modding a cbr/cg/ybr 125? cost/ difficulty for a beginner?

[jordey]

due to the new law change and the training company i was with messing up my training and test days, i am now going to be buying a 125. i think the prices for even a used r125 or the new duke are way too expensive and in terms of performance i wont be getting any better than a far cheaper cbr/cg/ybr. saying that though the duke and yam are very good looking and the cheaper ones look horrid, because of this i wanted to know how difficult (i dont have mechanical experience) and expensive modding one of the cheaper bikes would be to make look nice/ increase performance a little. before i start with what i want to do with the bike bare in mind that i have little mechanical knowledge currently, and also that i will likely be having the bike for 2-3 years

out of the three i think the cg is the cheapest (correct me if im wrong) as ive seen a few for around 600. what i would want to do to it is the following:

-change rear subframe and pillion seat/ fairings to something like a yzf or an rs - depending on bike, around £200
-change seat (which might have to be made, so that it fits the new rear end and around the tank)
-change rear swingarm, suspension and wheel, possibly for an rs 125 swingarm/wheel. dont know if this is possible or whether it would make the bike horrible to drive, but the rear tyre and wheel from an rs is alot nicer and i have a rolling rs frame so it would cost me nothing.
-performance exhaust - roughly £200 depending on make
-new lights/ indicators - around £70 for full set
-possibly change the bars but not sure

im not sure about anything else that could increase performance, but if all of that was mechanically possible, and also possible for a beginner to do, if i got the bike for 600 the whole project would cost me around £1100-1200, and would give me a decent looking bike with performance as good/ better than a used £2500 yzf.

so my questions are basically if that is mechanically possible for a beginner?
also, what would be a reasonable price to pay for a cbr/cg/ybr?

thanks in advance for any help

[Ollie1995]

Personally, I don't think it's worth modding a cg to fit sport bike replica fairing, people will laugh at you so be warned. However it is your bike and so do as you wish. I'd just get a standard cg and leave as is, also by modding it you are likely to increase the depreciation vastly.
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XR 125, DT125 LC, Greeves Scottish, RS200, XS400, GPX600r

Theory Passed - 18/7/13 MOD1 Booked - 24/9/13

[gfrancisdev]

performance-wise don't expect much, my 5 year old ybr (cost 1300) hits 60 on the flat, and it's in pretty good shape mechanically speaking

also why bother replacing most of a cg/ybr instead of just grabbing an r125/etc? cost will end up about the same, and if you want speed it's not really going to come by strapping parts of other bikes to it

[Nexus Icon]

If you're going to mod a CG, I think this is the way to go rather than dressing it in plastics which won't fit.

https://www.robocog.dyndns.org/cg125/img/2cb125s.jpg
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[J.M.]

You can do whatever you like providing that you put in the time to research/learn what you want to do before attempting it.

However you're not going to get much of a performance increase on a learner legal 125cc without doing some major work to the engine.

Also bear in mind that £600 spent modifying the bike is dead money. Somebody isn't going to pay £600 extra for a bike that you've modified unless it looks seriously good, which is rare. Most people ruin bikes when they try and make them look cool. You may also make it rather hard to sell.

Strange thought, why not buy the bike for £600 like you anticipate... then use the other £600 in petrol having some fun!
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[stuarthouston]

Have to agree with the above. Especially with something like a CG, you're unlikely to get worthwhile performance gain for your money.

What age are you? I'd be inclined to get an old CG (or similar), ride it until you're of age to do a bigger bike test and sell the CG for near what you paid. That way your only costs have been petrol, tax and insurance and you'll have more to spend on a big bike. Also, you won't be worrying about all your bespoke modified fairing going 'crunch' if you decide to get better acquainted with the road surface.

That black CG in Nexus Icon's picture looks sweet. Here's mine. Does it look rubbish? Yes. Does it provide me with japes galore? Also yes.

https://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l78/stuarthouston/2012-11-20144313_zpse0d5319f.jpg

[jordey]

[jordey]

[jordey]

[jordey]

[jordey]

[SQL]

hmm, I think you would end up with a bit of a "frankinbike" sports tail on a very old commuter front end, by all means go for it, I might knock something up on Photoshop to see the end result.



will post back with badly edited pic soon to show OP

[N cee thirty]

don't bother they look shit.

get an old rd/tzr125 and have some fun
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[jordey]

[jordey]

[SQL]

So am I lol

https://i.imgur.com/VLpstgU.jpg

[Nexus Icon]

It's got a mini Hornet look about it.
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[Rogerborg]

£1200 will get you a Honda Varadero. It's at the 11kW, you won't find a bigger, better, quicker 125.

If you like a gamble, the Hyosung GT125 / GT125R is also bang on 11kW and properly big-bike sized.

Spunking £600 on a CG will be a labour of love. I'm not talking it down, it'll be something to do and will keep the bike fresh, but you'll still get a better bike from just spending it on a Verydearo up front.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[jordey]

[SQL]

I quite like it

[Slacker24seve...]

[SQL]

[Slacker24seve...]

[SQL]

**Sends CV with link to this thread**

But on a serious note get a standard bike and learn to ride it, rag the shit out of it, have fun.

I'd be tempted by a vara or a C90 (With a 125/140 Pitbike engine in it ofc)

[jordey]