125 bike reviews

[blito]

A few of you will recognize my name from my presence here over the last year. I've been riding a Chinky moped for the past year but last weekend decided to sell up and move on...... to a 125! I am in my mid 30s and eventually plan to go DAS, but first up I plan to spend the next two years on a tiddler. I have budgeted £50 per month over two years plus have a £400 from the sale of the `ped to throw in as well, giving a total price of £1600 ish to play with.
I've spent the last couple of days browsing the dealers in my area checking out whats available and recording my thoughts.
Hope you enjoy what I hope to be an informative and well-reasoned post.

Starting at a back-street dealer.
2007 Vulcan Cruiser. *forgot to record the miles* This bike is a shed! A non runner for spares and repair, it basically backs up everything I've read about Chinese bikes being crap. Quickly moving on.....
2012 Zontes Panther £1500 otr. A nice looking bike that seems to be put together OK and certainly had a nice finish. Dismissed the bike on its diminutive size. I would be as well getting a monkey bike!

Moving on to the main Yamaha dealer
NEW Yamaha YBR £2500 otr with £200 cash back. Well, its the benchmark 125 isn't it! The one everything else must compare to. Spent a while looking it over and getting the feel to how a 125 should feel. Surprised at the amount of dive when you lean on the front. £62 a month over 3 years puts one on the driveway but thats somewhat more than I intend to spend.

And round the corner to the Ducati garage....
2011 Yamaha YBR £2000. A 6-month old bike with 2000 miles should be a minter and at first glance this bike doesn't disappoint. Everything up top is exactly how it left the showroom.
Unlike everything further down which is showing a staggering amount of corrosion for such a new bike. The exhaust is crusty, the alloy rear brake lever is pitted, the wheel is crusty and the swing-arm paint is badly chipped Really surprised to see such rapid deterioration on what is said to be THE 125 of choice in these parts.
2010? Honda CBR £2000. With 10 000 miles on the clock this bike has lost the "new bike" shine but is still very tidy and has considerably less crud down under than the YBR. Everything on the CBR feels very solid with good switchgear and quality fixings. For me, the bike is too small, I kind of sat on it looking down, but I can see the appeal for the youngsters. Should hold its value well if its looked after. Not one for me though.

Across town to a private seller..
2011 Lexmoto XTR-S £1100. 6 months old and only 100 miles on the clock. Yes- one hundred miles! The bike is predicatbly as new on everything except the exhaust which is a little cruddy and could use some hi temp paint. Like the CBR, this bike was a little small for me but everything seemed in order so I wondered why the the bike was for sale. The seller claimed not to like the feel of the bike - I pointed out the front tyre being fitted the wrong way round might have something to do with it and made my excuses and moved on.

And on to the local scooter exchange..
NEW Lexmoto Street £1300 otr. Now we're talking! A decent sized bike that feels well screwed together and has the luxury of a chrome exhaust... Everything on this machine felt as good and as sturdy as the YBR and the bike was better looking. Its certainly a little bit bigger than the YBR. On the down side, are they serious about the choke control being on the carb itself? I really dont fancy groping down by my knee whilst trying to ride! Otherwise a serious contender.
NEW Generic Worx £1800 otr. This is a compact bike that feels very well put together and has really cool styling. Still a chinese bike but in the shop at least it comes across as a serious contender.... provided your no more than 5'8".. which I am........ so looking up to......
NEW Lexmoto LSM £1599 otr. This is certainly better for my height, the tall seat being narrow enough to allow me to easily reach the floor without feeling over balanced. The seat is very square edged however and 2 minutes in the saddle was more than enough to decide supermotos aren't for me. As an aside, this model had a few design elements that I didnt like and the quality wasn't as good as some others....
NEW WK 125r £1699 otr. A full sized bike that seems to offer incredible value for money. The naked WK was the heaviest bike I tried and that gave the bike a solid feel. Fat tyres, firm suspension, solid bar-ends were backed up by a stainless steel Scorpion exhaust. The scorpion can is limited time offer whilst the importer clears stocks ready for a new model. Like Like Like but it does push my finances to the limit.
Whilst at the scooter exchange the dealer took time to talk about chinese bikes and how some are better than others. He's been in the game a long time now and has built up relationships with good importers and refuses to deal with bad ones... He's happy to sell Lexmoto bikes provided its not the Arrow or Vixen models which in his words were "flimsy, cheap and unlikely to last the distance."

