There are several pleasing elements to WK’s new trail bike, WK Trail 400. Stainless caphead bolts retain the fairing inners, for example. The suspension carries neat anodised adjusters, handlebars have a bright classy finish, and the twin exhausts have a purposeful (and suspiciously vocal) tone. It looks the part too, and the seat’s comfy. And it only costs £3899.
WK select bikes from factories in China and import them carrying their own name. Just like Lexmoto do with their mass-selling 125s. As with many Chinese bikes there’s a defunct Japanese model at the WK Trail 400’s core – a 1990s Honda XR400. The 397cc single cylinders offers robust air-cooled simplicity, thrums cheerfully at 60mph and 5000rpm, and can chug steadily through all manner of quagmire if you wander off down a green lane. At 162kg ready to play it’s a good eleven stone lighter than most big adventure bikes, and with wheels in proper off-road sizes and reasonably chunky Kenda tyres it scurries pleasantly across mucky bits.
Other parts of the WK Trail 400 aren’t good or bad, simply adequate. The unadjustable clutch lever has the shortest travel of any bike, ever, making it easy to stall until you’re acclimatised. The switchgear isn’t the finest, but works. Screen protection is as expected from a plastic blade, and the display shows numbers and stuff. That tall front wheel dominates the steering, but the WK Trail 400’s on-road handling is light.
Unfortunately there are disappointing bits as well. It would appear holes in the bodywork for the grab handles were hacked out with a blunt Stanley knife. After just 500 miles there’s rust evident round a few fasteners and paint has worn off the heel plates. The front brake isn’t what you’d call strong. The motor revs to 8500rpm in low gears if you’ve a big enough gap in your diary, but torque drops off a cliff at 6000rpm so it stops pulling – a bustling 70mph in top. WK say they’re considering a smaller rear sprocket, for more relaxed cruising, though I worry about the single’s ability to pull it; the claimed 27bhp feels more like what you get from a decent 125. Kawasaki’s new single-cylinder Z250SL is way perkier, and smoother, and more efficient. Oh, and the WK Trail 400’s five-speed gearbox occasionally hops out of top.
However, the WK Trail 400’s biggest problem is crude front suspension. At 65mph the forks can’t even deal with a lightly dimpled dual carriageway, the whole front-end becoming jiggy. This bike’s supplied with rebound damping on maximum – backing it right off makes a difference (gives more absorbency on trails too), but doesn’t cure things.
Verdict
Not rubbish, and quality is way better than the super-cheap tat giving Chinese bikes a poor reputation. Actually, scrub that. The WK Trail 400s biggest problem is the £4199 Honda CRF250L. Yes, the WK Trail 400 can commute, pootle down trails and is comfy enough for distance, but doesn’t do any of it as well as the plusher, lighter, smoother, better-quality Honda. Yes, £3899 is cheap, but not cheap enough.
WK Trail 400 Specs
Engine : Four stroke, Single Cylinder, SOHC 4-Valve, Air Cooled
Capacity : 397 cc
Bore x Stroke : 85 x 70 mm
Compression Ratio : 8,8 : 1
Induction : Electronic Fuel Injection
Max Power : 27 HP @ 7.500 RPM
Max Torque : 32,5 N.m @ 5.000 RPM
Transmission / Drive : 5-Speed / Chain
Frame : Steel Cradle
Front Suspension : Fastace Telescopic Forks
Rear Suspension : Monoshock
Front Brakes : Disc Brake, 2-Pot Calipers
Rear Brakes : Disc Brake, 2-Pot Caliper
Front Tyre : 90/90 - 21
Rear Tyre : 130/80 - 18
Wheel base : 1.460 mm
Seat Height : 890 mm
Wet Weight : 162 Kg
Fuel Capacity : 18 Litres
Fuel Consumption : 60 mpg
Price : £3899