Need help on what bike to get for my first 125cc motorcycle?

[02casmith]

Hi all the time has come now that i have decided to buy my first motorcycle. Im planning on getting a 125cc and i have looked at 3. As with everything i buy i dont like to skimp on cheap crap. So after a good while of saving the time has arrived.

As i mentioned above i have looked at three 125cc motorbikes, these are...
*Aprilia RS 125 (first original option)
*Yamaha YZF 125R (second now possibly my favourite) love the R6 look!
*Honda CBR 125R (Not so fussed about this one not researched as much)

things id like to know about each bike and anything else if possible
real top speed mph
Comfort and what you like about it
If it is worth the money and the reliability oh and how much the tank can take some info on mpg etc.

Anyway as far as i know the Aprilia RS 125 is a 2 stoke, i have seen mixed opinions on forums as well as youtube. Some said they are not reliable long distance and do spend alot of time in the garage. Im sure this is actually the last 2 stroke that was made i read somewhere.

The other two are 4 strokes i believe, i just fell in love with the yamaha as soon as i seen it although i do like a honda, if anyone knows more about it id be happy to hear.

Anyway ive had to endure a scooter for the past year commuting to college and im bored with the speed and how it looks. Im selling it to my best friend and its time i get something cool. I do want to start collecting my bikes as i just love them
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SMITHERS

[winz]

Skip the tiddler. DAS and Stripleblade.

HTH
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Current Bikes: BMW K1200S
Previous: Honda CBR929RR, Honda CBR1100XX, Honda CB600F

[winz]

Saying that, I am assuming that you're possibly not old enough, so excuse me.

I am sure someone will be along here shortly with some info that you are after.

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Current Bikes: BMW K1200S
Previous: Honda CBR929RR, Honda CBR1100XX, Honda CB600F

[Reservoir Dog]

[MarJay]

It really depends if you're an inept 17 year old or not. If you are mechanically minded and can do maintenance and things, the RS is a better bet. It's faster and handles better and is lighter than the other two. There's really no comparison.

However, the other two are four strokes. They aren't as quick, can't be derestricted and will be more reliable. If you need a garage to adjust your chain and all of that kind of thing, then I'd definitely go for one of those. The YZF is newer and may be difficult to find for the right money, but the CBR has been around comparatively for donkeys years and will be reliable, handle well enough and be quick enough for the license you have.

If you're 17 and think you know everything, then I'd really recommend against the Aprilia. But my experience of responding to this sort of thread is you'll probably tell us all where to go shove it anyway.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[dydey90]

This thread comes up about once a week, so here it goes:

-Two stroke 125's are becoming highly collectable and therefore expensive. You can no longer ride them derestricted anyway, maximum 15bhp.

-YZR-R125 is a YBR125 wearing a £1500 dress. It's built for people who want to spend money on looking cool.

-CBR125 sensible enough option, but again it's wearing an expensive plastic dress. Not as much of a price difference between this and Honda's more basic models however.

As for the other stuff, because 15bhp is the most you're allowed, this means that all the top speeds of the mainstream 125 fleet are roughly the same. Comfort, everybody is different, go sit on one in a showroom.

General advice is buy something Japanese and second hand, as you'll want to be selling it as soon as you turn 19. Japanese for build quality*, second hand for cheapness, so you only lose a few hundred when you sell rather than a grand if you bought brand new.

*Honda CBF125 not included in this deal
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This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[Reservoir Dog]

[MarJay]

[Snowdonia Rider]

Are you dead set on a sports bike look? If not, I'd be getting something like a WR125X if you've got that much to spend. More fun, better rear tyre size, no fairings to break if you drop it. Plus a 125 in sports bike clothes is like Susan Boyle in Cheryl FernandezVersiniColeTweedys skin. It might look good but under neath it'll never be what it wants to be
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I want your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.
Suzuki GP125 Suzuki GSX600F Suzuki SV650S KTM EXC250F SkyTeam Bongo 125
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SnowdoniaRider

[Matt B]

[Reservoir Dog]

[woo]

i had a an Aprillia RS 125 and had it maintained and always warmed up before using, had it for about 1yr and half whilst i was on a CBT then did my full bike license then got it derestricted.

after derestriction the power valve kicking in at 7k rpm was amazing

however i will never own another 2 stroke ever!

