New biker; new Huoniao 125 or 2005 Yamaha YBR 125?

[YourMumRang]

Hello all!

I am a new biker (have wanted one for years) and finally talked the missus into letting me get one to commute to work on!

I am on a low budget and the Huoniao was the only new bike I could find that looked nice at a price I could afford. The only issue was that I'd have to register it and could wait 3 weeks for me to be able to ride it - I need it sooner than that. It was ~700 delivered with some assembly. These bikes are getting decent enough reviews too.


Now my Dad's boss has offered to sell hers. Ain't gotten a price yet but it will mean I can drive it straight away (once I do the CBT). However it IS used and 5 years old.

What do those wiser than me think?

Hello from Andy in Stoke!

[N cee thirty]

hey andy,get the ybr for sure

alot more common and made by a good firm
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[Muscle Bike Rider]

YBR is a good bike, its jap so's reliable, does good mpg and from owners I know it handles real good. You will get a lot of advice here to avoid chineese as you will lose money on it when you trade up, cg's, ybr's, varadero's hold their price well and are generally considered a much better bike.
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Previously Known As A5tra_G
Old Bikes :2010 Kawasaki ER6 F & 2000 Honda VTR Firestorm
Current Bike : XJR1300

[Benson_JV]

Seeing as you're a brand new biker, you will drop the bike (no offense, it's unavoidable really) I would get the 2nd hand bike as long as it's in good condition. New bikes rapidly loose their value and you won't get much money back when you come to sell. Get the 2nd hand one! HTH.

Welcome to the forum btw.

[Paxovasa]

Hello and welcome.

The YBR everytime, you will lose less money on it when the time comes to sell it on
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Suzuki GSF600 K3 (in the fastest colour, black).

[.]

YBR gets my vote, but then I'm biased because I ride one

[N cee thirty]

[neil.]

YBR. Why? Got it with 500 miles on the clock. Now 28'700 miles and still going, that's why.
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CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[Mord]

Get YBR

[waffles]

YBR fo sho

"Some assembly required" means putting together the back and and handlebars, are you mechanically minded? Dont get tempted by the low low prices of them. Huoniao is a chopper style bike, right? If its the one I was looking at its a little fugly!
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Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

[YourMumRang]

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wiDysvqTsJ0/SpLkROICh5I/AAAAAAAAADo/dYeSJUytx18/s1600/beast.JPG

Is what the Huoniao looks like. I like the Cruiser style but the Yamaha seems like the way to go. Maybe in a few years I can get myself a chopper.

[YourMumRang]

Just found this. Be curious as to people's opinions...

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2009-125cc-GIANTCO-KNIGHT-CUSTOM-CRUISER-NOT-YAMAHA-/270608652264?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item3f018857e8#ht_1317wt_930

[Polarbear]

mobile scrap. Do NOT buy chinese crap
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[YourMumRang]

Haha I thought so! It's just pretty and the kinda look I like.

[N cee thirty]

dude just buy the ybr and not suffer from the consequences unlike if you bought a chinkker
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[YourMumRang]

Fair play. Just making sure I make the right decision is all.

I do really appreciate the help, I just don't LOVE the looks of the YBR but atm beggars can't be choosers can they?

[N cee thirty]

[Polarbear]

If you do buy chinese you had better like the look of it because thats all you will be doing, looking at it, not riding it cause it will have broken down.

You'll find no bike shop will touch it, you cant get spares and its rusting away before your eyes.

My next door neighbours son had one of those Kymco thingies and it broke down. She asked me to have a look as it wouldn't go into gear. The build quality was shite.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[pinkyfloyd]

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/be1ly/new/_wsb_483x370_BLKSILVERLF125-14F.jpg

thats what i learnt to drive on. £1500 brand new and cheap insurance. it is a chinese import and there were various problems. all of which easy sorted out apart from an exhaust stud kept shearing off amd keeping on top of surface chrome rust was a bitch

but the lump served me well, it got me out for long rides around northern ireland and even brought me to portsmouth via A and B roads only.

so for those that say dont buy cheap imports. depends what u need it for. if its to pass your test and get from a to b they are fine. they are cheap to buy and the resale value is just as cheap but they wont complain when u drop them and they are cheap to fix and service.

i had mine for 2 years and she started first time every time. its now been signed off to a friend's wife and she is learning to ride on it.

and it is a lot of bike for the money. people were shocked to discover it was only a 125 cus of the size of it
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[neil.]

What the bike looks like will be the least of your worries when it breaks down and you're stranded in the pouring rain. Or worse, as accounts on here will testify, something really nasty happens, like the frame snapping or swingarm bolt shearing off! Could literally kill you.

How about a YBR125 Custom (probably expensive) or an SR125 if you want that look? Both solid bikes if the plain YBR isn't your thing.
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CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[Polarbear]

SR125 is a good shout, or even a Gilera Cougar
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[waffles]

Choppers look pants with L plates on them. Are you going to do your full test at some point? If you are then definately go for the YBR for a year or so and save up for your licence and your dream bike. When you pass your test you already have a years NCB which makes your insurance cheaper.

Seeemples.
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Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

[greenhornet]

If you like the chopper style check out the YBR custom. I have a brand new one and its a nice looking bike imo with Yamaha reliability and easy to ride. Only prob is they're not cheap, have a look around for a used 08 model though, may be a bargain out there.

https://www.motomag.com/local/cache-vignettes/L640xH480/000Yamaha_YBR_125_Custom_20-5c385.jpg

[.]

[Crystal Tipps]

I asked for advice about Chinese bikes when I started looking for my first bike, and the advice was unanimous NOT to go down that route! Unreliable, won't hold value, fall apart, etc, etc, etc....

YBR or Honda CG were the most popular suggestions, and I wouldn't buy a new bike...as someone has already said above, you will no doubt drop it a few times, and there's no point forking out your lifesavings on a brand new bike...plenty of good used ones out there. Just may need to be patient for the right bike at the right price to come up in the right area for you.

Good luck!
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First bike: 2002 CG. Now riding lime green 2008 ER6N.