Best 125 for commuting?

[Wangeye08]

Hey all

My wife is looking for a 125 to do her 35mile daily commute on. Any recommendations?

The CBF125 looked the best pick, but I've just come across a thread about poor build quality and rust issues. Not sure if this is common on these, or an unlucky few. Was impressed with the 100+mpg and what should be good build quality with it being a Honda.

We're looking at buying new, so are open to suggestions on what would be a good bike to get.

Cheers

[SophR so good]

Does she currently ride or have a license? Doing 35 miles a day on a 125 is supremely depressing. I say this as someone who recently upgraded after commuting 40 miles a day on a cbf125, it's really tiring compared to a bigger bike, if she can at least get a 250 itd be better.
____________________
You win again, gravity! - Zap Brannigan, BCF BBQ 2016

[Wangeye08]

She's not ridden since she was about 16....16 years ago!

She's taking her CBT in a couple of weeks. She's planning on doing her license in a few months. However, the plan was to run a 125 to work to save a few £££. Can a 250 be as economical? Either way, she needs a 125 for a while first anyway

[SophR so good]

Then a cbf will be fine, it'll sell for the same amount you buy for if you go private rather than dealer. Or ybr is the same.

A 125 is of course going to be more economical than bigger but for the sake of a couple of quid a week it's really not worth the misery.
____________________
You win again, gravity! - Zap Brannigan, BCF BBQ 2016

[Wangeye08]

[SophR so good]

Further argument for that... 0 to 175 miles a week with no training is a big leap.
____________________
You win again, gravity! - Zap Brannigan, BCF BBQ 2016

[Teflon-Mike]

Answer is a regulation learner-commuter like the YBR125.
Uncompromised for style, it has the most neutral riding position for control and manouverability and visability.
Likewise, its all function before form, so tends to offer the best allround compromise of cost to serviceability to maintenence and reliability etc.

BUT... L-Plates is for learning, getting practice to pass tests. ALL tests require of any one is to show they can safely manage the motorcycle, follow road laws, road signs and markings and basically get from one side of town to the other without causing hazard or killing anyone.. mush like a daily commute.....

SO, if she dont think she is ready to take and stand fair chance of passing tests... she AINT ready to commute, is she?

Do the learning; get the licence, or at least up to standard to get the licence, THEN commuting might be a reasonable thing to do.

Going it alone is also the chool of hard knocks; it dont teach you what to do, it just punishes you for getting it wrong... and you REALLY dont want to be getting it wrong in that commuter traffic!

Commuter traffic is NOT the best place to try building confident when you muff your gear change and stall at a give way, or anything!

And dropping a little 125 in a silly newby spill, even the lightest of them that needs no more than say a new brake lever and mirror to get it back in use, can rather quickly start denting that notion of 'cheapness'.

If she did a course, to get her full licence, she could get all the learning to get up to test standard and taught how to do stuff right, right at the start without having to suffer so many 'hard knocks'...

Courses may seem expensive, but it's hard to put a value on what they 'save' in crashes you dont have from having that up front learning!

Doing a course, would probably mean she got a Ride What You Like Licence.... that IS RIDE WHAT YOU LIKE.. no one says you MUST go get a supoermegabike just cos licence allows you to, you can still ride a lightweight if that is what you want, and price is more important than performance... and mentioned in another recent thread on the topic, possible to find even more 'cheap' in many non learner legal, non 125's, and up to about a 500cc commuter twin, you can make the numbers sway your way on the 'all in' bag of costs.

35miles a day? What 17.5 each way or 70 a day?

Its not insignificant. I have commuted 50 miles each way a day on a 125.... my bones were an awful lot newer when I did it, and I dont 'remember' it being all that much of a hardship.... but I am sure it must have been! I can hack about 20-25 at a stretch on a 125 these days...

So it's 'do-able', but a bigger bike would likely be a lot more comfy for it... AND, again, straight off the stops of CBT? As a learner head working over time to remember all you were taught, get familiar with the bike, and deal with traffic... THAT sort of distance is going to be hard work, and pushing fatigue levels before she has even started work, and dragging them into brain numb mode when she's finished, which is NOT a great state to be in for survival on two wheels, and more reason to leave the commuting until licenced up and a bit of experience is in the bag.

And comment suggests she has yet to even do CBT....

Backing up a bit; 'what bike' is really the last thing on teh list you need worry about.

1/ What's teh school's catering arangements? Should she bring sandwhiches/snax fun size mars bars for teacher (YES! all love a fun size mars bar and every ne could do with teh sugar boost at some point of a CBT course that CAN be very very mentally and physically draining!

2/ Clothing. Do school loan ALL kit. what kit dont they loan? What kit do they reccomend she buy before?

