Long term plans

Bikermice · Nova Slayer Joined: 16 Oct 2012 Karma :

Hi all,

I am 31 and doing my CBT on Saturday, and if/when I pass i will be on my dad's old Superbyke FRX 125. I would really like to get a nicer bike, but was wondering if anyone on here has stuck with a 125 rather than doing the Direct Access Course and getting a bigger bike?

I don't want to spend £2000 on a 125 if in 6 months' time I will be itching to get a larger bike.

Am I a fool to think that a 125 will satisfy my needs for ever?!

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

shereen · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Mar 2011 Karma :

Knightsy · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Jun 2012 Karma :

Pretty much.

125's are used for crazy mpg and learning. Use it as intended and
once you get some experience, move up Thumbs Up

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Fem1 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 14 Sep 2012 Karma :

I don't think that a 125 will satisfy your needs forever Smile

I have a new honda cbf 125 and love riding it and thought that i would pass my test on a 125 and then keep this bike for 2 years.
This however is not what i am doing now as i am taking DAS lessons on a suzuki gladius or suzuki 500 depending on what bike is available at the time of my lesson.

I am still happy at the moment with my 125 because i am getting more experience on the roads as i am not doing one of those intensive 3 day courses to get my licence.

barrkel · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Karma :

Bikermice · Nova Slayer Joined: 16 Oct 2012 Karma :

Cheers everyone - thought that this would be the case but just wanted to check. I did think keeping a 125 would be far cheaper but as you say I'll probably suffer with under-powered syndrome within a year!

Bikermice · Nova Slayer Joined: 16 Oct 2012 Karma :

[quote="barrkel"]

C1REX · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Sep 2012 Karma :

Depends of the bike. I have a Suzuki Van Van for a year on a full licence and plan to keep it. Lots of people on the Van Van forum have few bikes and still love this 125cc machine.

Same goes to Varadero, XR125 etc. These are bikes that are fun to ride and just happens to be 125.

If you plan to ride CBF or YZF for longer you may find them very boring.

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/RidingEvents/ridingeventsresults/Touring-travel/2010/may/may2810-Suzuki-VanVan-the-2679-Multistrada-rival/
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barrkel · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Jul 2012 Karma :

sidewinder · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Aug 2011 Karma :

Do full test then you have the choice what cc bike you want and when. Thumbs Up

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C1REX · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Sep 2012 Karma :

I agree with barrkel: with such an experience you shouldn't worry about dropping a bike.

CC is not the only factor to consider. Depends what you want from a bike and if prefer to ride solo or with others.
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sheriffjonny · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Karma :

You will get bored of a 125 quickly.

I did buy a cbf125 after my cbt and rode it for approx 7-8 months. Now I ride an 800. My plan was to out the cbf, but I'm really considering keeping it as my run around. Although it hasn't got anywhere near the same pulling power as my VFR, I really like riding it in town. It's so light, and I'm much more familiar with than my VFR at present so feel more confident filtering through small gaps. Also the VFR gives me less than 50mpg, the CBF gives over a 100mpg.
So basically, decide what you will be using the bike for, and if you can only have bike choose accordingly.
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C1REX · Traffic Copper Joined: 20 Sep 2012 Karma :

If he's going for a 125cc commuter, then most likely he will get bored quickly.
If he will go for a 125cc tourer, supermoto, trial bike, vanvan etc, then he may have fun for very little money.

CBF can be used for touring as well if slightly modified. And it's ridiculously cheap to run.
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tahrey · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Jul 2010 Karma :

Depends what riding you're going to do...

I ended up doing DAS just because I didn't fancy being stuck on a crap license if I wanted/needed to hop on something faster, though I've now gone through what would have been the 2-year restriction anyhow.

Still got the 125... Rolling Eyes

I've had thoughts of going for something larger but the bulk of my riding is cross-city, through congestion and 30-40-50 limits. I can still go plenty fast on it to both squirt away from the line at lights and stay in the lead, and probably clock up enough speeding points to lose my license in a single trip to work if they ever start using hidden mobile laser traps round this way.

