AJS Modena Review! 125cc Retro Scooter Road Test
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- čas přidán 17. 02. 2020
- Back when the sun was shining, the lovely folks at AJS and Holt Motorcycles let Brett borrow their AJS Modena for a week or so. This classically styled 125cc scooter definitely sent Brett's head into a little bit of a spin, check out his review to see why!
A huge thank-you to AJS and Holt Motorcycles for helping make this review possible! Check them out here:
AJS Motorcycles - www.ajsmotorcycles.co.uk/
Holt Motorcycles & Scooters - www.holtmotorcycles.co.uk/
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#AJSModena #Scooter #125cc - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Are you a fan of this little scoot? Let us know in the comments below! Let us know what you would like to see us review in the future!
BikeMatters it's great mate .... bought one last year classic black n white sooooo MODern lol
@@robertjohnston1086 Glad to hear you are enjoying your Modena!
Love the look ov these scooters and am definatly getting the 125 next yr.cant wait, itll be first 1in 30 yrs.
Pretty much sold to be fair.....Once a Lammy man but at 53 this seems like a good choice, and well priced.
Had one for 4 years. Great little scooter. Look after it and it will reward you with lots of smiles and admiring glances.
Nice looking little scoot this. Back in the classic Vespa & Lambretta days, scooters were cheap as anything and were near enough disposable bits of fun - so it's interesting that the Chinese scooters aren't seen in the same light.. brilliant for towns and cities! Well in with this one, AJS.
Cheers Alex!
Hi I have been floating around the forums and so on for a good while and for what I can make out there are plenty of people out there that can't move on from good old days and have the opinion of if it's not a vespa or lambretta then it's cheap bloody Chinese import crap. Personally I am looking into buying one of these ajs modena scooters and I can't wait.
@@andrewoldham4462 Great comment! Keep us updated if you get one!
Andrew Oldham Andrew get yourself one they are great.... can mod it up ..... and hears the plus .... won't rust like a Vespa or Lambretta .....win win
@@robertjohnston1086 Lol. Are you sure? I think your opinion is completely off. I know 60s vespas in great shape. Good luck this one lasting one winter without a ton of rust
Bought one of these last year .....getting a lot of admiring glances and comments ....love it
Glad to hear it, what colourway did you go for?
BikeMatters Classic Black and White .....White wall tyres set it off
@@robertjohnston1086 Very nice, happy scootering!
BikeMatters Black and White !!!!!!
What a neat little scooter that is! I really like it in that orange colour, proper vintage vibes! Another great review Brett, top job!
Thanks Jake!
Jake Crabb mines is classic black n white ......love modding it up ....
I've been waiting on this review, hopefully buying one within the next couple of months. Thank you.
Thanks for your comment!
You won't be disappointed..... trust me
Graham Herbert Scooter snob Graham ..... I'm guessing .....Vespa !
@@grahamherbert3612 Have you owned a Modena?
This looks the business. Fantastic in-depth review, was thinking of buying an electric version of this scooter but at present the distance they can travel on a charge and accessibility for charging are putting doubts in my mind. This review has me leaning back into petrol again and this seems like a fun reliable scooter. Bring it on.
nice vintage style , might b nxt scooter appreciate the review
Cheers for the comment!
These are a nice little run about, I had X2 of these, can't knock them for the price. Went to work on it all year round, you will need to spray the air filter every now and then though as they seem to get water logged if left. For the price you can't wrong👍
I have the 125 euro Modena with custom exhaust and vintage Vespa tail light, and the RA ,GT 125 both great bikes love them no trouble after two years
Glad to hear you are getting on well, we are getting a lot of positive feedback here and on Facebook from owners.
love it.thanks.euxton uk.
Thabks to your review i have bought that exact model. Great little scooter😊
Good choice!
How's it holding up cos I'm thinking of getting one
Been looking for a cheap scoot to get to work n back on. Was thinking of the Suzuki Address was put off with foot room. This scoot certainly won't rust and if I need to replace a panel don't need to worry about a paint job. So gonna purchase one.
Looks good and fun.
