AJS Cadwell Clubman Review! 125CC CAFE RACER!

Alex has recently been testing the lovely AJS Cadwell Clubman! This 125cc Cafe Racer is the flagship motorcycle in AJS's heritage range, and for good reason! Check out what Alex thought of this one in our full review!
A huge thank-you to AJS and Holt Motorcycles for helping make this review possible! Check them out here:
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#CafeRacer #125cc #Motorcycle

[@musoseven8218]

Nice review lads. AJS have done a great job - wish I'd had a bike like that at 17. The old boys I worked with rode AJS/Matchless, Triumphs etc in their youth, would talk fondly of those brands, even with their warts and all. The price point for these new AJS' seems about right for the demographic, heck, even I'm tempted!😉🤔😄 My brother had a CB125 circa 1982, for a 'commuter bike' that had a great 'thump, thump' sound, the Cadwell reminds me of that, nice sound to it. I'd love to see AJS bring out a 250 along similar lines, they've struck a great balance.

[@xoas360]

This one is a stunning cafe racer, love it!

[@kombo731]

Nice review. Can't speak to this particular bike, but I'm glad to see small-displacement bikes making a comeback. The Vincent Black Shadow, the most bad-ash bike of the 1950's, developed 55 hp out of a liter motor. So who needs 100+ bhp to have fun and get around?

[@BikeMatters]

Thanks! Absolutely, this bike is great fun to ride around & only 10bhp.. just means you can spend more time pinning the throttle!

[@mattashworth5139]

Nice one chaps. enjoyed the review, slightly biased tho, got my self the Ajs 125 Cadwell and highly impressed with it, love the slight growl of the engine sounds punchy but obs its a 125cc, loads of fun tho. Nice stylish well built bike. cheers

[@denistibbs8677]

Great video on the AJS Cadwell. I haven't owned a bike for over thirty years now, but, this beautiful bike may well be my reentry point. Sounds like a winner to me. Cheers for your enthusiasm and straight to the point estimation of a Decent bike. Den.

[@lordracula2461]

Worth pointing out that the engine on this is an identical copy of the Yamaha YBR's engine down to the tiniest details

[@BikeMatters]

I hear the YBR engine is pretty reliable, so let's hope that's copied over as well! Cheers for sharing ~ Alex

[@lordracula2461]

@@BikeMatters I did like it myself, the main difficulty nowadays is the fuel injection which can be hard to maintain i'd think. My Lexmoto ZSX-F has a copy of Honda's CBF125 engine too, when you have identical engines like this it's fantastic cuz you can tap into the big brand's aftermarket & oem supply whenever you need to replace anything

[@BikeMatters]

@@lordracula2461 Very true, opens up a lot of doors for maintaining and tinkering with your bike, rather than trying to get a hold of hard-to-find parts. Especially when looking at the hugely popular engines you've mentioned. How you getting on with your ZSX-F?

[@lordracula2461]

@@BikeMatters Great, I think the ZSX-F is the best value for money out there, I've done 750 miles so far and I'm about to do a 600-ish mile trip round the north coast of Scotland. It is basically a CBF on the cheap with a sexier profile and a smooth & aggressive exhaust. The brakes squeak a bit which is down to cheap pads and combined braking I think, I've done plenty of fiddling and can't seem to get rid of the squeak and it seems to be scoring the front disc too. The bike has a 3-piston front caliper and 2 piston rear which when you press the rear brake you get the 2 rear + 1 front activated, and when you press the front brake you just get 2 front activated. Basically meaning that the front brake is a bit weak when used on it's own and causes a squeal because the pad is coming onto the disc at an angle. That's my theory so I think that if I separated the brakes it'd improve the braking massively because the front brake doesn't activate the full front caliper just now. Other than that they're great because it's a discs + steel brake line set-up from stock, but the combined braking system is poorly thought out. The electrics are fine but my speedo went haywire after a few hundred miles but I found it to be a loose connection which just needed plugging back in properly. The fuel gauge isn't reading correctly now which I suspect is the same thing, probably down to the mechanics who assembled it at the dealership. The bike does about 80mph tops and 100mpg on an 18l tank so no complaints there. Brilliant torque for a single too, 50mph in 2nd gear no problem and the bike wants you to lean into the bends. Tyres are up to first world standards too. I pretty much just did a mini review but I'd recommend getting a hold of them, they're really worth doing a video on.