Really why I'd want something faster is the very occasional longer distance trip, up and down the motorway e.g. to my dads or to visit friends within ~100 miles or so, keeping a slightly higher and slightly more constant speed with less stress on the engine, and maybe the odd dash through the countryside. Other than that, no point. The jump was made largely as a money and time saving exercise rather than having a 2-wheeled-bullet-shaped hole in my life.

So given the almost total impossibility of finding something that gives the necessary slight speed boost to avoid occasionally having to play with the more lightly-loaded trucks in strong headwinds or up steep hills (eg a 150 or the like) without using too much more fuel or changing the essential nature of the bike, and the increased purchase/running costs of moving up to something radically faster (even a 250 would count in that case), I am for now sticking with it and just dealing. The new car is shockingly economical when driven at 125 speeds anyway (vs the considerable difference in a city setting) and is exceptionally unstressed when doing so... Let's see, I can go up the motorway all dolled up with a minimal amount of luggage, at 60-65ish mph howling like a banshee and shaking like paedo at a one direction concert, clocking in at 80-85mpg... or in my normal clothes, not caring about limiting what I carry, chilling like a boss, doing the same speed, and still see better than 60mpg...

If you're instead going to do more high speed distance work, or also want something you can chuck around the lanes of a weekend purely for enjoyment's sake (I say, why not, old bean Wink

), then you're gonna want something bigger.

Bikermice · Nova Slayer Joined: 16 Oct 2012 Karma :

Flatbadger · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Apr 2012 Karma :

125s have a captive market of sorts, which pushes the price up - but look after them and they tend to keep their value if bought 2nd hand.

I've had a look and you're from around Plymouth right? It's very hilly round there in places, this is where a 125 might be a drag after a while!

I'm intending to keep my 125 for the 2 years after I pass my mod2 on it, I'm happy with that but there aren't any really steep roads round here.
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Blau Zedong · Banned Joined: 26 Jun 2006 Karma :

Bikermice · Nova Slayer Joined: 16 Oct 2012 Karma :

[quote="YellowX5"]

tahrey · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Jul 2010 Karma :

Bikermice · Nova Slayer Joined: 16 Oct 2012 Karma :

Passed CBT on Saturday - and now all the advice I have been given is making a lot more sense! The Instructor recommended I do the DAC becasue I'd only need 3 days training, and in his opinion if I went round on a 125 for 1/2 years I'd pick up bad habits and would take longer to pass the full bike test.
I am now aiming for the DAC in 2 or 3 months time. I did notice how sluggish the bike was on hills, even though I was on a Honda Varadero which had a nice bit of torque.

new001 · Nova Slayer Joined: 05 Mar 2012 Karma :

fozzym · Brolly Dolly Joined: 14 Mar 2011 Karma :

I did my CBT at 33 and went straight on to do DAS, I never considered even buying a 125.

To me a 125 is for young lads to ride untill they are old enough to buy a big bike. I understand that these day some people want a 125 for a cheap commuter but never appealed to me.

Thumbs Up

wtfaid · L Plate Warrior Joined: 22 Oct 2012 Karma :

Hi Bikermice

I bought a cbf125 in between my Mod 1 and Mod 2 as I found half the mod 2 lesson was normally taken up with me remembering how to ride a bike...

I've now passed mod 2 (DAS) and continue to use my 125 quite happily but depends where you live, what you will use it for and what kind of person you are; speed freak or happy at a 'steady' pace.

I don't regret spending 2000+ on it as I have the balance of the warranty and AA cover and a very helpful Honda dealer.

In summary you don't necessarily immediately hate your 125 or feel the need to rush out and get a sports bike to replace it just because your license allows you to.

Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

Well I hate 125's. I had to ride my daughters SR125 to get MOT's etc. I found it frighteningly underpowered and slow. It was too light for me, it didn't feel stable. The only thing I have ridden that was worse was her 50cc Gilera DNA, now that was truly frightening Shocked

The only 125 I have ridden that I even felt a bit comfortable on is my brother in laws Varadero and while it is big enough to feel reasonable, it still has the power of a shagged pit pony.

I'm not trying to slag off 125 riders or their bikes, I know some people are stuck with them and some people use them as commuters with their superb mileage. But if you have a chance to do das and get on a bigger bike, do it, really.
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