As a traditional scooter rider whos owned many lambrettas and vespas i obviously dont like these plastic autos very much.not my thing, but these retro modern scooters are affordable ,unlike classics ,and they do get new people into the scooter scene. They have slowly been accepted in the traditional scene which cant really be a bad thing and they are what they are. As long as you are happy with it then other peoples opinion means nothing. Il stick with old italian metal myself but i can see the point in these.
I did own one of these, did look great but you can't beat 2 stroke
@@raydickos again,not my thing but if you enjoyed it thats all that matters. Two stroke is just a different world. Much simpler. Sounds better, smells better and rides better, in my opinion
I got a mk1 vespa t5 mate, learnt my lesson 😂😂😂
@@raydickos ive had a couple of t5s in the distant past. Good choice. Il always stick with my smallframes though👍
I can remember looking in envy in the 1960s when Vespa appeared. They all seemed to be bright orange !
P.s. in Glasgow.
Hi,just got mine a few weeks ago in white,love it,already got a few things changed like the exhaust and grips,gets you from A to B no probs,love it👍
Awesome, sounds like you're having fun tinkering with it already!
Andy what kind of exhaust did you get for your Modena ?????
@@robertjohnston1086 haven't a clue mate,it's a silver sports exhaust,guy fitted for me.
ANDY ACE MASTER 300i Andy saw the upgraded one from a guy called Steve Amos sells Ajs looked neat
Great video - thanks. Used to have a motorcycle and mid life crisis is pointing me towards this brand. I don't think you mentioned anything about braking someone said the left lever is a combined front and rear compensated system is that right?
Thanks for the comment. Yup these are running Combined Braking System. They are pretty slow 125cc scooters so braking was all good when I tested it.
I am not the biggest fan of CBS, but it is a compromise to have a cheaper scooter. Most cheaper 125s have CBS as it is a minimum euro 4 requirement and it is cheaper when compared to ABS. Really only premium 125s have ABS.
I have one question: Where do you have the camera for the test-ride fitted? It keeps wobbling all over the place for the duration
excellent intro spot on yer bigger engine 60 mph would of made it a best seller, with the exception of a few more changes, spot on for an old rocker oap
I'm considering one of these as a first scooter, you wont be missed in that orange 😊 by any cars
Love the vid. Off topic, do you rate the AJS insetto??
I haven't tested one unfortunately.
Are these available in the United States? I live in Southern Utah and would love this.
Just put a bid in on eBay for one for my Mrs...under 3 hours left, fingers crossed
Did you win the auction?...
My guess is that this Modena was produced by Znen, a decent Chinese manufacturer. Here in the U.S we have the Znen Chelsea with the same exact looking body.
Does definitely looks the same
Is this equal to the Mash “Sixty” 125cc?
I am after a scooter. I had a Yamaha YBR 125, which I loved but I am about to start a Midwifery Degree course and would like to have a gear-change free commute. It is about 10 miles each way to my nearest railway station or about 50 miles each way if I feel brave enough to travel into London. My only real worries are maintaining a decent speed on the A325 and A3 and how I will manage to keep to the maintenance schedules while covering large distances and having to fit in study and placement. Any ideas or advice, please?
Hi Simon, Best of luck with the course. The Modena, isn't a fast scooter and struggles top end. It would suit some people for sure who are not bothered by top speed as it only has 7hp, but if you have commutes in mind with likely A roads, you'll likely feel vulnerable, as maxing out will likely be 50-55mph.
BikeMatters this appears to be a larger foot well than the other scooters. I'm looking for transport for my medium collie x springer dog. with a sponge doggie bed on a plywood platform, raised just above my feet, in the foot well...and a strong net on both sides to keep him in safe. I will use it to travel slowly up the coast to the surfing beaches purely A to B.... in Devon and Cornwall. I've carried surfboards on special carrier racks on the sides of Yamaha and Kawasaki 400 dirt bikes in the past, no problem...but never ridden a scooter before? So hoping to do the same on something like this scooter which has a really spacey foot well , some modern scooters don't have a large roomy foot well at all whereas these older style retro ones do.. Can you get a 150 cc in this model? Any advice? thanks, nice video
also carrying my best friend in the foot well is low gravity and safer than a pizza box style cage on the rear rack higher up. if this test run works out well I will stick the girlfriend in the pizza box. a threesome.
im thinking of getting one i had the suzuki cs125 roadie
Is it a longlasting Quality Scooter???? For example: dont forget to polish the chromed racks otherwiese it will be rusty in a short time - hope she works good ,this Beauty scooter
Can you review the Kawasaki 650. Taking my A test soon and this the bike I am looking at.
