[Closed] Are there cool 125cc motorbikes?

R125?
Varadero?
both look like real bikes IMHO

Aprilla

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no

There are yamaha and honda 4 stoke 'sports' 125's now so you can get the look but without the 6000 mile engine rebuilds. CBF 125 looks a long way from the CG125 as well.

But its largely pointless, the restriction is in power (hence no legitimate market for a proper sporty 125) so the sporty ones are no quicker than the CG's.

i would get a trailie so that you can have a wee bit of fun off road too.

I got 80 out of an R125 a while ago... which was errrrr interesting, shall we say?:)

Save your money and just book a direct access 5 day course then buy a real bike

Hmmm merits and demerits id say... temptation to open up a big bike while you are still brand new is a recipe for disaster, but its less farting around for certain

My first bike was a DT175 Yamaha

I had it for 8 weeks, passed my test & bought a 900 Kawasaki 🙂

I didn't mean really big I meant a 600 like a Fazer, ER6, Hornet or SV650 sort of thing

Oh no not intending on getting anything brilliant just wonderedif there were any cool 125's I think not, I am intending on doing DAS but would like to get out on the road just toget back into the swing of it all!

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Not much good to you though.

Yes there is...
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and this is how you use one
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Iain

All 125's are cool!!!!

They're soooo much fun, but in a completely different way to proper bikes... What ever you get, forget about what you look like on it and just concentrate on having fun! Much like on a mountain bike!

Oh Yes !

[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenjonbro/3373931260/ ]Such as this one[/url]

you can't get much cooler than an LI125

Which 125 trail bike then old is good!

How about a classic?
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Now you're talking!

Yes, many...

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I'll stop there but there are many many more....

Wish I'd never parted with my old KMX for the couple of hundred £'s I got for it. Stupid chav that bought it stuffed it into wall at Asda in Tamworth as far as I know. I'd fitted a KMX200 manifold, exhaust & few other bits. Christ could it fly (well up to 60mph anyway) 🙂

Get one of [url= http://www.ccmmotorcyclesuk.com/content/blogcategory/46/199/ ]these[/url] for a bit of allround fun.

Don't waste the cash. You'll be frystrated at it's shortcomings pretty quickly, if your going to be doing your test reasonably soon.

Me, I was never interested in motorbikes at all really, but bought a simple 125 to get to work on, as 90mpg appealed when my alfa was giving me 23...

But within a couple of months, the wind blowing you off the road, the other motorists riding on your rear wheel, and the lack of get up and go, or proper stopping, meant I did a test simply to get a more stable comfortable bike.

I was a "nervous" biker, but still regret taking so long getting round to doing my test, doing 8 months from the cbt one august bank holiday, to my first test and DAS course the following easter.

It's hard to be cool on a 125, so don't bother.

Have you actually gone looking for one? There are hundreds out there.

Why are all those cool race bikes shown riderless?

Because any normal sized person make them look like the kids toys they are.

Might get away without looking like dad riding his kids pushbike on 1 of the trail type bikes though.

Nope, R125, CBR 125 and Varadero 125 are all full size bikes. Almost copies of there bigger brothers. The Honda is almost at first glance indistinguishable from its XL1000 brother, if i can be arsed ill take a photo of the Xl1000 later. screen, twin disc rather than single etc are the real give away if you de badge them...
I cant say about the others, never worked on em ridden em or come across em really
But the 125 Moto is a great idea too for the OP, mega fun to be had, and only recently quit riding honda xr and chinky copies of the honda xr! A mate even fitted a honda engine and box in to a chink copy, it was a direct fit

I did the same thing and bought a Honda Cityfly. Same as an xl125 before cost cutting took place.

Depends what you want, I got a trail style as its got good visibilty and did a few trails around here and a honda as its bulletproof. Kept up with the traffic and could do 60-65mph all day at 100mpg. Lost nothing on it when i sold it 9 months later.
The italian 2 strokes are very good but generally expensive or knacked.

