The KR Sport may have a circuit-bike
appearance, but the riding position is much more upright than you’d expect,
making the front faring largely aesthetic as your head and shoulders are far
above any wind-bubble it might create. On the plus side you’re unlikely to
get up to speeds where wind resistance is a problem and the comfortable
up-high ride affords a good view of the road. Steering is light and easy,
and the low-weight of the bike inspires effortless U-turns. The clip-on bars
can feel a little obvious and restricted – like a mini GPZ500 – but it’s no
big problem. The Kymco-made brakes are adequate, you won’t be stopping on a
pin-head and you’ll generally have to grab a handful, but for a 125 they’re
pretty standard.
The air-cooled four-stroke is perfectly acceptable for a 125 and will have
you coasting along at 55mph with no problems, even getting up to an
indicated 68mph with a long, flat straight. The power is quite flat,
however, with very even power and noise output throughout the rev range.
Change gear without nearly redlining the engine and you’ll find yourself in
an underpowered dead zone without much in the way of acceleration. Not
untypical for a 125, but slightly conflicting with the bike’s sporty
appearance.
The bike’s easy to red-line as the engine noise doesn’t alter much in pitch
throughout the rev range. Banging against the limiter can’t be good for any
engine, so keep an eye on it if you don’t want to prematurely age the moving
parts. The gear selector can be a tad clunky as well, so may need replacing
if used too aggressively over time. The fairing and exhaust are fine for the
price, but are keep any eye for age and wear on relatively low-budget
components. Kymco offer a 2-yr warranty, which offers real peace of mind.
The competition has undercut Kymco considerably. Lexmoto offer the similar
XTR S for just £1199.99. In terms of price as well as quality, the Kymco
lies in-between the Lexmoto and pricier Japanese options such as the Honda
CBR125R (£3120). What’s debatable is whether it’s worth the £2599. It’s not
£1400 better than the Lexmoto, but it is £520 worse than the Honda. A little
bit more competitiveness in the pricing would see this much more at home in
the market.
The digital dash and nicely obvious analogue tacho are excellent and really
give the bike a touch of class. Digital fuel gauge, clock… there are many
larger and far more expensive bikes that forgo such touches. Pillion
provision is good, with a decent grab rail and good pegs which double up as
bungee points. Well angled mirrors and both kick and electric start round
off a very pleasing package.