[@BikeMatters]

@@lordracula2461 Nice mini review! Sounds like you're getting on with it pretty well, and a great 125cc bike overall. Brett did have a go on the Lexmoto Venom, and whilst not the same bike he did say it was pretty good! We have some more Lexmoto videos on the way this year, so watch this space...

[@charliehaddon2484]

I love how they had to blur the speedo 🤣quite new here and just binge watching your vids and absolutely loving them, definitely subscribing!

[@BikeMatters]

Cheers for the comment and sub!

[@captainsketchyandfriends1610]

I have a 2016 cadwell carb model and that will go to around 75 absolutely flat out with a less restricted end can on it

[@BikeMatters]

Not bad going at all. How are you getting on with your '16 Cadwell?

[@captainsketchyandfriends1610]

@@BikeMatters its abit like triggers broom tbh I've replaced alot of parts for new after it was 2 years old parts just seemed to fail, but I love it and it handles hard riding really well considering it's really not set up for that so tbh I cant see myself ever getting rid of it aha

[@dyking]

hi jack so does the carb models go faster. up to what year do they have a carb, thinking of getting one

[@НиколайЮдин-н9т]

AJS ВАСКРЕС , О ЧУДО ! ПЛАДИСЬ И РАЗМНОЖАЙСЯ ! ! ! 👍😉

[@nathanthomas1960]

I bought one after watching this review.. I used to live in Diss too so I recognised the roads! Ha.. top job lads, thanks 👍

[@BikeMatters]

Great to here Nathan, enjoy your clubman!

[@jamesfreeland3137]

It's a beauty. Thanks for showing 👍

[@albion2742]

Good looking bike, I love the way they styled those mirrors.

[@MauriceTarantulas]

Whats putting me off perhaps is the top speed i'd rather something around 70 but do want to do longer drives so the MPG is a bonus.

[@SquirrelMonsieur]

For a moment i thought it was geordie jumpers music at the start. Sweet bike!

[@MrSharpe95]

Nice review. Love the look of the cadwell. I think I'll go for the tempest scramble but only because as a fat lad I might look abit silly on the small cadwell 😁

[@MrSharpe95]

Hahaha 😊 me too

[@bennievee]

Great bike it looks fab , I have the Tempest and I love it ,but the clutch starts jerking when the engine is hot and the gearbox clunks when changing through the gears -- only after the engine has been running for 5 minutes or so . Same Engines -- Still love it though and I still own it

[@sam7479]

Such a cool bike, why couldn't they find a better taillight?

[@jamesfbowes]

Was enjoying the bike but sad that it is not manufactured in the UK.

[@TheVestibulian]

-To be fair you are a massive dude, I'd guess what, 6'2"? Unless those bikes are absolutely diminutive, which wouldn't surprise me, being a 125cc bike- comment retracted, commentator says they're 6'4" and the bike is small

[@Knapweed]

Beautiful bike. If it was produced as a 450 single, I would be very tempted.

[@veritasvincit2745]

I'm sure a derivative of the old Honda XBR 500 motor would fit.

[@Knapweed]

@@veritasvincit2745 It might do and that would make a very powerful cafe racer but I'm not confident the brakes and frame could take the torque. I would like to see a purpose built 450 single, reminiscent of the Ducati 450 Desmo.

[@andrewmillar8153]

Something went wrong with the Speedo halfway through the video 😜

[@BikeMatters]

Yeah! Not sure what happened there, I'll let AJS know there may be something weird happening to their speedo..! 😆

[@grasstoucher44]

I'm a 6'2 17 year old and wondering whether this would feel like a good sized bike when riding, if not do you have any suggestions on what cafe racer style 125s are available for slightly taller riders?

[@alexmoring3900]

Can you review the Honda CB125R neo-sports cafe racer 2019

[@BikeMatters]

Hi Alex, we'll add it to the list! 😃

[@alexmoring3900]

BikeMatters appreciate that, smashing reviews guys, keep it up with the 125 reviews 👍🏻👍🏻

[@BikeMatters]

@@alexmoring3900 Appreciate the kind words mate, we will do!

