RS125 problem!

[dalejenga]

Hi guys, picked up an 07 plate rs125 with arrow exhaust and CDI deresctriced today, only 2700 miles. had a 150 mile drive home but had a break mid way so thought all would be fine, then on the dual carriage way (the final 40 miles) my bike started slowing down from 80 mph and sounding funny with just 20 miles to go. Pulled over to see dirty oil leaking everywhere, the bike sounding awful (especially at high revs) making a whurring noise, and a lack of power. Had no choice but ride slowly home via the back roads.

Got home and had it in bits and now seems like the leak has gone after a 5 minute test ride, but there is still a lack of power at high revs, and it sounds awful, even when ticking over, with a clunking sound every now and again.

Anyone know what this could be?

Cheers lads.

[Lipsmoker]

Owtch Where was the oil leaking from? Don't ride it how it is.. your lucky you made it home without an engine seizure (Locking up)

It sounds awful because everything is running dry nothing has oil because it's all leaked on the floor....

First thing would be to investigate the leak, fix that then top up the oil and see if there is any internal damage.

Good luck
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[dalejenga]

hi mate thanks for the quick reply!

The level of oil in the oil tank isn't going down at all though so i dont think the bike is running too lean. I think the leak was from one of the gaskets but ive tightened it all up and there seems to be no leak now...

any ideas?

[Vincent]

Sounds like it almost seized. Take the bike back before it gets expensive. "Plenty more fish in the sea"
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[dalejenga]

f**k. I cant take it back as i bought it privately. Why would the bike be seizing with only 2700 miles and being run on decent oil? there's always plenty of 2 stroke smoke out the back too...

[Kickstart]

Hi

Oil level in the tank should be going down and on an 80 mile journey should have gone down noticeably. If not enough 2 stroke oil is going in then you will land up damaging the engine ; either accelerated wear if taking fairly easy and only a bit down on oil or a seizure if thrashed and / or far down on the oil supply.

If the oil was leaking from an engine cover then most likely the gearbox oil. If that has run down low then it will be the clutch and gearbox that suffer, possibly major damage.

All the best

Keith
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[dalejenga]

the oil level in the tank did go down slightly, sorry didnt make that clear. But the oil which was dripping from the engine seemed very dirty.

If it was a problem like that surely there would have been oil when i took it out for a test drive?

[dalejenga]

and also it was running like a dream for those first 120 miles, then when i hit 80 - the fastest I'd been all day, thats when the problems started.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Depends on how much oil had been lost.

Lack of oil will kill the gearbox (although it will be far more resistant to it than a 4 stroke engine running out of oil would be - which at speed could blow the engine pretty much the instant the oil light comes on), and the longer it is run low / without oil then the more wear and damage that occurs.

However I would expect it to need to have lost a load of oil for that to be a problem. There is only about 600cc (from memory) in the gearbox, so how much did you think it had lost?

All the best

Keith
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[Lipsmoker]

[Vincent]

Have you had a look to make sure that the gearbox drain plug is still in place?

Or; Maybe the PO had overfilled it
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[dalejenga]

keith - I wouldnt have said there was 600cc there, probably around 100ml?

lipsmoker - yeah only when i hit that speed, and apparently the previous owner had never done 70mph+... Im not sure exactly where it's coming from, but could well be there.

Vincent - no i havn't, where would i find this? Would this make the noise/affect the power? Sorry but what is the PO?

one other thing i should have mentioned is that when the bike is ticking over 1. the engine sounds very loud and over powers the exhaust. 2. occasionally there's a clunking sound, could be the pistons?


arghhhhhhhhhhhh - do not need this on the first day of owning the bike!

[Kickstart]

Hi

Gearbox noise should go if you pull the clutch. 100ml of oil probably wouldn't cause an immediate problem, but depends on if it has been run before low on oil. Get some oil and top the gearbox up (or just change the gearbox oil) before riding it again. The drain plug is on the bottom of the engine, near the middle of the gearbox end of the engine pointing to one side). Look under the engine from each side and it should be quiet obvious. There is a small bolt half way up the clutch casing. You take this bolt out and then fill the gearbox until it over flows through this hole (make sure the bike is upright when doing this, not on the side stand) then put the bolt back in place.

Main bearings can be a problem, and they used to be a known problem if the bike was left standing. Rotax changed the main bearings to prevent this problem and yours should be far newer than for that to be a problem. Normally main bearing make a whirring sound when they have gone.

If the piston had gone then the normally go by seizing and you would have known about that even if it freed off and started up again.

However they are not quiet engines anyway, and the newer they are the quieter the exhaust is.

To be honest here I am just grasping at straws about any problem (if there is one, rather than the oil leak making you think you have found a problem). Most common problem with an RS125 is the piston and it is easy to check for this by doing a compression check.

