot for thumpers. Not a fan of this particular bike, but look forward to the scene growing. I tend to think what makes a British bike, or any bike for that matter (outside of engineering, ha), is the soul... not that the parts are manufactured or assembled in any one place. Yes, spirit is esoteric and sentimental, but hopefully anyone who reads this gets what I mean. All this said, again, where the parts are made doesn't matter, as long as they're quality. I'm keeping my eye on the resurrection of sorts of BSA. Hope that doesn't disappoint. Wish list? I'm hoping some eccentric cad brings back the Vincent Black Shadow. A work of art.
Similarly, I was looking at the Cabellero which I think looks superb, but the price was ridiculously high for what it is so never bothered getting one.
I've got the same engine on my Fantic Caballero. In short: magnificent. PS I met a chap who flagged me down with the same Fantic, we had a chat, and he's a professional motorcycle tour operator - he owns a Ninja H2, Multistrada, HD Sportster, BMW GS, the lot, etc...and he thinks the engine is magnificent too. Put it this way, he has £200k worth of bikes in his garage, and this is the engine he likes to potter around on the back lanes...
Humm my son is looking for a bigger bike now and is insisting on ABS now after coming a cropper without it. I must admit I’d be a lot happier he has it also. This will count against it with newer less experienced buyers which are a big chunk of market. Look forward to your review of the 1200 I believe they have also😀
Why? All the gegars and extraneous tech actually detract from learning some roadcraft. Encourage your son to do I.A.M. Courses, he'll learn more.ABS isn't your friend in the long term, learning how to deal with bad situations is.
Definitely has some plus points being put together in England. I'm no fan of electronics but the omission of ABS? Afraid I would still go Royal Enfield in that price range.
In what way Rutger? What do we have a reputation for engineering to low quality? Jaguars, Rolls Royce's, Aston Martin's, Range Rovers, Bentley's, Morgan's, Rolls Royce Aero Engines, Triumph Motorcycles.....all seem pretty high end to me? (seriously interested, not being flippant.....)
@@TheMissendenFlyer All of these, except for the Triumphs and the RR Aero division for being too niche, have a very unreliable reputation out here. Comparable with calling a FIAT "Fix It Again, Tony" or the reputation of Peugeot in the UK. Of course it's not the same as the chinesium productions, but rarely anyone out here consideres UK built as top of the line. The current Bentley's and Roll Royce cars being UK/German hybrids with the best of both worlds are great though and it has pretty much saved the brands in the early 2000's. But all in all it's just a bit humorous looking from the outside, like a Frenchman loving a Renault and calling it the best car. Nothing to take too serious, and personally I'd like a Triumph some day when they are ever going to have another colour than 50 shades of grey.
J.Juan are owned by Brembo and make OEM brake calipers for a number of bikes .. including the KTM 790/890 Duke, with the calipers rebranded as KTM units 😉
Looks a fairly decent package overall. I have no problem with Chinese technology but personally I would only consider a bike to be British when the two major components, frame and engine, are made in Britain. Thus at best this is an international coop machine which does its job well it would seem. Good review as always, thanks Andy.
I really like this type of bike with a classic look and a smaller engine. I'm 197 cm tall so as you said, the Herald might be to small for me. Do you have any suggestion on a bike that'll fit me better size wise?
Considering your regs on license plates - that looks like a factory tail tide to my eye. :^) I'm still waiting for someone to make a modern (i.e. retro still) Sunbeam S7. Such a handsome machine. I think Herald would have done well to put a round clock blended into a headlight bucket - which lead me to thinking of the S7. Again. Several marks over the years have had instrument clusters blended into the headlight bucket. Done well, it avoids the "made in a garage" look that the Brute is kinda suffering from (a well kitted out garage mind you!).
Looks great. I’m with you about the headlight, not too keen on it. Also those mirrors they don’t blend well with the rest of the bike. For the money and the work they put in it, excellent bargain I think.
Interesting question, Andy. I bought a new Trident 660 a year ago and I've just visited the dealership to sort out my annual service. Now, I know it was made in Thailand, but they don't ever mention that at Triumph and leave you to believe, without actually saying, that it's a British bike, born and bred, with the Union Flag all over it, etc. However, it is a British company with all its heritage and the design is truly home grown so it is full of "Britishness", which counts for a lot in my book. I spotted a Royal Enfield Meteor on my travels and it does give you a warm glow to see these great names from the past enjoying renewed strength. Hurry up, Norton!
Thanks for posting. The bike looks nice enough. Not too sure about frame bits being screw into engine. Wouldn't welding be better? Also, was that corrosion in the exhaust mount to the frame? Price is a bit steep, as noted by other posts.
Looks like a great bike Andy, having a bit of a utilitarian nature I would like to see a more effective front mudguard and I agree with you on the headlightand also the rear end. 40 odd hp is a good amount
No guards on the fork tubes either. Still, like the ABS, maybe ‘this sort of bike doesn’t need them’, or the pillion seat and pegs. Ah but it’s British-sorta. 🙄
I just bought a 1983 Suzuki tempter gr650 yesterday for $1300 USD. Kinda makes no sense spending $9000 when there's hundreds of thousands of used bikes for a tenth of the price. I love the herald 125. That's an awesome bike. For a decent price.
