Herald, the British manufacturer based in Huntingdon, has launched its new bike, the Brute 500, as it further expands its range.
The Brute 500 is, as with Herald’s previous offerings, brought to reality with the help of China. In the case of the Brute 500, Zongshen is, according to Motorrad, the provider of the international assistance with the motor, whereas Herald in this case is designing the other parts of the bike itself - a variation from its past.
That past includes several small capacity (125s and 250s) bikes that are of Chinese origin but with Herald are given a classic aesthetic. In fact, the Brute 500 is perhaps - save arguably the Brat 125 and 250X - the most modern-looking of Herald’s bikes so far. And it is also the largest, with the name leaving little to the imagination about the displacement of its engine.
Well, there is a little left to the imagination, because it is not, actually, a 500, but it is a 450 single-cylinder four-stroke motor producing 42.5 horsepower. That does not sound a great distance from a top-range motocross engine, which is because it isn’t. This engine in fact comes via Zongshen from Fantic, whose CEO used to work at Aprilia, which is owned by Piaggio, who has a relationship with Zongshen. It is not a straight path, but an effective one for Herald, who gets to make use of a decent 450 motor in their new Brute.
While the engine - which you could argue is the most vital part of a motorcycle with some success - arrives to the Brute from an Italian brand via a Chinese producer, the rest of the bike is less international. The front brake come from Hel Performance, for example, a British brand popular with many within the British Superbike paddock. Then, Herald says, the “yokes, wiring loom, swing arm, outriggers, levers and so much more,” are all manufactured in–house.
The Brute 500 also features a digital dash, LED lighting, streaming indicators, and both T45 steel and aluminium included in the frame construction. Front and rear suspension both come from Racetek, and the rear suspension also features Herald’s in-house-built floating-shock linkage system. Finally, the tyres come from Metzeler, and their Roadtec Z8s.
You can check the Brute 500 out for yourself on Herald’s website, where you will find it retails for £6,950.
