There is a point in life of every motorcycle enthusiast where he/she dreams of straddling a sporty crotch rocket, crouching down and blasting through straights and leaning through corners. The adrenaline rush is incomparable and it is one of the most sought after aspects of motorcycling for many people. We too lived through this phase, and trust us we’ll still sling our legs over a high performance sports bike any chance we get. However, there’s another side to motorcycling which beckons a different spirit, one that the Italjet Buccaneer 250i exemplifies.

The essence of the Buccaneer harks back to the yester years of motorcycling, when it embodied the freedom, unabashed rebellion and at times the therapeutic healing that only a bucking machine on two wheels could offer.

We’d been wanting to get our hands on the Italjet Buccaneer for quite some time now and we just got around to test riding the retro designed motorcycle. And here we have it for you.

STYLING

Back in the 70s, Scramblers started out as regular road bikes that were engineered by factories or owners to make them capable of heading off the beaten track. The Italjet Buccaneer resembles the scrambler gene and refines it into a well rounded package with sprits of café racer styling. This is defined by the flat design line running from the front to the back.

At the heart of the scrambler styled Buccaneer is a distinctive 60 degree V twin engine commands attention. Built around it is a sturdy frame, with a bash plate to protect the underbody of the engine, and a smoothly sculpted 14 litre fuel tank is put into place. In lieu to the Scrambler styled design the swooping curve of the tank moves into the curve of the cowl. A beautifully stitched flat single seat adds to the overall design of the Buccaneer.

The front wheels have been tucked in to help give the motorcycle an aggressive stance. Massive discs are integrated into both wheels which get massive well treaded dual sport tyres. Head lights get a sturdy frame and a small visor is fit atop it that covers the speedometer. The instrument console is a singular analog dial with a digital gear indicator. A circular led rear tail light works in perfectly with the overall design of the Italjet Buccaneer 250i.

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RIDING AND HANDLING

Switch on the ignition and thumb the start button and the Buccaneer comes to life with a throaty rumble. Straddle it, cozy yourself into position and switch into gear to get into motion. The handle bars position you into a slight upright position which moves the motorcycle away from an aggressive machine towards a more laid back ride.

We were quiet alright with that; in fact we preferred how the motorcycle performed. It was a pleasant change to be able to enjoy a mellower ride. But don’t get us wrong, the Italjet Buccaneer 250i packs a punch. The 60 degree V-twin 249cc SOHC (Single Over Head Cam) dishes out 17.5 Bhp of power @ 8,000 RPM and 19 Nm of torque @ 6,000 RPM. Instead of unbridled power, the engine propels the Buccaneer with linear power output. The torque kicks in early and makes stop and go traffic commuting in the city fun.

On more open roads it holds up well, making overtaking maneuvers easy. It isn’t the most nimble cornering machine and is hesitant to lean into curves and slalom through heavy traffic. Braking is crisp thanks to the massive disc brakes up front and in the rear. Large grippy tyres provide a stable ride.

VERDICT

Possessing a significant scrambler heritage, the Italjet Buccaneer 250 stands out from the crowd. It might not resort to extensively extravagant styling but it finds a subtle balance which helps keep it classy. It is more than capable of taking on the everyday commuting needs, but we see it as more than just that.

You get on it, head out of the city and ride onto the horizon; it’s a motorcycle you get on to help clear your head. A motorcycle doesn’t have to be aggressively fast to be fun, and the Buccaneer is the perfect example of that.

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