Very interesting hadn’t seen this till now. It’s really encouraging that they are doing so much in the UK and hopefully over time this will grow both in model lineup and making more here. Price did make eyes 👀 widen a little though. It looks like a very close competition for the svartpilen 401 and unfortunately for Herald the latter appears to be a bit better finished. You’ve ridden a lot of bikes though and your reaction to it is very encouraging. Have you ridden the svartpilen? Also interesting that they can avoid euro 5 and abs etc. Simpler the better for me it’s why I love our mk1 groms so much! Cracking vid as ever.
@@chris53small not sure mate, think its just because it’s approved under MSVA that it can be avoided. It’s good that smaller manufacturers have this as an option. I’d never really thought about till seeing this video.
The spoked wheel I presume has an inner tube, which reminds me. Last week I rode my Triumph Bonneville to Wales. I got a puncture in Lampeter. The local tyre company couldn’t fix it because it needs the rear wheel removing to replace the inner tube. The AA came out but couldn’t repair it for the same reason. I had to leave the bike at the tyre centre. I had to pillion ride with my mate to our accommodation in the Gower 62 miles away the next day I spent hours trying to find a bike dealer willing to repair my bike. To the shame of all they where too busy to help a fellow biker. I found a back street place the other side of Swansea in Clydach willing to fix it. It took the AA two days to transport the bike to them. It was a 50 minute ride as pillion from accommodation to repair garage. I’m now looking for a new tyre because the back street garage damaged the bead on the tyre. Tubeless tyre could have been repaired on site. Hope my experience helps someone
Looks great, sounds great, really lovely machine. And quite a few smart designs, like bolted subframe, adjustable fork, etc. Don’t like the excessive branding, but that’s not a factor. I think the price is high but not ridiculous high, about the max price I could pay for an a2 bike. Best of luck to Herald.
The mirrors are reminiscent of the CRF's and the headlight looks a bit like the LED model the HMMWV's have gone to. Seems like it might be a capable hooligan bike if one were so inclined.
I brought a SWM 650 Superdual - ( CCM use their engine ) they are built in Italy ( a forma Husky TE630 - Bike ) now unfortunately mostly owned by the Chinese. Most of the important running gear is made in Italy , brembo brakes , Wheels , Sach Suspension rear ( front is fast ace ) does bike suspension- Taiwan, frame and swing arm as well - Italian PLUS the engine which is also Italian made . By what I have read and heard from the importer , basically all the plastics , tank , electrical , seat all made in china. That’s why it doesn’t look very well put together. But the important stuff works great 👍, funny 😄 how the Brute is the opposite fantastic finish but Chinese engine, BUT they are getting better , but as the engine was also in the Fantic ( apparently now building their own engine) hopefully Brute will end up doing the same . You should see if you can do a review on the Moto Marini XCape 650 , it users the CF Moto engine . A cool 😎 looking bike .
Looks like a cracking machine with some decent components, but the price is a tad off-putting, especially when you see what a bargain their Brat 250X is. I really hope they do well though. There's some tough competition in that area.
Avon tyres, I've had many sets of Avon roadrunners. There's a fault on the rear of the seat cover. I don't know what I'd think of a single, I've only own 4 cylinder or 2 stroke triples?
Nice review. Love the style and low weight. Doesn't look comfortable for a pillion which puts me off. Didn't even think it had a seat but I see the rear footpegs. £7K, hmmm, a lot out there for that money.
Looks and sounds great, except the price tag. Why buy this when you could buy a brand new MT07 for less money, or a 6 month old Trident? Thanks again TMF.
I bought a Triumph street twin 2016 for less than this bike.I like that Herald are trying to build bikes in the U.K.I applaud them for that but this is over priced for what you get.
I get that there is a lot of competition in that range and it had to be built to a price but it looks unfinished and a bit like a parts bin special to me, is a paint job all that expensive ? As for '80% built in Britain', I'd say that's stretching it a bit, of course if you count parts individually and the engine only counts as 1 part then maybe but not by weight or volume ! That engine is most definitely not 'a big ole thumper' Andy, it's over square which means it's a short stroke wide piston as opposed to the long stroke engines such as Gold Star or Manx Norton which was an entirely different kind of engine altogether ! Those produced much more power at very low revs and could run much higher gearing, this gave the impression of firing once for every lamp post and each time you really felt a thump of power, you won't get that impression from a high revving Chinese short stroke engine ! Granted it's still probably a lot of fun to ride as it's lightweight and agile and good as a second bike or general run about, it would be interesting to see about getting spares for it or how they are in the long term compared to a Japanese equivalent.
Or the Duke 390 which is a grand cheaper, has ABS, TCS, Pillion provision, fancy display, Bluetooth and illuminated switchgear. It does look exactly like a parts bin special. Yet apparently looks higher quality than the Fantic ? Really ?
What I don't like is the way the tail of the bike is just empty. I know some may like the no fender look but not me. I think the bike should have some kind of structure on the back with a fender, seat and taillight assy. The info screen and the key switch need to be the other way around with the key on bottom and the instrument pod on top where you can read it without having to look down so far, which can be dangerous.
