Which 125?

[PearlLC]

Hi there,

I'm after some advice.

Due to circumstances I need a bike asap. I only have limited funds and don't know whether to go for an older, scruffier bike with more miles on the clock, but one of the 'reliable' makes (I love the Yamaha sr's), or whether to go for a much newer, maybe even brand new, chinese import bike?

Does anyone know anything about Sukida Patriot's or Branson's?

Thanks,
Pearl

[pinkyfloyd]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

The general concensus on here is to stay away from the chinese bikes, They are badly built and can fall to bits. Added to the fact that a lot of mechanics wont touch them.

I bought a brand new chinese import. It did have a few on going problems. Surface rust was pretty much instant after the first day in the wet. The exhaust studs kept shearing off causing no end of hassle getting them drilled out of the engine block and re threaded. Last time a mechanic added a spring system to hold them in place and add extra pressure to help stop them shearing off, and had an on going electric problem with the front light earthing out and shorting the system.

That said tho I had the lump for almost 2 years and put in the guts of 10K miles on her in that time, Including a move from Belfast to Portsmouth and the engine never failed me once.

I wouldnt recomend buying one for another few years as their build quality is still in development.

If you want a bike to get you through the test I would go for an older well established name, Honda, Kwak, Suzuki. You can buy one of them for buttons, pass your test and sell them for pretty much what you paid for them a year later. In essence getting a free bike for a year. You buy a chinese bike then you'll lose 75% of the value in the first year and spend the other 25% getting it fixed.

Hope it helps.
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[el_oso]

should be able to pick up a cg125 for under what you would pay for new chinese import. a ybr125 would probably be cheaper and a just as solid as the honda.
if you want something a bit more fun, a honda xr125 is also a solid purchase. i payed £900 for a honda xr125l 2005 model with about 7000 miles on the clock, didn't do a single thing to it in in the 10months i rode it. including commuting to and from Loughbrough to london several times. only thing i did was an oil change. would highly recommend this bike. it was very fun to ride and very reliable.
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Duke 390
Previous: '05 XR125L | '96 XJ600S Diversion |'05 Suzuki GSXR1000 | '05 Honda CBR125-R | '97 YZF 600R Thundercat | '11 Honda CBR250
Car: Jeep Wrangler 4.0L

[Teflon-Mike]

The great Chinky-Bike rages, and you will get people heavily knocking them and telling you to avoid, but in almost equal measure, folk suggesting there's NOTHING wrong with them.

You HAVE to look at chinese bikes with your eyes wide open, and be sure you know what you are getting into, but they CAN prove useful.

First thing is that if you expect one to even be CLOSE to the quality of a new or Jap or Euro bike, you are going to be dissapointed.

Cheapest ones out there are about £800. that would get ayou a pretty useful Jap 'commuter' like a YBR or CG, but something more interesting like an NSR or DT would probably be rather more err, care worn (OK, down right thashed!)

Your chinese bike, against 2nd hand Jap commuter, wouldn't keep its finish as long, and it wouldn't go as fast, and it wont hold its resale value, and its a bit of pot-luck whether it would prove any more or less reliable.

In the cost of ownership equation, AT THE MOMENT, they dont fare well.

2nd Hand Jap bikes can be sold on, and for sensible money. Chinese bikes, are hard to shift, and not for anything remotely sensible.

Keeping one for a full two years, you really have to be prepared to take a BIG hit on depreciation. even the best ones depreciate horendousely, and a £2K bike, after two years can be worth as little as £500ish. an £800 example, if it lasts two years, you better pretty much plan on giving it away when your done.

That sort of takes the edge of them being 'cheap'. BUT, if you know what you are getting, and can get the value from the bike from its use, and pick a better one, or are lucky enough to get a goo'n, they can do the job, and not be too much hassle.

BUT expect them to go as fast, look as good, be as reliable, or easy to lve with as a Japanese machine, AND save you money in the long run, you may be at best dissapointed, at worst, have a right night-mare.
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Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Nai]

You can also go half way and get a Euro brand such as Rieju or Derbi. Prices are half way between Chinese and Jap.

I have a Rieju RS2 black 125. It has a proper Yamaha engine in so should be as reliable as a proper Yamaha. For rough prices on Riejus check the linkage below.

https://www.motorbike-warehouse.co.uk/rieju.php

[londonbill]

Hi
I've been running a Chinese 125 for three years now and covered over 15,000 miles without any problems.
I've also owned Japanese small bikes as hacks, and had problems with each and every one.
I know plenty of people who also successfully run a variety of Chinese bikes, and a friend (who I got mine from) runs a business importing and selling them, and rarely has them back for warranty work.
Of course on this forum, the only opinions that count are from those who have had negative experiences.