Retro looks, learner-friendly performance and a hint of green-lane ability. We jump aboard A.J.S.’s latest 125 to see what’s what.
What is it?
A.J.S. have been specialising in producing budget-friendly, low-capacity motorbikes available in several different styles for a while now. For 2026, the firm added the JFT-125 to their line-up with its timeless scrambler silhouette.
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With so many manufacturers now producing retro-looking machinery, it is great to see another bike built in this nature which is also accessible to the learner-legal market. Personally, I am a big fan of retro-looking bikes as it enables me to ride something that looks like something from my past, which benefits from being engineered using modern technology for greater levels of comfort and, hopefully, extra reliability.
Talking the torque…
I must start with the styling, as this must surely be the JFT’s main selling point to a potential buyer. So many aspects of this bike add to the retro-scrambler look and feel that, from a few paces away, it could pass for an older machine.
The classic round headlight in its cage-style housing looks the part but, in keeping with using modern tech, this bike benefits from LED lighting all round. The digital blue-lit LED display is also sticking to the script by not being oversized and keeping a round shape. There isn’t much to see here apart from the revs, speed, fuel level and gear indicator, but on a bike like this, that is all that’s needed.
The 125cc water-cooled engine provides 12.7bhp, with a balance shaft to aid in providing a smoother and more confidence-inspiring ride. At the other end of this operation is a simple yet quite stunning TIG-welded stainless-steel exhaust system.
Cracking on…
Jumping on for the first ride, I was rather pleased with the level of comfort available. The bars and pegs feel set at heights to provide all-day comfort. All too often, I have found many bikes within this price bracket to have hard seats, and I did have some reservations when I first saw what was on offer with the JFT. At first glance, the long, flat seat can look quite hard, but I did find the padding to be sufficient enough to avoid me marking it down as a negative point.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the sound from the stainless-steel exhaust system, which produces quite a deep bark that had me needing to remind myself this bike is actually a 125cc and not fitted with a larger engine. Acceleration is quite swift through the lower gears, but I often opted to stay in fifth on the open stretches, especially if I was riding up an incline. I did click into sixth when I could, but found this was just used for a cruising speed, as there wasn’t quite enough torque to accelerate with much gusto in top gear.
A motorbike built for a price tag of £3,299 could all too easily suffer from poor suspension, but this didn’t feel the case with the upside-down forks up front, held in place with heavy-duty-looking alloy yokes, and the single shock at the rear, which has adjustability for preload. I was more than impressed by the level of stability when riding through the faster sections of road and also by the forgiveness they offered on the bumpier, uneven B-roads.
To keep this review honest, I was marking the brakes down for much of the ride. The lever had quite a wooden feeling, and they felt like they lacked the stopping power I expected. I did find out later, by chance, that the JFT has a combined braking system and, when using the foot lever at the same time for the heavier braking occasions, there was more than enough power available to shed speed while still feeling balanced and stable.
The wheels look like they are built to be quite rugged, with anodised alloy rims and straight spokes wrapped in CST adventure-style tyres, hinting at off-road capability. The front tyre is a 100/90-18, with the rear at 130/80-17, and they look right for the JFT, not being too skinny or overly chunky. I did get the opportunity to briefly try some green lanes, and the whole package was quite confidence-inspiring for what I was getting up to. I didn’t want to push too hard, as I did only have this bike on a short loan and I really didn’t want to be the one to have to make that call to A.J.S. to say I’ve damaged the bike.
There are a fair number of smaller features that could be missed at a first glance, but they all do their part to add to the appeal of this machine. The chrome fuel filler cap is a nice touch, and the handlebar grips have a moulded diamond pattern. A bash plate is fitted as standard should a buyer want to take this bike off-road, but even if not, it looks great all the same.
The centre stand allows a decent angle of lean, which I find a good point for learner-legal bikes, as all too often my first bikes took so much focus to park, making sure they weren’t stood too upright. A decent-sized plate on the bottom of the stand also comes into its own when parking away from tarmac. There is also a centre stand, which is always a bonus for maintenance or when parking on uneven ground, and using it couldn’t be any easier with the bike weighing in at only 128kg. The only slight nag here, and it is minor, is that I needed to put the side stand out first to allow the centre stand to swing down.
I was fortunate enough to be loaned the JFT in “Blazing Orange”, which is my preference out of the colour options, with “Sundown Metallic Red” and “Classic Black” also being available.
Worth a punt?
It might be clear that I am fond of the whole retro scene with motorbikes, but I do feel that this model here deserves its place within the market.
With a low seat height of 820mm, low overall weight and bars that allow for easy manoeuvrability, it is a great option for a learner to gain confidence on two wheels. It could also possibly appeal to a seasoned rider looking for a cheaper second bike to commute on while also having a decent premium feel. A.J.S. also boast a claimed 97mpg from this 125, so the 14.5L tank should mean trips to the garage to fill up are minimal.
It felt quite stable whether I was having fun blasting around on the back roads or when I tried it out on some light off-roading. Obviously, I wouldn’t say it’s suited for an MX track, but having the option to go on a gravel track or green lane from a road bike is a bonus. Top speed on the open roads means I wouldn’t like to take it on any motorway commutes, seeing 55-58mph as a top speed on most occasions, briefly climbing over 60mph at a push.
There are so many great features keeping the classic scrambler look and, at the same time, some areas like the switches and the display do their part by keeping things to a minimum, which is quite a charm for me lately: to have a bike that isn’t complicated, that I can just get on and ride.
The numbers that matter…
Power: 12.7bhp
Weight 128kg
Price: £3,299.00
Contact: www.ajsmotorcycles.co.uk