I thought ( wrongly) all new bikes over 125cc had to have abs .. I'm not particularly bothered by ABS but if I bought a new bike I think I would want it . ( Totally contradicting myself ) Peace and love brother 👍🏻☮❤
I like it. Big torquey single. What’s not to love? I would move that regulator/rectifier unit out of there though as it’s asking for trouble in the firing line of crud off that front wheel. ..agree about the headlight. Odd looking thing. Apologies if you’ve covered this in one of your ‘fashion segments’ elsewhere Andy (not seen it yet) but what is that jacket? Think it’ll work well with my new T120 when I pick it up this week. (Told you that Bobber 9L fuel tank was getting on my nerves!). 😎
Nice bike, but I don’t like the fact it doesn’t have abs, that is the one electronic safety aid that really makes sense. If you want to stand out from the crowd it would certainly do that, but for the price you could get a Royal Enfield Intercepter or Continental which for me would make more sense as there are far more dealers out there and personally I think are better looking bikes.
I believe Triumph are rumoured to be producing a single cylinder bike in co- operation with Indian manufacturers TVS? Would be interesting to see what price range this potential competitor would be pitched at.
Nice that they are going down the British manufacturing (if possible) route and with a good engine albeit Chinese manufactured. Will the public pay the extra price though over say an Enfield?
I bought the 250 Brat in January & love it, did you ride it on a major road/dual carriageway? Just wondering how it performed then. It’s a shame it’s not a British engine, I suppose it’s all about cost. Thanks for review. 👍😊
I can tell you as I have the same engine-tiring and boring. The engine is great on back roads, but more than half an hour on a fast road and I’m pulling the 701 out of the garage and that isn’t exactly a motorway cruiser.
The Price point is just a to high if your buying one of theas dont forget your taking a chance ( Reliability unproven resale values unknow) So it should have been more at the new to the market Level. I have just rolled the dice on a Benelli 502c watched loads of reviews its been here for three years so does have a track record. I Managed to get a great deal From Robinsons of Rochdale its an ex show room prop and demo bike that cam with some nice extras with just 54 miles on the clock for £4,750 so would i pay seven grand for this probably not. O and its that great old grey area is it a British bike well no is it buggery but nether is triumph or CCM. A mongrel is a mongrel not a pedigree with with a challenging family background...
Good review . Looks good . Although if I was spending in the region of £7K on a bike, I'd probably have a Triumph Trident, for a few reasons (the big reason, well I love triples) "Is 80% mean it's a British bike ?" All depends how the 80% is being measured. The engine is obviously Chinese, so I don't know how that calculates in to the other 20% . The engine is obviously a very major component. Still, I wish Herald good luck, I guess if it was 100% British it would be too expensive, and thus it wouldn't sell.
Price wise, if you think of it as a lower priced alternative to a CCM, maybe that's how it should be looked at. Street Twin vs. Interceptor or CCM vs. Herald.
Thanks Andy, this certainly looks very different to the majority of bike these days, but I can't really see how it fits into the market. For a second/starter bike there's many "better" bike for less money imho ( I'd go for another MT-03 for example)
I'll probably never see one, but I actually like it. I'm also too big for one... Is the Switchgear leftover from the old Aprilia / Moto Guzzi parts bin?
How did you get along on the Brat 125? Saw your inital review of it and remember you saying you'd do a follow up vid, looking to get a Brat 125 myself but not alot of content out there on it.
@@TheMissendenFlyer Thanks for the reply mate, trying to decide between the Brat and the FB Modail Flat Track and there isn't much info on either unfortunately. But cheers anyways.
Maybe with a bike that light and with what looks like debadged wp standard suspension... easy to lower, easy to convince Carol that all big bikes are that big problems... and you'd get a good looking bike in the stable 😉
Well it certainly sounds great. What’re your thoughts on comparisons with the single pot bikes from CRM (Bolton - forgive me if I’ve got the wrong name!). Their bikes are twice as much. Wish you well Andy. A
Great review. Lovely looking bike and I would buy one but not at that price. Chinese lump looks well cool but I would not call it a British bike. it's just the price tag that spoils it.
I really like it. The lightweight simplicity of it is just up my street. Like a lot of others have said, the £7k price makes it mix with a lot of other well proven and better performing bikes. If it were £6k it would be really compelling but at £7k it’s a tough one.
Herald are a great company and I like the direction that they are taking. However I think that the dealer network is weak and that they would be better advised selling this model directly to the public at a lesser price £5/5.5 k tops. I appreciate that don't need to add ABS but it is a big safety ommision in my eyes. I wish Herald well but it's taken too long to come to market and it's going to be a very niche market for this bike. Finally if you do purchase this motorcycle hang onto it for a long time as sure as hell it's depreciation will make you weep.
Totally agree with these comments
Yes the price isnt befitting to the bike and needs to drop at least a grand and they could get money back by selling custom accessories
They should go the same way Suzuki did with the Bandit, A whole lot of bike for an amazingly low price , it makes the bike more appealing and arouses intrest that makes people want an affordable machine , which this bike isnt because its limitations as an all weather bike , unless you enjoy having road grime flicked all over.
Did you see Fortnine's recent video on dealerships? He made some interesting points about direct sales, among many other things. Well worth a watch if you didn't see it.