On which notion, not chucking big money at the job upfront; there's a whole lesson on the course devoted to gear; but a 'cheap' say £30 crash hat, bought in a shop so she can try it on, 'just' for the course could be worth while; a pair of comfy and this time of year, warm gloves, likewise, abd again, cos of the time of year a 'cheap' waterproof over suit. Add some sensible footwear out the wardrobe; and sensible out door cloths, she doesn't NEED a full 'My first Riding Outfit' just for CBT, and as mentioned, its a tough day, she may come home and insist she's scrapped the idea! If not? well, it's a start to putting together an outfit; you can add to or upgrade as suits wallet as you go from there.

3/ Logistics to get to and from CBT. and plan a day of rest after it! she WILL likely be knackered and sore! It IS a tough day, and there is NO GARANTEE she will complete in one day. It is only the first lesson, BASIC training, and there is a HELL of a lot to take in on it; and an awful lot of people are fried out by lunch time, and many dont want, or aren't deemed up to standard to do the afternoon road ride, and give up or come back for further training on another day.

YOU.. plan a pamper night for when she comes home! have her tea ready and a hot bath run for her, to win brownie points... always worth having IME!!!!!

WHEN she has done her CBT... then it can start to get a bit more real; and CBT aught to inform a fair bit of the choices; main one whether 125ing on L's, and going it alone, and trying to tackle that commuter battle... and the weather IS such an atractive money saving idea.... but more, whether a 125 to get started is the 'best' way to go, and whether if a full licence is on the cards, better to cut to the chase and get that learning up front, and the licence in the bag at the beginning with so much more know how to do it right...

THEN you can start looking notionally at bikes, if only to get make and model names to crunch in insurance comparison sites....

Insurance is usually a nightmare, and a bit more complicated than car insurance when they start asking you things like 'Including commuting' or 'including pillion cover'; which can significantly effect the prices; and if she's going to try going to work on the thing at least 'commuting' will be needed, and isn't 'standard' as so many bikes are sunny day toys not get to work transport.

Also worth noting that insurance for a qualified full licence holder on bigger bike can be cheaper than they are for a 125 on L's. Actually. insurance for a 125 can be more expensive than many bigger fulllicence bikes! I think my 125 costs me a tenner a year more to insure than my 750! another nugget in the notion a 125 'must' be cheaper to run, and something else to factor into the costs of considering a course up front.

Also brings up question of security; bikes are easily nicked; and little ones are ever so much more nickeable. Before buying a bike... buy a fucking bike lock! for gawds sake! Of you may not have bike long!

And for commuting; double consideration; how do you store & secure at home; how do you store and secure at work? Parked in the open in the same spot every day, that's the most likely place it'll go walkies from. (another reason +commuting tends to add a lot to the insurance premium}

Then you can do a 'kit' audit, and whether she wants a whole load of dedicated riding gear... she's a woman.. they tend to!!! And deliberations over leathers vs textiles etc; boots; and waterproofs...

Which begs question of where to keep such stuff, when she gets off teh bike at work? Locker? Luggage? top Box on the bike? this sort of thing.

THEN you get down to maybe thinking actual bikes.....

It really is the very last thing on the list she actually needs... and here and now CBT and possibly a full course is right at the top...

And my 'best' advice? DONT RUSH rushing be fast way to hurt (physical and financial! when it comes to bikes. Take it one step at a time; don't hurry; less haste more speed.

Learning can be fun; so split that out, and set the sites on having that 'fun' learning to ride and getting on the road; DONT load it up with pressure and hassle with the imperative of trying to get to work, or save money yet... that can come all in its own sweet time.

And as a heads up; DONT bank on any savings. cost of CBT, cost of gearing up; cost of getting a bike and putting it to work; the 'set up' costs are not going to be insignificant, and when the bills for routine maintenance start coming in, and they tend to be a bit of a shock to car drivers used to washing-machine like domestic applience turn key useability, in how frequently maintenance is required, and how much it can cost, especially if you pay a mechanic to do it for you rather than getting the work-shop manual and DIYing it; the cost of any almost inevitable repairs, from something as daft as a broken wing mirror, smacked on a bike shed wall, or other superficial damage fumbling it onto its stand, let alone a newby spill, where only injury is to pride and wallet; the nice neat cost projections you might have drawn up now are going to go right out the window!

Do it for the fun of; expect and anticipate the big costs; budget and expect the hidden, and DONT expect to see anything 'paying for itself' in big savings if there ever are any, any too soon!

Any extra cash in her pocket from only having to spend £20 at the pump to fill it for the week, rather than maybe £50, will quickly be lost to the "Oooh a pin-lock to stop my visor misting up? Yeah I NEED one of them" or other stuff you never even imagines would become 'essential' to life with a bike!

Also quite normal for the first year to be quite expensive as 'gear' is chopped and changed to find what's most comfy and works best; but also, it doesn't last for ever.

