My Honda NS125F so far and help/advice!

[JonnyFoxtrot]

Hi all,

Haven't posted for a while. Start of the year i bought a 1989 NS125F for £165 with the expectation of getting it back on the road to keep costs down. I had loads of problems seeing that myself and my Dad who have worked on the bike had no real expereince in restoring bikes. I posted a few questions on some carb and also starting problems. These are all new fixed and the bike is running and ready for the MOT and riding! I've learnt loads since having started and was so pleased when i first heard the hair dryer sounding engine spurt to life. We ended up having to replace a lot of worn parts and a completely fried top end from the previous owner but its mostly all working fine now.

BUT!!!

I've taken it for a ride a few times up and down the street to test ride everytime you change into second, it just slips straight back back out and up into third. Try changing back down and it slips back up again. Does the same and high and low revs. I've since bought a replacement set of gears and selector forks but am now at a crossroads of how to approach a repair.

1. On the one hand a fellow bike mechanic friend has said it will get through an MOT fine with the dodgy second gear and luckily third gear has quite a bit of pull at low speed so ultimately the bike would be rideable as is and without the gears fixed.
2. As i have the replacement gears and forks i can split the engine and put the new stuff in, however splitting an engine is way beyond anything we've attempted so far despite the fact we would be more than willing to try. That means if its too difficult i'll need to get a shop to replace them with my parts and thats likely to be expensive.
3. I can sell the bike once its got an MOT as running, make clear the gearbox problem and try to make as much of my money back as possible and let the buyer sort out the gears or bear with it. I very much doubt though i can sell it for more than or even similar to what i paid for it and spent doing it up. Also i've become quite attached to the bike and would really love to see it through to the end as i've put so much hard work into it. ALSO I need to get a 125 bike either way as i'm 21 in May next year so will be doing my DAS then and that ultimately makes it pointless to sell the bike, buy something decent now and do the test as i'll be doing that come May and i need something to learn on for the upcoming months to that.

So i guess my question is really, how hard would it be to split the engine ourselves and replace the gears (bearing in mind both myself and Dad are quite mechanically minded and have managed every repair on the bike so far but will be doing it for the first time and going in mostly blind)? If its likely too difficult is it too expensive to get done at a shop with my parts (i dont want to spend more than £100)? And if that still isn't a reasonable plan am i better off selling for as much as i can get and pursuing another 125. Or if thats not likely to be much luck and money should i just put up with the dodgy second gear and stop worrying/moaning

Any help/guidance appreciated and also if anyone local (Braintree, Essex) would even be kind enough to commit a few evenings to help repair if they're confident in doing the gear work, it would be an awesome and well appreciated help and i wouldn't hesitate throwing some money and beer tokens your way.

TIA!

[Kickstart]

Hi

3rd option, but another engine and just slot it in. You can then try and repair your current one when you feel like it.

All the best

Keith
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[JonnyFoxtrot]

Cheers Keith, i had considered that but i've not found much luck so far finding any NS125 engines cheap (and it has got to be cheap lol)

I'm thinking maybe i'm gonna give the gear replacement a go as a few people have said it shouldn't be more than a days work