Entertaining Smaller Bikes

[stevo as b4]

I just think they get the best out of 15bhp, which most manufacturers 125's these days don't. A true light weight 125 with a well specced chassis and tyre sizes available in sticky choices along with reasonable aerodynamics and being overbraked for the weight/performance helps them.

I do get what you mean though as apparently thrashed properly through the gears 70mph+ on the speedo at least is not a once in a blue moon occurance.

[M.C]

Depends how you define best, I wouldn't say getting a few more bhp over a CG, at the expense of engine life (alleged <30k) is anything to be proud off. There are a few 'full power' 125s I would have, that would not be one of them. I appreciate when you're 17 the fact it looks like a big bike will clinch it.

[stevo as b4]

Thing is that a piped and mapped 125 R1 will probably run to those 30k miles+, with only routine servicing.

You have no chance of maintaining full crispness of a much spicier discontinued 125 for 30k without intensive spanner work, and if similarly tuned or more because it's easier to do so, then life is measured more likely by the duration of a full moon.

[Petemate]

[pepperami]

Ironic that we're here talking positively about bikes with smaller capacity engines.

So many times in so many threads people spout the hate for smaller bike and say how shit they are because they don't have a gazillions of bhp

Long live the 250 !
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Alpineandy]

[M.C]

I definitely don't have any appetite for another 4-stroke (or even restricted 2-stroke) 125, and I won't in 20 years time either Bikes like the Duke 200 show what they could be if it wasn't for licensing laws (if the 250 limit still existed for example).

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[stevo as b4]

Sorry but that sounds like opinionated bollocks @(Alpine Andy)
There ain't that much difference between 12/15bhp and 20bhp tbh. Its power to weight that matters and especially on small low power bikes. A 20bhp 150kg bike is crap to ride compared to a 12bhp 90kg bike.

Anyway less than 20bhp/125's being crap in traffic? I assume you mean in faster moving traffic like busy dual carriageways, motorways or fast A-road? In a stop start 20-30mph city a 12bhp bike is as good as a 100bhp bike.

Anyway I've had fun on all kinds of 125's two and four stroke. None are magical or light years ahead of each other either.
I've also found the way to have fun on light and low powered bikes is spend as much time avoiding traffic totally if possible. That's what I don't my 125anyway.

[thx1138]

[RodYork]

[M.C]

^ I like them as I can reach the floor on one. Rare thing for me on that style of bike.

[Dave70]

[Alpineandy]

[kgm]

[kgm]

[Rogerborg]

[secretagentmo...]

[Baffler186]

I enjoyed my 400 Hondamatic and would have kept it, had it not been so old, rare and pricey to get parts for. At 25HP it was just about quick enough. It was more of a cruiser though, you couldn't even work through the gears to earn your fun because it only had 2. at 60mph+ it was like sitting on a washing machine, but it was the simplest of machines and perfect for a lazy trundle across the moors.

I'd liken it to my late Grandad (mother's side). Slow and sometimes grumpy, crippled with arthritis but full of character.

If I wanted a smaller cc bike again, I'd certainly go for a sportage 250 or similar. I think handling can more than make up for reduced power.
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Current: 2009 SV650 S, 1990 Kawasaki GT550
Previous: 2009 CBF125, 1998 GSF600, 2004 FZ6 Fazer, 1978 CB400a Hondamatic

[thx1138]

[lilredmachine]

How has no one mentioned the 250 4 stroke sports from the late 80's and early 90's yet?

40-45 hp and 150kg on small tyres, and ignition cutoffs between 19 and 21k rpm.

They are the ultimate 250 4 stroke machines and make all the modern stuff look like they have lawnmower engines by comparison.
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Bikes: too many, too much for one man to maintain anyway.

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[Rogerborg]

[lilredmachine]

Having ridden a few of them, the CBR250RR and the FZR250 are my favourites, and I own a CBR now. Close second to those two is the ZXR-250, the GSX-R 250 was a bit of a let down, and trails the other 3, with an odd, almost electric power delivery. It pales in comparison to the top heavy, banshee wail delivery of the others.

Never ridden the Gpz, but being a twin i'm guessing it'll have a little more stomp than the others, with a bit more torque but the top end is more like 95 than 120. When you have little weight and a motor that begs to be revved (and needs to be revved to get anywhere, believe peak power on the CBR is 16,000 rpm) you find yourself flying everywhere. I'm far more likely to lose my licence on the 250 than my turbo haha.
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Bikes: too many, too much for one man to maintain anyway.

[kgm]