@@Jesus_Iced Hi yep just given it a view. V interesting points indeed. Herald however are a small niche manufacturer. On the surface CCM appear to make direct sales work. But sure I agree there's alot more to it than meets the eye
Depends actually. If few of those will sell, it may be really sought-after bike in the future, so I wouldn’t be so sure about the depreciation. But it’s hard to tell at this point.
The heart of a bike is the engine.
I feel that a British bike has to have a British heart.
The Brute is getting there with the frame and UK ancillary suppliers, but is firmly in the "assembled in Britain" category for me.
I remember having the same type of conversation with Simon Skinner head designer at Norton. We had a deposit on all British Atlas Nomad in the Garner era. We later found out the engine was going to be made by Zongshen in China. He told us they would make a far better job of the engine due to their experience and huge manufacturing scale.
Nothing to do with cost of manufacturing of course
Absolutely and only if that’s important to you. It doesn’t make it a better bike. I own the Fantic with the same engine which claims to be Italian 😂 It’s a great engine mind you, at least in performance terms it can hold 90mph uphill and trickle around town in 5th gear. I rarely use 4th on a bendy road, just the occasional hairpin, or steep hill. Not sure of its longevity, but so far, so good.
Quite true unfortunately Triumph believe they are British! and still use the Union Jack as their branding how hypocritical is that.
@@davideccles1617 Triumph are British, still owned by the Bloor family who live up the road from me. Still employ over 700 folks at Hinckley. Last time I did the factory tour Tiger 900's were being built.
@@Banditmanuk profit outweighs cheap labour.
I saw the Herald at the NEC last year and was impressed by what I saw, you have now had the benefit of riding one and it seems as good as it looked. I hope they can keep going with a UK based production and also keep a competitive price with quality! 👍
Best of luck to Herald. Some nice components, fantastic engine (who cares where it’s made, it’s the way it’s made that matters…) and it looks brilliant I think. Top stuff. 👍👍
i wouldnt buy chinese thats for sure. ask Taiwan.
Great to see you review such a wide variety of bikes. What a great job to have. I'm very jealous indeed.
Thank you kindly!
I love it, i think it`s the right sort of machine for people who prefer to ride solo around back lanes. I`d have one in a heartbeat no matter what people think it lacks, if you`re a proper biker, you don`t need things like ABS, traction or cruise control, they`re all governed by you right hand and riding ability. Many thanks for posting this Andy.
My pleasure - thanks for watching
$9k for a 500cc single from a manufacturer who’s only history to date is rebadging chinese bikes? Sounds like a terrible value proposition.
There are so many bikes you can get for that price and you shouldn’t choose this one.
I'm all for giving new manufacturers a chance, especially when they're British.....they have to start somewhere and I'm not saying the bike is perfect, but I for one applaud their approach.....
@@TheMissendenFlyer I think of all the poor sods who took that position with the Hesketh Vampire and ended up with assorted bits in boxes hoping to offload a ‘project’ to some other mug.
I agree. It’s the same mentality that has sustained Harley Davidson for decades - with the assistance of US government tariffs and assistance. But that’s because Harley owners are demonstrably the biggest marks in the bike market.
To be fair, this thing looks quite good. But that’s because they paid the design team a lot of money. And when you look closely, there are some very cheap parts on there. The brakes spring to mind…!👀🧐😎😜
@@TheMissendenFlyer I sat on this bike at the " bike festival " ( old BMF ) show in Peterborough in May. I really liked it, very light and in my opinion great looking, but over £7,000 is way too much. I have since bought a Benelli Leoncino 500, again Chinese twin engine, super smooth with a bit more power, but mainly the price. £5,200 . A few years earlier I liked the Svartpilen, and I have now seen these greatly reduced because they were overpriced in the first place, and I can see Herald unfortunately going the same way,
Awesome! Support local business. So good to see something new and exciting. All the best Herald Motorcycles.
Agreed!
I've been waiting for this video for so long!!!
Shame for Herald that they can’t really win. People demand a British made bike but when they see the price they aren’t so keen.
Exactly!
Nice bike but a big no from me 'cos of the price.... BSA 650 Will be cheaper, probably more chance for performance mods of you want that sort of thing, and it looks nicer...(to me but not everyone)
I actually feel quite self-righteous riding a bike built in Prague!
I fully understand that the financials of building their own engine in the UK don't stack up. But I think that, rightly or wrongly, the Chinese engine stops people from seeing this as a true British motorbike that they're happy to pay top dollar for.
With respect that’s because it’s using an unknown Chinese engine bought in and questionable other components. The ‘clocks’ look like something you’d get off eBay and the usd forks (pretty pointless on a big like this) have no stone protection. Sorry but the whole look of the bike feels like various existing parts brought together rather than it being designed as a whole.
Interesting review & a pretty cool bike too. I had a look on their website & price isn't too bad either for it's uniqueness. Only slight problem for me is the Husqvarna 401's which have very similar spec & performance, equally unique style & are quite a bit cheaper too by about £1700. Although this is definitely an interesting proposition I wouldn't rule out.
Exactly the same issue that faced "Harris" Matchless in the late 80's
Amazing review as always! This was a strong contender for a second bike for me. I'm looking for a small light alternative to my Superduke GT for casual local jaunts. I absolutely love the design of this bike! But at that price point... uhhh... not so sure. I mean there are some amazing bikes within earshot of 7 grand that I'd take over this - the Royal Enfield Interceptor and Continental, Honda's CB650R, or Yamaha's MT07, are great examples. Buying British isn't that important to me (in general, I don't think patriotic capitalism matters as much to Brits as Americans) but if it was, I've seen a new Triumph Trident for only 500 more. That would be a no-brainer decision.
