Kawasaki KMX 125

[Entertwainer]

i'm pretty much in love with this bike. back when i was little, the boys across the road had these and bombed around on them on those hazy sunny sunday afternoons and i remember listening to the sounds of the engines as they rode off (could hear them for miles - i was a country bumpkin back then, got so quiet you could here a gnat scrathing its balls come the evenings).

anyways, i really want one. i've seen one come up on local ads, but im hesitating for the following reasons:

1: i like my CG - reliable, cheap to run, not got the nickable factor as much.
2: dont know so much about these KMXs - are they likely to have been ragged? are they as reliable/much less reliable than the CG?
3: whats the point - i should just get my full licence and get a big boy bike with similar appeal and more poke.


i like the 125s for their cheap as chips running costs, but am i being naive about the Kawasaki? will i be fettling and tinkering with it all the time? All i do with the CG is clean it, change the oil and lube the chain/adjust as needed and she gives me no jip.

hmmmmmm. thoughts and opinions before i go ahead and do something stupid.
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Honda CG 125 W - Turkish - 1998 - 2015 RIP

[cheeseman]

Life's too short to spend time wondering - get one and let us know of any problems you have! Keep it when you pass and get a big bike - it's handy to have more than one bike!

Sorry, can't help with anything more constructive!



Gareth

[stevo as b4]

Pretty much as he said!
They are not stupid money yet for a nice one. £1000-1500 will buy you a minter like mine!

As for replacing the CG125 with it, well it has advantages and disadvantages, but either bike is a more than workable commuter!

The only real trick to buying an old two stroke 125 is to either spend more and get a good one, in nice condition and well looked after, which won't come from a skint 18year old etc, Or otherwise buy a cheap and ropey one and re-build it nut and bolt to a good standard removing all the bodges as you go.

There's very little in between with a lot of bikes, 125's much more so, and two strokes even more so! A semi tidy runner with a few scrapes could be totally worn out and about to go pop, even though it looks reasonable at first.

If you really want one, and like all 125cc trail bikes they are loads of fun most of the time, then buy a very good one, or a basket case ready for a resto. Anything else might leave you short changed or wishing you hadn't bothered.

They are no harder to work on than a CG125, and although CG125's are very quick and easy to service, the KMX is no harder id say! You don't need the 1000mile oil changes that the CG needs, and the regular say twice a year cleaning out the centrifugal oil filter under the clutch case etc.

Budget for a new top end re-build every 10'000miles, and run it on a decent fully synth oil and I'd expect little in the way of problems.

The biggest downside to a KMX or any other crosser replica trail bike, is the local chavs and scum taking a like to it! If your not shit hot about security with your CG125 you will need to be with the KMX IMO!

Lastly, why not just go and buy what you want instead of worrying/wondering what if? I had no real reason for another bike or to buy a 125cc, but I had them years ago, and the nostalgia and re-living the good days memories is well worth spending money for to me!

[Entertwainer]

this be what im looking at:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/kawasaki-kmx-125-b11/1077652556
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Honda CG 125 W - Turkish - 1998 - 2015 RIP

[stevo as b4]

Hmm, I do think that for £1200 you could do a bit better than that one TBH! A real mint one should cost no more than £1600, if it is then it's over priced!

As it stands with the example you have identified:

1, It's not standard, and the standard parts are probably long gone!

2, It's definitely been off roaded, but not really kept as clean and tidy as it should be. Yes off roading will scuff paint off the controls, footrests, and metalwork, but if kept on top off it's no reason to ruin the finish.

3, At 23'000miles if the engine has never been touched it's more than due it's first re-build! I've always seen around 20k as the point where if an engine has not gone pop, it will be pretty rattley and close to it.

If that bike checks out legit, biggest thing to look for with bikes like this, then to me it would be worth around £800 tops, and ready for a mechanical re-build, and a bit of fettling cosmetic renovation. The plastics, tank and seat still look ok though, and with these bikes making the cosmetics and plastics look good is what costs the money IMO.

There's a fair few KMX's about still, even though 125 2strokes are starting to get slightly more scarce now! Maybe keep looking around, and if you see a very good bike or a restored example it'd be worth travelling a bit further for IMO.

[andys675]

plated barrel can't be rebored

derestriction is a new front downpipe for best results

I'd buy a DT125R, turn the powervalve for full powar!

I do think yamaha make better 2 strokes

but they're both 7 x more likely to be stolen than your CG according to insurance stats
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Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.

[Entertwainer]

thanks for the advice chaps - the engine rebuild has been one thing i've picked up on since looking at these bikes, some adverts mention it, some dont - this one on gumtree mentions an engine 'recondition', but details have been left out. suppose i could ask the question.
1200 is quite steep for a bike that old and with that mileage, which mkaes me wonder about getting my full licence and using what i'd spend on another 125 to get me something with more poke.

but i think i'll be sticking with 125s for a little while, even if i do gets me big boy licence, just down to the running costs really. the CG i have is only on 7K miles, so i've got time to look around still

the Yammy DTs have caught my eye also, i like the high riding position

are engine rebuilds something akin to 2 strokes when they reach the 10K mark? or is this an approach for any 125 engine?

I've seen Hondas with similar styling, but these bikes seems hard to come by.....
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Honda CG 125 W - Turkish - 1998 - 2015 RIP