One of the biggest stories in British motorcycling in recent months has been the launch of QJMotor into the UK.

The huge Chinese brand was founded in 1985, is now owned by the massive Geely group (which also owns Volvo, Lotus and Polestar cars), is best known to bikers for also owning Benelli since 2005 and currently produces around 1.5million motorcycles a year.

It was launched into the UK last autumn with a nine-strong range of mostly adventure and naked style bikes between 600 and 900cc. But with a range in China covering over 100 models more were up for grabs. Now it’s also bringing in its first 125s with a range of six different machines (which we’ll be reviewing shortly) plus also a trio of scooters, the first of these being the LTS125S.

We travelled to QJMotor’s UK base in Lancashire, where they’re imported by Moto73, an offshoot of specialists importers MotoGB, to try it out.

Moto73 describe the LTS125S as an ‘A1 scooter designed to deliver an ideal blend of performance, efficiency and practicality with a friendly, approachable style’ – and they’re not wrong.

It’s a fairly conventional machine which has shades of commuter runabout, a few touches of sporting style and an all-round versatility – and compelling affordability, which we’ll get back to in a minute – which should make it very popular with commuters of 17-year-old A1 licence first-timers.

It’s the first of three QJMotor-branded scooters arriving in the UK in 2026. A bolder, adventure-style 125 scooter, the ATR125, which reminds of Honda’s ADV350, is imminent, and even comes with a useful free top box. While at the other end of the scale, also due is a 50cc, so AM-licence compliant, version of this LTS, the LTS50S, which is identical to the LTS125S apart from its engine and wheels. 

This is big thing with the little LTS125S. At launch QJMotor’s new A1 scooter was priced at just £1799 plus on the road charges (which covers assembly, pre-delivery inspection, registration and number plates), usually £200, so taking it up to £1999 on the road.

That’s an impressively affordable price, almost irrespective of the bike’s qualities and performance. For comparison, the UK’s most significant established ‘Chinese’ brand, Lexmoto, has the OCR 125 at £1699 (plus OTR), but that’s a duller, smaller wheeled machine, then the new Diablo 125 which is a tempting sports scoot but costs £1959 (plus OTR). Sym’s cheapest 125 is £2499 while of the Japanese only Yamaha’s RayZR 125, at £2551 and Suzuki’s also small-wheeled Address 125 (at £2099) comes close.

Nor is that the end of the QJMotor bargain scooter story. The imminent 50cc version, the LTS50S is priced at an even cheaper £1699 (plus OTR) while the fancier ATR125 will be £2999 (plus OTR).

And when it comes to finance, the good news keeps coming. At launch, the LTS125S is also available via QJMotor’s own Hire Purchase scheme which, with a deposit of £499 and over a period of 60 months (or five years) will coat just £30.81 a month.

All are available now via Motor73’s current range of 30 dealers across the UK, with this number expected to rise to 40-45 by the end of the year.

At the heart of the LTS125S is QJMotor’s own air-cooled, two-valve single cylinder four-stroke motor which transmits drive to the rear wheel via a typical scooter CVT belt. Peak power is a claimed 9.25bhp at 7000rpm with a peak torque figure of 10Nm at 6000rpm.

So far, so conventional, although it’s worth pointing out here that that peak power figure, although well under the 125cc/A1 class regulation maximum of 15bhp, is actually fairly typical for this sort of machine, even the very best, more expensive rivals such as Honda’s PCX125 and Yamaha’s NMAX 125 only produce around 12bhp, and that 9.25 figure is actually slightly better than Yamaha’s more budget RayZR.

It’s also impressively modern. It’s adheres to the latest Euro5+ regulations, partly due to its Bosch fuel injection system and it also goes and performs, if not impressively, then more than adequately, starting effortlessly on the button and ‘thrumming’ away from standstill up to about 50mph with no quirks, complaints or drama.