I maintained it and had it serviced at all the correct intervals, made sure there was always fully synthetic oil in the oil reserviour and despite this i always had some sort of issue.

this left me tramatised and i am now prejuice against italian bikes as i think they look beautiful but i will never ever ever own one again.

if i could do it all again i would have got a honda cg 125 or yamaha sr125 at the time and saved loads of money and grief

thats just my experience

if i was in your shoes i would jump on a honda msx 125 as its possibily the most easiest 125cc to maintain (honda C90 is not included as thats unfair on any bike as it so easy to maintain)

the R125 can do 80mph at a push and but its not really worth the money it commands for what it is

the yamaha ybr is also a good choice

£4 on a honda msx 125cc will give you 120 miles before reserve doing town riding giving about 130mpg
this bike tops out at 65mph on straights
the 130mpg drops to 100mpg if your doing high speed riding at 60mph

my advice is get either a

honda msx 125
yamaha ybr 125
honda cbf 125

but make sure its been maintained and looked after if any doubt walk away
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Elen sila lummen omentielvo!

[Pjay]

Don't discount the Aprilia RS4 125, it's a beauty and 4 stroke.
https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/gallery/2015-aprilia-rs4-125-replica-looks-smashing-photo-gallery_2.jpg
Don't listen to people that say 2 stroke are more reliable, they just aren't.
That said, if you look after it, it will be 'quite' reliable.

4 strokes need very little looking after in that, they are less tuned and will amble on forever as long as you change the oil every so often. 2 Stroke bikes need to be treated kindly and they too will go on for a while. Sad truth is though, you have no idea how a used one has been treated, so for this reason, expect the worst.

[Reservoir Dog]

[Pjay]

[Rogerborg]

What, no Teflecture on get-your-license-security-first-back-in-nineteen-dickety-six ?

Out of those three, today, I'd lean towards the YZF-R125.

Because why? Because while it's apparently got some problems with inserting valves into the piston, there are loads around and so you might pick a good 'un. You could be looking long and hard for an un-Barried RS, and CBRs don't come up as often as they did in nineteen-dickety-six.

But you can only buy what's available, so I'd get a good example of any of them and enjoy it for what it is until you hit 19, do your A2 and never look back.
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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

[Reservoir Dog]

A M8 got a YZF-R125 for 500 squid with immobilizer fault' fixed that within a few days - then fuel pump gave out on way her back from Blackpool

[MarJay]

[Piercee100]

I love 2t's but in no way are they as simple or reliable as a 4t, and here is why using my own Honda H100a compared with my mates CBF125.

COLD DAY

1. H100a 100cc 2t, pull choke, start bike, bike cuts out cos cold, restart, warm up, reduce choke, bimble along the road to first junction, Cuts out, restart, getting warmer, turn off choke. Fully warmed, will rev freely- Go!

2. CBF125 125cc 4t, petrol pump primes, Start bike- Go!

The H100 is faster than than the CBF125 to 65mph and sounds way cooler though, but on hot day's your riding covering the clutch on long stretches in case of heat seizures. Then your always having to go out of your way to find decent 2t oil.
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Rides: Honda H100a (Retired), VT500e (Sold), Kawasaki ZX400 (sold), Kawasaki GT550 (Sold), Suzuki Inazuma (Daily), Honda CD185t (Broken), LML Star 2t (Last run edition).

[kerr]

[Pjay]

[Reservoir Dog]

4 strokes run hotter than 2 strokes dumb-asses..."flounce" any basic cheap Dino oil' no extra special Laboratory fangled Mach Daddy fake synth needed to run any 2 cycle engine ever created - no matter how highly strung.

[MarJay]

[Reservoir Dog]

[Pjay]