RS125

[Sissy]

Okay, my son has been working hard and has £1,200 to spend but he can get a bit more, he wants a RS125...

Now, what are they like? Do they need parts a lot? If he pays all his cash on a bike, that's it, he can't afford anything else for awhile so it'd need to last...

Is it worth it? He hates the look of the CG125's and I can't blame him... RS125's do look lovely but... he doesn't really mind unless it's better looking then the CG125...

Advice please?

[Shaun]

the RS125 is a reliable bike, providing it has a good history and has been looked after. Unfortunateley with most of them being owned by 17 year olds 90% of the time it has been looked after badly so may need to be rebuilt and have other bits done too it.

In short its italian, give it lots of TLC and it'll be good to you, if you don't it will be a pain.

[Sissy]

See, I'm shit with bikes. What do you mean with TLC, I always buy the best oli etc but i can't do any mechcanical stuff.

[haGGard]

TLC = Tender Lovin' Care

(nsr...NSR!!!)

[Gazdaman]

Possibly not a good idea then...

Chances are it will have been ragged, and come seizure time it's going to need a top end rebuild, which wouldn't really matter if you don't have the mechanical know how as it's a mechanic's job anyway.

But it's an expensive way to own a bike.

RS125's need a complete top end rebuild every 7000km I think, and that's assuming they don't blow up in that time.

Every highly tuned performance 2 stroke is sacrificing something to be in that position, normally it's reliability.

By all means get one, and you could get one with that kind of money, but beware, with no kind of 'buffer money' come the time you need some new parts/work done, you'll have no money left over.

Gaz

[dodsi]

I know of a RS 125 that is for sale for just £1500 and is worth every single penny

It has never been ragged! never ran on cheap oil and has been properly maintained and run-in

It has a couple of cosmetic flaws like a little chip in tank but is a nice little bike!

I have ridden the bike myself and its very nice (and quite nippy)

PM NS-Keith as its his bike!

(he wants a bike like mine now)

[palmer]

DT125 , u can drop them without doing hardly any damage.

[Keith]

The RS is a great bike, love mine to bits, but must take advantage of a full license.

You really need to look out what you buy. Chances are, if its too cheap, its probably too good to be true. Just watch out for what you part your money with. If you get a good one, it will serve him well and will need minimal maintenance, only that which is necessary for a 2 stroke and all other bikes.

Parts wise, they can be a bit of a pain. Getting brand new parts (depending where they are bought) take time and arent cheap, but since the bikes are very common, theres lots of spares to be found on the internet. (Ebay, breakers, etc.)

Its obviously a big investment for a first bike with little experience. No doubt it will be dropped/crashed etc. I have both an RS and CG and wish I got a CG in the first place, just for the practical reasons. If he has his heart set on an RS, then make sure he gets a good one and treats it well. If he does that, it'll serve him well for a long time.

As Dodsi said, mine is up for sale. Follow the link in my sig if you like.

Merry Christmas.
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Aprilia RSV Mille R Edwards Replica - Aprilia RS250 - Suzuki GSXR600 Supersport Race Bike

[Sissy]

so if not a rs125, then what? :\ cg125, dt125, any other to reconnmend?

[Yeti]

I had my heart set an RS when i first went to move up to a 125 but soon realised they were unreliable and expensive to run/maintain. I ended up getting an NSR, they are reliable and very fast! i love my NSR to bits and wouldnt change it for the world i would advice your son to have a good think and have a look at an NSR!
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[dodsi]

I would advise to buy keiths RS its stunning!

[JonB]

but you say you have £1200 to spend on a bike, don't forget you will need at least another £400+ for insurance.
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[tater]

The rs 125 is a great bike i had one a for nearly 2 years looked nice and rode very well for a small cc bike the brakes, frame, wheel size and suspension is good for a small cc bike compared to other bikes, im not sure how good the nsr is but honda normally make good stuff and their mx bikes are really good so i would say if he wants a newish 125 then a rs or nsr is a good choice. But they are expensive and bits are to if they go wrong. The old tzr are a good bike for cheaper and cg/dt are bulit proof but not sporty bikes.


insurance is alot on a full faired sports 125 so be aware and shop around i got qouted over £1000 till i went with rampdale insurance for just over £500.

