Newbie biker looking for a 125cc

[CookieBiker01]

Hi all,
I have my CBT coming up and I've been looking at some second hand bikes on autotrader.
There is a lot on there to choose from around my price point. There are reasonably new Chinese bikes (Lexmotos etc) and older hondas/yahamas that are a similar price.
I've heard that hondas/yams hold there value better than others.
Whats the best reliability / performance wise?
Do i go for the newer and less millage Chinese built bikes or a slightly older honda/yam with more miles on it.
Thanks
Callum
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Callum C

[Riejufixing]

How much do you want to spend, bearing in mind insurance, clothing and anti-thievery add-ons?

How good are you at mechanicking (scale 0=never done any, 10=have lots of tools and can rebuild engines)?

[CookieBiker01]

Looking to spend 800 - 1300 on the bike.
I don't want to do any work to it other than basic maintenance.
Thanks
Callum
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Callum C

[Riejufixing]

[spongefinger]

I believe the Derbi Terra has as almost the maximum bhp allowed for a 125 (15 bhp)and is quite a large bike. The ybr and cg have around 10-11 bhp.

[Ayrton]

I'd stick with Japanese just so you know you are getting something good quality and the resale value wont be half what you paid for it in a few years time. Autotrader always seems to have expensive bikes so take a look at ebay, facebook and gumtree.

I wouldn't get all worried about finding a bike with the highest BHP allowed either, they all do roughly the same speed anyway. Looking at the specs of that Terra the top speed is 70, which is about what I'd get my YBR up to when I had it on my commute, right alongside my brothers CBR125 which apparently also has more HP than the ybr..

[Giorgia Rush]

[DUCAUDI]

Normally I would be recommending anything Japanese (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha are all good shouts, by and large are pretty much as reliable as each other) but given your budget, and given the fact that, in general, 125s tend to be abused, not maintained properly, never serviced, running on sludge oil (because most 125s have spent most of their lifetime under the ownership of 17 year olds who don't care about or know how to look after their bikes)... I might be pointing towards a brand new Chinese bike in your case.

You could probably get a brand new Keeway, Lexmoto or Sym for £1,300 so I might be inclined to consider that as an option, if you're going to keep it for some time and nurture it.

On the other hand if you're looking to swap it out after a year or so then maybe go with a Jap bike but get as new and low mileage as possible for your budget (probably stating the obvious a bit there) as Ayrton rightly said a Chinese bike will plummet in value from the price you pay for it new whereas you can often sell a 10year old Jap bike for more than you paid for it after running around on it for a year or two.

Chinese bikes have come a long way in terms of reliability in recent years and because they're getting more popular I don't think getting parts should be an issue. I think I remember reading something someone else said on here nearly all Chinese 125s (regardless which manufacturer) use one of two engines (so there's literally millions of the buggers around).

That said, they're still not in the same league as the Jap stuff. I think we'll see Satan ice-skating to work or airborne bacon before we see Chinese stuff being anywhere near as reliable as Jap stuff.
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2023 DucAudi Mehrstraße V4 Hechte Gipfel - "Objectively the best motorcycle ever produced" - "You can have any colour, as long as it's red"
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S

[DUCAUDI]

[DUCAUDI]

One as a compromise between the two:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/BMW_C1_FF_200_%28frontale%29.jpg
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2023 DucAudi Mehrstraße V4 Hechte Gipfel - "Objectively the best motorcycle ever produced" - "You can have any colour, as long as it's red"
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S

[dirtbike0810]

wat the f is that

On topic, I'd say go for a used Japanese bike. Hopefully you already have one by now.

[DUCAUDI]

[Freddyfruitba...]

[DUCAUDI]

Well done BMW for making a shitty concept even shittier.
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2023 DucAudi Mehrstraße V4 Hechte Gipfel - "Objectively the best motorcycle ever produced" - "You can have any colour, as long as it's red"
2021 Honda CMX500 Rebel S

[dirtbike0810]

that is

i didnt think anything was worse than kawasaki's hideous fairing indicators but wow that beemer takes it for sure

having to use a windshield wiper blade... on a 'bike'

[bhinso]

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]