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Looking for a 125cc for Under £3000, thoughts?

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NickRichards1...
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Joined: 18 May 2021
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PostPosted: 10:36 - 18 May 2021    Post subject: Looking for a 125cc for Under £3000, thoughts? Reply with quote

Hey,

I'm looking for a 125cc bike with a fairly decent range for under £3000. I'm wanting to do wildlife photography, so it's just to allow me the freedom to get out into the countryside etc. Storage on the bike might be helpful, but not essential as a lot of my stuff goes in my camera bag.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
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spongefinger
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PostPosted: 11:03 - 18 May 2021    Post subject: 125 Reply with quote

Will you be taking it off road or on green lanes to do the photography?

I've always quite fancied one of these https://www.bikingdirect.com/shop/ajs-tempest-scrambler-125/
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Fat Angry Scotsman
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PostPosted: 11:41 - 18 May 2021    Post subject: Re: Looking for a 125cc for Under £3000, thoughts? Reply with quote

NickRichards1988 wrote:
Hey,

I'm looking for a 125cc bike with a fairly decent range for under £3000. I'm wanting to do wildlife photography, so it's just to allow me the freedom to get out into the countryside etc. Storage on the bike might be helpful, but not essential as a lot of my stuff goes in my camera bag.

Any thoughts?

Thanks


If you could stretch to £3,099.00 then the Zontes ZT125-G1 would probably be good. I have the ZT125-U and as much as I like to take the piss, it's actually a really good bike in my humble opinion. The G1 has a better seat and you can get a top-box and panniers kit from SHAD if you need storage for equipment, etc.

My ZT125-U get's about 100 mpg and I am a fat cunt so if you weight less you'll do even better.

https://www.zontes.co.uk/new/bike/5619/zontes/954613/zt125-g1.aspx

https://shad.co.uk/collections/zontes-shad-fitting-kits?page=1&rb_filter_ptag_284d5cd0dd92c1b4ee0712a15b60ae49=ZT125+G1
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Ayrton
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PostPosted: 11:41 - 18 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get a used Yamaha YBR for £1000. Very reliable and comes with a nice rack on the back to strap some gear too. Never took mine on any rough roads when I had it, but judging by how popular it is in countries like India I bet it's pretty good at it.

Buying a brand new 125 (especially Chinese) is pointless in my opinion when there are plenty of low mileage Japanese ones out there for around £1k.
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NickRichards1...
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PostPosted: 12:00 - 18 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was looking at the Sinnis Terrain 125, but I did not realise that Japanese was the best route to go down.

Is there anywhere you can get secondhand bikes on finance?
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Fat Angry Scotsman
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PostPosted: 12:15 - 18 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ayrton wrote:
Get a used Yamaha YBR for £1000. Very reliable and comes with a nice rack on the back to strap some gear too. Never took mine on any rough roads when I had it, but judging by how popular it is in countries like India I bet it's pretty good at it.

Buying a brand new 125 (especially Chinese) is pointless in my opinion when there are plenty of low mileage Japanese ones out there for around £1k.


Actually, this is a pretty good point. You'll lose a lot on resale of a Chinese bike, I keep forgetting that I am the exception to the rule in that I don't give a single fuck about the bike if I need to scrap it after 3/4 years and buy another.
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wr6133
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PostPosted: 12:36 - 18 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

Be helpful if you defined countryside.

1 - Pull up on tarmac and walk to wherever

2 - Metaled Byways

3 - Proper dirt

1 & 2 give you a pretty wide choice of bikes

2 (when shit weather) & 3 you want something a bit more off road oriented.
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arry
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PostPosted: 13:09 - 18 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

NickRichards1988 wrote:

Is there anywhere you can get secondhand bikes on finance?


Dealers will, but you'd be much better off not buying a bike on finance, of course.

It's a grand to fifteen hundred quid for a decent bike in decent nick - if you're looking to finance that then I'd be looking at small loans from the bank, probably.
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c_dug
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PostPosted: 14:48 - 18 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

For the love of god avoid Chinese.

Loads of good non-Chinese options about, depending on how countryside you want to go.

Assuming you have normal length legs or longer I'd suggest a Varadero 125 as a solid choice, it's a proper size bike and doesn't look ridiculous with a decent size top box.

It has a decent enough fuel range, enough poke to keep up on NSL lanes, and the right riding position for light green lanes or bumpy country roads.

If you're a shorty then the YBR is a great shout.
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Freddyfruitba...
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PostPosted: 15:17 - 18 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you a complete newbie biker? If so, am wondering if you are perceiving that a 125 is all you'll ever want, or whether you realise that once you've been riding it for a while you're likely to be desperate for a few more horsepower - the length of time you are looking to keep your 125 is likely to have some bearing on how much you want to fork out on it.
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Tdibs
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PostPosted: 15:47 - 18 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep

Spend £1000-1500 on a used Japanese 125. Sell for the same price in a year or two if you decide to do your test. Spend the rest on gear and a topbox for a little security (nice to put your helmet in and walk around).

