Motorcycle specifications OrcalAstor 2023 Ambiance corner

Would you believe it if we told you that French motorcycles were the best-selling 125? Impossible? Yes, it is: just take a look at Mash or Orcal's poker games, with machines like this Astor 125. How come? Why do these bikes make it into the top 20 for all displacements combined?

At the heart of the neo-retro wave, some manufacturers have done particularly well. BMW in particular, with its NineT. The revival craze is also bringing back the glories of yesteryear, bringing rusty trapanels out of the barns, and whetting the appetite for machines with a vintage look that won't burn a hole in your wallet.
And bim, it's a match made in heaven. With this Astor, you're sure to fall in love with this cool little old English motorcycle. Or Italian, as connoisseurs won't be able to resist a comparison with the Ducati SportClassic of the previous decade. The Astor's looks are bold and flashy, and it doesn't shy away from tickling the eye.

The engine was upgraded to Euro 5 in 2021. Indispensable if it is to continue to charm on the road. This follows the main update in 2017, when it enjoyed Euro4 compliance: which brought it both good and regulatory. The result was the addition of Mikuni fuel injection. Nothing less than a benchmark player in the field. The result was improved emissions and performance.
Braking became compulsory and coupled. New footrests and handlebar grips were also included in the update.

An urban bike with the flavour of the '60s, with attributes for pleasure. The recipe is familiar and still works. Spoked rims, a stylish tank, an embossed seat, a huge, ugly yet irresistible taillight, a round headlight, an ageless engine and chrome. Lots and lots of chrome. For mudguards, passenger grips, headlight cladding, mirrors, meters, indicators.
The Astor then lets itself be discovered with just as much charm. We appreciate the more demonstrative, such as the double speedometer, the aluminum fork crown, the stainless-steel blunderbuss exhaust, the fork gaiters and the variable-section handlebars. To the most practical, like the hinged cap or the center stand. The equipment and finish are enough to reconcile you with the "Made In China" label. Not yet irreproachable, but no longer a cheap motorcycle.
And for the purely nostalgic, there's a kick starter. The ultimate way to start the engine with a good slap of the calf. Fortunately, for those intimidated by the molestation of an ankle, an electric starter is also available.

what's that motor?!? As at Mash, we've kept things simple with an old-fashioned mono, whose technology is oh-so-simple. A series of cooling fins, 2 valves, an overhead camshaft, 5 gears and 11 horsepower. The engine's reliability is guaranteed by a Yamaha design. In fact, this engine is a copy of those once used for the 125 YBR. Not a thunderbolt, just enough to go anywhere on a daily basis. And a little over 100 km/h when the urge strikes to ride beyond the walls of glass and grey.

The line is from another era, and so will be its valour. You can't expect much enthusiasm from the engine and chassis, as long as the peripherals are of the same lot. It's vintage, with a single 300 mm brake disc at the front - there's another at the rear, when the price and low-cost watermark could have fitted a drum. The frame is a simplistic tubular steel structure, anchored by a 37 mm fork and two lateral shock absorbers. Basic, but impossible to improve on without going into the higher price bracket. Like the Mash and Bullit, the Orcal has no intention of distinguishing itself on the performance front. It's all about looks, ultra-tight fuel consumption and the feeling of riding an old-fashioned machine.

Created from scratch by DIP (like Mash by SIMA), the Orcal brand has come up with a beautiful little machine, which is proving to be a great success. At the same time, it competes directly with the Seventy and Seventy-Five from the other French brand in the sector.
It's far from being able or willing to go all the way, but it will have a certain cachet when it comes to socializing between the streets.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos