Herald’s made a big leap forward with the release of its raucous, stripped-back custom-style single – the Brute 500. The (mostly) British-built naked is similarly spec-ed and similarly priced to the brand-new BSA Gold Star – and probably could appeal to the type of riders BSA is aiming its bike at: young, trendy types (not necessarily the old boys who remember the originals from back in the day).
We’ve tested our fair share of Herald Motor Company’s bikes over the past few years, so we’ll spare you an in-depth rundown of its short but largely successful history. In essence, it’s carved out a fairly respectable reputation for its small range of learner-friendly, retro-styled bikes that are built in China and then tweaked and improved back home at its Cambridgeshire HQ. It’s been a winning formula that’s seen Herald sell plenty of bikes to riders new and old who want a mix of practicality, performance, styling and, ultimately, value for money. But not content to rest on its laurels, it’s been beavering away creating its biggest and arguably best bike yet: the Brute 500. And it’s actually been designed and built in the UK (apart from the engine, and a few small bits and bobs). Which is more than can be said for the BSA…
Digs in the ribs aside, it is great to see a fledgling British firm taking the leap and trying to build its own bikes. And after years of waiting since it was first teased, we’ve finally managed to swing our leg over one and put it through its paces.
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In the flesh, it’s a pretty funky looking bit of kit. The white one we were testing isn’t quite as special as the blue… but either way, it’s still plenty stylish enough to stand out from the crowd (particularly when the crowd is a pair of 60s replicas that are almost interchangeable). It’s no one thing – blending café racer, street tracker and naked bike styling to create a package that looks more custom than production. That’s no bad thing in my book.
The finish is largely good, and Herald’s done a top job both manufacturing and sourcing parts. The frame castings, aluminium swingarm, yokes and spindles are all machined in-house, while the front four-piston radial brake comes from HEL brakes down in Devon (although the rear’s a J. Juan number). The adjustable inverted and rear shock and 17-inch wheels come from Herald’s sister company Racetek, the dash comes from Acewell, and even the seat, wiring loom and plastic mouldings are made in Britain (apart from the tank… that’s made in Italy).
Slightly disappointingly, the Brute’s 499cc liquid-cooled four-stroke single cylinder motor isn’t exactly homegrown. Herald made the choice to make use of Zongshen’s tried and tested NC450 unit (which is also in Fantic’s Caballero 500) – although it has sorted the tuning itself, using its own dyno set up to get things just so.
It’s a pretty feisty little motor, which needs to be worked hard and revved to make the best use of the 43bhp on tap. Sadly that does mean it needs fairly frequent servicing, so you’ll be taking it back to the dealer every 3000 miles.
It’s great fun in a lairy kind of way – and there’s more than enough punch from the Herald to keep on the heels of plenty bigger bikes on twisty roads. It’s good for about 80mph, but anything more than that feels like a bit of a strain. It’s not the most refined thing either, so there’s plenty of vibration and you’ll get pop and bangs and burbles as you work your way down through the six-speed gearbox. It’s fun to ride.
It stops well, too, though the brakes are definitely on the sharper end of the spectrum. The British-made HEL front set up is a particular highlight, although the J. Juan at the rear has enough bite and feel to help out. Without any ABS and traction control, you’ll definitely have to keep your wits about you if you want to stop it in a hurry in sketchy conditions.
Built specially for the Brute, the Racetek floating link monoshock out back and the inverted forks up front are fully adjustable and can be fine-tuned, but in truth they’re always going to be on the stiffer side of things, thanks to a focus on performance and handling rather than outright comfort. That said, when ridden hard, it’s surprisingly easy to forget about any shortcomings in that department, as you bob and weave and throw the thing from side to side.
The Avon Road Rider Mk2 tyres are a nice touch, providing plenty of usable grip in all but the worst conditions, although I did find their limits on a couple of occasions on particularly wet roads, but that could be partly as a result of the slightly aggressive throttle response and my heavy hands.
Is the Herald Brute 500 really comparable to the BSA. Probably not. In fact, it’s not really comparable to any other production bike on the market. It’s a unique (mostly) British-built proposition which’ll definitely appeal to riders of a certain kind who want something with a bit of bite that’ll put a smile on their face. The motor’s probably the highlight, and although it’s a bit loud and a bit lairy and a little bit unpolished, I found a lot to like.
The big question mark is the price – and at £6950 plus a bit extra for on-the-road fees, the Herald is by no means the affordable option.
Tech spec
HERALD BRUTE 500
Engine: 499cc four-stroke single cylinder
Power: 49.2bhp
Torque: 40Nm
Frame: Steel and aluminum
Transmission: 6 speed manual gearbox
Suspension: (F) Racetek inverted forks (R) Racetek floating link monoshock / fully adjustable
Brakes: (F) Single disc and HEL 4-piston radial caliper (R) Single disc and J.Juan radial caliper
Weight: 145kg
Seat Height: 835mm
Fuel Tank: 13.5 litres
Price: £6950 + OTR
Contact: www.heraldmotorcompany.com
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