Which 125 After CBT?

A · L Plate Warrior Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Karma :

Hi everyone. I've recently done my CBT and need a bike to commute to work.

Its only a couple of miles of dual carraige way + some slower town riding.

I would love to get a sporty 125, something that handles well for this type of journey and looks the business Twisted Evil

Something that would also be good for a blast at the weekend!

All suggestions welcome!

Thanks
A

Noggin · Traffic Copper Joined: 27 Feb 2004 Karma :

Depends, but quite a few people on here may suggest the NSR125R. I have one, loads of people have had or have one and I am using it to commute a couple of miles each day. They are sporty and can be picked up from around £1300 in good nick, got mine for £1000, bargain!

Craig G(Noggin)
____________________
Current bike: kawasaki zx12r 2002
Track bike: yamaha r6 1998
Old Bike: honda NSR 125 1998

hush · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Apr 2004 Karma :

Its not sporty, but the bike I started with was a Yamma SR-125. It was beautiful to ride, feels, rides and sounds like a larger bike. The apparent downside is that they are 4-stroke, so less power than a 2-stroke, but it would still reach 70MPH at full bore, though I found it would overheat if it was run for long periods at 65 or more (did a run from Nottingham to London the day after getting my CBT Laughing

) so kept it around 60, which is fine for a bit of dual carriage way.

Getting a kawasaki KH-125 this week, not sure how that will work out, but 2-stroke, so maybe more power Thumbs Up

A · L Plate Warrior Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Karma :

Cheers for the quick replies guys.

I've read a lot about the NSR and it sounds like the one. Just got to find one for the right price. Are they easy to look after?

I like the look of the Sachs XTC (I know its a 4 stroke!), does anyone have any experience of riding one? Just not sure if i've got the time or experience to maintain a 2 stroke Neutral

Good luck with the Kawasaki Hush Thumbs Up

A

hush · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Apr 2004 Karma :

Cheers A. I'd have gone with something like an NSR, but I have noticed that all the 125's I've seen made up to look like sports bikes have tiny exhausts with an annoying 'lawnmower' high pitch sound. I'm sure a larger exhaust would tame that but I just couldn't do with riding down the road with a 'whhheeerrr' sound emanating from my tail Wink

The SR had a nice deep sound to her, and I hope the KH will be similar.

Hope you find an NSR at the price you want, and that the future holds many years of fantastic biking for you Smile

Danny · Ask Me About Stoppie School Joined: 26 Jan 2003 Karma :

hush · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Apr 2004 Karma :

Not so much an upgrade as a needed a cheap buy to replace a stolen SR-125 Crying or Very sad

There was a bunch of stuff to choose from, but I wanted that style of bike, but couldn't find a decent well priced SR-125. Truthfully, I'd have liked a Honda Dragstar, but they were well out of my pocket at the moment... This will do for now, and it's only for local travel now and weekend pleasure cruising, so I'm not too worried about the power or speed (as long as it will comfortably run distances at 60 or so). What really bugs me is loosing the electric starter from the SR-125... it was so convenient. Wondered about adding an electric starter to the KH, but would probably look out of place with the starter motor and all.

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Most small 125 2 strokes can be kick started with your hand. I could certainly operate the kickstart with my hand on my old MBX125.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

DaveS · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 09 Mar 2004 Karma :

Stevie Northants · Borekit Bruiser Joined: 03 Apr 2004 Karma :

Aprilia rs125 would be good for your weekend blasts but you really need to keep on top of maintenance for it,good oil etc.

Stevie Wink

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

hush · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Apr 2004 Karma :

G, higher pitch I can deal with. But whine with no back bone is a no go... You can hear the power in a Blade, but all of these little things I have seen round and about sound like lawn mowers (no offence meant). I couldn't be doing with riding on something that looks like the K9's undercarriage, but sounds like a ped on steroids Laughing

Got the KH today, and despite an issue with the indicators (gonna search about and may have to post about that in the workshop later), it's all good. Ahhh, the delicate sound of thunder Exclamation

It'll wake up the entire neighborhood when I come home Wink

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

hush · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Apr 2004 Karma :

There's no denying that they can move, I'm just very concious of the sound they make. Sends a cold chill down my back... Nope, I'll leave the power house sports bikes till I'm through the license and can jump on an R1 (or if I can find one in really good condition, I have a soft spot for the ZZR1100...) Very Happy

dainesefreak · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Apr 2003 Karma :

It's quite funny reading the posts about 125's like the KH and the SR having a deep rumble compared to the two strokes.

Sorry I don't mean to sound demeaning but when you've been riding larger capacity bikes for a while you forget the excitement, feeling of speed and noise that your first bikes make.

I remember raving on about the sound that my AF125 used to make coming off the throttle and my dad commenting about a bee in a tin can!

On a couple of occasions when we've had both bikes on the drive I've tried to start my wifes NSR for her and realized it was already running!

Then I suppose it's whatever floats your boat really, I have always been a sports bike fanatic. So it was two stroke 125's for me, lots of expensive two stroke oil and the sound of a solitary bee in a Coke can.