Which Bike?

Biker_Adam · L Plate Warrior Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Karma :

Hi Guys,

I'm newish to green laning (used to have a bike a couple of years ago). I am looking for a nice bike preferably a 125 2t, I have three I like the look of;

GasGas EC 125
KTM EXC 125
Aprilia MX 125

What do you guys reckon?
I don't want anything bigger because I will kill myself.

Cheers,

Ad.

..... · Quote Me Happy Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Karma :

The bigger engines are probably easier to ride than the 125s.

Biker_Adam · L Plate Warrior Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Karma :

Why's that?

L4Isoside · World Chat Champion Joined: 08 Mar 2010 Karma :

Biker_Adam · L Plate Warrior Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Karma :

Thing is I don't have a big bike license, I was looking at a 125 so I could just do a CBT instead of a big bike test...

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

It depends if you're worried about being illegal or not.
The Gas Gas and the KTM would actually be illegal on a 33hp full licence as stock, never mind a CBT which only allows 14.6hp!

The Gas Gas and KTM are both very capable bikes. I've just got a KTM 144 (slightly bigger bore version of a 125) and I was easily passing a lot of bigger bikes. It's got all the power you need really and you don't get masses more on a bigger bike, but you do get easier to use power with more low down grunt from the bigger examples.
(I should point out that while I was passing people, plenty of people were faster than me and that was down to their skill, not a bigger bike - a 125 ridden by a lady finished ahead of me at Hafren, though that was the only smaller cc bike that did Smile

).

I haven't ridden the Aprilia, but it's going to be a lot slower, heavier and less well susepended than the ones you mention.

Biker_Adam · L Plate Warrior Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Karma :

Thanks for the in depth reply G, what makes these bikes illegal?

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

Too much power for CBT.
Too much power and too little weight for 33hp.

What have you got to spend and how old are you?

Personally, presuming you've got some budget, I'd spend some of that on the licence, then get a bit cheaper bike.

Biker_Adam · L Plate Warrior Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Karma :

I'm 23 and have about 2k to spend

What are these bikes like for maintenance?

delvey91 · Crazy Courier Joined: 05 Aug 2008 Karma :

My mate uses a SX125 mx bike for greenlaning. Its ideal , light and tbh has more than enough power. The maintenence isnt bad, he changed his piston on his after doin 2k, was the orginal one and it was pretty much unmarked. It hadnt had much use before being road reged. Insurance is really cheap swell, hes 18 on a cbt and it was only 240 quid ftft. The EXC is the better bike tho as its got the full complement of lights and a lower 1st and 2nd gear for the knarly bits

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

Not too bad if you're just using them for green laning; actually not too bad for enduro stuff either.
In your situation, I think I would definitely spend that extra on doing your licence (likely you will get cheaper insurance), then a spend a bit less on the bike.

As an idea, I got a generally good 99 300EXC (with 2005 suspension) with some spares for £920 recently, taxed and tested. I think a bike like that makes a better general use bike used for laning.
I'm pretty sure I'll be preferring my 144SX for proper enduro stuff as I can thrash it a bit more without getting out of my depth, but on lanes I'm more thinking flexibility and not stressing the engine too much; especially on the road bits.

Biker_Adam · L Plate Warrior Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Karma :

..thing is I'm going to be going through woods and fields etc.

I might do my test as 300cc bikes seem to be cheaper than 125, the only thing that puts me off is me killing myself. A 300cc 2t is going to be too much for me to handle, I know it.

So, with a KTM 125 EXC I won't be able to insure it under a CBT anyway will I?

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

Biker_Adam · L Plate Warrior Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Karma :

Thanks mate, that's real nice of you!

I'm down in Essex near Colchester.

How much heavier is the 300 compared to a 125?

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

About 5kgs or so between the 125 and the 300.

I'm in Reading, so probably a bit too far for you.
I will be over your way in a month or so, possibly with a bike or two, but not sure on details yet or what I'll be doing.

Biker_Adam · L Plate Warrior Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Karma :

Ah right small weight difference then!

Well if I did the DAS test then I could ride any bike I wanted...maybe it's best to go for that and then get a 300cc.

How often do you need to service them?

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

Even if you do end up getting a 125, I think it'd be best to do DAS. Your insurance would be cheaper and you'd be legal, which is always nice. Plus, you can more easily blag goes on mates bikes and not worry.

Depends what you mean by 'servicing' and on the riding.
Again something like the 300 should require less servicing for the same speed, because you're not have to rev or stress the bike as much.

Go here: https://ktm.co.uk/Offroad-Competition-EXC.18.19.html select a bike then go to downloads and it lists all the maintenance manuals.
Service intervals for the 300 are listed as 20 hours (1250 miles) and 40 hours (2500 miles). They come with an 'hour counter' generally, which shows you exactly how long you've had the engine running.
For gentle trail use you should probably be ok to increase these a bit; for race use they specify much tighter ones (though I often don't bother with quite so tight, as I know my race pace isn't near that of some!)

Biker_Adam · L Plate Warrior Joined: 19 Oct 2010 Karma :

Thanks mate you have been a great help, I suppose I had better book my theory and get booked up for a DAS, at least I'll be legal which is best - probably!

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