Is the Honda XR 125 L fit for motocross

[JohnMK]

Greetings all

I would like to find out if the Honda XR 125 L (latest model ) could do well in Motocross if not what could you modify to achieve it to do well

Any help appreciated
Kind Regards
JohnMK
____________________
7 years bike experience , Huge motorbike fan and beginner in MotoCross

[J D]

1st modification for me would be sell it and buy a motorcross bike. It's a commuter bike for 17 yr old.....
____________________
m0l0t0v wrote: Chris, just so you know, JD is a nutter

[rhys1005]

Not a chance

To 'do well' you'll need a proper mx bike and a lot of practice .

[G]

The suspension is soggy and wouldn't handle big hits, need to replace that.
Do the wheels too as it's got more road sizes on it.
The engine is a slow commuter engine, so stick in a proper one that can actually accelerate up a mx jump after a sharp turn.
The chassis is going to be a bit weak, so better upgrade that as well.

So; what J D said.

Despite that all the components aren't as high performance by a fair bit, it actually weighs about 1/3rd more than a proper 125cc mx bike too!

I've seen people take stuff like a DRZ on a MX track, but ideally I'd go for a 2 stroke enduro bike or a proper motocross bike.

[JohnMK]

I see , so I have to get a new bike but I need your guys help on which bike I must get , it must be dual purpose because I also need transport to work and back. I don't mind modifying a bike but not to much
____________________
7 years bike experience , Huge motorbike fan and beginner in MotoCross

[G]

You will be much, much better off having two bikes.

What licence have you got, where do you live, do you have access to a van and what's your budget?

A motocross bike needs to be very light. You also want a fair bit of power.
Light weight and low power means a lot of servicing as you can't use as heavy duty components.
High servicing requirements aren't ideal for a bike you're using daily.

[JohnMK]

Hi G

I got an A license , I am from South Africa and I just want a bike that can do both because I don't have the funds currently to do all of that so I would prefer a dual purpose .

Thanks
Kind Regards
JohnMK
____________________
7 years bike experience , Huge motorbike fan and beginner in MotoCross

[G]

You can get a cheap road bike and a cheap motocross bike for a lot less than one bike that would be not that great at either.

If you haven't got the funds, then two bikes is the better path.

Does your A licence allow you to ride any capacity bike?
(I don't know what SA licences are like.)

Do you have access to a van, pickup, trailer or other way to move bikes around?

[JohnMK]

[G]

How far aware is your nearest motocross track?

Also - just confirm you are aware exactly what mx is - closed circuit racing on tight and short tracks? Some people get confused with other genres.

[JohnMK]

[rhys1005]

Dual purpose isn't being competitive in mx and then commuting on it in the weekday. Dual purpose is a commuter bike that can handle the odd green lane, maybe enduro - it won't be great at either.

My ktm 300 exc is a compeition enduro bike and it would still get thrashed by proper mx bikes and there is no way you could commute on it properly (I could I reckon, if i wanted, but my commute is 2 miles). You could keep up the with average rider being a skilled rider but again irrevelant as it's not a dual purpose bike or a cheap alternative.

Also if you break your mx/commuter bike offroad then your pretty screwed. The good thing about having an offroad bike you only use on the weekend is being able to maintain it during the week. If it's something major then all it means is you miss a weekend of mx.

I say if you've got a small budget either get a proper mx bike and a cheap road bike, get a mx bike and forget road riding or forget mx riding until you have a proper budget.

[JohnMK]

[G]

[JohnMK]

[JohnMK]

What MX bikes would you recommend ??
____________________
7 years bike experience , Huge motorbike fan and beginner in MotoCross

[Fladdem]

Either a 250F or a 125 2 stroke.

I personally would go for anything orange or the Yamaha selections.

With a low budget, I would suggest a YZ125, usually cheaper to buy second hand, if anything knackers up they are cheaper to fix. Apparently, they have the most usable powerband, not as friendly as a YZ250F but still...

I have rode my bosses 2013 CRF250R, tuned with loads of goodies. It is hard to believe it has the same capacity as my bike, the thing rips, it pulls like an animal. So maybe not an ideal first bike for motocross, but would definitely help the rider a lot, just slip the clutch and keep the throttle open, it practically rides itself.
____________________
Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[JohnMK]

[G]

So; is that the specific sport you want to do?

Can you ride a motocross bike on the road ok there?
In the UK, you can road register them. However it's a bit of hassle. Proper motocross tyres don't work well on the road, so you'll either need an off road route, or just stick to your local one. It won't be great for the tyres either.

What happens if you run out of fuel or break something at the track? Typically people go along in a four wheeler, so they can have some spare fuel and tools etc. You can tie a few bits on, but it's not ideal.

As for what bike - with a limited budget I'd say the one you can find (125+ proper mx bike) in the best nick possible for the money you have is the best bet. I'd avoid ones that have had much tuning - that will mean more maintenance work and more likely to blow up.

[Fladdem]

Personally, if you don't know about engines and stuff, avoid tuned models, like G says, they are just too highly strung.

I think two bikes is the way. My TTR is neither good on road nor round a motocross track, too heavy and underpowered off road to be competitive and poor aerodynamics and poor gearing for road use.

And, here is something I hate thinking about, if I'm playing at the motocross track on Sunday on my TTR, and land hard off a jump and, say, snap the frame near my right footpeg and bend it all out of shape when I land, how am I going to get to college on Monday? This actually happened to me. Luckily I live within cycling distance of everywhere I need to go, but if I had to travel further afield I would be pretty screwed.
____________________
Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[JohnMK]