And on to the Suzuki dealer...
2010 Suzuki Van Van £1000. With 10 000 miles this van van had seen some use but was in very good condition. The Suzuki seemed to have first rate build standards and really looked a good buy.... but come on - its criminally ugly!
NEW Reiju rs3 £3300 ish. Very Very Very nice. Good solid feel and some really nice features. Way too much money for me.
NEW Lifan somethingorother £1500 otr ROFL! Made of cheese and really ugly too. quickly walking away.....

And finally to the Honda/Piaggio dealer....
double yellow lines and the presence of a traffic warden dissuaded me from parking the Transit and investigating further. Pity really as the CBF is noticeably lacking in my list so far, although there is one nearby for £1600 on a private sale... might go and see Would be nice to see a Varadero too although I doubt I will find a good one in my budget.

And thats your lot.. there are precious few bikes worth seeing in the private ads, but I'll keep browsing....
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2012 Zontes Monster

[GREENI3]

Highly recommend the Lexmoto Street!

Had mine for 6 months and it still puts a smile on my face.

It's basically a re-badged Suzuki EN/GS 125.
Same engine etc.

Why are you making such a big deal about the choke on the carb?
Are you seriously going to ride it with the choke on?
When mine needs the choke, I keep it on for about 20 seconds tops, and then it idles fine by itself.

Wouldn't fancy putting any load on the engine with the choke on, but thats just me.

Got mine for £999 OTR, so you may want to shop around a bit before possibly buying one for £1300.

[Nexus Icon]

Choke on the carb body isn't unusual, tbh, and certainly shouldn't put you off.
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[johnnyarctic]

seeing as you are planning on keeping it for 2 years i would definately recommend something from yam/honda etc. im sorry im just not sold on this £1000 otr stuff

i can vouch for a varadero 125 if you can find one you can afford. my dad rides one and although hes passed now it still suits him fine.

i suspect though the YBR is the best choice?

[Benno]

Well, I bought and rode home today a 2011 Yamaha YBR with 2100 miles on the clock, and I couldn't be more impressed! I cruised along at 50-60 with ease and even overtook a few people. Everything on the bike was in tip top shape and it ran beautifully for the duration of the 30 mile trip home. Ian, if you're here, thanks for a great bike.

So based on...about 40 minutes of riding I feel qualified to recommend the YBR!

[Tomzo47]

second hand YBR 2008-2011 model, with less than 5k on the clocks for about £1500-£1600 private. Dealer puts an extra £300-£500 on top of selling price for no good reason, apart from a short warranty (not really needed on YBR) I bought a new YBR last year and regretted it, as when it comes to selling it you lose nearly a grand! Avoid Chinese bikes, a friend of mine bought a new one same time as me, and its already falling apart and needs a new exhaust system (basically it fell off)
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Ybr 125 > Bandit 650SA > GSXR 600 > Triumph Sprint St1050 > CB1300 > Z1000SX + FJ1200 (written off) > VFR750 >FJ1200

[Teflon-Mike]

Of what you have mentioned?

1yr-old, dealer supplied YBR for £2K.... Yeah, you picked up on some 'neglect'... you HAVE to remember its a second hand bike, and, may say Yamaha on the side, but it is still made down to a price in China, and is, brand new' almost half the price of the 'fancy' 125's in the same catalogue, and that 'tarnishing' is normal wear and tear.....

Clean it, do a bit of preventative maintenence, its no big deal, and certainly not a deal killer.

Though bike is a bit expensive, or more precicely, with a brand new, never used, show-room example only costing £300 more... gap isn;t big enough for ME to think forgoing warranty, dealier finance, and other possible 'perks' is worth that small a saving.

£1600 to spend? I would be looking for a first MOT fresh YBR. END OF.

THAT is what the numbers say is the 'optimum' VFM 125 on the market and almost exactly costs what you have to spend.

OR; with the small price gap; I'd be pondering finding the extra, or putting extra on 'tick' to get a new one, for those two years anticipated use and peace of mind.

HOWEVER, if you do the sensible thing and book training & tests soon as you have bike to get with that program, big risk IS that 'long term' plan could be knocked to kilter when you get all exited that you COULD be riding a 'bigger' bike, and frustrated being locked into a two-year 'deal' and a big hit of depreciation & settlement fees if you try cashing in.

Which brings back to 3.something year old YBR for around the £1500 mark....