Hi Roland, this isn't something we are currently planning on reviewing but we will keep this in mind for future reviews. Thanks!
Would you recommend the 50 c.c version just for around town use ??
You're joking! This thing is struggling to hit 50mph why on earth would you want to go 50cc, this is slow enough!
Would you recommend the 50cc version for around town use??
I've not ridden the 50cc variant but given it will be max 30mph, that is purely down to whether that speed is enough for you and your needs of the scooter.
Given the option of 50cc or 125cc, I'd go 125 every time but that is just what I'd choose for myself.
In thinking to get a Neco Abruzzi chassis...cause I have engine extra abounded their engine, further more it fit with 300cc stockers kits...and it also looks like Vespa GS...🤣🤣🤣
Are these available in the states…?
I have the 125,my top speed i can get out of my bike is only 45mph,is this normal?
With that engine nothing would surprise me, guess it would depend on terrain and rider weight!
Can you buy one of these without the chequered pattern? It looks awful on the scooter. I like the grey colour.
Punters with Vespas or Lambrettas could not believe how much it cost
The Modenas are priced extremely competitively that's for sure.
Does anyone make a custom fuel tank, to make use of the underseat storage space?
It would double the range.
Thanks for the comment. Not what I am aware of. Best checking the owner groups.
@@BikeMatters get a small , high quality fuel can for £20 and use the rack?
Hi I am thinking to buy a new scooter which one of these two will you recommend Ajs Modena or lexmoto Milano. Please reply thx.
Which ever dealer is closest or you can get the best deal for, i am pretty sure they are very much the same bike.
I've have to echo the other comment, which ever is closer or if you have a preference to one brand or colour option than another. Apart from badge and colourway options they are basically the same scooter.
@@heathy912 thank you
@@BikeMatters thanks 👍
Yup! They are the same thing, so it comes down to what dealer is closer and what deal they will offer you 🤷🏻♂️
Can you take all the chrome racks of?
I should imagine so, check out owner groups on Facebook, pretty sure plenty of people have removed.
I was a scooter boy in the 80s. I'd chop it and put extended forks on it👍😂. Costs a couple of hundred quid more than I paid for my P200E 35 odd years ago
Haha, great stuff - cheers for the comment.
Except p200E almost certainly had more power and speed even standard
It's exactly the same as the lexmoto milano, they are both obviously from the same Chinese factory
Review- CF Moto 300NK
Thanks for the suggestion.
Is that Chinese? I have one and love it! My Chespa.
Glad you are getting on well with your Modena! Have you owned it long?
@@BikeMatters only 135 miles, so not sure how long it will last. Great videos btw. Cheers from SoCal.
Can this go 75km/h on a regular basis?
Oh i see the specs from 2019... max speed 55mph. Perfect
ΒΕΑUTY
I'm over 6ft tall would I be to big for it
You might find it a bit cramped, best to go and have a sit on one to be honest
Are modena can export to indonesia?
I am not sure if the Modena will be exported over, iuf it is it might not be under the Modena name or AJS brand over there.
Is this scoot available in the U.S.?
Neither AJS or Lexmoto are sold in the US. But we can get basically the same scooter in 150cc but with a drum brake in the rear, under several different brand names. They are all made in China by ZNEN
I heard there’s something similar in the USA called the Puma Valentine.
You do tend to repeat yourself a lot in this review...and did you mention top speed? I know these aren't meant to be fast but it would be nice to know how much in order to keep up with traffic
from experience of riding with friends on these they tend to top out at 52-55 mph and manage to keep up with the scomadi 125 and RA 125 on ride outs no problem
The scooter was being run in so not able to test top speed, would likely be around 50mph.