I really hope Herald do well off this because their design work is great and I want to see more from them. But I think they've priced themselves into some brutal competition.
Good looking bike, and love the fact it's British.
Well done for testing something I haven't seen ridden anywhere else. Publicity equals sales and they deserve a chance.
That price does buy a lot of Royal Enfield, but like it.
Happy travels 👍
Cheers TT!
In these times anything that can put a grin on your face is a good thing. I've even found that my cheap bicycle going down a country lane can be quite soothing and enjoyable. Also seems to be an age related issue that I have noticed lately. Sometimes the simple things reminds me of my earlier days. 👍👍🏍🏍🏍🙋♂️
What a pretty bike (except the tail of course) and the seat is really well done. I don't like the front light (should be more discreet) and the exhaust (same). Sound is interesting. Well done. And as always bravo for this review.
I really like the look of this new motorcycle. Very interesting indeed. Loads of competition at a lesser price. Still I gotta hand it to Herald for producing an 80% British bike. Well done 👍🏼
Seems to me a lot of people are missing the point of this bike. It is a limited production model certified for road use under the SVA (single vehicle approval) scheme. This means each one has to be taken to a DVLA test centre and inspected, just like a kit car.
A limited production machine like this with bespoke parts and made in the UK is never going to compete on price with mass produced Asian made bikes like MT 07s or CB500s. You buy this at least in part because you want something others do not have, or because you want a single not a twin, or you want a carburettor engine, or because you do not want ABS.
Trouble is it won’t compete with them on quality or reliability either.
What Mr Prosser said. Using loopholes to get around fitting ABS etc is not a good thing……
Great looking motorbike brilliant review as ever 👏 👍
Never heard of the Herald. Thanks for the review. I've a soft spot for thumpers. Not a fan of this particular bike, but look forward to the scene growing.
I tend to think what makes a British bike, or any bike for that matter (outside of engineering, ha), is the soul... not that the parts are manufactured or assembled in any one place. Yes, spirit is esoteric and sentimental, but hopefully anyone who reads this gets what I mean.
All this said, again, where the parts are made doesn't matter, as long as they're quality.
I'm keeping my eye on the resurrection of sorts of BSA. Hope that doesn't disappoint.
Wish list? I'm hoping some eccentric cad brings back the Vincent Black Shadow. A work of art.
The price has always held this bike back. was interested in this bike 2 years ago and the price put me off.
Similarly, I was looking at the Cabellero which I think looks superb, but the price was ridiculously high for what it is so never bothered getting one.
I've got the same engine on my Fantic Caballero. In short: magnificent. PS I met a chap who flagged me down with the same Fantic, we had a chat, and he's a professional motorcycle tour operator - he owns a Ninja H2, Multistrada, HD Sportster, BMW GS, the lot, etc...and he thinks the engine is magnificent too. Put it this way, he has £200k worth of bikes in his garage, and this is the engine he likes to potter around on the back lanes...
Yep - a proven unit as far as I can make out…
Humm my son is looking for a bigger bike now and is insisting on ABS now after coming a cropper without it. I must admit I’d be a lot happier he has it also. This will count against it with newer less experienced buyers which are a big chunk of market. Look forward to your review of the 1200 I believe they have also😀
Why? All the gegars and extraneous tech actually detract from learning some roadcraft. Encourage your son to do I.A.M. Courses, he'll learn more.ABS isn't your friend in the long term, learning how to deal with bad situations is.
Definitely has some plus points being put together in England. I'm no fan of electronics but the omission of ABS? Afraid I would still go Royal Enfield in that price range.
To be fair, here outside of the UK "built in England" has a pretty negative connotation to it haha
@@RutgerSmets Well I am looking at it through British rose tinted glasses.
I'm actually a Yamaha collector 👍
In what way Rutger? What do we have a reputation for engineering to low quality? Jaguars, Rolls Royce's, Aston Martin's, Range Rovers, Bentley's, Morgan's, Rolls Royce Aero Engines, Triumph Motorcycles.....all seem pretty high end to me? (seriously interested, not being flippant.....)
And the jewel in the British engineering crown, the Reliant Robin.
@@TheMissendenFlyer All of these, except for the Triumphs and the RR Aero division for being too niche, have a very unreliable reputation out here. Comparable with calling a FIAT "Fix It Again, Tony" or the reputation of Peugeot in the UK.
Of course it's not the same as the chinesium productions, but rarely anyone out here consideres UK built as top of the line.
The current Bentley's and Roll Royce cars being UK/German hybrids with the best of both worlds are great though and it has pretty much saved the brands in the early 2000's.
But all in all it's just a bit humorous looking from the outside, like a Frenchman loving a Renault and calling it the best car. Nothing to take too serious, and personally I'd like a Triumph some day when they are ever going to have another colour than 50 shades of grey.
