We all received it with some enthusiasm. At EICMA 2022, the Brixton Storr was a very interesting prototype: a rugged adventure look, lots of practical functionality, an engine with performance focused on the role, and the promise of an attractive price. In short, all the ingredients were there to create an attractive and affordable adventure bike. However, it then disappeared from the radar. Well, at least until today.
Adventure and financial misadventures
According to our American colleagues at Cycle World, the marketing of the Storr abroad may be imminent. Therefore, we hope that it may also happen in Europe, since we are basically talking about an Austrian brand with production in China. However, we have to take a small step back to understand what actually happened in the last year and a half. The Brixton brand, whose name is clearly inspired by a London neighborhood and whose motorcycles are themselves inspired by British tradition, is part of the KSR group and uses European designs and Chinese production.
However, in 2023, the group found itself facing a financial emergency and filed for a non-judicial restructuring in order to protect itself from imminent insolvency and continue its activities. The situation was caused by a combination of factors, including high material costs due to the pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine, exchange rate fluctuations, and inflation, along with a decrease in sales. According to the latest news we have, the company is committed to overcoming its financial difficulties and continuing to offer high-quality products and services to its customers. Knowing that a new model is on the way is, therefore, great news and rekindles hope.
US Certification of Approval Submitted
As we said, Brixton presented the prototype of the Storr at EICMA in 2022. It is a 500 adventure bike with a twin-cylinder engine producing 47 hp, the same one already used in the Crossfire 500. The engine is manufactured in China by Gaokin and is very similar to the Honda NX500, for example. The suspension is KYB and the frame is made of steel tubing. The bike has a wheelbase of 144 cm and weighs 209 kg. It features an “X” shaped windshield and a tank with side compartments for mounting luggage bags, which seemed like a brilliant idea to many. The vertically oriented TFT instrument panel and the auxiliary lights are integrated at the bottom of the front. The bike stands out for its robust and durable design, somewhere between the Husqvarna Norden 901 and its direct competitor, the Royal Enfield Himalayan. The high front fender and engine side protectors give the impression that it is ready for anything.
Although Brixton is already known in Europe, it is not yet present in the United States. However, according to our North American colleagues, the homologation form has been submitted for the Storr, which could thus become the first bike of the brand to land in the United States.
The Storr may attract adventure enthusiasts looking for a reliable, affordable, and fun-to-ride machine, characteristics that have already made other models successful in Europe. There is, therefore, great expectation regarding this bike and we hope that the brand is truly getting back on track and completing its projects.