All the best

Keith
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[Avora]

So far as your description, it has to be the Gear oil, otherwise, you wouldn't have got home...without seizing the engine and the oil wouldn't be dirty. Hazard a guess at the clutch side gasket blew at such a high engine speed (seems odd maybe), hence you tightened it (and hopefully put more gear oil in) and its bodged. Would only find out with some careful thinking and if needed a partial strip down to check for cracks in casings. Or take it to a garage (but thats the easy way out with a 2 stroke)
Don't worry too much, you have to remember that these engines are really pushing out a lot of power and inevitably will have problems if someone doesn't fix it right. Good luck!
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[dalejenga]

yeah thats what im thinking bud, after the initial problem, I did about another 15-20 miles! Yeah ive tightened all the gaskets but havnt put any more gearbox oil in, I will tomorrow. Gonna have to take it to a garage tomorrow. I got a good deal on the bike, so inevitably im gonna have to spend what i saved on it sometime :/. thanks for your help!

[Vincent]

"PO" - Previous owner. Whom, if I were you, I would be ringing right now, midnight or not
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[ace-card]

The oil in the tank is reddy/pink 2 stroke, with a beautiful smell ( ), so doesn't sound like what you're referring to. My initial thought was what Vincent said about the drain plug. Seems unlikely that a gasket would deteriorate to the point of serious leakage like that, especially with only 2700 on the clock.

When you say "leaking everywhere", do you mean pouring out, or just dripping? What was the consistency of the "oil"? Was it quite sticky and black like tar? Had a similar prob with mine......black, tarry oil dripping down the exhaust, onto the floor. Turned out to be poor sealing of the exhaust onto the manifold, and the "oil" was a mix of the 2 stroke and exhaust products leaking from it. The exhaust is held on with two crap springs....are both there?? Although I must admit, it was never what I would call "a leak".....more of a progressive drip, so might be a long shot, but worth a check. If the exhaust is partially hanging off the manifold, this would also explain strange noises and a loss of power
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Mama said "life is like a box o' chocolates....have what's nice, then offload the crap to everyone else!"

[dalejenga]

Hi ace card, It was more of a drip than a poor really. The oil was black, but not that thick. Yeah both springs are there, we had all the exhaust off yesterday and it seems fine :/

[dalejenga]

just spoke to a garage which are picking it up thursday. He thinks the problem is that its only semi derestricted ie CDI and arrow pipe, meaning the rest of the bike is trying to work at derestricted level. Anyone agree with this?

Also, he said i should phone up and give the guy shit who i bought it off. I won the bike for £1900 on ebay with only 2500 miles which is a good price. Anyone know my rights? What should i say if i phone him up?

Cheers for your help, cant believe this.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Cdi mod is irrelevant. It only affects between 5k and 6k. At 80 you are well over 6k so the cdi mod won't affect it.

That your original post reads as though you were doing 80 with no effort suggests that the bike isn't restricted. Even if it is the Arrow pipe is not really that much different from the stock exhausts on early bikes and they would cope fine with the power valve blanking plate in place.

That said it is worth lifting the tank and checking if the power valve is in place.

All the best

Keith
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[dalejenga]

Hi Kieth, I wouldn't say 80 is with no effort, it was probably aabout 8500k revs in 6th. We've had the tank off and there definitely isn't a powervalve.

Cheers.

[Vincent]

If the guy states in the description that nothing is wrong with the bike, I would consider getting your money back. £1900 is a lot to pay for A 125 if it has serious engine faults. I know it's difficult when it's a new bike, esp after the anticipation of picking it up but it could end up costing you a lot more. It depends what the garage says I guess. Do you trust the garage? There are many garages out there that wouldn't think twice about ripping you off and others that don't know what they're doing. Best to use one that's been recommended. I'm not trying to put you off, just make you aware of the pitfalls. Did the bike come with any service history?
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[dalejenga]

no he stated no engine faults. The thing is if this had happened say 20 miles from his house I would have rang him right away, but the fact it happened almost 120 miles away makes me wonder what the hell I can do.

The garage I've gone to is the only local bike one and the guy is a genuine chap, I did my CBT with him and he's always been pretty good.

No it didn't, I had it hpi checked etc though and the mileage was right.

[Kickstart]

Hi

The revs don't really equate to effort. Red line is at around 11k (depending on the model). On a full power bike 8000rpm is about where it starts to make power (and if trying you don't let the revs drop that low).

Take out the blanking plate and check it that is standard (possible to cut them down a bit to get full top end power, just naff all bottom end power). But either way it shouldn't really cause an issue.

Also worth checking the spark plug. If restricted it should be an 8, if full power a 10 (although maybe a 9 if used around town a lot). I would expect a 10 to foul up on a restricted bike (ie, one without a power valve).

All the best

Keith
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[Vincent]

This the bike in question?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-APRILIA-RS-125-11KW-RED-/250856451705?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item3a6835ae79
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