Rieju RS2 2009 — Specifications

Who knows Rieju outside of enthusiasts of small-displacement Iberian machines? Founded in 1934 in Figueres, Catalonia, by Luis Riera and Jaime Juanola, the brand first fitted accessories to bicycles before entering the motorcycle market in 1964, thanks to a partnership with Minarelli. Discreet on the international scene, this Spanish manufacturer nevertheless deserves a closer look, especially when it produces a 125 with a face as sharp as this RS2.

The first contact is a visual slap. The RS2 sports taut bodywork, a set of lines that evoke a genuine sports bike rather than the scooter dressed up as a motorcycle that some competitors dare to sell at the same price. The steel double-tube triangular frame draws a silhouette that recalls, in its proportions, certain Italian machines at far higher prices. Rieju has taken care of the packaging — that's undeniable. And the mixed analogue and digital instrument cluster adds a touch of seriousness that the buyer spending 3,000 euros has every right to expect.

Under the bodywork, no revolution. The engine is a Yamaha air-cooled four-stroke single cylinder, square bore-stroke (54 x 54 mm), delivering 15 horsepower for 11 kW. Nothing to make the asphalt tremble, but the equation changes when you consider the machine's 110 kg dry weight. This power-to-weight ratio is more than sufficient for fun on twisty roads, and Yamaha's mechanicals bring a reliability guarantee that in-house engine alternatives cannot always promise. The six-speed gearbox — pardon, five-speed — and chain transmit a power output that tops out at 120 km/h. Nothing to complain about in this category.

The 35 mm Showa inverted fork at the front and the monoshock with 120 mm of travel at the rear place the RS2 at the top of the technical class for a production 125. A disc at each wheel, 100/80-17 tyres at the front and 130/80-17 at the rear: the chassis is coherent, without gimmick equipment but without penny-pinching either. The direct rival, the Honda CBR 125R, offers a similar technical package for around a hundred euros less, but it doesn't project the same stylistic personality. The RS2 is racier, and some buyers will gladly pay the premium.

The 10.4-litre tank provides adequate range for this type of machine, designed above all for daily use by a young A1 licence holder or a rider in training. Despite appearances, this is not a track machine. It is an urban and road sports bike, financially accessible, mechanically solid, and carried by aesthetics that belie its price. Rieju may not have the name recognition of its Japanese or Italian rivals, but the RS2 proves that Figueres knows how to build motorcycles worth the detour. Carlos Checa, Spanish champion with this brand before making his mark in the GP 500, would probably not disagree.