looking for a 125 to do approx 100 miles per day

[nikkow1]

Hi

I am starting a new job that avoiding motorways will be roughly 50 miles each way. In a bid to avoid traffic in the cheapest and quickest way I have booked my CBT and have been looking at 125 options to do the journey.

Just looking for any advice on any bikes that you think would be robust enough to put up with this journey? I have been looking at the Herald classics purely from a stylistic perspective but have had it suggested to me that Japanese bikes may be better?

I do think I will move onto DAS and bigger models soon but time and financial constraints have left me with this 125 option.

All advice welcome! Many thanks.

[Fizzoid]

Don't think I'd want to do that sort of mileage every day on a 125, but hey...

Most important question is, what's your budget?

[nikkow1]

Yes other people have said that to me but I think that's my realistic option right now.

I wouldn't want to spend much more than 800, 1000 at max and am quite prepared to go second hand as I do think I will do full licence at earliest opportunity

[Fizzoid]

For that budget, it's not a matter of being quite prepared to go second hand, it's a matter of having to...

Within budget, I'd personally recommend a Yamaha YBR. They're reliable enough if looked after, and spares are easy enough to get.

What's your location, I know of one that's popped up recently and from the pics I've seen, looks ok

[linuxyeti]

Hi

I used to ride a round trip of 80 miles a day on a 125, what's even more shocking, it was a Chituma CTM-125. It's doable, quite comfortably, just keep on top of your maintenance, and it should be fine. Even chinese 125's build quality has improved on what the Chituma was all those years ago !! And that didn't let me down, so, no reason why a modern 1 wouldn't do the job just as well.

More often than not, it was quicker on the 125, avoiding the motorway, than it was in the car, either using or avoiding the motorway
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[nikkow1]

yes I realise what I had said after posting! I just don't want to shell out on a new bike to sell it again in a few months to upgrade to a bigger engine.

I am around the Cambridge area

[nikkow1]

linuxyeti thanks for that, some reassuring words!

[Wonko The Sane]

Is there a reason you're not just going straight for getting your tests done and straight onto a full size bike?

The amount you may loose having bought a 125cc for, lets say £1000 put a fair amount of millage on it with that commute and sell again for, say £500 to spend £1200 on a larger bike it might be simpler and more cost effective to just get on with it.

Bike suggestion wise, I had a Honda Varadero 125cc which was brilliant for commuting, had a bit more power than, say, a CB125, a decent size fairing to keep a bit of weather off you and comfortable for long distances (rode from London to Manchester on it when I moved house) Why Honda dropped it from the range I'll never understand.

Whatever bike you look at I'd be wanting to check the availability of spares as you are going to wear things out (tyres, chain & sprockets etc) and service interval. Some budget 125's have quite short service intervals of only a few thousand miles, you'll end up servicing it every month.
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[nikkow1]

Wonko The Sane - well new job starts 14th august and in that time I have got a few days I am away and I need to do theory and practical test for c1 category on driving licence which is week's worth of training and over £700, I just don't think I have the time and money at this stage to do full bike test.

Thanks for your advice and suggestion

[Polarbear]

Please don't buy Chinese. You obviously know fuck all about bikes so the last thing you need is that sort of grief.

linuxyeti is our resident Chinese bike protagonist, I, on the other hand am not a fan (understatement of the year)

If you are a competent home mechanic, then maybe you can keep a Chinese pos on the road day in, day out but even then I'd trust an old Japanese 125 over them.

YBR is probably the choice for you though I would want a Varadero myself for that journey if I HAD to do it on a 125.
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[Fizzoid]

[stevo as b4]

It's back to that same old answer that crops up every time.

Limited budget and time, means you buy whatever bike you can find that's clean, tidy and looked after, regardless of make/model and age. There's not a good or bad bike to do X mileage a day on, but it's got to be something that you can ride in comfort (well for a 125).

Being specific or fussy (and that's only if you can afford to and that theres a plethora of good 125's locally for sale) then I'd try to tick at least some of the following attributes:

1, not a trail bike as they arnt comfy for 50miles+ on the road, and have small tanks and plank seats.

2, four stroke engine to save you fuel and need less attention.

3, Weather protection and storage (think scooters)

4, something that is fairly common and easy to buy parts for. Eg if you live 2miles from a Yamaha dealer for example, a Yamaha might make life easier than lexmoto or something with few dealers.

I've seen locally to me good low mileage and fairly new Japanese scooters pop up for sale in local papers and free ads for not much over your budget. Often they have accessories like top box, screen etc. If I could drop on one quickly that's where my cash would be going for a daily.

[nikkow1]

polarbear you are absolutely right, I do know sweet FA and am very grateful for all your advice.

I am a bit of a short arse, are the Varadero's quite high seated?

Thanks stevo, some good tips to bear in mind.

Does anyone have experience or views on the Herald classic 125? I have seen one advertised that looks in good condition and could be going for less than £600

[Wonko The Sane]

[Polarbear]

A Herald Classic is a generic Chinese 125. Rogerborg or Linuxyeti will know whether it's a good Chinese 125 (an oxymoron if I ever heard one) or a bad Chinese 125 and who actually makes them. I don't have a clue.

If you aren't going to do your own maintenance you will need a mechanic. Either an independent or a main dealer. As said before, if your local bike shop is a Yamaha, get a Yamaha. If it's an independent, check they will touch Chinese. Some won't.
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[nikkow1]

Just had a quick look, they do come from China apparently - the same place that produced a Suzuki GN if that means anything? But assembled in the UK, Huntingdon in fact which is 30 minutes from me. I also know of a dealer just around the corner so parts shouldn't be an issue.

I totally understand what you are saying about practicality of a scooter but for some reason I just don't want one. I want something that will at least give me somewhere near the experience of riding a proper motorbike as I will be upgrading in the future

[Evil Hans]

[Rogerborg]

Teflon Mike.

Teflon Mike.

Teflon Mike.

+1 to a YBR. Common, cheap, parts a-plenty, and it'll still be worth something when you realise you should have gone straight to DAS.
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[Wonko The Sane]

[nikkow1]

well its 3 years old and brand new ones are under 2000. the ad says it has had the cat and egr valve removed and that the "clutch occasionally makes a honking noise when pulling away quickly" other than that the ad reads that the bike runs well

[Alpineandy]

[Alpineandy]

[nikkow1]

Hi alpineandy, thanks for that. Yes there is a place very near by that sells and services them, actually told me today if I could get a cheap one they can look after it for me

[Johnnythefox]

IMHO this reads as a classic, I have decided to buy a Herald 125 cos hipster (and in truth i like the way it looks myself) and I would like BCF to tell me it's a great idea.

However. my humble opinion, 1. DAS 2. Scooter 3. YBR

[Kentol750]

Why not keep the car?
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