J.Juan are owned by Brembo and make OEM brake calipers for a number of bikes .. including the KTM 790/890 Duke, with the calipers rebranded as KTM units 😉
Looks a fairly decent package overall. I have no problem with Chinese technology but personally I would only consider a bike to be British when the two major components, frame and engine, are made in Britain. Thus at best this is an international coop machine which does its job well it would seem. Good review as always, thanks Andy.
I like the styling but it’s more than a mt07 or a 390 duke or an sv650 all of which are amazing
True....
Agree
I really like this type of bike with a classic look and a smaller engine. I'm 197 cm tall so as you said, the Herald might be to small for me. Do you have any suggestion on a bike that'll fit me better size wise?
Considering your regs on license plates - that looks like a factory tail tide to my eye. :^)
I'm still waiting for someone to make a modern (i.e. retro still) Sunbeam S7. Such a handsome machine. I think Herald would have done well to put a round clock blended into a headlight bucket - which lead me to thinking of the S7. Again. Several marks over the years have had instrument clusters blended into the headlight bucket. Done well, it avoids the "made in a garage" look that the Brute is kinda suffering from (a well kitted out garage mind you!).
“The brake levers are from Hel.” That was pretty funny. The bike itself seems quite nice.
Looks great. I’m with you about the headlight, not too keen on it. Also those mirrors they don’t blend well with the rest of the bike. For the money and the work they put in it, excellent bargain I think.
I liked the Fantic ,and I like this one too. Simple bikes that don't rely heavily on electronics.
I think the £6950 might be a problem
it would be worth 4.5k as soon as you rode it out of the show room
Would be for me.
@@A.J.Lawson If that, probably a very hard sell 2nd hand
Seems a fun bike. Thumpers are always fun with the sound and torque. Smaller , so easier to toss around corners.
Seen one at the NEC 2023 and loved it. and i really want one. the only thing i would change is route the exhaust under the seat
WOW interesting ! thanks for this ATB!
Interesting question, Andy. I bought a new Trident 660 a year ago and I've just visited the dealership to sort out my annual service. Now, I know it was made in Thailand, but they don't ever mention that at Triumph and leave you to believe, without actually saying, that it's a British bike, born and bred, with the Union Flag all over it, etc. However, it is a British company with all its heritage and the design is truly home grown so it is full of "Britishness", which counts for a lot in my book. I spotted a Royal Enfield Meteor on my travels and it does give you a warm glow to see these great names from the past enjoying renewed strength. Hurry up, Norton!
I think they are upping thieir UK production again. Bit of an own goal moving it away I'm guessing it was to keep costs down.
Triumph are bringing back production to U K.they say.
Thanks for posting. The bike looks nice enough. Not too sure about frame bits being screw into engine. Wouldn't welding be better? Also, was that corrosion in the exhaust mount to the frame? Price is a bit steep, as noted by other posts.
Looks like a great bike Andy, having a bit of a utilitarian nature I would like to see a more effective front mudguard and I agree with you on the headlightand also the rear end. 40 odd hp is a good amount
No guards on the fork tubes either. Still, like the ABS, maybe ‘this sort of bike doesn’t need them’, or the pillion seat and pegs. Ah but it’s British-sorta. 🙄
I just bought a 1983 Suzuki tempter gr650 yesterday for $1300 USD. Kinda makes no sense spending $9000 when there's hundreds of thousands of used bikes for a tenth of the price. I love the herald 125. That's an awesome bike. For a decent price.
Very interesting hadn’t seen this till now. It’s really encouraging that they are doing so much in the UK and hopefully over time this will grow both in model lineup and making more here. Price did make eyes 👀 widen a little though. It looks like a very close competition for the svartpilen 401 and unfortunately for Herald the latter appears to be a bit better finished. You’ve ridden a lot of bikes though and your reaction to it is very encouraging. Have you ridden the svartpilen? Also interesting that they can avoid euro 5 and abs etc. Simpler the better for me it’s why I love our mk1 groms so much! Cracking vid as ever.
Do they avoid ABS Brakes by putting those front and rear linked brakes on a Bike ?
@@chris53small not sure mate, think its just because it’s approved under MSVA that it can be avoided. It’s good that smaller manufacturers have this as an option. I’d never really thought about till seeing this video.
The spoked wheel I presume has an inner tube, which reminds me. Last week I rode my Triumph Bonneville to Wales. I got a puncture in Lampeter. The local tyre company couldn’t fix it because it needs the rear wheel removing to replace the inner tube. The AA came out but couldn’t repair it for the same reason. I had to leave the bike at the tyre centre. I had to pillion ride with my mate to our accommodation in the Gower 62 miles away the next day I spent hours trying to find a bike dealer willing to repair my bike. To the shame of all they where too busy to help a fellow biker. I found a back street place the other side of Swansea in Clydach willing to fix it. It took the AA two days to transport the bike to them. It was a 50 minute ride as pillion from accommodation to repair garage. I’m now looking for a new tyre because the back street garage damaged the bead on the tyre.
Tubeless tyre could have been repaired on site. Hope my experience helps someone
Looks great, sounds great, really lovely machine. And quite a few smart designs, like bolted subframe, adjustable fork, etc. Don’t like the excessive branding, but that’s not a factor. I think the price is high but not ridiculous high, about the max price I could pay for an a2 bike. Best of luck to Herald.
Agreed....