You will be fine going down most byways if you go slow enough, obviously not the harder ones.
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ThunderGuts
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PostPosted: 16:11 - 18 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

As above, a used Japanese 125 is the way forward. They'll go pretty much anywhere you'll realistically want to take them while taking photography kit around. They're light enough to easily pick up if you drop them on loose ground (or anywhere else for that matter). Most are very simple, typically disc front, drum back and an air cooled single cylinder - not a huge amount to go wrong. Check it's got enough oil in it (learners rag them around and often forget to actually keep oil levels correct). If it changes gear, stays in gear and generally rides fine it's probably OK. Bits are cheap enough and working on them easy as they're simple.
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davebike
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PostPosted: 07:09 - 19 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

Used jap 125 from one of the big four Yamaha YBR honda CBF both good

As a pro mechanic just think go outside those four and YOU must find a workshop who will work on the bike and where you get parts

I/We do not do Chinese bike we get calls every week from owners looking to buy parts or get the bike repaired No dealers and few independents can be bothered with the spares and data hunt !
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UncleFester
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PostPosted: 07:56 - 19 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

Out of CBR125 and YBR125 i'd go with the YBR. The gearbox on the Honda is a chocolate dog.

Also don't rule out the Suzuki VanVan.
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GSTEEL32
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PostPosted: 08:41 - 19 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

For me, I'd spent a lot less (£1500) and have something like this YBR125


https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/oAEAAOSwYQNgYeCn/s-l1600.jpg

Bulletproof, nice gearbox, very user friendly ...... and there are tons of cheap spares knocking about if you drop the bike ....
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kgm
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PostPosted: 09:23 - 19 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd also probably look for a YBR as well.

But...what about a Grom (MSX125)? Lots of fun and more comfortable than they look. I really fancy one. Chased someone riding one over a very twisty, undulating single track road last year on my 250 trail bike and I really had to work to keep up. It just looked so easy and fun to flick from tight bend to tight bend. Top speed is unlikely to be different from a YBR and it'll take enough luggage to go camping if you're creative. Easy to hide in the bushes if taking photos too. Can be had brand new around budget, though I'd look for a used one.
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Tdibs
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PostPosted: 11:29 - 19 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

Up the bigwheel too

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265164737426?hash=item3dbd0ccb92:g:MI8AAOSw5glgo-X8

The only one I would really avoid is the r125 tbh, they seem to go pop quite quickly and thief magnet.
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Prawny
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PostPosted: 12:40 - 19 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

I’d have that TW myself if I wasn’t going for my full licence. I’m sick of being harassed by cars on NSL roads.
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A100man
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PostPosted: 14:32 - 19 May 2021    Post subject: Re: Looking for a 125cc for Under £3000, thoughts? Reply with quote

Fat Angry Scotsman wrote:

My ZT125-U get's about 100 mpg and I am a fat cunt so if you weight less you'll do even better.



Poor swine's first post and you drop the C-bomb in the second reply..

..well, really.
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Fat Angry Scotsman
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PostPosted: 15:44 - 19 May 2021    Post subject: Re: Looking for a 125cc for Under £3000, thoughts? Reply with quote

A100man wrote:
Poor swine's first post and you drop the C-bomb in the second reply..

..well, really.


I am nothing if not an eloquent wordsmith!
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GSTEEL32
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PostPosted: 16:59 - 19 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the c-bomb should be enough to rattle the OP into his true intentions....

If you replace "wildlife photography" with "dogging", I suspect the truth will out.

The OP is probably a heinous pervert with a penchant for octopus porn.

But I welcome him to post the photo's from his escapades, under the "Touring and Exploration" section .....
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ThatDippyTwat
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PostPosted: 18:03 - 19 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

While there's nothing inherently "wrong" with modern Chinese bikes (I own one), with that budget you should be looking, as said, at a YBR or similar and using the rest for locks, security, gear and a big bike test if you're old enough.
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A100man
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PostPosted: 18:26 - 19 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

GSTEEL32 wrote:
I think the c-bomb should be enough to rattle the OP into his true intentions....

If you replace "wildlife photography" with "dogging", I suspect the truth will out.

The OP is probably a heinous pervert with a penchant for octopus porn.

But I welcome him to post the photo's from his escapades, under the "Touring and Exploration" section .....


OP has now likely (an possibly rightly) scarpered from this den of perversion and is currently holed up in a cave in Venezuela trying to make sense of the world. Rolling Eyes
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Weisse Schlange
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PostPosted: 19:14 - 19 May 2021    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have soooooo been down this road last month.
Oldest grandson has been looking for a 125 so obv I used my decades of knowledge to help out.

To summarise.

Avoid chinese, they are rubbish.

3k will get you a great Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki Suzuki or KTM

Any and all of which are better that any chinese offerings, regardless of it's Italian sounding name.

If anything , the spares back up is worth the extra on it's own.
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