A 125 is unlikely to be cool especially with other bikers, particularly the bellends with a gsxr in the garage used on sunny days for wheelieing in 30zones. but you will enjoy it and may even keep the 125 for running around on after your test.

Do a search on biketrader for upto 125 and see what comes up.

No one mentioned the Husky 125?

125s are brilliant fun you just have to learn to ride them, have zero sympathy for the mechanicals, rev it till you think it is going to go bang and then rev it some more. Dont slow down for corners carry as much speed as is possible. You will be changing gear so often and abusing the clutch that people will want to prosecute you for vehicular abuse. It will help if you are a midget as well.

When you move up to a bigger bike forget how you ride a 125 otherwise you will hurt yourself.

some old honda XLl25 on ebay

IMHO I'd say that finish/quality wise Honda are best, cool is something a fridge does, also consider running costs(insurance), parts cost, service costs, reliability record, ability to get spares (esp from breakers yard as they're cheaper)

from a purely practical perspective if you drop a traile, you don't have reams of expensive bodywork to repair.

Suzuki has a couple of models:

The TF125:
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And of course the mighty Van Van:
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I like the Van Van. Not many other people who don't own a caravan do, though!

Deus Motorcycles (expensive Aussie custom house) do a lot of their work on the basis of Van Vans...
www.deus.com.au/

Pigface - I have a Husky 125, it's quicker than my mates 250 4 stroke.

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As quick at the KTM, and it pisses over all the Jap bikes.

love the van van and the TF - both remind me of the style of bike i had when i was younger for field work 😉

i was looking for a tzr 125 for a project bike not so long ago - till i realised due to them being one of the faster and easier to tune 125s(of the 80s) - they are nearly all gone - blown up or written off and thus fetch silly money second hand

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If its quicker than a 250 its illegal for a learner! ( or the 250 is knackered)

I say get a cheapo bike and save your money for something a bit bigger when you get a full licence. Sporty ones will devalue a fair bit especially if you drop it and damage the fairings, trail style ones are slow if learner legal, a CG is as fast as any of the 125s give or take a fraction.

Or get a scooter.

If you're going to look like you're riding a key-ring, [url= http://www.derringercycles.com/slideshow/gallery.htm ]make it stylish[/url].....

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U31 - Member

Nope, R125, CBR 125 and Varadero 125 are all full size bikes

The Varadero is not far off full size making it very heavy and slow, the others are like 3/4 scale models. Very nice bikes but they are not full size

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Last year I had a 1953 BSA Bantam D1 125cc which was very cool I thought, not the best if you want something to use every day though. And it really was not the quickest bike about luckily as the brakes were really really bad.

CBR 125 is a toy bike , i cant even get behind the fairing at 6 foot 3 !

It's a 125 it's not meant to look cool ! Any attempts to make it so e.g. adding fairing will just look ridiculous and weigh you down.

Somebody at my work (names have been changed etc) has a 125cc Harley Davidson rip-off thinga Jiminju or something ? I burst into open and unashamed laughter every time I see this thing, its pure dripping chrome and bobbly things and excess tubing, odd pipes etc ? Why ?? Why ??

I see a 125 Honda Repsol replica around town too, again, Why ??

Being a Hobbit I was quite restricted on what I could buy and went for a Yamaha YBR 125, it has a low seat height and just looks like a motorbike, nothing more. And it came in a nice plain blue color.

I would say though, buy second-hand if you can, breaking in the engine on a 125 is not fun. There are loads about.

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i had one of these too 😉

hels , some of the replicas are replicas of 125 race bikes - acceptable at age 17 😉 125 racing looks fun if you weigh as much as a rizla

this is 'cool'

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I want to get photographed next to Rossi one day, to make me look tall.

So lambrettas and vespa are as cool as 125s get then! Oh and that TL125 is pretty cool however , sorry shouldn't say cool let's say easy on the eye!

