Monark 125 TTS
Mon, March 8th, 2010
Image from www.varberg.se/~iro
NOTE: The 125 TTS was never sold in North America.
| 1975–76 Monark 125 TTS | |
|---|---|
| Performance |   |
| The use of the venerable Sachs 1251-6B 125cc two stroke single differentiates the TTS from Monark's earlier Franco-Morini-powered 125 TS roadbike. This was a heck of an engine at the time, and was sold to a number of different smaller manufacturers who either could not or preferred not to develop their own powerplants, including Penton/KTM, DKW, Hercules, SWM and Zundapp. | |
| Handling | |
| Monark, despite some roadracing successes, built purely utilitarian road bikes. | |
| Looks | |
| It is so conservative and conventional to be generic. But when I was growing up, this is what my mind's eye conceived of when someone said 'motorcycle,' to nearly every detail. So, yea, I like it, even though I prefer the look of a front disk over the TTS's frumpy drum. | |
| Reliability |  |
| I'm pulling a fairly generalized, middle-ground guess pretty much out of thin air. I have neither seen a Monark street bike up close, though I have seen Monark dirt bikes, which were sold in the U.S. from 1970–74. Nor have I ever had a chance to talk with any Monark owner. Information on these obscure bikes is almost nonexistent. I know the engine was strong and long-lived; I frankly have no idea about the rest of the bike, but it is simply and conventionally built. | |
| Practicality | |
| The basic bike would get some points, if not for its age and obscurity. | |
| Desirability | |
| I would love to have a Sachs-engined bike, but it wouldn't have to be this one. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Every so often, I want plain vanilla ice cream, a bowl of plain corn flakes, or a big slice of plain cheese pizza. There is something refreshing about getting back to basics. When I'm in that mood, I'd love to have a 125 TTS to ride. | |