The best all round bike in 125cc class

[HardDriver]

First of all, hi. I'm not an england, so my language can be sometimes hard to understand, but I try my best .

I want to ask you one important question? That question is very important to my and it's very confusing, so what's the best all round bike in 125 class? Which one have best reability, acceleration, top speed, not big prices, but that's okey, if bike is really really good and parts (easy to find and aren't expensive). I can buy from england too, but as I see, you guys have really good prices for some bikes . If you interested, then I'm from east Europe. I'm watching bikes from all Europe, watched in England too, but prices are too much I think, but if you now good places or something like that, then why didn't?

I realised, that 2 stroke are the best in 125 class, because it's very fun and fast bikes, 4 stroke are more for lazy, calm guys . 2 stroke aren't realible such as 4 stroke, but I heard they can be same. If you don't disagree with me, then say why?

Also I realised, that enduro is the best, because I like off-road and I have places for that. In spring and autumn I will be driving in school every day, so I need enduro with good tyres in off-road and in road. Also as I say, I need REALIBLE . If you don't disagree with me, then say why?

Okey, I'm sorry again if my english is hard to understand, but I think you understand something ?

To improve my english knowledge, how was it? Hard to understand ? Also I heard that's the most popular forum in England about motorcycles? Is it true ?

[G]

It was POSSIBLE to understand it, but not easy I'm afraid.

The problem is you want everything in one.
As you want off-road, something like a DT125 or KMX125 is probably your best choice. I still find them a bit slow for off road, but if you want a faster 125, it's not as reliable.

[rhys1005]

What G said.. But also if it's a DT make sure it is has a ypvs and that it's working.

Mine never and low down in the revs/ off the line.. my mates gs125 would blow past it and offroad it was absolutely useless. Don't get me wrong, the suspension and height was great for the light off-roading I wanted to do. BUT the low down grunt just wasn't there.. At all.. Even going up a slight incline in a high gear, on road I was constantly slipping the clutch. Even my ybr was better off road!

I would probably either get a ktm 125 exc and go all out (aswell as a cheap and reliable cg125 etc). Or get a standard 4 stroke 125 commuter, stick knobblies on it and some how raise the air intake/end can.

Even with the YPVS I don't imagine the DT having enough power or being any good at an enduro? Can't you get a unplated enduro bikes then a on road 125cc to commute on?

[c_dug]

I've seen harder to understand posts from English people so your English isn't that bad. I believe this is the largest private UK based forum, I think visordown may be bigger in some way, I'm not sure how these things are measured though.

Four stroke vs two stroke is your choice, they each have their merits. I would suggest maybe an xr125 as four stroke and a ts125 or similar two stroke.

For reliability I would avoid bikes with too strong an offroad bias as they will generally have engines in a higher state of tune.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[_Iain_]

CR125.

Very reliable...really strong gearbox.

Nah, used I'd buy a DT125. New you're kinda limited, so if it was for road use a Rieju MRT125 Pro.

DT is a reliable two stroke & incredibly popular. Looks nice, goes well.

MRT is a four stroke. However it makes more power than all the other four strokes, it's very tuneable and looks the part in the competition green. Doesn't have any nasty EFI so easy to work on too.
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Please be aware that the above post may be full of complete nonsense.
Riding: '07 KTM Duke II, Baotian BT49QT-20 Driving: '88 Volvo 340

[G]

Does the MRT make more power than a MZ125 4 stroke .

[thx1138]

I found KMX 125 to be very fast off road, but then my fast is everyone elses slow, and I haven't owned one for nearly 20 years.

[G]

[stevo as b4]

To me it depends on how much road equipment you want/need, and how practical you want it to be? Then in the case of 2stroke's there is autolube vs pre-mix bikes.

Asssuming we are just talking trail/endure bikes and not factory SM's, which for 100% highway use are probably better, then it boils down to reasonably capable, practical bikes like:

KMX125, MTX125, TS125R, DT125R CRM125, and the thumpers like the DR125, XT125R WR125R, XLR125 etc etc.

The above would all be great on the road, the strokers are all autolube, but they would be a few kg heavier than more competition orientated bikes, and the biggest downside would be the suspension, less travel and less sophisticated and possibly less ground clearance too.

The inbetween bikes might be:
KDX125, Aprilia RX125, Cagiva W8, Husqvarna WRE125 etc.

Bit better suspension maybe, and less all rounders.

The Comp bikes like the EXC125, Gas Gas EC125, Fantic Caballero, TM125, Husqvarna WR125 etc, will be the most capable chassis wise and the best off road but maybe not for novices though?

The competition bikes are anything up to 10bhp more powerful than the 2stroke trailes, but as the power goes up the delivery gets less gradual and easy to use IMO. All these bikes will have lower gearing, no autolube, and very few practical features beyond a key ignition and a steering lock.