I've got one of these... don't know about cool, it's different that's for sue and certainly gets some looks.

Hyosung Karion

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alwyn - Member
Pigface - I have a Husky 125, it's quicker than my mates 250 4 stroke.
As quick at the KTM, and it pisses over all the Jap bikes.

Really? Quicker than a 250 4 stroke and pisses all over the jap bikes? Well the with the MX bikes the 2010 husky TC250 4 stroke produced the least power of the 2010 250f's after all of the big 5 with an output of 34.26 BHP stock, KTM is the quickest with around 40 (Rumor has it the Pro-circuit race bikes in the US are approaching 50hp) which is roughly the same peak hp as the 2 stroke 150sx which has a fair few more HP than the class leading KTM sx125. Meaning that the husky 125 is quite down on power copaired to the KTM 250 and the Jap 4 strokes. So I would have thought you would have been doing well to be quicker than a 250 4T unless they have done something incredable with the WR125 to make it a whole heap faster than the cr125.

But the wr125 is indeed a very cool 125.

Iain

I want to get photographed next to Rossi one day, to make me look tall.

Think he's short, I met Ricky carmicheal and he is tiny! he's also ginger (as am I) but not quite what expected from sick and gnarly MX DOOOOOODE!

Amos - Member
Think he's short, I met Ricky carmicheal and he is tiny! he's also ginger (as am I) but not quite what expected from sick and gnarly MX DOOOOOODE!

WOW! I went to the MXDN at Matterley basin 06 hoping RC would be riding but he got injured and Tedesco took his place. Apparently he was in attendance but I didn't catch him on my wander round the paddock. Seeing Everts pass Stewart and ride 99.9% of the track stood up more than made my weekend though!

Iain

I got 75 out a Varadero XL125 back when i was still 15 stone, granted..

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By god that feels like a lifetime ago

Has no one mentioned a TOMOS? 😉

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Meaning that the husky 125 is quite down on power copaired to the KTM 250 and the Jap 4 strokes. So I would have thought you would have been doing well to be quicker than a 250 4T unless they have done something incredable with the WR125 to make it a whole heap faster than the cr125.

My mates bikes isn't a KTM 250,the KTM 250 is a lot faster and one fun bike, his bike is slightly older Suzuki. It probably isn't as quick as the CR as the CR is an out and out crosser not an enduro bike, but it will certainly thrash a Yamaha DT or and Honda XR. It is ridden on a full licence and has a racing exhaust and plugs.

the husky is not a bike for a leaner then.

alwyn - Member
My mates bikes isn't a KTM 250,the KTM 250 is a lot faster and one fun bike, his bike is slightly older Suzuki. It probably isn't as quick as the CR as the CR is an out and out crosser not an enduro bike, but it will certainly thrash a Yamaha DT or and Honda XR. It is ridden on a full licence and has a racing exhaust and plugs.

Ah right I jumped the gun a bit then. I thought you were suggesting that the wr125 was as quick as enduro 4 strokes such as the exc250, wr250f and even huskys own TE250 which would have comparable peak HP to the Mx bikes, as oppose to the trail bikes such as the DT or XR.

Iain

Used to have a Varadero 1000 - could ride it all day and not feel tired, but it was crap at corners.

I want to get photographed next to Rossi one day, to make me look tall.

Rossi is quite tall for a bike rider though about 5ft 10 I believe,against Dani Pedrosa though embryo's look tall

yeah, he is quite tall for a GP rider.

Back in the day the Cagiva 125 was hitting 120mph !!! There were reports of people squeezing 125mph out of them! That was the learner bike to have back then, looked lovely too...

125s are tiny and even the seat height is naff as is the power.

But I wouldn't mind one of these:

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Made for taller riders, useful power in the city, good brakes and handling. 4 stroke too.

Stupid Yamaha dropped the white colour but can see it might be a pain to clean in winter!