The mirrors are reminiscent of the CRF's and the headlight looks a bit like the LED model the HMMWV's have gone to. Seems like it might be a capable hooligan bike if one were so inclined.
Looks nice.. great review TMF reminds me of CCM spitfire but in black.. good price to
I brought a SWM 650 Superdual - ( CCM use their engine ) they are built in Italy ( a forma Husky TE630 - Bike ) now unfortunately mostly owned by the Chinese. Most of the important running gear is made in Italy , brembo brakes , Wheels , Sach Suspension rear ( front is fast ace ) does bike suspension- Taiwan, frame and swing arm as well - Italian PLUS the engine which is also Italian made . By what I have read and heard from the importer , basically all the plastics , tank , electrical , seat all made in china. That’s why it doesn’t look very well put together. But the important stuff works great 👍, funny 😄 how the Brute is the opposite fantastic finish but Chinese engine, BUT they are getting better , but as the engine was also in the Fantic ( apparently now building their own engine) hopefully Brute will end up doing the same . You should see if you can do a review on the Moto Marini XCape 650 , it users the CF Moto engine . A cool 😎 looking bike .
Looks like a cracking machine with some decent components, but the price is a tad off-putting, especially when you see what a bargain their Brat 250X is. I really hope they do well though. There's some tough competition in that area.
Great looking bike, I would definitely sort out the location of that number plate
Probably more British than triumph 😂. Good video, been waiting for this, will be between this, fantic or a bsa if they ever come out
Love the looks though 😍
Good review TMF. Nice to see a British made bike but I think they have the pricing a bit off for what people will pay.
For around about the same price I think my money would be spent on the BSA Gold star...as always great video mate .
Definitely, a much nicer looking bike.👍🏻
Let's hope they have made the wiring loom in UK as on previous bikes you had to tie wrap all the block connections as they fell apart
Great video as always, please can i ask when you will be doing a review on the new Aprilia Tuareg 660?
No plans currently....
That is one hellishly lovely looking thing.
Great to see a new British bike 🇬🇧👍
Looks good but the new scram 411 is looking like possibly £2k less
Yes really looking forward to trying that....
Nice review mr Flyer! I like this sort of bikes. But in this case I would go for a used KTM 690 Duke. Oh wait, I did!
Nice bike, Herald certainly know how to build a good looking bike.
Avon tyres, I've had many sets of Avon roadrunners. There's a fault on the rear of the seat cover.
I don't know what I'd think of a single, I've only own 4 cylinder or 2 stroke triples?
Agreed that headlamp shell probably housed a Fray Bentos steak pie in a previous life
I knew it reminded me of something!
I will be interested in a direct comparison with the RE Scram.
👍👍
Breaks from Hell. Sounds like my old MZ! Great review, sir.
Nice review. Love the style and low weight. Doesn't look comfortable for a pillion which puts me off. Didn't even think it had a seat but I see the rear footpegs. £7K, hmmm, a lot out there for that money.
Would like to try one of those sometime it probably will never get to in the states…
Looks and sounds great, except the price tag. Why buy this when you could buy a brand new MT07 for less money, or a 6 month old Trident? Thanks again TMF.
Exactly. I’d buy an MT-07 over that any day.
I bought a Triumph street twin 2016 for less than this bike.I like that Herald are trying to build bikes in the U.K.I applaud them for that but this is over priced for what you get.
I get that there is a lot of competition in that range and it had to be built to a price but it looks unfinished and a bit like a parts bin special to me, is a paint job all that expensive ?
As for '80% built in Britain', I'd say that's stretching it a bit, of course if you count parts individually and the engine only counts as 1 part then maybe but not by weight or volume !
That engine is most definitely not 'a big ole thumper' Andy, it's over square which means it's a short stroke wide piston as opposed to the long stroke engines such as Gold Star or Manx Norton which was an entirely different kind of engine altogether ! Those produced much more power at very low revs and could run much higher gearing, this gave the impression of firing once for every lamp post and each time you really felt a thump of power, you won't get that impression from a high revving Chinese short stroke engine !
Granted it's still probably a lot of fun to ride as it's lightweight and agile and good as a second bike or general run about, it would be interesting to see about getting spares for it or how they are in the long term compared to a Japanese equivalent.
Or the Duke 390 which is a grand cheaper, has ABS, TCS, Pillion provision, fancy display, Bluetooth and illuminated switchgear. It does look exactly like a parts bin special. Yet apparently looks higher quality than the Fantic ? Really ?
How is the vibration at 60mph? And how about the exhaust sound?
Those omissions tell me they're not so good....
What I don't like is the way the tail of the bike is just empty. I know some may like the no fender look but not me. I think the bike should have some kind of structure on the back with a fender, seat and taillight assy. The info screen and the key switch need to be the other way around with the key on bottom and the instrument pod on top where you can read it without having to look down so far, which can be dangerous.
I thought ( wrongly) all new bikes over 125cc had to have abs .. I'm not particularly bothered by ABS but if I bought a new bike I think I would want it . ( Totally contradicting myself )
Peace and love brother 👍🏻☮❤
looks really nice
I like it. Big torquey single. What’s not to love?
I would move that regulator/rectifier unit out of there though as it’s asking for trouble in the firing line of crud off that front wheel.
..agree about the headlight. Odd looking thing.
