Bike type and road surface

dave12345 · L Plate Warrior Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Karma :

I'm 16 and hoping to get a 125 next year. My house is up a 1/4 mile of fairly rough farm track covered in loose small rocks and gravel. Would I have to get a supermoto/motocross with knobbly tyres to be able to ride up it? And even if i could ride something else on it would there be too little grip?
Thanks for your help!

TheShaggyDA · Repost Police Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Karma :

It'll be easier with knobblies, but you could ride any bike on it. If you get the chance to go to the Farmyard rally, you'll see all types going up and down the rutted, chalky track.
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Current: CB500 Previous: CB100N, CB250RS, XJ900F, GT550, GPZ750R/1000RX, AJS M16, R100RT, Enfield Bullet

[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

tomkapsalis · Trackday Trickster Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Karma :

I wouldn't want to do 1/4 mile of loose gravel roads on a sports replica like an rs125. I would get a kmx/dt 125. That way the track would be fun not frightening.
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Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death...

TheShaggyDA · Repost Police Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Karma :

Deciding what bike to get based on the first/last 1/4 mile of your journey is a tad short sighted. If you want a race rep/enduro/cruiser/whatever, get a race rep/enduro/cruiser/whatever.
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Current: CB500 Previous: CB100N, CB250RS, XJ900F, GT550, GPZ750R/1000RX, AJS M16, R100RT, Enfield Bullet

[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

dave12345 · L Plate Warrior Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Karma :

thanks for the help!

Dalemac · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Oct 2006 Karma :

I agree with the shaggy, you should enjoy the whole journey whereever you go, any bike will get down that track, you just may have to take it a bit slower on race replicas so you dont chip the fairing etc.

bit of advice - 2 stroke race replicas - very fast, CAN be hard to maintain, you would loose alot of money if you did chip the fairing and not replace it before selling. also expect your insurance to be 1.5x what you paid for the bike

Dirt bikes - great fun, would suite the track well, and are good on the road.

More practical 125's - 4 strokes such as ybr 125, en125, cg 125 all have great fuel economy, extremely easy to maintain and clean, and can still do a good 70 mph, with alot lower insurance quotes.

cruisers - dont know about - cant offer advice, sry

i will pay almost half the price for my insurance next year on my ybr 125 than i will on an rs125, so basically, just get what your budget will allow, with insurance etc.

and most of all, get a bike that you will enjoy and take pride in!
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~~YBR125~~ -> GPZ500S -> SL1000

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I'd avoid anything fully faired. Farm tracks can be hard work with clip-ons (hard work, but possible). The main problem with a sports replica is ground clearance, belly pans aren't cheap.

You shouldn't have too much of a problem with any of the other 125s. They're light so you can catch them if they start to go, it's only 1/4 of a mile, you can take it canny. If I can ride a GPZ500 for miles along forestry comission tracks to get to campsites, you can ride a 125 along 1/4 mile of farm track (yes, the belly pan is cracked and battered to hell on the GPZ).

NSR Mick · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Karma :

I would rather ride the bike I wanted at 2mph for a 1/4 of a mile than have that 1/4 mile of crap surface dictate what I should buy.
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If you dont like the way that I ride.......Stop trying to keep up!!!