Or ride the CG for experience and buy a bigger bike after a year or two

I rode a CG125 for a while. Surprisingly fun trying to squeeze 65 out of it whilst in a tuck down hill and with the wind behind me.

You want a 100cc.
Either:
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or:
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Nowt beats a 2-stroke down Picadilly 🙂

Aye - 100cc is often much cheaper to insure.

Have a serious look at scooters as well - they are great and some are suprisingly cool - like the one linked to above and this

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Italjet dragster. space frame chassis, hub centre steering, as fast as any 125

I'm glad someone confirmed Rossi isn't a complete midget! Also met him a few years back and didn't think he was THAT short 5 ' 10 puts him about my height which I realise ain't tall but average height no? Or are most gp riders over 6' 5"? Just wondering!

Are italjets still about? Remember lusting after one of those 15 odd years ago!

Anyone remember the Cagiva Mito when it came out? looked like the Ducati big monster but a 125 lol

I know someone who uses their Honda cub 90cc drum brakes but bigger tyres fitted lol fuel economy is amazing on that!

Just remember the cooler it looks the quicker it'll disapear after you've gone to bed.

lock it up hora.

Definitely go down the trailie route. I had a couple of 125's when I was a teenager - a pre-restriction twin-cylinder CB125TB which was reasonably quick and quite comfy etc., and a noisy AR125LC with a Micron.

I'm actually tempted to pick up a CBF125 for in-town commuting (the missus or me) and to carry in our motorhome.

125 trailie?

Pffft, do your DAC and get a 450 4 stroke. You'll never have to change gear again...

Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap!!

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My missus rides a Honda CBF125.

Not as sporty as the Aprilia's, CBR's and YZf's....

But we got it for £1850 brand new with 2 years warranty from a Honda dealer.

Really nice bike for the money.

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How tall is your missus roughly Amplebrew? eg does the bike have a low seat height unless she is tall etc.

My old man is after a similar bike/price but he's 5ft10

Frankenstein - Member
How tall is your missus roughly Amplebrew? eg does the bike have a low seat height unless she is tall etc.

My old man is after a similar bike/price but he's 5ft10

Karen is 5ft 7, and fit's on it without being cramped. It feels alot more roomy that then sportier 125's.

I've ridden it a few times and apart from the Varadero 125, it's probably one of the bigger bikes you can buy.

I think the list on them now is £2320. It was slightly less when we got ours, I think it was around £2150 ish.

We paid £1850 from our local dealer, who we've had a few bikes from.

For the money, it certainly looks and feels a quality bike.

We started off looking at used bikes for around £1000, and everyone seemed to have led a hard life or needed money spending on it.

We decided it was worth paying the extra and getting a new bike with warranty, that we knew hadn't been dropped or redlined 24/7.

I had a TZR 125 RR when I was learning, which was fun 😀

like this one

http://www.rock.sannet.ne.jp/tani/fan/tzr125rr.html

Cheers Amplebrew 😀

The old man struggle on 250cc KMX back in the day as it was too high for him at 5ft 10, I was fine just(6ft2) but will take him round to dealer as you're right its not worth buying 2nd hand when £500 gets him a new one.

Will make a change from his C90!

Varadero?

Well that's probably the most uncool bike ever... The yam WR125X will get my vote. But as other have said, get a full bike licence and get a CB500. Probably as cheap to buy and run...

8)

Frankenstein - Member
Cheers Amplebrew

The old man struggle on 250cc KMX back in the day as it was too high for him at 5ft 10, I was fine just(6ft2) but will take him round to dealer as you're right its not worth buying 2nd hand when £500 gets him a new one.

Will make a change from his C90!

Your Dad will be fine on the CBF125, my missus rides it fine at 5ft 7 and can touch the floor with no problems.

Although it's not that far off the height of a 500 or 600cc road bike to be honest; meaning that it's not as much as a difference when upgrading to a bigger bike.

It'll do 70mph and you hardly ever need to fill it up 8)

I tend to use it for pottering around on myself, leaving my SP1 at home.