The engine is a remarkably muscular 125cc SOHC flat single, for which Honda claims 6.7kW at 7500rpm and 10Nm at 5000 revs – and it feels like every Watt and Newton-metre is there and doing its bit.

The Deputy pulls strongly throughout its rev range, easily outrunning the downtown traffic through the gears up to about 80km/h. After that it begins to sound a little strained although I briefly took it up to an indicated 105km/h in the cool of early morning, on the flat and in still air.

The rest of the time it cruised easily at 90km/h, making light of Cape Town's ups and downs; going down one gear, on uphills, was usually enough to keep it ahead of the taxis.

The engine is set very lean, which makes it cold-blooded in the early mornings and reluctant to idle until properly warmed up. Full choke for starting and half-choke for the first kilometre got it moving.

The big score is on fuel. The Xindazhou website claims 1.31 litres/100km (make appropriate scornful noises)but "my" Deputy covered 102km on a 3.47-litre tankful in mostly urban use – that's 3.4 litres/100km.

R20 a week

Let me put that in perspective: if you live 10km from your office, the Deputy will take you to work and back for less than R20 a week.

At least part of it is due to the Deputy's old-fashioned but still efficient four-speed semi-auto transmission. There's no clutch lever; the centrifugal clutch takes up as the engine revs rise – which makes the bike practically unstallable.

To change gears you simply close the throttle and press down the rocker gear lever; neutral's at the top and all four gears are down. As on the old MZ two-strokes, the rather long lever throw also disengages the clutch – although it takes up with rather a thump as you release the lever.

None of which is a problem changing up – but changing down nearly always locks up the rear wheel for a moment as the gearbox overcomes engine compression – very disconcerting for a novice.

Judicious use of the throttle between gears sorted that out by the end of the test period, although I found it easier, when slowing for a stop, simply not to change out of top until the bike was very nearly stationary.

It's not good riding practice but it doesn't require as much concentration and I suspect that's how most Deputy riders will get into the habit of doing it.

Unsophisticated chassis

The engine and gearbox are slung below a simple underbone or "J" frame in square-section steel tubing with a similarly unsophisticated rectangular steel swing-arm and conventional suspension at each end.

As with many small Japanese motorcycles, the suspension is oversprung and underdamped, the ride on a poor surface akin to a pogo stick. Nevertheless, the steering is commendably accurate and the bike stable enough to cope with the worst a South-Easter.

Each wheel has a 110mm single leading shoe drum brake although, in time-honoured scooter tradition, the rear brake works a lot better than the front.

However, since this is a motorcycle – in geometric terms anyway – the brakes are not as effective as they should be and you have to use both for serious stopping.

At least you're not likely to lock either wheel.

Conventional footpegs

This pretty basic motorcycle is clad in neat bodywork that successfully mixes bike and scooter styling; the handlebars are boxed in, scooter style, the instrument panel and headlight a unit.

There are vestigial plastic legshields leading down to a pointed sports-style under-fairing – but no footwell, just conventional footpegs.

The double seat lifts to reveal a small storage compartment (not big enough for a helmet) and the fuel filler cap while the rear is pure motorcycle.

The Deputy remains a slightly odd mix of bike and scooter, of old technology and modern styling, but it all hangs together as an economical and very practical commuter.