Derbi GPR 125 4T 2014 — Specifications

Nineteen world champion titles forge a reputation. Derbi didn's arrive in the 125 category by chance, and the GPR embodies this sporting history with an assumed ambition: to offer a true sportbike accessible, designed for the A1 license, without settling for the bare minimum. The shift to four-stroke was inevitable. The entire category took it, and the Spanish manufacturer was no exception.

This 124 cc single-cylinder engine runs at a 12:1 compression ratio, with a short bore of 58 x 47 mm and four valves per cylinder. It delivers 15 horsepower at 9250 rpm, which represents the legal ceiling for this segment. There's no point hoping for the brutal sensations of a two-stroke from back in the day: the four-stroke plays a different score, more linear, less visceral. In return, consumption is reasonable, as is the noise, and the six-speed gearbox allows you to keep the engine in its power range on the open road. The announced top speed of 130 km/h is accessible, with a little patience and a good straight stretch.

Where the GPR really stands out from its direct rivals is in the quality of its chassis. An inverted 40 mm fork serves as the front end, when the Honda CBR 125 or the Kymco Quannon stick to much more conventional solutions. This diameter is the one found on the first R1, which gives an idea of the seriousness of the approach. The braking follows the same logic: a 300 mm disc clamped by a radial caliper, to stop the 120 kilos of the whole without particular effort. The perimeter aluminum frame and the asymmetrical swingarm made of the same material complete a picture that is nothing like a sportbike facade. The rear shock absorber anchored directly to the swingarm, without an intermediate linkage, sacrifices a little progressiveness on degraded surfaces, but reinforces the direct character of the machine.

Visually, the GPR plays fair: taut fairing, central air intake, slipped exhaust under the seat, rear LED lights, streamlined turn signals. The digital dashboard displays rev counter in bargraph, speed, partial counters, clock, stopwatch and shiflight. The omission of the fuel gauge in this list is almost incomprehensible on a machine sold for 4099 euros, but it is the only real reproach that can be made to it in terms of equipment.

For a young A1 license holder who wants technical credibility without going through a generic motorcycle, the GPR 125 is a consistent choice. It won't turn a daily commute into a Grand Prix session, but it offers a true sporting base, with the components that go with it, in a segment where compromise is often the rule.