Is it worth bothering with a 125cc bike, be only used for going to work and back.

Indeed it is! Do it!

Get the right bike and it'll be cheap, fun and faster than a car. There's loads of 4-stroke 125s around that will fit the bill:

Silly cheap but basic – CG125
Practical – Scooter like a Vespa or Gilera
Fun – Yamaha R125 (I think, the sporty one)
And there's varous trail bikes and cruisers too, if you fancy something different

Do it! 🙂

yes but not till the summer.

yes but not till the summer.

Nahh. The only thing that stops me is snow.
I thought we were MTBers? I thought we could handle cold and wet?

There's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes!

🙂

MTFU!

Depends on how far away work is too. A few miles then yes, 20+ then a bigger bike will be better.

Seeing as i cycle to work 5 days a week anyway weather isn't an issue, just some mornings i can't be arsed. 8 miles is the distance.

My first motorbike was a Honda XR125 – bomb proof engine, quite a big bike so a large road presence, very economical, good turning circle (ideal for commuting in town ect)

Sort of.

For short urban hops, lots of traffic, all weathers – a scooter is probably better. Storage for helmet/shopping, keeps your legs warmer and drier (and arguably safer against side impact), and the cycle of 1st-2nd-1st-stop-1st-2nd-1st-stop gets tedious. But then if it's that short then a bicycle would probably work even better tbh.

For regular trips that are too long to easily cycle (say over 10-15 miles) it will probably involve getting out of town, into NSL roads, dual carriageways and the like and having more than 125cc would be a real boon.

Seeing as i cycle to work 5 days a week anyway weather isn't an issue, just some mornings i can't be arsed. 8 miles is the distance.

Perfect 125 territory. 🙂 As freddyg says, much more than 20 miles and something bigger would be better, but I used to do 50 miles trips on a 125 fairly regularly. It's not that bad, but you yearn to be able to overtake on the faster roads!

In traffic a 125 will walk all over a bigger bike for filtering becasue they turn faster and are so much lighter. And a scooter is faster still becasue you don't have to worry about gears, it's always ready to accelerate.

🙂

8 miles? Do it.

You never know, you might like it and start going the long way to / from work. I commute in all weather on mine (40 miles each way) and love it. I do mine on a Blackbird 8)

8 miles? Do it.

You never know, you might like it and start going the long way to / from work.

Thats why i'm asking really. Is there still a 2 year restriction on provisional license?

Get a 125, I blew up a 50 doing 30 miles a day.

If it's just for commuting I'd get a scooter – they're MUCH better in wet weather, and the storage space under the seat is great.

there's a limit on the CBT but you can just do it again when its up. Google for how long limit is, might be a year.

Thats why i'm asking really. Is there still a 2 year restriction on provisional license?

AFAIK, it's not the license, it's the CBT (Complusory Basic Training) that runs out. Best thing to do is do your CBT, ride a few months to get the hang of it, then do your test on your 125. I had one day of lessons on my 125 then passed my test in the afternoon, just to get rid of the L plates. Then you can ride any bike as long as it's no more than 33bhp. (Bigger bikes can be restricted down to this) Then after 2 years the limit is removed and you can ride anything.

Scooter.

do it now! Law changing again on license, so if you go for the restricted test you will be stuck at 33bhp for ever, unless you go back and take your test on a bigger bike.

Good grief, as CB used to say!

CBT is one day, designed to make you shudder at the thought of being on the open road. Choose a school with private training area big enough to get used to bikes with engines, and have fun. Most good CBT places can provide clothing and safety gear, so you don't need to invest until you want to commit to joining the happy few roaming around without worrying about traffic queues.

there's a limit on the CBT but you can just do it again when its up. Google for how long limit is, might be a year.

I thought that the CBT lasted two years, but you had to wait a year before renewing it?

Perfect 125 territory. As freddyg says, much more than 20 miles and something bigger would be better,

+1 except a scooter might be more practical

..but take size into account – most 125's are small'ish and get pretty uncomfortable pretty quickly

Hmmmmm, I have considered this, mulled it over etc, my advice is ….

Scooter.

Probably.

