Who knew the Chinese would find a loophole in Pravin Gordhan"s sin tax proposal? Cigarettes and booze are being taxed more vigorously than ever, but I’ve found a new sin that will give you thrills and kicks for years to come but won’t break the bank. Now we need to spread the word.
For a mere R7,499 Gomoto will hand you the keys to a brand new Orion big wheel, 125cc, air-cooled, four-stroke pit bike. That’s less than the repair bill for a new top-end rebuild on a modern motocross bike, (trust me because I have the invoices that equal the gross domestic income of some small Caribbean islands to prove this).
Now before you scoff and say, “You get what you pay for “, let’s see what your money buys you.
When you approach this Gomoto Orion for the first time you are struck by the size. Ergonomically speaking this is a ‘big’ pit bike. I would say about the same size as a modern 80cc two-stroke or Honda’s CRF150 four-stroke, for example. Now hold onto your helmet, the brake and clutch levers on those high handlebars are those new fandangle bendy back levers that won’t break if you fall over, nice touch. The seat height is relatively tall at 860mm and the thick foam seat is firm for support. The foot-pegs are wide and offer a lot of grip. And the wheels are, dare I say, ‘big’.
You can get two versions of the Orion in ‘big’ and ‘small’ wheel format. The smaller version comes with a 60/100x14 front and an 80/100x12 rear but I tested the ’big’ wheel option with its 60/100x17 front and 80/100x14 rear. This makes the bike not only taller but much more stable in a straight line and, of course, it’s much more practical for us ageing ‘adult kids.’
There is a starting procedure though that takes a little getting used to, well two minutes. Turn the key, then turn the fuel tap to ‘on’, find neutral and kick the little 125 to life. The bike will not start if you pull in the clutch which I found out the hard way so you don’t have to. Once the motor is fired up it sounds meaty and similar to a proper enduro bike.
This feisty 125 motor seems to be designed for instant grunt; it launches off quite rapidly but don’t bother revving the tits off the little motor because all you’ll do is make more noise, which is mischievous fun in its own right. The four nicely spaced gears can certainly build up enough speed to keep you grinning like a Cheshire cat and I never missed a change once, so nothing to complain about there.
If you decide to head out onto the MX track you’ll notice the suspension is surprisingly firm with very little wallowing. I do enjoy a second trip to the buffet and the Orion handled my girth with remarkable ease, which is highly commendable. Gomoto does advise that the maximum weight for a rider is 130kgs, so what does that mean, you and backpack full of beers? Anyway, whilst flying into the first corner it suddenly dawned on me; “Oh crap, I hope this thing has some brakes?” Why yes it does thank you, hydraulic disc brake jobbies front and rear with some fancy looking slotted rotors. Happy days.
But let’s be honest here, you’re not going to win any national motocross titles because it isn’t designed to be that kind of bike. This Orion is more for oneself to become a nuisance in public places, chase down little kids out on the mini track and bang bars with your mates in the back garden. This much fun is usually not exactly above board but, then again, the dark side is always a lot more fun, isn’t it? Just ask Darth!
So to conclude, the price is right, the size is right and, with a 1 year limited SAM warranty, the guarantee is right. Servicing is so basic you might as well do it yourself unless you happen to lick windows for a living. So, if you’re feeling a little naughty but don’t want to pay sin tax, then head over to your nearest Gomoto dealer to kick some big wheels and bounce on the seat on this little bugger. Go on, you know you want to!
Log on to www.jonway.co.za for all Gomoto models and much, much more.