As for fuel economy, we didn’t have a chance to accurately test it on our ride but QJMoto claim it consumes 1.9litre per 100km, which, in. good old fashion pounds and pence, equates to 149mpg.

Being a 125 scooter, our test on the LTS125S is relatively short and undertaken soley on the urban roads around but it’s still sufficient to get a decent impression.

The LTS is easy to get on board, although necessarily ‘cute’ and slightly ‘dinky’ (especially as I’m 6’3”) it’s not cramped. Instead, thanks mostly to its slightly larger 14-inch wheels it has a substance and scale smaller wheeled machines can’t match. 

Feet slot easily onto the textured rubber footboards; the bars are fairly narrow, so great for dinking between traffic; the view of the crisp, colourful and comprehensive LCD dash is pleasing, and the two-tone sculpted seat exudes quality far beyond the QJ’s price. It’s a decent place to be.

 

Handling is fairly conventional, too. The LTS’s frame is a ‘cradle’ type in steel. Suspension comprises fairly spindly telescopic forks at the front with a single off-set shock at the rear. Wheels are 14-inchcast alloy front and rear and the brakes, impressively, are discs both front and rear, the front 240mm in diameter, the rear a smaller 190, with both liked via a Combined Braking System (CBS) which apportions the load as appropriate between front and rear to avoid lockups

There’s nothing special or spectacular to report, here. The LTS just does the job without fuss or fear. Steering is ultra nimble without feeling insecure and wobbly likes scooters with sub-12-inch wheels can sometimes feel. The suspension works, but the rear did bottom out a couple of times over unseen potholes, but I put that down to my bulk. Winding up the rear shock’s preload collar should sort it. While the brakes, meanwhile, are just enough. Grab right (or left) lever as appropriate; slow down and if you need to stop sooner, grab the other one, too. Job done.

Considering the LTS125S is an entry-level 125 scooter at a market-leading low price you wouldn’t expect it to also have much by way of equipment and features, but it still impresses. The dash may be a more affordable LCD not the fashionable TFT type, but it’s full colour, a decent size, clear and easy to read and displays all the data you need – including twin trips, speedo plus fuel and battery levels. There’s also a useful, built-in USB charging point for your phone.

There’s plenty of luggage space including the usual, cavernous underseat compartment typical of scooters but also two non-lockable but useful cubby holes in the fairing inner.

All the lights including indicators, head and stop light and DRLs are modern LEDs. The seat is two-tone with contrasting stitching, nicely sculpted and gives the impression of being a quality item. While, finally, the LTS125Sis also offered in a choice of three colourways – black, black/orange or black/red – not an option you usually expect with such a budget-priced machine.

My time with the QJMotor LTS125S may not have been long or in any way spectacular but was still memorable. Considering its price, it impressed from the outset thanks to its style, proportions (including 14-inch wheels), spec and decent quality.

On board I liked its roomier proportions (than similarly priced rivals with smaller wheels), clear, smart dash that belied its price and practical touches such as the textured rubber footboards, cubby holes and USB charger.

And on the move, without exactly excelling (it was never going to rival a far pricier PCX or NMAX), it proved quietly competent without disappointing in any way.

Even if you forget for a moment about the QJMotor LTS125S’s bargain price this Chinese newcomer is a more than competent, pleasing, capable first timer or commuter scooter with a lot to offer. It looks good without being overtly sporty; has a spec that includes all you need and have any right to expect at this price point. And it goes and handles more than competently, too.

If you then remind yourself that the LTS125S is also almost certainly the cheapest available on the UK market and offers simply huge savings over many comparable machine, then it becomes a true ‘stand out’ machine.

In fact, if you’re after a 125 scooter either as a commuter or your first A1 class machine, that price is so compelling it’s almost a ‘no brainer’.

Thanks to Moto73 for inviting us on the UK launch, check the full specs and information at https://moto73.co.uk

 

- Pictures by Sim Mainey