I would say sensible option cg/dt fun option rs/nsr, im not very impressed by the cagivas as a friend had one that was looked after well by his dad but was very unreliable.

Good luck hope you find a good bike!

[Wave2k]

The RS125 is fun, but in turn is very expensive to run
even tho all the mechanical faliures were delt with by the mechanic under warrenty.
it costs more money to insure than my 400cc
it uses more petrol than my 400cc
you have to pay for oil every 3-4 fill ups.

A fun bike, if i could go back i wouldnt have bought it
too much trouble tbh
maybe ull be lucky
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[Kickstart]

Hi

RS is fun and fast, but only reliable if treated well. Aprilia said to check the piston rings on the early ones every 6000km, and to do that means enough of an engine strip that you may as well just replace them.

Engine parts are not that cheap, but I would say they are easy to get. Just go to Peter Knight on 0176 141 4106 (he is a rotax specialist, and the RS uses a rotax engine, either a 123 in the early ones or a 122 in the later ones).

Some people say the NSR is more reliable, other say it is worse (including the local dealer who dealt with a lot of Italian import 125s).

Given the cost of serving an RS properly, and the cost when he drops it (even just pushing it round into a parking spot), it is not the best first bike. Trouble is there are not really any cheaper sports style 125s which are reasonably new.

All the best

Keith
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[K!K @]

i wanted the same thing but when i asked someone who is trustworthy they said "they look the part and kids love them but they need servicing every 1500 miles and fall to bits if they dont."
If you want my advice you cant beat the new CBR125 for reliability but if its speed he wants then the old 2 stroke NSR125 is your best bet.
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~Elite~Knights~

[freestyler_onli]

I got a brand new RS125 and i love it too bits. No major problems yet (one was my fault) and as they say-if you treat it well-it will treat you well.

[Frost]

All 2 stroke 125's are unreliable, the RS is one of the worst. They are impractical, faster than a laerner really needs and expensive. BUT they look pretty and all of us, especially young lads are shallow fucks. He will want something he can show off to his mates and look good on every bit as much as he wants for commuting.
Many choose the RS due to its looks, the same can be said for the Mito. Its the right time of your to be buying one, but £1,200 isn't a great deal to be buying a bike for that you can't afford to spend money on. Typically those priced at £1,200 will be older, less reliable and possibly need work doing to them.

You're best bet is a dealer! Yes they may cost a little more, but you have some come back if things go wrong, and you can see what the bike is like in the flesh before committing to buying it.

He may have seen pictures of the RS and think it looks the more aggressive and stylish, but he may see something like an older NSR and decide it looks good.
Hunt about a bit, i should imagine some dealers will have some bargin bikes at this time of year, Good luck!

[Jrod]

A friend has one, it blew up on him within 3 months. Still under guarantee so got a free rebuild but when it goes next time he will be the one who forks out for it.

[Ric]

i used to ride one still siting in my garage as it goes

its a good bike but not one u can rely on to commute really, which was the main reason i did my test and moved up altho i wanna keep the rs as a weekend toy, i cant afford it otherwise i would if i could.
good fun to ride, fast, handles well etc and at 17 will impress his mates i spose

sounds like a tin of bees which wont be too much to his liking, but most 125's wont sound great (expect arguements now)

as for trouble it help me learn alot about things i wouldnt have learnt if i had a 4stroke which is nice but build quailty is typically italian but thats the price i paid for a nice fast good looking bike

[K!K @]

definitely the new CBR125 or the old NSR125.
You cant beat Honda for reliability.
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Suzuki AY50 Katana
~Elite~Knights~

[Spiral]

I'm gonna say if he has 1200, he can get a decent bike but if he's working you could always get a new bike.

Through a bank loan (finance is wick, too expensive with high interest) he can pay it of over a year or 2 which he'll at least be looking to keep it for, well until he passes his test.

If you got 1200 cash you can put down a decent deposit, insurance sorted, and get himself some gear like helmet,leathers.

If you were doing this he could get himself the new repsol cbr125 or even the new derbi 125 which has a dt125r engine in it which is as close to bullet proof as a 2 stroke is gonna get, its expensive but it look sweet and has lots of nice touches.

Some pics of the repsol cbr (best i could find) and the derbi gpr125
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[Dom]

[Yeti]

NSR
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