Had a go on an RS125 today...

[Method]

Well, my mate went to collect his new bike today from a local dealer.

I never been to impressed with the RS's before now, always thought they were a horrible looking bike with a realy large arse. Like they ate to much for xmas, and break down so quickly they never get the chance to excercise that weight off again before next xmas... Ya know?

Anyway, picked it up from the dealer but the bike didnt want to pull up a small slope... "Typical" i thought, just what i expected of these bikes. Anyway, i hopped on as ive riden more bikes for longer than my mate, got it going and up this slope, figured it was just still a bit cold, so took it for a quick blast up and down this side street quickly, just to clear it all out as it had been standing for a while. All i can say, is i am very impressed!

It was just as comfy as my NSR was, well maybe a little less, but comfy none the less. A Realy nice and commited riding position, feels a little larger aswell - like im more stretched out that i expected, and it dont half go...

I know its only a 125, and it dont hold anything to my 500, but for what i was expecting, it supprised me. Sounded extremely nice, no vibration at all, and i wasnt scared it was going to go band underneath me, sounded and felt sturdy, strong. The digital thermometer is a nice touch aswell

The one thing i dont like, is the starter on it though - with a full battery the starter sounds like a chainsaw thats about to rip through the enging casings and take out your ankles... could just be me though.

So just to round up - Overall im impressed, i take back what ive said before, as they were un-informed impressions. Like the bike a lot now I have a new found respect for the RS.

Although give me a week, and ill probably change my mind - following all the "Dave, ive broken down" phone calls im bound to get...
____________________
CBT Aug '03 ... Gilera GSM 50 ... Honda NSR 125 Aug '04 ...
Full Test Dec 04... Suzuki GS500 Jan 05... Suzuki SV650 Mar 07... Gixxer 6 K5 May 08... Oh and my 'Rado
My Bikepics.com - No Brakes, No Gears... No Fear.

[GearboxGeezer]

Ive had no reliabilty problems with my RS, well apart from the Relay for the indicators going.

Some of my friends have them as well, and the worst problem was the chain coming off due to lack of maintanence. People on the RS 125 forums reckon they have had as much as 22,000 km before a rebuild which is well over the recommended 6-8000 km rebuild time.

They do look a bit ugly I surpose, when there on the stand and the front wheel is tilted at an angle, but when moving they look nice ( I think anyway )

Of course there is the new RS 125 which has a totally new design and suits the more modern day sports bike look, and I think they look pretty fucking good.

You take the bike on any decent country roads? Alot of people say they are much better for cournering than the bigger sports bikes, but I've never ridden a bigger bike, so I cant really say.. Courners alot better than my moped though!

Oh and for hill starts, yea there a bit shit, I just rev mine up to 7,000 rpm and with a bit of clutch slipping it gets going pretty easily. These bikes can take abuse and I regulary do racing starts ( 10-11,000 rpm standing starts! ) and havnt destroyed my clutch yet so im pretty impressed!

[DynaMight]

They're fine as learner bikes but only really come alive when derestricted, reliability is a major issue, mine lasted 18,000km before it went pop and I didnt exactly treat it to well but only used the best oil and tried my hardest to let it warm up (although I went through a stage of getting it into the powerband asap because it stopped smoking as much) but I've known of people who have treated them very well and it's still blown up after 5,000kms.

They handle pretty well but nowhere near as good as people make out, the lightweight doesnt help as the rear end is floaty on bumpy corners (e.g. all UK corners). I personally never liked the amount of smoked it kicked out and the noise.

Build quailty was poor, mine pretty much rotted away after only 18months whereas my already 11 year old 400 lasted 2 years of the same punishment and never had a single sign of rust. I'd never buy a second hand one either.

If I was to do it all over again, I'd be in two minds. Is it worth spending so much on a 125 which will lose £1000 after only a few months or buy a CBR125 for £1800-1900 new which will sell for £1500 anyday of the week.
I'd probably go for the RS125 again but thats mostly because I paid £3200 new for mine (was a brand new 98 model in Silver but bought it in 2000) done 22,000kms on it and traded it in 18months later for £2500 which got me a awesome VFR400 NC30
____________________
My bikes are at https://www.bikepics.com/members/dynamight/

[paulthewitt]

i had one breakdown in my year with the rs125. a busted fuel hose. so nothing mechanical really. i did nothing but abuse it and crash it. general maintenance was done (chain, 2T) but not much else.

whatever you do, do not let your mate ride with the standard dunlops on. they are lame. and if your mate ride with them on his wheels. he soon will be lame too. nice bike apart from that!!!!

PAul

[Method]

[GearboxGeezer]

Did you do a good wheelie? or just pop the front wheel? I been trying to wheelie for ages, but I just cant keep it going, the bike just dies when its up in the air, Did the rs you rode do that when you popped the wheel? or did you feel you could of kept the wheelie going ( or maybe you did keep the wheelie going )

[paulthewitt]

unless you 12 it, the rs desnt have the power to maintain a decent wheelie.

the kill switch
i one "worked" on the bike for 3 hours. couldnt figure it out, it just wouldnt spark. brother came home and flipped the kill switch. the ONLY place i hadnt looked and at that point i had more experience than him!

we've all done it.
Paul

[Stu_666]

Yeah they're pretty easy to wheely. When I first got mine I was so pissed off with it stalling (did'nt realise that it needed so many revs from a standing start back then) that one time I gave it a shit full of revs and the front wheel lifted of no probs.

