Advice for a bike on a budget

[enj1996]

Hi all,
Recently sold my car and am wanting a 125cc motorbike again because I miss the feeling of flying through London traffic. I sold my 2008 Yamaha YBR 125 to finance the car and have regretted it ever since, so I was hoping if there were any other reliable recommendations for a geared bike, perhaps under £700?
I've got two years no claims on it but looking at the newer CBFs, it'd cost me nearly a grand on insurance! I'm turning 23 next March, have a full car licence and a year to go on my CBT - any recommendations for a cheaper bike that wouldn't kill my insurance?

Much appreciated for any advice
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JDEP - 05/09/1960 - 13/06/2017.
"It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness".

[kgm]

Another YBR? For cheap and cheerful there isn't much better.

The cbf125 tends to rot a bit if not coddled but telhe newer cb125f is a bit better.

For £700 I'd be looking at a YBR or a CG

[talkToTheHat]

Any japanese 125 that runs, don't be afraid of a 10+ year old one if it runs. Your insurance will come down, but a license and continuous years riding will help. Year one of a car was over a grand for me, 600 the year after. An Enhanced Rider course on top of a license may drop your insurance, and you can get on those for at little as £20 all in.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[enj1996]

[enj1996]

[kgm]

[Teflon-Mike]

The YBR is the accountants favorite, and consistently comes in the cheapest 125 to own, in the long run, when buy-price vs sell-price taken into account; there is very little out there that's any cheaper to own or run, and whilst you may save a few penies on the buy-price with something like a Lexmoto or other generic chinese built bike, all in, it wont be much if any cheaper to insure, and what you may save on the buy-price you'll likely loose on the maintenence and sell-price.... so answer is another YBR.

As to the 'under £700'? Well yup, you might find one, for that kind of cash, but, every-one else is out looking for sub grand bus-fare beaters too... you will be lucky to get to anything before any-one else, and find it in any state even close to worth the money.....

You might find some Lexmoto's and similar in that sort of budget, and hopefully something past its first MOT with some assurance that it's not been so thrashed, crashed and trashed by former owners... BUT... I doubt it will work out any cheaper in the long run.

Bottom line is, up your budget, open your options, and keep looking... EVERY WHERE! E-blay and grim-tree abd other webv-sites are NOT the only places bikes get sold; network over worx canteedn, check news-agents windows, talk to folk down pub... MOST 125's dont get advertised, but sold by word of mouth, so put in the leg work.

Meanwhile, ponder how much more bike you would get for your money, doing a DAS course...... 23 is horrible age under new rules, that wont let you do the full-fat licence for a year, and an A2 to do twice over seems an expensive waste... BUT......

Get strategic; do an A2 DAS course, get a licence; you can probably pick up a half decent old commuter twin, like a CB500 or 'similar' for the sort of money you are proposing spending on a 125, and get a much better condition bike as well as higher standard for the dosh; with a full licence, insurance need be no more expensive, might actually be cheaper, to off-set some of the course cost. Eg; same value, same storage, my 125 costs me 50% more per year to insure than my 750.... pick a more sensible big bike you COULD find the same and the biggest savings there.

You would have to repeat CBT to continue to pretend to be a Learner, before you could DAS for a full fat 'a' anyway, so there's saving there, paying for the DAS course up-=front for A2, in what you dont have to spend for a repeat CBT, which will more than cover the cost of the Mod1 & Mod 2 practicals you would have to take to 'upgrade' and self booked, you DONT have to do a full DAS course to get it, you can, when age eligibvle self book, for CBT course costs, and if you have bought suitable bike to ride on A2, ride it to the test center, tape on 'L' Plates in the car-padk, fiddle with wires under the tank to say you have removed the 'A2 Power Restrictor'.. and take tests on the bike you have likely been riding for a year, re-doing tests you have already passed once around.....

THAT is the way the 'smart' money wouyld go to do it on a real shoe-string budget....

But, if you want to keep 125-ing on L-Plates for ever and a day... go for it... good luck with the hunt for a sub £700 125!!!!
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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?'

[linuxyeti]

[MattE]

Do your A2 DAS like Teflon Mike says. Get a bigger bike have more fun that way you aren't stuck to only 125cc and have more options for more bikes. Also check out this facebook group, lot of good bike deals on it but you will have to shop around in it to find stuff from London specifically.

https://facebook.com/groups/1429757587082272

Best of luck though.
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