Or MAYBE, if you want something a BIT plusher, but that still holds value very well, and might incline you to stick to plan & keep bike full two years, a slightly older Veradaro.... BUT that stretches the compromise, and risk is it ius less likely to be so 'reliable' or 'so' low maintenence and could cost a bit more long term....

Your play, really..... but I'd be backing away from those chinky things.

You may have had an 'OK' experience with a Chinky-Fifty... but they dont make the power to do themselves too much damage, and they dont have the same number of moving parts. 125's with gears do, and they more often prove trouble than not.

YBR, still built in China, but with Japanese QC, its not top-draw fit & finish, but it IS to a standard.

CBF125... built in India with Jap QC, and again, built down to a price; 2/3 the cost the CBF with some bath-sides moulded around the engine & head-lamp, and again almost 1/2 the price of the Veradaro.

Yes, the YBR & CBF are 'Japanese' bikes, but they are still cost cutting models built down to a price, you shouldn't expect them to have the durability & finish of top line models you ENT paying for it!

What you ARE paying for is reputable manufacturing STANDARD and engineering. NOT top draw, but 'acceptable'.

The Chinese copies, are ONLY cheaper than the Japanese branded bikes becouse they are NOT paying for the design, using 'copy' parts and aplying little or NO quality control to ensure standards are maintained.

YES, £800 price difference between a Lexmoto and a Yamaha, seems a big one, but, what are you getting for that money?

1/ You are getting a bike that is assured to do the speed it says in the book
2/ that is assured to 'last'
3/ that is supported by wide-spread, easily accessed dealer and aftermarkey spares and service network
4/ that has an assured level of residual value at re-sale.

Cost of ownership? £1600 Lexmot, two years on, at best worth £500, thats more of a 'loss' than the original saving, compared to YBR that two years in, even brand NEW ought o still be worth £1500, so have cost you just £700, ie, £400 LESS to have the better, nicer, faster, easier to live with machine.

Like I said, we run the numbers time and time again..... YBR KEEPS coming out the accountants favourite!
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[blito]

I must agree with Mikes comments - there are a couple of two year old jap bikes on ebay for around £1500 and they do seem to make more financial sense when you consider resale value. Theres a choice of Marauder, CBF, YBR, VanVAn or slightly older CBR and Varadero. Also spotted a very tidy 13 year old 6000 mile SR for just £650.. it wasn't what I had in mind but the maths is hard to ignore on that one!
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2012 Zontes Monster

[Rogerborg]

[Ribenapigeon]

On the side of spending more initially rather than less and making a false economy. If you are wanting to keep your bike for a couple of years then you would be better spending more or getting a bona fide Japenese machine.

You said your not keen on a supermoto design but also suggest your tall. I have a Yammy WR125X which is perfect for my height (6`2") and is as comfy as anything and im on my bike all day as I use it for work. Now i bought a new one £4000 which your obviously not in a position to do but when looking for a bike there were plenty of used examples at a range of prices from £1500 upwards. Like you im going to be using my 125 for a few years as its so good for work im going to keep it as a work horse after ive got my proper licence. I cant recoment the WR125X too highly, the great advatage over other 125`s is its a full sized bike. Over the last couple of months a number of people have stopped me to chat about it and are suprised when they see its a 125.

By the way if your looking at finance as an option, im paying £120 per month for my WR and put £500 down, the dealer also gave me 20% off on top of sale prices for my gear and payed for my CBT so although the bike is pricey I actually saved a few hundred by buying new.

Good luck huntin

[Rogerborg]

Counterpoint: the turn-the-key depreciation on that WR could have paid for a taught training course leading to a license which opens up a whole world of "full size" bikes that offer far better value for money than any 125.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Ribenapigeon]

For me the 125 is a perfect size as I do a lot of stop start riding from one client to the next. A bigger engined bike is not so good for this as it gets more worn under that kind of activity than a little engine which warms up quicker. My small budget bike will be for my weekend blasts out of the city at the weekends.

Sometimes its just nice to have sopmething new. I've had so many banger cars over the years with the bike I wanted to treat myself. A great thing about bikes as well is unlike cars your not tied to having to hav lessons with an instructor. Apart from the CBT you can essentially get out and learn things for yourself. I did look at doing an intensive DAS course but just found the prospect of a whole week intensivly learning when I had never ridden a bike and then having to do tests at it too off putting.