How the f*ck can anyone say they're ugly though?? Along with the Mito they've got to be one of the best looking 125s around.

Out of a few bikes I've ridden its still the best for handling. Its just so flickable on a country road compared to anything else. I'd have to agree that the reliability is a bit of a problem. Mine does'nt seem to start up ok unless the battery's fully charged up.

[colin1]

i like the look of old shape rs125's but not new rs125's

when i wanted a 600, i was disappointed by most of them because ones for the price i was going for werent very flickable

probably shd have tried 400's but they seem a bit pricey for their age and i wanted something newer

surprsingly the 98 r1 (yes i know its not a 600) was probably the most flickable in a way but tt600 was flickable in a different way and probably a better first big bike
____________________
colin1 is officially faster than god

[Andy C]

yea standard dunlops are the worst i think, when i got my SV with diablos on i realise just how bad
____________________
99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

[Method]

Yeah, i gave him a slap round the head for making that mistake, and slated him into the ground about it. But not because im harsh, but mainly because now - he will never forget the killswitch again. ( Wish someone had done that with me - gets embarrising the 2nd / 3rd time round )

But yeah - i only popped the front wheel up to about waist height, but it definately felt like i could have taken it a lot higher / longer. Obvsiouly, not being my bike, i have to be carefull with it, so was not going to risk flipping / spinning up and sliding it for him. But the clutch is sooooo light on it, there was absolutely no effort from me to lift it up at all... was amazed

Its not that i think they are ugly... as a whole bike they are quite nice. Its just that rear end, ive never understood it - nor realy liked it. Although now its starting to grow on me. Maybe you just need something in your face completely to realy notice it?

As for the stalling - my mate was having problems with this, and so have i when i tried to get it out the bike shop for him... it seems to have absolutely no power below about 4k revs, infact if you try and let the clutch out - how ever slow - under 4k it just seems to die on you... I suppose its just getting used to the amount of revs needed etc... practice! My NSR would have pulled from almost any revs without stalling, seemed to have enough power low down to just about pull you away from about 2k revs... which i found pretty amazing.

Oh yeah before i forget - He found the power band last night as we went for a little ride out He explained it something like this :

"I was just riding along, and the rev needle was about halfway, then it just went up that bit more and then it shot up right to the top, and it suddenly went from "Oh yeah, this is a pretty quick bike, im getting used to it now, this is nice" To "Holy crap!!!!!!""

I found it within the first 2 minutes of riding it - great stuff, realy addictive and made me miss my NSR
____________________
CBT Aug '03 ... Gilera GSM 50 ... Honda NSR 125 Aug '04 ...
Full Test Dec 04... Suzuki GS500 Jan 05... Suzuki SV650 Mar 07... Gixxer 6 K5 May 08... Oh and my 'Rado
My Bikepics.com - No Brakes, No Gears... No Fear.

[Kickstart]

Hi

The lack of low down power and the rush being that sudden tends to suggest the power valve is stuck open (or maybe that someone has modified the restricted bikes power valve blanking plate to give full power at the top end). Unfortunatly often a real pig to remove and clean up if it has been stuck for a while.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[minesweeper]

Very impressed by the 2006 version...
https://www.maxmoto.co.uk/images/aprilia_rs_125_2006.jpg

[GearboxGeezer]

[Skunkcap Freddie]

dude, i just take the tank off, pull the battery out with the casing and do it from the top. works evertime even when it was badly clogged from the last owner

[Kickstart]

Hi

As above, I just lift the tank and take the battery tray out to get at the power valve.

They are quite high geared which makes them a bit of a pain around town.

The blades can be a total nightmare to remove. On Shauns RS125 we had to take the barrel off and push the restricted blade out from the inside.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Method]

The bike only has 2000 on the clock... would this realy be a problem on something thats done so little milage?

You'll have to forgive me, im not an expert on 2t's by any stretch of the imagination
____________________
CBT Aug '03 ... Gilera GSM 50 ... Honda NSR 125 Aug '04 ...
Full Test Dec 04... Suzuki GS500 Jan 05... Suzuki SV650 Mar 07... Gixxer 6 K5 May 08... Oh and my 'Rado
My Bikepics.com - No Brakes, No Gears... No Fear.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Depends how it has been ridden. I have had one stick within the running in time after fitting new rings. No great hassle to sort out as long as you do it soon. Hopefully with such a low mileage if it is sticking (as opposed to being a modified restrictor plate) then it should be easy to remove and clean up.

Oh, and make sure that you put it back in the right way up. Seen ones fitted by main dealers the wrong way up.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Jack_Cheese]

How do you test a sticky powervalve? Just pop the exhaust off and rev it through the range to see if it's moving? My bike's no longer got the burst of power that came at about 7Krpm.

Jack
____________________
www.bikepics.com/members/jackcheese <--- NOW FOR SALE! 51 Plate Cagiva Planet 125
Quacker_boy: "Jack, you really are a dick!"

[Skunkcap Freddie]

i always check mine on the dual carriageway.

take it for run. right up the limiter and keep my ear open for when it shifts.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Pop the tank up and check the cable from the solonoid is moving a reasonable amount (rather than just taking up the slack in the cable).

Also as it should be open below 2500rpm (just so it operates a lot round town, in an attempt to keep it clean) you can hear a change in the exhaust note if you rev it between 2000 and 3000.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[cagiva gezzer]

[Method]

[Kickstart]

Hi

On the Cagiva there are marks on the pulley wheel and on the housing that should line up when the valve is full closed / open.

Aprilia system is different.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing