After having put a fairly extensive line of air-cooled 125cc and 250cc motorcycles on the market in eight years, the British MUTT Motorcycles has added a liquid-cooled model for the first time: the DRK-01.
The regular Motorfreaks reader will undoubtedly remember that in the autumn of 2022 we braved the chilly autumn weather for an extensive test of the Hilts 250, one of the models from the Mutt Motorcycles line-up that would definitely score highly on many custom build motorcycle shows.
In case you have already missed it, or if you have never heard of it at all, here is the story of MUTT in a nutshell. After more than 15 years of building custom motorcycles, custom builders Benny Thomas and Will Rig decided to take a different approach. At the request of a customer, the two had built a custom based on the engine of the Suzuki GN125 and the reactions turned out to be so positive that a lot of demand soon arose for these types of custom motorcycles.
Compared to the usual -heavy- custom build, the advantages were numerous. A light motorcycle is much easier to drive, is suitable for the A1/A2 driving license (depending on the engine capacity) and – last but not least – is much cheaper. The idea soon arose to develop a complete line of engines for this purpose, engines with as much attention to detail as a heavy custom.
MUTT Motorcycles’ design is done in Birmingham, with some production in China, reportedly in the same factory where the MASH bikes are produced. All MUTT models are available in two versions, a 125cc that is suitable for the A1 driving license and a 250cc that you can drive with the A2 driving license (or A driving license with code 80). Both air-cooled engine blocks came from Suzuki.
With the launch of the DRK-01, MUTT Motorcycles has now added a liquid-cooled model. Or rather, a line of models, because just like the other MUTT models, the DRK-01 is also available as 125cc and 250cc. You also have the choice of a standard version or the Deluxe.
The importer for the Benelux, SilverLine from IJsselstein, kicks off with the top model, the DRK-01 250 ABS Deluxe, which is powered by a 250cc single cylinder with double overhead camshaft and 4 valves, which comes from CFMOTO. The single-cylinder is specified for a top power of 27 hp and that may not seem like much, but it is more than half more than the 17 hp that is squeezed out of the air-cooled two and a half.
The design is completely new and can best be described as modern classic. The motorcycle has very beautiful spoked rims, which are suitable for tubeless tires. Furthermore, details such as the rubber logo on the tank, the many CNC milled, black anodized aluminum parts, the short sporty muffler and the dynamic LED lighting all around are striking. Seen from above, the design resembles the well-known Coke bottle, but from the side the DRK-01 radiates both strength and elegance with its sleek lines.
The Deluxe version is equipped with an up-side-down front fork for lower unsprung weight and therefore better handling and road holding. The brakes have also been upgraded with a large floating brake disc and a radially mounted double-piston caliper in the front wheel.
The DRK-01 250 ABS Deluxe is available immediately and costs €5,850 ready-to-drive, including VAT and BPM. Later this year, the 125 cc models and the standard models (conventional front fork and normal spoke wheels) will also be available.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.