[@Cassell191]

Would love to see you do a review on the AJS Highway Star.

[@BikeMatters]

Thanks for the recommendation

[@skwaab]

125 cruisers are plain sad

[@XxKINGatLIFExX]

I wonder why your speedo is blurred?

[@peterryan7827]

Brilliant video great looking bike,am i worrying to much about the Chinese connection,, have they really got a lot better with reliability.

[@BikeMatters]

Things have improved. But some will still be better than others. I'd always recommend doing your own research and look at owners' reviews, people who've had a bike at least 6 months, and see how they are getting on with it.

[@richardrichard5409]

Surely solid rear suspension isn't a good thing?

[@reeseprince8]

In England solid means good sometimes

[@jean-jacquesnameche3429]

ou la trouvé en Belgique ?? très belle vidéo et bien sur la moto aussi ..

[@BikeMatters]

Thanks, I don't think AJS are available in Belgium, however, you might have a similar Chinese built machine with other branding available which might look similar.

[@stormytempest6521]

Anyone had an issue with her not ticking over? Cold/Warm, thanks in advance.

[@holyleague8286]

What it's milage?

[@user-suiko-suiko]

Just wondering how tall you are...

[@josephgooding9863]

Very pretty,need a garage though

[@BikeMatters]

Would need to look after that metal work!

[@Ollyctric]

Can I ask if you know the name of AJS's Chinese supplier?

[@BikeMatters]

Hi there, unfortunately we don't know - it depends on what bike you are looking at really as they use multiple suppliers!

[@Ollyctric]

@@BikeMatters well, typically the Cadwell and Clubman. I'm based in Indonesia and I was chatting to an Indonesian friend about AJS bikes (we're huge bike fans) and we were baffled why AJS doesn't sell here as the Cadwell and Clubman would sell quite well here. Then I started wondering who AJS's supplier was.

[@BikeMatters]

@@Ollyctric I could be wrong, but think AJS sell only in the UK. Not sure if they are sold under a different brand else where.

[@Ollyctric]

@@BikeMatters I've searched online and they seem to have nailed it as there's no reference to who supplies their bikes. No other exporter/supplier I've found even comes close to anything they offer. The same for Sinnis. Lexmoto doesn't really float my boat.

[@BikeMatters]

@@Ollyctric It's a shame nothing is available like the AJS in Indonesia. What bike do you ride currently?

[@canadianinformation9819]

How much American dollar now...??

[@steffenplewnia7370]

Top speed please

[@lacieelena_]

Can I get this is the United States?!

[@BikeMatters]

Won't likely be under AJS brand, but could be imported under a different brand as Chinese produced.

[@robertodebeers2551]

The only thing AJS about this putt-putt is the marque on the tank.

[@johnbrereton5229]

And the fact that its made by AJS .

[@robertodebeers2551]

@@johnbrereton5229 AJS went bankrupt in 1931. AJS became part of AMC motorcycles in 1937 and at that point was AJS in name only. AMC (Norton, Matchless, AJS) went broke in 1966. This new crap has the AJS mark and name and that's all.

[@steffenplewnia7370]

Top speed on the flat road blease

[@BikeMatters]

Likely around 65mph, maybe a tad more going downhill with the wind behind you.

[@TomBartram-b1c]

Other than cosmetics there's NOTHING of any AJS in this bike. 100% Chinese.

[@racheltaylor6578]

Those mirrors are terrible.I threw mine in the bin and bought some bar end mirrors.

[@징크스-x5l]

스쿠터도 못 따라가냐?

[@liamstewart7051]

Got the worst bloke for the video like, get someone different like

[@harrypaul367]

No

[@steffenplewnia7370]

Top speed please

[@BikeMatters]

Top speed with me on it was around 65mph, but it was a brand new bike so we didn't want to absolutely thrash it. Plus I'm 6'4" and around 15 stone, so that might have a negative effect on the top speed..

[@sammacintosh7947]

I'm 5'7 and 75kg, once the engine runs in and you're on a slight decline on a carriageway it'll do 70 no problem, keeping it happy there is a different story