QJMotor SRV 125 (2025 - ) review

Harley-Davidson remains the definitive brand for cruiser style bikes but doesn’t offer anything in the CBT-friendly A1/125cc learner category. Those that do often fall at the first hurdle by running single-cylinder engines rather than the V-twins we associate with such bikes. But not so the new SRV 125 from new (to the UK) Chinese brand QJMotor. With a genuine 125cc V-twin engine, classic Harley Sportster style peanut tank, stacked shotgun style twin silencers, fat tyres and even (as per Harley) belt drive, it ticks all the cruiser boxes while delivering as an easy-mannered, novice-friendly learner bike with lots of sweet design touches at an impressively affordable price. We can’t think of another 125 cruiser that does it so well.

Cruisers often appeal to learners or shorter riders on both style and manageability given the combination of low seats and upright riding position. The SRV 125 delivers on both counts. The single seat is very low at just 700mm but is also plush, wide and comfortable. Footrests are positioned slightly forward in the traditional cruiser ‘Highway Peg’ style – but not so much to be awkward. And the handlebars are mildly raised without being extreme ape hangers. The combined result is accessible, upright and unintimidating for nearly all sizes, up to and including your 6’ 3” tester!

By their very nature cruisers are more about style than substance, and 125 versions are even more restricted in terms of performance lack of pillion carrying ability, but that’s missing the point. As a learner-appropriate cruiser the SRV 125 delivers very well on its brief. It’s very novice-friendly, is a decent town bike, is affordable and economical and, for many, should prove a desirable, effective introduction to motorcycling. On top of that, learner or not, it should also be a cheap to run commuter. That is, however, your lot. It’s no long-distance machine, no pillion or luggage carrier, obviously is no off-roader and no motorway tourer. But, for what it sets out to do, it delivers.

Again, in this aspect, the SRV has to be assessed in terms of being a mere125cc and a cruiser one at that. Its distinctive 125cc V-twin produces just shy of 14 horsepower at 9,250rpm and peak torque of 7.52ft-lb at 9,250rpm to sit just within the A1 licence limits. That’s delivered to the rear wheel via a six-speed gearbox and Harley-style belt drive, which is another stylistic and maintenance bonus. One slightly surprising by-product, however, is the SRV’s power delivery. It might be a V-twin cruiser but it’s also quite high-revving and also much smoother than most 125cc singles. The result is a super-smooth sewing machine of a motor that needs to be stirred and ridden hard to make decent progress, and not the low-revving chugger you’d characterise with bigger cruisers. Braking is more than adequate, too, and taken care of by single disc brakes front and rear, although they’re nothing exceptional, either.

Again, better than you might expect. At the front are decently beefy 34mm inverted telescopic forks with cruiser-style twin shocks at the rear. All are by reputable Italian brand Marzocchi (although actually made by QJMotor in China under licence) but only the rear is adjustable, and for preload alone. Wheels, meanwhile, are chunky, bobber-style 16-inch front and 15-inch rear wearing fat tyres by Chinese brand CST. Steering is light and accurate enough, the ride is OK if lacking in rear travel enough to bottom out easily, the pegs also somewhat easy to scrape if you’re not careful. But, by and large, there are no significant concerns and, at the end of the day the SRV is an affordable, 125cc cruiser, after all, so it’d be churlish to expect more…

Although that’s not the cheapest 125 around considering its spec and V-twin engine the price is still very affordable and it should be very cheap to run. You can expect return over 100mpg and the modest power won’t be too demanding on consumables such as tyres, brake pads and so on. It also has belt drive requiring less maintenance than a conventional chain. True, residuals are so-far unknown but from such a low starting point and as such a unique proposition, they’re unlikely to be terrible, either.

Yes, QJMotor is a new Chinese brand to the UK and the SRV 125 is also an all-new model with a unique V-twin engine so there are a lot of unknowns. On the other hand, QJMotor is no ‘fly by night’ manufacturer. In addition, the SRV 125 engine is only a 125 and fairly under-stressed while QJ’s bikes in general are well-equipped and made. Unless proven otherwise we have few reasons for concern at this stage.

QJMotor’s line-up is imported by Moto73, a spin-off of the long established MotoGB concern in Lancashire and, as such, come as standard with its usual two-year, unlimited mileage warranty. Being new to the UK, most QJMotor machines come with fairly conservative recommended service intervals, namely an initial ‘break-in’ service for oil and filter at 600 miles, followed by regular service intervals every 6,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first.

The SRV 125 may be an affordable, Chinese-built, cruiser-style 125 but it’s also far better equipped than most machines of this type. As well as the V-twin engine and belt drive, there’s a slick, full-colour, 4.0-inch circular TFT dash which is clear, easy to read and surprisingly in-keeping with the style of bike. You also getdual-channel ABS, LED lights all round, adjustable levers and footrests and three different colour options, black, red or orange.

If you’re after a small-capacity cruiser the SRV 125 has a hell of a lot going for it. It has the looks in terms of the V-twin engine, pipes, peanut tank and bobber-style wheels, to the point it might even fool some into thinking it’s the real deal! If you want easy, unintimidating manners, the SRV delivers, too. Impressive value is the cherry on the top. There’s aren’t many cruiser 125s currently available, but this is undoubtedly one of the best.