Mutt Black Sabbath 250
All day long I think of things but nothing seems to satisfy.
Think I'll lose my mind if I don't find something to pacify.
Can you help me, occupy my brain.
We can't help but wonder if the team at Mutt Motorcycles were thinking of these classic lyrics from Black Sabbath's 'Paranoid' when they created the Sabbath Bronze – a motorcycle to occupy your brain.
Moto Lane recently had the pleasure of borrowing a Sabbath Bronze for a couple of days to put the bike through its paces. We covered roughly 200km on the bike, riding through a mix of congested city traffic and fast, flowing roads. Read on to find out what we thought.
Overview
Purely as a styling exercise, the Sabbath Bronze from Mutt Motorcycles is a stunning looking bike. With matte black everything, custom CNC machined parts and an upright, tough stance, the bike looks incredible.
Dig a little deeper however, and the bike shows you that it's not just a one-trick pony, upstaging its competition in the entry-level premium market.
Performance
Powered by a single-cylinder, 250cc engine, the Mutt Sabbath Bronze produces roughly 21hp (16kW) and 18Nm of torque. The engine is a Suzuki GN 250, still used in Suzuki's TU250X, which is well known as being almost bulletproof. It's easy to think that at 'only' 250cc, the Sabbath Bronze is going to be boring. But that's just lazy thinking – in the right environment, the little Sabbath does everything you need it to.
Gearing is provided by a buttery smooth 5-speed transmission, and it's perfectly set up for its urban environment. First gear is largely ornamental, and only there to get you off the line; second and third are much longer and provide plenty of punch. You can easily spend all day riding in third and fourth, no matter the environment, but on faster roads and highways, fifth is certainly welcome.
Ride
Forks are non-adjustable telescopic jobbies with anodised caps, whilst the rear is held up by twin shocks in custom black. We found the front-end a little soft, with some of the larger bumps and divots causing the forks to quickly run out of travel. However this is a trade off against handling, with the Sabbath Bronze cornering on rails. Conversely, the rear twin shocks are a little on the harder end of the scale, but they're not uncomfortable, and instead set the bike up for the aggressive, almost dirt-bike feel that it has.
Brakes are adequate, with quality Bosch ABS front and rear and braided brake hoses. They're unlikely to stop you on a dime, but they work well and the ABS is extremely unobtrusive.
Styling
If you're a fan of black like we are, you'll love the styling of the Sabbath Bronze. Originally a Mutt custom for actor Tom Hardy, everything possible has been made black with the exception of the gorgeous bronze fuel tank.
Care and attention to detail has been put into a number of custom CNC machined aluminium parts on the bike. This includes the indicators, yoke nuts and various touches on the engine. Chunky 80/20 tyres and Renthal style bars give the Sabbath a more aggressive look and ride.
Matte black stainless steel exhaust, black bash plate and master cylinder guard and black wheels with black stainless steel spokes complete the overall styling package.
Pros
- Oh so very light!
- Buttery smooth gearbox
- Dives into and holds a corner like a trooper
- Gearing perfect for around town – not much of first, long second and third
- Great mechanical feel – no BS or complicated electronics. Does what it says on the tin
Cons
- Switchgear feels a little on the cheap side, especially the indicator switch
- Throttle can be a little 'snatchy' in first
- Front forks a little soft
- Seat comfort is on the harder side, but it's not uncomfortable per se
In summary
It's easy to write off the Mutt Sabbath Bronze because of its small capacity engine, but to do so is the miss the point of this motorcycle. You're not going to be the quickest on the road, and long highways might be a chore, but that's not where the Sabbath is in its element.
If it's an urban commuter you're after, where a light, small bike is perfect for lane filtering and getting ahead of the traffic, then this bike is perfect for you. Incredibly nimble, it turns into and holds a corner beautifully, with just enough power to have some fun without getting into trouble.
We'll agree that we had our biases going into this review, and were even sceptical during the first five minutes as we rode the bike out of the Mutt garage. But that scepticism quickly faded, and the more time we spent on the bike, the more we enjoyed it. A great bike; perfectly suited to the urban environment for which it's intended.
Mutt Motorcycles Sabbath Bronze Specs/Features
- Weight (Dry) 130kg
- Engine: fuel injected 4-stroke single cylinder
- Displacement 250cc
- Delphi fuel injection
- Bosch ABS braking front and rear
- Braided brake hoses
- NGK plugs and leads
- Stainless steel exhaust system
- Sealed fuel tank with vapour recovery system**
- Electric start
- 5-speed transmission
- Max power 21hp
- Max torque 18Nm
- Top speed 129kph
- 18" wheels with stainless steel spokes
- LED tail light
- Halogen headlight
- Anodised CNC and stainless steel componentry
- EU4 compliant
- 2-year warranty (first year labour also included)
Gallery
**Fuel Vapour Recovery System (FVRS) – takes evaporated fuel vapour, usually lost into the air, and stores it in a carbon filter for use when next starting the bike. Saves pennies and the planet!
Source: https://motolanemc.com/2020/07/15/mutt-motorcycles-sabbath-bronze/
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