Macbor may only be in the Iberian market at the moment, but the expansion plan promises to take the Spanish brand to many more countries. With a new look and front optics that are the central image of the Montana XR1, this bike promises to be Macbor’s entry ticket into the global market, not only with 125 cc bikes, but possibly also with higher displacement models.
The XR1 is Macbor’s best-selling motorcycle and therefore deserves special attention from the brand, which has joined forces with one of the world’s largest manufacturers to create a solid, up-to-date block for this bike. We’re talking about a single-cylinder engine made in partnership with Zongshen, the Chinese manufacturer that produces around 1 million motorcycles a year. So we’re talking about a manufacturer with a huge amount of experience and who actually delivers an engine that looks good and performs well.
We may not be at 15 hp, which is a little below the maximum power limit for A1 license holders, but the 12.6 hp and 9.6 Nm at 5,500 rpm proved to be very available and with a well-staggered gearbox, always providing a good response when requested. Only off-road did we feel that the power fell a little short in certain situations, but this is a 125 cc bike. But still in the engine department, despite some vibrations at higher engine speeds, we can’t say it was anything unusual for a 13 hp single-cylinder block. A very positive note was also the injection, which responded very well, as well as the top speed, which exceeded the 115 km/h announced by Macbor.
BALANCE IS EVERYTHING
The XR1 has an inverted fork at the front and a monoshock at the rear. The suspensions are not adjustable, which can be a bit scary, because if they don’t work properly you’re going to have a problem. However, that’s not the case with this Montana XR1. In fact, it was one of the points we liked the most. The suspension set-up and chassis showed homogeneity and a very sure-footed behavior on and off-road. On the trips we took off-road – and despite the fact that the spoked aluminum wheels don’t have the most suitable tires for the purpose – we noticed that with rubber more suited to rough terrain, the Macbor doesn’t deny itself some good off-roading. However, the brand says that the focus of this bike has been on road riding (not least because of the 17″ wheel on the front), but that it has also thought about offering a good riding position on and off-road.
But there is an important point here when it comes to off-road riding. The braking system incorporates a 265~mm disc at the front and a 240mm disc at the rear – quite biting, it must be said – with a CBS system. What does this mean? That we have a combined braking system and so, if you try to lock the rear wheel, the front will lock too. However, this is further proof that Macbor wanted to put all its chips on the road handling of this little trail bike, while still managing to offer good off-road performance for the more adventurous, requiring extra care due to the CBS system. The truth is that this XR1 covered more than 150 km in one morning and we have little to say in terms of accumulated fatigue.
AESTHETICS AND TECHNOLOGY
The new XR1 has a very ergonomic riding position, and as we mentioned earlier, after 150 km there was little or nothing to complain about in terms of fatigue. The XR1’s headlight, which we talked about at the beginning, is also well-built and full of character. Macbor has registered and patented this front optic, which means that it will most likely be used on more models and will be a strong Macbor image. The equipment also includes a center stand, crash bars, plastic sump protection and a kit of three suitcases with protection bars, all as standard, at least in the initial launch phase. The 5″ LCD panel also comes as standard and although it’s quite simple in terms of the information it displays, it’s very readable. The least positive point is its navigation, which is done by touching a button on the right-hand side, but it didn’t prove to be intuitive, requiring getting used to the touch and its functionalities.
JUST THE BEGINNING
The idea that Macbor intends to take a leap forward when it comes to expanding the engine capacities available in its range is clear in the air. Proof of this will be its presence at this year’s EICMA show and also the patent filed for the headlight of this Macbor XR1, which suggests that it will be present on more models. This evolution of the Spanish brand’s small trail bike points to a bright future and may not be perfect, but in the end, it’s important to note that we’re talking about a bike with a price tag of under €4,000 that offers everything it promises, without excuses.