Crash hats have a typical service life of three to five years in 'average' use. Daily all weather commuting though is top end of average; usually double the average mileage most riders do a year, and in the harshest enviroment of heavy traffic and bad weather. Couriers and coppas will buy expensive helmets that could last maybe five years in average use, and swap them often more than once a year becoause of the added wear and tear'. Commuting isn't so harsh; but will still shorten service life, and a cheap helmet will probably only last a year; visor on it certainly wont last any longer, and that's probably as expensive to replace as the hat. Waterproofs and riding wear, boots particularly, will all need replacing farily often, and add to the 'hidden costs'; and cheaper kit you get to start, sooner it'll likely need replacing.

Savings are there to be had, IF you work for them; but they tend not to come in a hurry, and not be as big as expected; whilst new 'enthusiasm' of the persuit can see them all wend thier way out the window, and more costs start mounting as like any 'hobby' the enthusiasm begs spend in places you never even imagined.

BUT that's a long way down the line. Here and now is planning for CBT, getting that in the bag, and seeing where it leads, then pondering the L-Plating vs DAS & Licence route to a full licence; and after that, implications of what bike may best suit.

But Here and now, PLEASE, take ambitions of leaping onto a lightweight bike, on Monday Morning to go to work, after no more than 8 hours wobbling round a carpark, off the table. Its just a bad idea. Take it a step at a time; dont rush; do the learning, get the licence THEN think about the commuting.. and dont bag so much into the scheme, putting more presure on trying to do too much too soon, and see so many ambitions realised in such a hurry,
____________________
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?'

[Rogerborg]

I wouldn't send my wife out essentially untrained on a 125.

If you do end up going that way, I'd suggest a scooter rather than a bike. PCX125 or similar.
____________________
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

[kgm]

I regularly do rides of 150 miles+ around A & B roads quite comfortably on the CG125 if I fancy a change from the bigger bike, could easily do longer and have no trouble keeping up with the traffic.

HOWEVER, doing 35 miles every day (maybe not so bad if that's round trip) would get old really fast, especially if there's dual carriageway involved. If it's mainly about town type driving then a 125 will be fine but if it's mainly NSL then I'd want something bigger. A 250 won't quite match a 125 for economy but it won't be far off and the extra power makes it very much worth it.

As said it is quite a jump from zero. Not so bad if she has car experience but probably worth a few weeks at least of casual riding before launching into it.

If set on the 125 the Varadero is probably the pick of the bunch for a longer commute - provided the height isn't an issue for her.

[Teflon-Mike]

Comfort connundrum has had me pondering; I know my old bones start grumbling on the tiddler at about 25miles, and I do crank up much bigger miles in a go on the 750, but on the 750 I'll be tackling less tiring longer runs anyway. Last time I took the 750 into the city, and had to do that bit more work; the 'comfort level' was probably not so far different.

For learner's though, it can trend a bit dumbell wise. The 'strain' of contending with the chaos of commuter snarl, so much going on, and so much to take note of and respond to, can be utterly utterly blasting.... especially if they don't really know what they should be doing to start with and haven't built up their confidence.... alternatively that 'ignorance is bliss' saves'em! NOT knowing what they should do they don't fret about so much and get on and do.. probably taking more chances or risks than is prudent... but not finding it such a strain!

Training and prep and confidence, of doing the course for a RWYL Licence is probably the more influential to making it less strenuous than having bigger bike to do it on.

The added power and flexability of a modern 250, like a CRF250 or Ninja would have to be off-set against the narrow saddle and human parachute or 'I'm ready for you master' riding position! An old Honda 250 Super-Dream with upright riding position and smooth counter-balenced twin cylinder engine, and big bike comfy seat, would be a far more appealing prospect.. but that had the weight and bulk of a 500 commuter twin (which it was basically, with the engine sleeved down to meet licence regs!); might as well get a 500!

Scooters - just scare me! Their wheels are TOO SMALL! engine's in the wrong place; weight distribution perverse, and suspension 'crude'; still astounds me why they even 'work'! riding position's useful though, and they are easy to weave and wiggle about, but I never have confidence I can brake and not have the damn thing skit out from under me! scootah boy round the corner on the other hand has done everything from full on road-racing thru the Ska rallies to the big Mod-tours, and would pick his Lambretta over my 750 for a weeks two-up touring!

So I guess a lots down to expectation and pain thresholds really!

BUT. key has to be confidence and competence, and training the best route to getting a head start on that, whatever you decide to commute on after, or how far you have to go on it.
____________________
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?'

[Rogerborg]

[Teflon-Mike]

[DrSnoosnoo]

What kid of roads are these 35 miles on?

I do 50 miles per day on my 600cc bike. I can be absolutely sure that doing my ride on a 125cc (commuter L plate bike) would get very tiring very very quickly.

