AR125

[mrchips]

Going to see about a '91 Kawasaki AR125 tommorow, anything I should look out for and how would you rate them as a bike?

[John]

Well, I've not ridden anything else really, so take my comments how you will.

They are super fun bikes, very thin tyres but mine seems to stick to the road quite well, but do get a bit eeeky at speed. 0-60 was around 8-9 seconds in the summer when mine was running propperly, I guess, and mine did 85 or so given a long enough piece of road. Though it felt quicker than you were actually going. Front brake felt quite effective to me.

They are difficult to fully derestrict. Is the one you're looking at an A or a B model? B's are restricted. They are supposed to make around 22bhp when derestricted.

How much is it listed at?
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TT600 neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeowwww!

[mrchips]

The details I was given on the phone were

20,000 miles
£750 ono

I have no idea whether it is restricted or not, and the owner says it's a tidy example and hasn't been thrashed (I'll know better tommorow).

Any problems with reliability?

For the time being I will be restricted to 45 anyway and won't really be doing a big lot over that except maybe on the odd quiet road. How much will the restricted version do?

[John]

Sounds quite expensive to me, also it's difficult to actually get anywhere if you don't thrash it, like any 125 I should think.

Mine wasn't reliable at all, but has been fiddled with so isn't so comparable.

What do you mean you'll be restricted to 45? The restricted version will do about 75 tops at a guess.
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TT600 neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeowwww!

[mrchips]

I live in Northern Ireland (not sure about England) but here Learners are only allowed to do 45. I need to keep my licence so I'll be sticking reasonably close to this most of the time. Hopefully I will be able to get the price down a bit.

[John]

OK. Cool.

Post up some pics of it. I think they are in a cheap insurance group, should be helpful for you I think, only cost £180 for me here.
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TT600 neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeowwww!

[mrchips]

Thanks for the help. It's green, so not sure how it will look with my red and black gear but I'll have a better idea when I see it.

[Robby]

way overpriced.

Its worth about 500 quid tops over here, thats for a goodun. NI prices are normally a bit lower to compensate for the horrendously expensive insurance.

[EuropeanNC30R...]

I hesitate to call it 'way overpriced', mildly optimistic maybe. If it was a tidy example in good standard condition I'd say somewhere in the £600-£650 region.

[mrchips]

Hopefully my dads haggling skills will get it down to about £700 or less if I'm lucky. Even if the bike is a bit more expensive, at least I will get the bike plus insurance for the same price that would buy a newer second hand 125 on its own.

[Ste]

Generally you advertise at around 10% more than what you want for it. So if you wanna pay £700, I'd offer £600, then he'd haggle it back up towards £700.

Persoanlly I'd offer £480 cash, and then haggle back up to about £600 tops.

[EuropeanNC30R...]

Hmmn, I'd have thought if you went to look at a bike advertised for £750, found no faults and offered £480 you'd be promptly shown the way out In fact I'd be worried if a seller haggled from that, it would suggest to me they were a bit too eager to get rid of the bike. IMHO £550 would be a better starting point so you could both 'meet halfway' at £650, if that's what you're prepared to pay of course.

[Ste]

You have nothing to lose by making a low offer, and you never know, they might accept, or at least end up lower than you hoped .

And when you're looking at a bike, try not to seem pleased/ excited or anything. Just go "hmmm, yeah, maybe" and spot stuff wrong with it. All good hasggling points .

[mrchips]

I rang up a few insurance companies today and I got quoted £218 TPFT with 1 years NCB. That seems like a good deal to me.

[EuropeanNC30R...]

Depends on where you live and how old you are
As a comparison at 17 I paid £200 TPO on a Kawasaki KH100 which was the cheapest quote I could find.

[mrchips]

I only rang a few companies today for a basic idea, so I might even get cheaper than that if I buy it and have a proper hunt.

[Kickstart]

Hi

That is cheap for NI. Plenty of places will not touch people in NI. Best quotes we could get for my sister for a sports 125 were around £600.

All the best

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

[mrchips]

The cheapest I got for my '86 MT50 was nearer 400 for TPO (most quoting about 600) so I was well chuffed when they qouted me little over 200 for a 125.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Who was that quote with?

All the best

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

[mrchips]

Sorry I don't know I'll try and find out for you.

[mrchips]

Well the bike seemed good enough, a few minor things but it was running well and in good shape so he took 570 for it.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Congratulations on your new bike.

Are you taking lessons? If so who from?

My sister was doing lessons but the trainer has now given up instructing.

All the best

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

[mrchips]

I can't ride it until June then I'll be doing my test as soon as I can. It's a lot different from the MT50 I have at the minute the handlebars, riding position etc but I should be used to it after a short time.

If you do the Theory test under a 50cc licence will that be the same theory test you can do your 125 practical test on?