Personally if I wanted to re-build something for a beginners endure bike, id chose say a KDX125 or Aprilia RX125 etc, as these bikes would have the chassis enough to enjoy and make use of their capabilities in the dirt, but would be more novice friendly, less peaky and a bit lower than a full on MX'er with lights which is what the EXC's etc are closer to IMO.

[Dischord]

It's the KTM EXC 125 hands down, amazing bike.
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2012 KTM EXC 250

Check out my vids - https://www.youtube.com/user/KTMSparky/videos

[G]

[Fladdem]

[G]

That was one of the examples I was thinking - however, actually, 5000 miles isn't a massive amount in the grand scheme of things - 100 hours at a 50mph average, 200 hours 25mph and so on.
You'd expect a good number more hours than that with competition enduro use, which is also likely to be a little more 'intense'.

[Fladdem]

[G]

Age is a factor for many bikes, especially those not kept in hermetically sealed vacuums!
There is some good reasons service intervals also list a time generally, as well as a distance - most people who don't do that many miles are guilty of not changing the water as regularly as they should and so on.
Various seals will likely perish over time regardless. Which can then cause more problems for bearings and so on.

[stevo as b4]

G, ok so I can't shout up a 125cc 4stroke as a thumper that's a very fair point! I tend to use collective terminology on a lot of things, like calling a turbocharger a blower etc.

As for the CRM125, I've never had or ridden one and don't know much about them. But from what you are saying they sound like more of an off road styling exercise with an NSR engine?

I kind of expected more of them I guess, carrying the CRM name which in 250cc form is a great off roader.

It makes me think that the MTX125RWF is a much better off roader than the CRM, having both different gear ratio's to the MBX125 and a different power delivery, probably due to exhaust and airbox tuning, but the poting might be different to the MBX too.

Oh and yeah the very rare KTM LC2 (sister bike to the Sting) was very nice looking and well specced in the chassis department bike, but with DTR power/reliability.

They did do for a very short time a bike called the 125EXE which was a 15bhp restricted machine, but with a full EXC motor, It just had a different carb and exhaust to make it learner legal.

[G]

Yep, as far as the CRM goes. On hardpacked stuff it did ok, but in reality it was more of a road bike - I too was hoping it would be like a CRM250 when I got it, as they are very capable.
It does get a kick rather than electric start, so they've made a little effort. I'd taken mine out greenlaning with a XR250 and a RMX250 - I was JUST able to keep up, but in a flurry of revs and gear changes, while the other two were no doubt a lot more relaxed!

[rhys1005]

I'd love to own a brand new comp enduro bike.. Imagine how long it'd last with proper maintanence! if they can withstand abuse from morons but still make it 18 or so years then I reckon one babied it's whole life would last forever. If I had the money I'd get a brand new highly strung 4 stroke with 10hr or so service intervals and plan to keep it forever and forever

[G]

The 4 strokes don't tend to take to 'abuse' quite so well it seems - sustained high revs can kill all sorts of things. They have got a bit better in the last ten years I believe, however.
But, when they do go bang, it tends to be VERY expensive!

[_Iain_]

[G]

What is involved in derestriction?

Though missed that you were discussing new - the MZ is no longer available as far as I know.

It made dead on 14.6hp or whatever, I believe.

Oh and 17hp - about the same as listed for a 35 year old CB125T I think. Progress, eh?

[bladerunner]

Dt or kmx are about as good as 2t road based bikes got in the uk...both very easy to derestrict and good for at least 10,000 miles of pure thrashing between rebuilds...20,000 miles if used without redlining it in every gear all the time. 80-85 mph top speed and fun to ride

Ts125r is very tall and whilst easy to derestrict and can use rgv250 barrels also has power valve weakness causing very £££ rebuilds if not maintained well. 80 mph and very peaky power delivery

Beware of anything 2t with more than 40,000 miles on the clock...even with new bearings,crank rebuild and top end the crank cases and gearbox parts will be getting very worn and crank webs will also be grooving where the main bearing seals sit

4t 125 off roaders tend to have a chassis and running gear designed for half the power output of the 2t bikes so are less capable both on road and off road however they are still fun off road to a lesser degree and 60-70mph possible on road but lack the acceleration of the 2t bikes and overtaking anything over 45 mph means taking a long run up!
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[_Iain_]

[stevo as b4]

I'm sure that like Fantic did with their competition style 4t Caballero range, Rieju also did a 200cc version for sale which basically uses the Malossi 180cc big bore kit as std.

I know that PB tuned a Yamaha YZF125R a few years ago, and using the Malossi kit, cam, and exhaust along with a Malossi piggy back fuel injection controller, they eventually found 18bhp at the back wheel, still a tidy output for a fiddled with and big bore kitted 4stroke 125, and not far off things like an XT225 or an early XL250R etc.

[G]

The dirt bikes likely had fatter power lower down, as it matters off road.

Of course that sort of power would be seeing an urgent rebuild in an NSR. Around about right for a stock derestricted NS125R... which probably costs less than just the extras for the 4 stroke.
Looks better, too .