Don't spend too much on a 125, once you get used to it you'll soon develope a yearning to pass your test and get something bigger

I have just done exactly that – 20 miles commute each way.

I have a Yamaha YBR 125 and it's great for the town bit, can get 60 out of it on A roads once it comes to life but will drop to 50 on inclines, and I'm not a large person. Mind you I had it up to 70 (briefly, on the flat with a tailwind) on the A9 last weekend. Screamed a bit !! (the bike).

Haven't looked back and am eyeing a Big Bike now. Having short legs is the perfect excuse to buy a Monster, but practicality will likely win and I will get a Honda CBF250 or something.

exactamundo, – you'll just enter bikeworld, and we all know where that leads.

go scooter

Ergh – P.S I thought the handling was pants on a scooter, and they are only for people that can't master clutch control ?? Never ridden one…

P.P.S want to buy a Yamaha YBR 125 ? Perfect for the smaller rider, one lady owner from new, run in religiously according to the strict rules in the manual.

exactamundo, – you'll just enter bikeworld, and we all know where that leads

What's wrong with bike world?

I thought the handling was pants on a scooter

Err no.

Ignore the predjudices of other bikers who have told you that (I'll wager!) I've had a few scooters now and they are brilliant things. My current Vespa GT200 handles very neatly. I can scrape the footboards whenever I please! 🙂

With regards to Winter just remember that the act of cycling tends to keep you a bit warmer than usual as opposed to sitting still in 60mph windblast on a motorbike. I wouldn't give my motorbike up for anything but last Winter seemed to last for a looooooong time.
For what it's worth I wouldn't go for a scooter. Get something with proper wheels for handling, a four stroke for reliability and don't be tempted by a sporty/expensive 125cc you'll inevitably move on up to a 600cc if you know what's good for you.

For what it's worth I wouldn't go for a scooter. Get something with proper wheels for handling

Again, put the predjudices away! 🙂
They're fine, as long as you buy a decent one (Not a cheap Chineese thing) and way more practical than a motorbike.

How many scooters have you owned? 🙂

Well I did wonder about scooters, and yes it was motorbikering friends who put me off, that and the guy at my work who slid out on his scooter at a roundabout and damaged himself considerably.

P.S has anybody on here solved the cold hands problem ? I was told heated gripes frack the electrics so bought some expensive goretex Darth Vader things but feel like I'm riding with a pair of oven gloves on

P.P.S and on my first motorbikerers weekend away, hell did I get sick of having to say "pushbike, you know, it has pedals" everytime I talked about one of my bikes

For cold hands use either heated grips or bar muffs.

Heated grips will not fry the electrics and bar muffs look bobbins but work very well.

@ gixer 😉 – nothing at all wrong with 'bikeworld', I love it, but as any self respecting mountainbiker from here knows, thus begins a never ending accumulation of kit …always shiny new stuff out there.

what's the OP really asking then, should he get a 125 versus a bigger bike ? – my answer would be no, go bigger. I just thought a scooter might be better for his stated "commute only" useage, only 8 miles, bit drier in all weathers etc

Get a two stroke 125 hooligan machine. I'm presently going all misty-eyed thinking about my old derestricted AR125 with its ridiculously loud Allspeed pipe.

I was the kind of person i now frown upon 😀

I have a Yamaha YBR 125 and it's great for the town bit, can get 60 out of it on A roads once it comes to life but will drop to 50 on inclines, and I'm not a large person.

hmm i'm 14 stone, so it would probably grind to a halt with me on it.

I think the advantage of the 125cc is the flatter learning curve, you can be up and running more easily with less outlay and paperwork and some time to get to grips with it before you Go Big. Motorbikes aren't for everyone.

Another couple of friends of mine did Direct Access to Big Bike and each bought (all together now) a Bandit. Both now on ebay.

Oh Arse. I've started looking at motorbikes again. And not 125's. D'oh! I'm going to get into trouble. I just know it

Curse you all!!!!

Buy some decent waterproofs and MTFU, you'll save money, keep all that winter training and not die in a huge 50mph fireball
🙂

I once rode a scooter far enough to confirm that small wheels and pot holes don't mix well.

Cheers Donk, very comforting 😆