Qu about 50cc/125cc

[steveo]

Hi,

I am 22 and have been driving for years now. However i am thinking about buying a bike for commuting. Now i know i can buy a ped and drive it round or i could buy a 125cc and do the CBT and get l-plates.

My main question is is it worth it?

I was looking at getting a Vespa et2 , i could get it cheap and insure it cheap not have to do a CBT and not wear L-plates. But im put off by how slow it is - surely it would be hell on an a-road or something?

So are the 125cc much faster (as in top speed) and is the insurance much more than the 50cc if i was to go TPFT?

THanks
Steve

ps - i cant derestrict a 50cc because I will be driving it to a police station everyday - so not the best idea i dont think!

[Ste]

Do your CBT whatever bike or ped you choose to get unless you have actually had experience of using two wheels on the roads before, it costs ~£80 and takes one day and it will teach you how to use the bike correctly and safely so it's worth doing imo.

The top speed of a 50cc ped restricted is 30mph so yes it is slow and it won't be easy to use on main roads. A restricted 125 will do ~75mph and will be useable on main roads so I'd get the 125 over a 50 and yes it is worth it.

The insurance will be a bit more on a 125cc than a 50cc, play around on www.clickquote.com to get an idea of how much the insurance will be but remember the online quote will be much much more than you'll be able to get insurance if you phone around lots of companies.

[steveo]

Thank you for the information. I think it is probably well worth getting a 125cc in that case.

Do bikes vary in insurance cost like cars or do most 125cc cost the same to insure?

I really have no idea on what a good bike is so if anyone could recommend some cheap but good allround first timers 125cc i would be very greatful. THen i could look into it and get some quotes.

ps- im not too bothered what the bike looks like - just a good all rounder.

[steveo]

Looking around on the internet i have found the Honda CG125. This looks the perfect bike for what im looking for. It claims to be very reliable and easy to maintain - does anyone have any experience of this bike?

I would be interested to hear any reports about.

Thanks
Steve

[mchaggis]

The CG125. Honda commuter old reliable. Bulletproof, in theory at least. Very easy to maintain and work on, and I'm hardly a practised mechanic. An excellent starter machine in this regard, having no cam chains and only a single cylinder and carburettor.

Top speed of about 60-65 (65 down an incline I should think). Will probably cruise at 50 or so, (my mum's old one's main bearings are a bit knackered after too long being held at speed though).

Buy a middle aged one for £500-700, you should hardly lose any money on it when you come to sell it in a year or two. It's very easy to get parts for, and emminently droppable, as the footpegs are bolted directly to the engine block, only the mirrors, footpegs and levers get any stick when dropped.

The only qualms I have about it is as I'm used to a larger rake angle on my forks I find the CG125 steers more quickly than I'm used to, and can feel a bit fidgety. Physically, it's really quite a small bike. A 2t sports bike is much larger.

I can't reccomend one enough really though, assuming you do want a 4t rather than a 2t (t= stroke) 125 bike. They are far more comfortable than the SR125 as well.
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[steveo]

Thanks for that, really helpful.

Does it matter if a bike is 4t or 2t? I just want a bike which is going to be easy to use and maintain and which will get me too and from work. My pride and joy is my classic mini cooper s and that drains my money so i dont want a bike which will cost me too much!

Im 6'2 though i would prefer a small bike (as long as it is rideable!) because filtering will be one of the key advantages on my journeys so dont want to heap around a huge bike and drop it on cars!
So do you think the bike would be big enough for me?

Thanks
Steve

[mchaggis]

A (de-restricted) 2 stroke bike will typically get to 75-100 depending upon what model it is. It will also get there a hell of a lot faster than a 4 stroke will get to it's top speed. You will be pushed to find too many 4 strokes with a higher top speed than about 70ish. Having said that, a small two stroke sounds like a wasp in a coke can..

In terms of reliability, both are more or less equally reliable so long as they're looked after. The two stroke oil is an added complication, and a 2t will typically have a higher fuel consumption as well. At 6' 2", I think most any 125 will be rather small for you, though the Honda XR125 is a larger 4t trailie if I remember correctly. All 125s will be less than about 140kg I think, so they're hardly difficult to handle with practise.

I'd think about getting a full licence and progressing upwards in the world of bikes too. Once you've been riding for a while, you'll probably get into it, and realise what you've been missing all your life.

CBT certificates only last for two years, so if it's a long term getting to work thing, getting a full licence and being able to use the motorways would be a bonus I should think.

First things first, do the CBT, you'll probably be on either a GN125, CG125 or an SR125, they're all 4t 125s, nothing spectacular, but see what you think.
____________________
I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[jamie192]

My sister brought insurance for her suzuki gn 125 shes 21 and had previous experience on a bike. She got hers for 150 with bennets but we didnt look around, where as im almost 16 and i got a 50 cc the cheapest i got for a 50 is 296. but as ur quite old you will probably get it rather cheap. ring around i found norwich union very good!
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[Kickstart]

[RS1Banger]

as a person who rides a moped on a full car licence, I can tell you if you passed your car test before feb 1st 2001 you do not need to do CBT to ride a moped, can carry a pillion (better de-res) and don't need L-plates or any further tests.
In fact my car insurance covers me on a moped.

I'm keeping the moped until I've passed my bike test, I'll hire a bike to do my test on and miss out the riding on L plates stage altogether.

[Ste]

[RS1Banger]

Actually I got my provisional before CBT came in (1 Dec 1990) so was riding without it on various small bikes for years, only when I did my car test did I lose my 125 entitlement unless I do CBT.

[steveo]

Thanks for the info guys although im almost positive I have two options on my pre feb 2001 license:

50cc - Ride without L-plates and without CBT
up to 125cc - ride with L-plates and CBT

[steveo]