Orcal SK01 & SK03 - New 125cc motorcycle and A2 manufacturer?
Orcal are a French brand with Chinese built motorcycles, but will they hit the UK shores?
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54 years 8 monthsORCAL have yet to establish themselves in the UK market, but their SK01 and SK03 motorcycles are a stylish look at a CBT / A1 & A2 friendly motorcycle. They look the part, but can they walk the walk?
Top 10 125cc Motorcycles!
The SK01 and SK03 from Orcal look to be two new approaches to the naked bike market, which is historically an extremely difficult market to break into - particularly when you’re doing it with Chinese built bikes. What sets Orcal apart, though, is their futuristic take on the CBT and A2 categories which are currently sold in France.
Orcal SK01 Specs
Orcal’s SK01 is their 125cc option, with a liquid cooled single cylinder, DOHC and balance shaft putting out 10.8 kW of power, or around 14.5bhp, and 12.5Nm of torque through its 6 speed gearbox. The SK01 also features 300mm front disc and 240mm rear disc, with Bosch ABS and upside-down forks, with an adjustable rear mono shock.
The SK01 also features a 15.5L tank and dry weight of 146kg, all things considered it seems to be a fairly robust 125cc naked bike compared to it’s rivals on the market - there’s even smartphone connectivity options with speakers, and an mp3 music system built-in.
Stylistically it is going straight for the top dogs, rivalling the Yamaha MT125 & Honda CB125R, but the SK01 price does float around what you may want to pay for a Japanese model. In France it’s priced on their site at €3,895 including taxes, which is around £3,466.
Orcal SK03 Specs
Orcal’s SK03 is their equivalent A2 naked bike offering, and a first for the manufacturer above 125cc - and in fact features much of the same spec level as the SK01, but with added power coming from an liquid cooled 292cc single cylinder motor, bringing a total of 27.5bhp and 25Nm of max torque to play with.
Also, the weight does increase a tad compared to it’s younger sibling - with a dry weight listed of 163kg. The SK03 looks every bit as stylish as the SK01, and is estimated to cost around €4,095 including taxes, or £3,643. Naturally it will find competition with the Yamaha MT-03, but at this level it does turn out to be a slightly more budget option.
So can we expect QianJiang Motor Company, who also own Keeway & Benelli, to bring the Orcal SK range to the UK? It seems unlikely for now, but knowing these Chinese owned brands means it’s likely we’ll see it in some form in the near future. They appear to be quite highly regarded across the pond, so it doesn’t seem out of the question that a UK importer gives them a go if they can bring them over and in showrooms for a decent price.