As the Sinnis Hoodlum was wheeled out of the delivery van at BikeMatters HQ in its graphite and black glory, it is easy to see why they are so popular – it really is a great looking bike.

The colour option we had looked superb, the whole aesthetic of the hoodlum is impressive, and as I say the graphite and black work extremely well together! Factor in that carbon fibre-like chequered seat and the stunning bronze piggyback rear suspension and the Hoodlum really does look the part!

With the circle front halogen light, buckhorn handlebars along with spoke wheels, you can tell Sinnis really went to town when deciding on the finish of the Hoodlum. There are other nice additions too such as the metal mud guards and rear grab rail. My only ‘could be better’ thoughts are that the indicators could look better and the placement of the number plate isn’t great – but these are both rather minor.

The bike we had in to test was all set up with a new Toro exhaust – turns out this loud beast was actually a sample and, at the time of testing, was the only one in the UK. The exhaust itself looks great, and worth considering if you want a stainless-steel exhaust that works well with the Hoodlum’s styling. The one present on our test bike was without a baffle so the sound was impressive and made it sound a lot bigger than a 125 but, it was certainly on the loud side and in perfect keeping with the Hoodlum’s name.

When it comes to power the Hoodlum is packed with a ZS (or Zongshen if you prefer) single cylinder, 2 valve, 125cc air cooled motor putting out 11.2 horses.

Although down in power when compared to some 125s which are closer to that 15bhp limit, the Hoodlum is quite respectable on the acceleration and top speed front. It accelerates nicely, and you can really stretch fourth gear well to help build up speed before committing it into 5^th. The gearbox was solid throughout and found gear easily with no false neutrals along the way, with the gear indicator nicely positioned just under the dash for reassurance when it is needed.

Admittedly however, on bends, I was probably ever so slightly slower than normal, but thanks to the spritely acceleration, wasn’t holding up traffic on national speed limit country roads. 

Top speed wise you’ll get to 65mph quite easily, on decent stretches 70mph was indicated on a few occasions, so this is definitely possible. Going up hills and slopes (as you’d expect for a 125) will see the top speed drop to around 50mph-60mph depending on how steep the gradient is.

The latest version of the Hoodlum now has a disc brake on the rear (bye bye drum brake). The brakes operate using the Combined Braking System, which isn’t for everyone but is the minimum requirement to meet Euro 4 standards. The discs themselves are good, the front 270mm disc as you’d expect is sharp, powerful and brings you to a halt very well. The rear 240mm disc brake was a bit all or nothing for me, either it was a little bit too soft, or just powers on and gives a bit of a jolt – I felt the rear brake could have been a bit smoother.

At the front suspension is provided by telescopic forks which do well at handling the lumps and bumps of the UK roads, the rear twin adjustable coil springs are definitely firmer though, and you do feel more from the rear of the bike than you do from the front. 

At the end of the day, the Hoodlum is a cruiser styled bike, so when it comes to suspension and comfort you know what to expect, it will be a slightly firmer ride when compared to some other styles of motorbikes.

The Hoodlum has foot plates instead of the normal pegs to help provide that cruiser look and feel, so if you are not experienced with this it will take a little bit of getting used to, but once you are used to them you soon put them to good use as you cruise on long stretches.

Well let’s face it cruisers and custom bikes aren’t really designed with lots of tech in mind, so the Hoodlum incorporates very little, just the essentials! To keep up with the style of the bike, the hoodlum has a simple circle analogue and digital dash which displays the basics such as speed and tachometer. Omitted is a rev counter, which I was slightly concerned with initially as this is a learner motorcycle, but you soon get used to Hoodlums gearing and how it performs – I did admittedly hit the rev limiter a couple of times early on trying to suss out just how far I can stretch the gears.

Under the speedometer dash is a simple gear indicator which is great to have on a learner machine like this, the numbers are small but still visible in most conditions.

The seat on the hoodlum is comfy enough but is on the firmer side, travel a good distance 20miles+ and expect to start feeling it a little bit. The seat height will be perfect for many coming in at a very accessible 710mm.

OK, it might be a bit childish but as soon as I sit on a cruiser I instantly start to hear songs like 'Born To Be Wild' in my head and I suddenly feel I have converted into a total badass. Cruisers by nature are designed for this look and stance and the Hoodlum is certainly in keeping with this for a UK learner-legal 125cc motorcycle.

I soon found myself getting used to those raised bars, low seat, and having my legs forward and before too long I was rocking away into the Norfolk horizon. I was accompanied for the whole time on the bike by the loud tones of the Toro exhaust I mentioned earlier.

The Sinnis Hoodlum comes in weighing at the 135kg mark.

The Hoodlum is available from just £2,199, which is a decent low price for someone wanting an introduction to cruisers. You’ll get a 24 month warranty from Sinnis along with 12 months AA cover included. 

The Sinnis Hoodlum is a decent 125cc cruiser, what it might lack in some respects is more than makes up for with that awesome styling and low price. Sinnis have put a lot into the styling of the Hoodlum and that really tells, I think most 125 owners would be proud to have this as their ride.

Something I really did like about the Hoodlum had to be the Toro exhaust. In my opinion, it fits in rather well with the lifestyle of a cruiser rider and helps get you noticed by other road users while making other motorcyclists look in wonder at what you are riding as it sounds so much bigger than a 125.

If you are looking for a learner-friendly cruiser then make sure to check out the Hoodlum at your local Sinnis dealership, and if you're interested in Sinnis's competition, be sure to check out our guide on 10 of the best available on the market!

• Affordable and cheap to run 
• Riding position and seat height are a big win for me!
• Toro exhaust

• Spec is a little basic 
• CBS not ABS
• Indicators and numberplate placement can be improved

So there you have it, I hope you enjoyed by full road test review on the Sinnis Hoodlum 125 (2019-onwards)...

Last but not least, if you are looking to get insurance for your very own Sinnis Hoodlum or any other motorcycle - make sure to get a motorcycle insurance quote direct with Lexham!

Engine	125cc single-cylinder, 2 valve, air-cooled, 4 stroke (11.2bhp)
Fuel tank	13.5L
Brakes	Front: 270mm - Single disc Rear: 240mm - Single disc
Suspension	Front: Telescopic Rear: Twin adjustable coil springs
Seat height	710mm
Weight	135kg
Price (correct at time of article)	£2,199