If you're on A-roads, like 70 % of my journey, a 125 won't cut it. You'll (she will) reach 60 mph sometimes, unless it's windy. Wind will slow her down and send her all over the road. It will struggle to make quick easy overtakes of slower traffic.

BUT

If those 35 miles are cross town/ city on 40 - 50 mph roads, I'd use a 125, but the bigger varadero or a larger wheeled commuter scooter PCX et al. I would NEVER buy a CBF125 after the experiences reported on here.

Jury's still out on the newer CB125F, though.

Final point, I wouldn't want somebody driving a car after a quick show around the controls. Equally, I wouldn't want somebody riding a more dangerous (personal danger) choice of vehicle after a day's training. Go big or go home

Hope that helps. (It won't)
____________________
I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[Ste]

Don't waste time wobbling around on a tiddler, she should get her big boys girls license and she will enjoy many times.

She could do the training and DAS tests in less time than it takes to read teffers wall of text.

[Alpineandy]

Another vote for a DAS from me.
The extra days training for it will be a big benefit (assuming you want her alive, to stay in one bit and without new scars).
And getting a DAS doesn't mean you have to go 'big'. Anything bigger than 125 has more torque than a 125 and will be much less of a pain to ride daily. So most 250s or 300s are still small in size and weight but light years better for the drudgery of a commute when the weather isn't excellent.
____________________
The above comment isn't necessarily the truth and anyone that says it is, is only correct if it's the truth or they're bigger than me.

[c_dug]

I've done my commute on a whole host of bikes, I really don't see much difference in doing it on a 125 compared to a big bike.

If it was fast country roads I'd probably be wanting a bigger bike, but dual carriageways have multiple lanes for a reason, and traffic is the ultimate equaliser. 180bhp makes no difference when you're beside a 14bhp 125 at a red light or stuck behind some pleb wobbling along at 5mph between cars

That said, I'd probably suggest extra training/DAS too, IMO it's almost entirely the rider not the bike that makes the difference - mostly it comes with riding, but some of it can be instilled in training, every little helps!
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Evil Hans]

I spent the best part of two years doing 40+ miles a day, every day, on a 125. A Chinese 125 at that.

I didn't get deaded very much at all. In fact nothing remotely scary or even interesting happened. Ooh no, that's a lie. I got a puncture one day. And sometimes it rained a bit. And I fitted some heated grips in time for the second winter.

But when my CBT renewal was approaching I said to myself "f*** this, I'll just get on and take the full A test and get it over with. Then I can carry on riding my 125 FOREVER without L plates. Why would I need a bigger bike?

So I passed the test on a 600, and instantly realised how much easier my commute would be on a bigger bike. Within a week of passing the test I bought a 600.

Yes, the fuel consumption is doubled, but it's still pretty good. And they really are easier to ride. No, I didn't believe it either until I tried it, but it's true. The extra stability at low speeds, greater torque and fewer gear changes means it's far easier to drive in traffic and to filter.

So in summary it's perfectly possible to do it on a 125. And commuting on the 125 was far quicker and easier than using the car.

Would I go back to using a 125 every day? No effing way.
____________________
Triumph Sprint ST 1050. And it's Red.

[Derivative]

Having had a few different bikes now, I used to think '125 = super economy', but I'm coming around as of late.

The fuel savings only really come in to play over a period of years.
100mpg vs 50mpg (fairly extreme example) saves 544 quid over 10,000 miles (> 1 working year of a 35 mile round trip).

As an old with less tolerance for bullshit I'd go with the comfort unless the cost savings are majestic. In London a 600/1000 is still competitive with the tube cost wise.

If you are buying a 125, honestly, I'd just go for the cheapest example that looks likely to make it through a year. Life's too short to faff around trying to get 100 quid better depreciation or whatever, IMO.

[thx1138]

CBF125 is fine, needs looking after though. Won't suffer the neglect and abuse of Hondas of old.

However, is a very blowy about bike IMO.

I was getting way over 120mpg out of it.

VanVan 125 better, but silly little tank, and pricey.

[Wangeye08]

thanks guys for the *massive* wealth of info!

What you are all saying about the tests etc, makes a LOT of sense! She used to love riding her moped round as a teenager, I think she's wanting to get back on a bike ASAP, especially now she's decided that's what she wants to do.

I'm thinking that perhaps getting her to get her CBT out of the way, then pickup a cheap 125 for her to pootle about on for a little bit would be the way forward....once she's back into the swing of it a bit, do the full license, ditch the 125 and pick up something a bit better for here to do the actual commute on.

All your comments have really opened my eyes, and probably hers once I show this to her!

Now, anyone know of any cheapo 125s for sale down in Cornwall!!

[Teflon-Mike]

[Beehive Bedlam]

The Varadero is the king of the 125cc category.

[carpe_diem]

[kgm]

[Rogerborg]