“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. I’m pretty sure we’ve all heard the saying more than a dozen times, but it holds more weight today than it ever has before, where thinking smart and spending less is crucial to keeping the cash flow or whatever is left on the table at the end of the day, back in your pocket. Most of us South Africans have inherited a mentality from the older, and some will say wiser, generation of our family trees. This so-called mentality sees the majority of us looking at our purchases or potential purchases in a long-term ownership sense, where often longevity and reliability are reflected in the quality and the price of the purchased product.
Some sayings that start to further ring bells: “Buy cheap, buy twice” or even “buy nice or buy twice”. These old sayings are more of a guideline or an almost gospel-like scare to lead us down the straight and narrow. It’s all good advice in the end, and it forces you to do proper research to make sure that whatever you buy is going to last you and not have to be replaced like a Duracell battery every few months. No offence to the battery-operated or e-bike guys, but you know what I mean…
Big Boy is a motorcycle brand that needs no introduction. Big Boy have proven themselves in the commercial space with their affordable pricing and good after-sales support, and their entry-level motorcycles have gotten many beginner riders into the two-wheeled world of motorcycling, thanks to the TSR, Revival and Velocity providing years and years of good service. Just over 90 dealers nationwide, over a decade of business in SA, and a 3-year 20,000 km warranty aren’t just a couple more words to finish this paragraph off; it’s a few reasons why Big Boy should be valued as a good brand to invest your hard-earned money with.
Going back to, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, this year we see a new scooter on the block, but with a motor that has been used in Big Boy’s existing lineup for a while now, we are talking about the NEXUS 125. Now, the ‘Nexus’ is Big Boy’s new entry into their range of scooters, offering riders and commuters modern looks, modern features, very good pricing, at a cent under 20k, and the same 125 cc four-stroke air-cooled GY7 motor that has stood the test of time in the Revival, Slingshot, Adventure 125 RS and D-Lite 125. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?
How do you choose which Big Boy scooter to buy if they are all the same? Well, just like you choose your favourite packet of chips. They come from the same soil, fried in the same oil, but all have different seasoning and therefore have a vast range of flavours that appeal to different riders. What am I getting at? Well, the Nexus is suited for the first-time 2-wheeled commuter wanting to ride to school, sports practice and if the family allow, to their mate’s house after homework. It’s also a great scooter for those who stay close to work and don’t need to spend much time on highways, and don’t want to ride or drive an overkill vehicle 10 or 20 km down the road. I’m sure we’ll see the Nexus used in the commercial space, but I honestly think it’s a great commuter and shouldn’t be overlooked as just another “delivery bike”.
The Nexus comes in three colours: white, a sleek grey and as seen on our test bike, a very vibrant orange. Matching its modern look is a small but classy LCD display, LED lighting, centre stand, ignition security lock and a decent-performing front disc brake. With the Nexus being a scooter, you have a storage option under the very comfortable seat, it’s big enough to fit a single bag grocery run, and there is an additional luggage hook for that second bag. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to fit a full face helmet under the seat, which is a pity, so a backpack or laptop bag will have to be your main storage option, unless you fit a topbox on the rear rack.
Compact, smooth and fun best describe the Nexus as soon a you hit the start button. The Nexus really is a compact bike that weighs a smidge under 100 kg, which makes it easy to manoeuvre, peppy off the line, and it returns a decent fuel economy of just under 3.0L/100 km, getting you around 200 km out of its 6 litre tank. As mentioned above, the Nexus has a proven 125 cc 4-stroke air-cooled GY7 motor seen in many Big Boy scooters and delivers a smooth ride from its CVT transmission and a decent top end just under 90 km/h.
The Nexus gets a lot of attention wherever you go, getting the occasional “that’s cute”, or “is it electric?”, and most of the time, “that’s a cool scooter, how much”? When you are riding the Nexus, it has a comfortable upright riding position, and although compact from a wheelbase and design point of view, it still offers enough room for both tall and short riders. With the dimensions of the Nexus being quite small, we see a weight limit of 110 kg, which in turn means you’ll most likely use the Nexus as a single-seater commuter for the most part—if you want to avoid putting strain on the mechanics.
Just as NASA adopted its “faster, better, cheaper” philosophy in the 1990s, we see Big Boy, along with many other motorcycle and car manufacturers, adopting similar methods today. And that brings us to our conclusion of Big Boy’s Nexus 125. The flavour that the Nexus 125 brings to Big Boy’s lineup of scooters is its youthful lifestyle charm, affordability and reliability.
Big Boy NEXUS 125:
For more information on the Big Boy NEXUS 125 featured in this article, click on the link below…
