Contrary to what you may think, Brixton Motorcycles is not a legacy auto brand but a fairly new one. It is an Austrian bikemaker with a British-sounding name and British-looking motorcycles. The bikemaker sells four motorcycles in India, thanks to Kolhapur-based automotive brand Motohaus. These include the Cromwell 1200 and 1200 X and Crossfire 500 X and 500 XC. We spent some time with the latter during the launch at Kolhapur and came back impressed!
The Crossfire 500 XC is the more adventurous scrambler version in the lineup and comes dressed for trail riding. It looks unique thanks to the boxy fuel tank and flat seat. The 500 XC manages to stand apart with its functional yet aesthetic design updates like the well-integrated headlamp cover and visor, adjustable levers, metal sump guard, and tank grips etched with the Union Jack.
We also liked the attention to detail evident in the headlamp LED DRLs which display the four directions and the handlebar grips that have the name Brixton on them. It makes the Crossfire 500 feel a lot more premium than its engine capacity would suggest. That said there are places where it misses the plot. Like the switchgear which, while robust, feels dated.
The Crossfire comes with important kit like tubeless spoke wheels and adjustable suspension which should be useful in the rough stuff. Other de-facto features include all-LED lighting and a tiny inverted LCD display which, despite its size, shows relevant information clearly on the go. It does not get ride-by-wire or ride modes which we think is a miss.
Power comes from a 486cc parallel-twin motor that delivers 48PS and 43Nm. More impressive is the 195kg weight that’s low for a parallel twin adventure motorcycle. For context, the Honda NX500 weighs 196kg. The motor is an enthusiastic one that offers an energetic midrange performance. Given our limited time with the motorcycle, we cannot comment on the tractability. That said, the throttle response at low revs isn’t as smooth as the competition though once you get revs past 2,000rpm, the power delivery smoothens out. It also misses out on traction control but given the linear performance, we do not think that will be an issue.
The Crossfire is an accessible motorcycle despite its tall 835mm seat, thanks to it being narrow at the front. The upright riding position coupled with the high-set handlebar should make it comfortable even during stand-up riding. It gets premium suspension, tyre and brake kit in the form of fully adjustable KYB upside-down forks, semi-adjustable monoshock, 19-inch front and 17-inch rear Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres, and J. Juan brakes. The suspension travel is better than its closest competitor, the Royal Enfield Bear 650, but not really suited for hardcore offroading.
Our test motorcycle ran a firm setup but given our limited ride, it remains to be seen how much you can fine-tune the suspension for off-road use. What we found out was that the Crossfire is an enthusiastic handler with an eager front end despite running a larger 19-inch front wheel. It brakes well too, the 320mm front and 240mm rear disc offer a linear but strong bite. It however misses out on switchable ABS which is surprising as its ADV cousin, the Crossfire 500 Storr gets it. The Crossfire 500 XC feels nimble for a 500cc parallel-twin scrambler and that should make it accessible to most riders.
The Brixton Crossfire 500 XC is priced at Rs 5.19 lakh ex-showroom, placing it in the middle of the 650cc adventure motorcycle segment. However, its main competitor will be the recently launched Royal Enfield Bear 650 which, like the bikemaker’s other 650cc motorcycles, is a segment disruptor owing to the low pricing (Rs 3.40 lakh in this case). Sure, the Crossfire is 21kg lighter and has better kit, but the Bear’s pricing and overall brand acceptance are hard to beat. That said, the Brixton Crossfire’s USP is its niche positioning. Will it succeed? Only time and the Indian customer can tell.