@@ipaddy it's the big downside to these scooters. 50-55 mph just isn't fast enough on modern roads. The average traffic speed is probably more then that. You can't ride those engines flat out all the time. You need a cruising speed of at least 50 . The Honda SH 125 has the figures right for a 125. Top speed 65--70 mph which means you can cruise at 55. That's a twist and go. On most roads these scooters will slow traffic down. If only they built them with more horse power. Only good for town or country lanes in my opinion.50 is painfully slow on today's roads
@@voicevoice2053 yes i agree with you regarding modern road speed and we actually have a new club member that rides a honda sh 125 the only 125 we have that matches it for speed is a vespa GTS125 i and most of the scomadi 125s and RA125s only manage a top speed of 60mph so generally most auto 125s that are used by scooterists can't manage more than 60mph so really we have little choice realty
What about a 300cc
Getting up to 10hp isn’t hard or expensive on the older carbed Modenas - 150 kit, A9 cam and a rejet and they really wake up.
The newer ones probably need a carb conversion (again not hard or expensive) but I’m happy to be proved wrong 👍 I’ve searched everywhere and tuning the EFI seems non existent ATM
Dave Spooney hi Dave good post there may be a ecu remap possible on this version as there is on the Scomadi and RA
The CDI controls ignition, Tasso offer a rev limiter removal service for the EFI Modena, but there is no map for the ECU to increase fuelling.
Dave Spooney hi Dave sorry it was Tasso I was thinking about 🤔
Patrick McDonald - no worries, it’s confusing at times 👍 I’m sure someone will figure the mapping out. I’m surprised more people aren’t asking for this. The Modena being so fun to tinker with.
Patrick McDonald - sorry to misinform you, Tasso do offer the full ECU remap and they can map to suit the mods on the bike. Sorry mate!
Way to slow for a 125 I barely got 50mph out of mine sold it within 2 weeks.
Agreed! I can't figure out why it is the chinese insist on such weedy engines, well maybe I can given the huge congestion in their big city's, these tiny things are OK, but I'd at least think that if they are importing them to the UK then at least 11bhp
IMA PERU Y ES BONITA Y MUY ECONOMICA PERO ESO SI LA AMORTIGUACION ES MUY MALA DEJA MUCHO QUE DESEAR Y LAS PARTES CROMADAS SE DAÑAN MUY RAPIDO
Tengo un Zanella Mod aqui en Uruguay. Anda bien. Las partes chromadas necessitan cera o vaselina por la protecion contra la humedad!!!
wife bought one of these new there terrible kept blowing front bulbs and ran the battery down and would not start more than once any one that is serious about scoots would not look at one of these also had to take it back after two week has the tyre on the front was showing threads very poorly made bag of plastic
Thanks for your feedback Lee, really appreciate owners comments.
Chinese tat - all fun and games until it starts to go....and it will...
Absolutely
We Buy an znen, I think its the same bike
You can see this scooter under a few different names.
@@BikeMatters Ahh OK, so its a good scooter and cheaper than Hondas and etc.
These have now been discontinued as they don't pass Euro 5
Incorrect, they have a new Euro 5 model out for £1,999
@@BikeMatters looking at one built 2017, is this still legal re Euro 4/5?
@@tot1885 If you are buying second hand you can buy whatever really, there aren't really any laws that affect this! So buying a euro 4 model second hand will be fine!
Gorgeous looking scooter. But it's Chinese and I've had a Chinese bike. They rot on the spot!
See my comments gone? So your only allowed to comment if its positive then? That's pretty sad,dont put it on CZcams if you dont want comments ffs.
Hi. Nope, your comment has not been removed by us. Maybe CZcams detected something it didn't like.
To talk about your point (I got an email with the comment), everyone is entitled to their opinion. I think the days of all chinese bikes being referred to as Chinese cr*p is behind us, or hopefully soon will be. The quality is catching up fast, yes some bikes aren't as good as others, but Chinese production quality is just getting better and better, while giving people a very affordable option.
Interestingly i've seen some for sale and selling for respectable money. Not everyone is in a position to spend more on a Vespa, so I respect that there is this a much more affordable scooter for people. As I stated a few times, the AJS isn't perfect (motor & plastics etc) but you can't expect it to be at this price point. But for the money for someone to get their first taste of a retro styled scooter, fair play.
Anywoo, respect your opinion. For many people the AJS might not be the scooter for them, for others though it might be what they are looking for.
@@BikeMatters I was reading up about Sinnis, and apparently some if not all of their bikes are made in the Suzuki factory.
Chinese clone junk???
Compared to what