Lexmoto Assault 125cc or AJS Modena 125cc

[mattdarla]

Hi Everyone

I passed my CBT a couple of months ago and am looking to buy a new first bike for around £2,000, unfortunately I'm limited to a handlebar width of around 78cm due to narrow access to my property. I'm 6ft and sat on a Lexmoto Assault which I found relatively comfy, but I don't know what they're like to own and ride, with regards to reliability and things. I was also considering an AJS Modena which is around the same price as the assault and has a max speed of 55mph but not sure how it would handle pot holes, it also only has a 4.6 litre tank. I'm looking for a bike for general commuting and maybe the odd trip / tour around the UK with a friend from time to time, I think i need to get in quick though as Lexmoto are apparently raising their prices at the weekend. Any advice would be great.

Many Thanks

Matt

[Evil Hans]

Those are two very different bikes.

If you have a lot of potholes in your area, might be best to avoid the small wheels. Or just avoid the potholes.

Don't get too put off by a small fuel tank ... it'll probably do > 100 mpg so it's not like you're filling up every day. Scooters are great for a short commute and have better weather protection, but I wouldn't want to go far on one.

Lexmoto are probably one of the better supported Chinese brands. Parts are generally freely available. They used to do their own version of the Modena (they called it the Milano - same bike, same Chinese manufacturer - different badges), but I think they've dropped that model now. Which probably means AJS will drop the Modena soon, too
____________________
Triumph Sprint ST 1050. And it's Red.

[Zen Dog]

If your budget is £2000, buy a used Japanese bike rather than a new Chinese one. Chinese bikes are not universally bad, but quality is highly variable.

I have seen first hand the terrible quality of Lexmoto in particular. I stopped for a guy on the side of the road with a broken down Lexmoto, and he told me it was actually the courtesy bike from the dealer, because his own Lexmoto was at the dealer being fixed under warranty because the wiring caught fire.

A Japanese commuter 125 (YBR125, CBF125 etc.) will be more expensive and will do pretty much exactly the same job as a Chinese one, but it will almost certainly be better built, more reliable, easier to get parts for, with better dealer backup.
____________________
Current - '94 VFR750FR, '00 VFR800FI Previous - '10 Street Triple R, '92 MZ ETZ301, '05 TTR250, NSR125R, KMX125, "Honda" Win (chinese copy of an old Honda design with a C90 engine)
My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[Ayrton]

I just bought my girlfriend an AJS modena. If you plan to tour or do any long distances then I would go for something else since the tank is too small and it's slow even for a 125. The quality is also meh, mine has all the chrome flaking off the controls and the indicator switch has broken from the bike just sitting for a little while.

I'd say you should go for a second hand Japanese bike like a Yamaha YBR or a Honda CBR if you want something with really narrow bars. The quality difference is night and day and when you sell it in a few years time you wont lose half the value of the bike. I paid £800 for my Modena with 1000 miles and even that I thought was a bit over priced £2000 will get you a really nice second hand bike.

[Evil Hans]

Yeah, personally my answer would be 'neither' .

I did once own a Chinese AJS. Got it second hand, as new, very low mileage (under 300km) at an absolutely bargain price, but wouldn't have bought a new one.
____________________
Triumph Sprint ST 1050. And it's Red.

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Zen Dog]

[Ste]

Lexmoto Assault:
https://www.lexmoto.co.uk/gallery/HJ125-J-E4/800/12.jpg
https://www.lexmoto.co.uk/models/HJ125-J-E4

Moderna 125:
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/0b4af1_5d510b1262ba4beeba55341d0bff807c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_851,h_682,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/0b4af1_5d510b1262ba4beeba55341d0bff807c~mv2.jpg
https://www.ajsmotorcycles.co.uk/modena-125

If you go potholing on the Moderna then you're going to have a bad time.

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[A100man]

[jeffyjeff]

[Easy-X]

Do any of the racing bike styled 125s have clip-ons? Be as narrow as needed.
____________________
Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[B1N]

The 78cm, is that the narrowest distance between gate posts?
If it isn't a long alleyway type entrance and you have room each side of the narrow point you might be OK to get a bike with wider bars in and out.

I used to live in a house where the gate posts were narrower than my handlebars, I never did any measurements but it didn't cause a problem getting my bike in and out.

If you can imagine from outside going in, the gate hinged inwards toward the garden with hinges on the left, it secured when open to the house wall so it could never open fully wide.
There was plenty of room on the garden side of the right gatepost once you got past the gate and into the garden.

I used to push it up to the gate and get the brake master cylinder about in line with the gate post, tilt the bike slightly while turning the bars left which brings the left handlebar towards you and lets the right clear the gate post, push the bike forward a few inches until the right handlebar and most of the front wheel were inside the gate at which point I had plenty of room the other side of the RHS gate post to straighten up the bike and push it into the garden.

Tricky to describe really but I could also do it while sitting on the bike, (a 650), if the gate was left open for me.