New Rider ~ Looking for Advice!

[Manchop]

Hey all,

I've decided to skip driving lessons and such as to be honest in the long run it's going to cost me an arm and a leg, and to be frank I've always had a soft spot for a bike .

Basically me and a friend are going to re-do our CBT tests and continue the biking route, stick with a bike and then upgrade and try pass the A1 / Mod1&2 tests etc, but firstly we are seeking advice on the main problem I think all new bikers are having, and that's which bike to choose?


We are in love with choppers, and cruisers. Unfortunately we don't really find those R125's or super bikes appealing, but would rather sit on a cruiser. We have set aside roughly £1000 each and we've found that it is extremely hard to find just the right bike to choose, and with little experience of bikes we thought we'd join and ask a/this forum a question; what bikes are there?

~ We'd like your thoughts or advice on which bikes to look out for. To give you a kind of feeling for what we like here are a few of the names of bikes you've probably seen a hundred times, that we are interested in...

(Obviously 125cc!)
AJS Regal Raptor
AJS Daytona
Pioneer Nevada

I hope you can give us a heads up, thanks in advance.

[Andy1994]

Hi there ive been looking quickly at some for you keep to anything thats not chinese.
kawasaki bn125
Suzuki gz125
Yamaha xv125
Yamaha xvs125
Honda vt125
£1000 is decent just when you look at the bikes check eveything is good and when you have on keep ot maintained and i will be sweet. Also its always good to do your test on your own bike you want for the license as you will learning how to ride the bike your going to be using. I could only find these for the price range so hope i was any help.

[Bunny Lingus]

Ain't really my thing cruisers & choppers but I did used to have a Honda CM125 & a Yamaha SR125. The Honda was a twin cylinder & was lardy & slow & the Yammy was a single & also very slow. The handling on both was poo & I put that down to weight & the wheelbase being longer than other 125s. With little bikes, lightness is all important. 125s chuck out around 12 hp which ain't a lot. You wanna have fun riding it so less weight means more go. Cruisers are usually heavy which is why I've never liked 'em. The lightest 125s are usually off road or sports bikes. Looks ain't everything. Fun is. If I had a grand to blow on a little bike it would be a Japanese two stroke eighties dirtbike like a DT 125 or a TS 125...
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Bunny Lingus & The Flipside Faggots

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

Please I beg of you - just get a cg or ybf, ride it into the ground and then get full license. Most of these 125 "choppers" or cruisers are overweight chutney rustlers that won't go round corners and are about as credible as faux leather chaps. Seriously - I will cleanse your face with fire if you buy one of these stupid things.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[wr6133]

From your list I'd take the Nevada. It's got a large and fairly active owners club and your budget easily gets you a near mint example. I had a Jinlun JL125-11 looked after properly it was ok (now I have the 250 version). Wouldn't bother with the Regal Raptors same twin engine as the Jinluns but they seem to have a premium price just to have "AJS" written on the tank, also parts for Pioneers and Jinluns are easy and cheap, AJS parts are not as readily available. Jinlun JL125-11 or 125-13 are good options but it's harder to find a good example than a pioneer now, the Jinluns use a copy of a CB twin that fills out the frame a little more than the CG single copy in the nevada.

Chinese Cruisers require a fair bit of owner attention though all that chrome loves rust, you can keep it looking pristine but it takes some work and elbow grease. If you want something to just use, park and forget about they may not be for you.

[Rogerborg]

[tbourner]

Is that £1000 to include gear as well? As that leaves you with not much for a bike!

As borg said; depending on age it's best to go bigger. I would even recommend spending your savings on getting the licence - just go and do a course with some school on the appropriate size bike for your age, get the licence in the bag then look at a bike.
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Trev, now a biker?
Looking for first big bike.

[Manchop]

[tbourner]

[Manchop]