Apologies if you’ve covered this in one of your ‘fashion segments’ elsewhere Andy (not seen it yet) but what is that jacket?
Think it’ll work well with my new T120 when I pick it up this week. (Told you that Bobber 9L fuel tank was getting on my nerves!). 😎
Ah… got the jacket from the Scram review! 🤦🏼♂️
Nice bike, but I don’t like the fact it doesn’t have abs, that is the one electronic safety aid that really makes sense. If you want to stand out from the crowd it would certainly do that, but for the price you could get a Royal Enfield Intercepter or Continental which for me would make more sense as there are far more dealers out there and personally I think are better looking bikes.
I believe Triumph are rumoured to be producing a single cylinder bike in co- operation with Indian manufacturers TVS? Would be interesting to see what price range this potential competitor would be pitched at.
Nice that they are going down the British manufacturing (if possible) route and with a good engine albeit Chinese manufactured. Will the public pay the extra price though over say an Enfield?
I bought the 250 Brat in January & love it, did you ride it on a major road/dual carriageway? Just wondering how it performed then. It’s a shame it’s not a British engine, I suppose it’s all about cost. Thanks for review. 👍😊
I can tell you as I have the same engine-tiring and boring. The engine is great on back roads, but more than half an hour on a fast road and I’m pulling the 701 out of the garage and that isn’t exactly a motorway cruiser.
@@nockianlifter661 Thanks. Interesting 👍
Really enjoy your video , well put together , like the machine , British engineering needs to be supported, to start again some how?
Not sure of the headlight but also the front brake fluid reservoir. Looks like a budgie perched on the handlebar.
Anyone knows the suspension travel ? Wheels size ? Fuel consumption ? Thanks
i might swap in my old cagiva river for one of these, it would be great on country lanes.
A good alternative to a DRZ. I really like the look of it.
The Price point is just a to high if your buying one of theas dont forget your taking a chance ( Reliability unproven resale values unknow) So it should have been more at the new to the market Level. I have just rolled the dice on a Benelli 502c watched loads of reviews its been here for three years so does have a track record. I Managed to get a great deal From Robinsons of Rochdale its an ex show room prop and demo bike that cam with some nice extras with just 54 miles on the clock for £4,750 so would i pay seven grand for this probably not. O and its that great old grey area is it a British bike well no is it buggery but nether is triumph or CCM. A mongrel is a mongrel not a pedigree with with a challenging family background...
Brake lines from Hell! I had some of those on an RD250LC!
I like the Herald Bikes, shameful we can not get them here in the USA. Guess I’ll have to wait a few months till I’m in NI.
Good review . Looks good . Although if I was spending in the region of £7K on a bike, I'd probably have a Triumph Trident, for a few reasons (the big reason, well I love triples)
"Is 80% mean it's a British bike ?" All depends how the 80% is being measured.
The engine is obviously Chinese, so I don't know how that calculates in to the other 20% . The engine is obviously a very major component.
Still, I wish Herald good luck, I guess if it was 100% British it would be too expensive, and thus it wouldn't sell.
Price wise, if you think of it as a lower priced alternative to a CCM, maybe that's how it should be looked at. Street Twin vs. Interceptor or CCM vs. Herald.
Thanks Andy, this certainly looks very different to the majority of bike these days, but I can't really see how it fits into the market. For a second/starter bike there's many "better" bike for less money imho ( I'd go for another MT-03 for example)
MT 03 might be a better bike but it will get zero arrention ...this bike folk will be interested in...nothing worse than being like everyone else
Wow!! what a rockus little machine...A perfect bike to have when you have no reason to have one. 🤔
Any chance they're available in the US?
I'll probably never see one, but I actually like it. I'm also too big for one...
Is the Switchgear leftover from the old Aprilia / Moto Guzzi parts bin?
It looke like Domino switch gear. I think this is what Aprillia/Guzzi used in some of their bike before being taken over by Piaggio
they should make a himalayan type bike adventure with that engine be awesome.
Great video and I think 80% British qualifies too :)
That is a really nice looking bike. I was really surprised at the price (high) and for me no ABS is a problem when all the competition have ABS.
No ABS is a problem, in what way?
How did you get along on the Brat 125? Saw your inital review of it and remember you saying you'd do a follow up vid, looking to get a Brat 125 myself but not alot of content out there on it.
Sadly it went back as it was too tall for Mrs Flyer to ride…
@@TheMissendenFlyer Thanks for the reply mate, trying to decide between the Brat and the FB Modail Flat Track and there isn't much info on either unfortunately. But cheers anyways.
The omission of lower forks protection is not a good idea😢
Maybe with a bike that light and with what looks like debadged wp standard suspension... easy to lower, easy to convince Carol that all big bikes are that big problems... and you'd get a good looking bike in the stable 😉
Well it certainly sounds great. What’re your thoughts on comparisons with the single pot bikes from CRM (Bolton - forgive me if I’ve got the wrong name!). Their bikes are twice as much. Wish you well Andy. A
Similar sort of feel although the CCMs are better made....
Great review. Lovely looking bike and I would buy one but not at that price. Chinese lump looks well cool but I would not call it a British bike. it's just the price tag that spoils it.
I've yet to see you go through Weston turville......
What happened to the front "mudguard"?
Will this bike be exported to North America USA?