[blito]

I appreciate the replies guys. I really hope that my work here is helping others work out what is best for them as well.
Been round and seen 3 more bikes as well today and they are :-

2007 Kawasaki Eliminator £1600 at a back street dealer. Very tidy bike with 6 months MOT and 12 months Tax. Now then, this is not my sort of thing but it does appeal to my other half who is in exactly the same position as me, only she has yet to sell her 1 year old moped. Karen really liked the style and feel of this. I thought it was too extreme in its cruiser style to be a practical learner ride. The dealer did offer Karen the £600 she wants for her moped as a part ex mind you. She is very tempted. I was less tempted.
20?? Sachs XTC £1100. Lunatic baby racer thats been trashed and is held together by sticky tape and cable ties.... a disaster waiting to happen
2000 Kymco Sector £800 Yamaha SR custom-esque style bike thats clearly going off the cliff condition wise. Leaking fork seals, crusty forks, tatty tatty tatty. /Ignore

The £1000 VanVan has gone today, sold just as Karen turned up to have a look, and the £1500 Marauder has gone too but I've just rang the seller of the £650 Yammie SR custom. Going to see it at the weekend and might just take a pocket full of cash with me.....
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2012 Zontes Monster

[Rogerborg]

[TamaJosh]

Looks like you missed the CBF125!

I've had mine for over a year and it's perfect! Reliable and comfy and decent handling. Only criticism is that it has some poor finishes on the metalwork and a few flimsy (non essential) fittings.

[Hokum]

Some other models to look into.

Sinnis Apache, A Suzuki DR125 copy

Derbi Senda/Terra, supermoto/adventure style bikes.

Derbi City cross, learner version of ther senda (12hp engine).
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Sane: To know when you are doing something crazy.

[_Iain_]

2k for a raggety YBR?

I've got a pretty clean one with a load of extras on it, and a VERY fsh for sale for around that? Or swapsies for something big & very practical for courier. Dullville would be nice!
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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

[Hokum]

I had a look at the Cross City at Scooter Crazy. The Riding position was better for me than the YBR. It was less cramped, and the seat was much higher. Build quality seemed good. The only issue is that the shop didn't have one for a test ride and didn't have any Terra or Terra Adventure.

Why have a range of bikes when you can't try them out? Who would buy a bike having just cocked your leg over it?

It took me about 20 mins of riding the YBR on my CBT to realise that it was too small.
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Sane: To know when you are doing something crazy.

[blito]

[Spudly]

As regards that Kawa Eliminator, my brother back in Australia used the 250 variant for his learner period and tells me it was fantastic. From what he could figure out, the only difference between the 125 and the 250 is the engine, everything else is identical.

Comes down to what you are comfortable with I think - as another wise biker told me, a learner 125 is a learner 125, they will all put the same power out, everything else is cosmetic. Go with what makes your heart happy.

Personally, I'm on a GZ Marauder, which absolutely does the trick for me.
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The Old Apprentice

[cdlxxvi]

[Hokum]

I noticed that, I was thinking it was just cause it was new?
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Sane: To know when you are doing something crazy.

[blito]

........ and eventually I paid my money and made my choice........

NEW Zontes Monster £1500 otr
Something just clicked with me when I first saw this bike. Its the big brother to the Zontes Panther that I saw early on and dismissed as too compact. This bike is big by 125 standards with a narrow seat and wide bars and it just fits me perfectly. The engine is apparently good for 8.4kw ( 11.7bhp I think) and seems to give plenty of torque from low revs. Obviously I'm still running the bike in but the initial impression is that it is considerably perkier than the YBR I did my CBT on. Tyres are a decent size and the bike seems to handle city streets well. Less impressive are the brakes which seem to be a little on the gentle side. Obviously, being chinky machine I will have to pay extra attention to keeping it clean and properly maintained - I intend to be riding this thing for next 2/3 years, after which time I should have a nice shiny test certificate to my name and the money to sink into something even bigger
https://img96.imageshack.us/img96/7605/dscf1543e.jpg
https://img804.imageshack.us/img804/6332/monster1n.jpg

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
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2012 Zontes Monster

[GF-91]

[Rogerborg]

Pursuit for the unique!

Well, you know the score. ACF-50, LocTite and spring washers as necessary, find and protect any exposed wiring, oil change early and often, and start looking for sources of parts now.

Best of luck.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike