Old and Withered

This is going to sound weird but it's everything I expected and less. The reviews I saw absolutely raving are right it is a cracking little bike but I can't help feeling some reviewers have gone over the top. The obvious things about the lack of power are irrelevant really because you know that before you buy it. The torque makes up for it a bit and it does justify only having 4 gears and an overdrive. I appreciate Honda are going after the Enfield and I sense it's almost an act of war as they seem to have targeted every aspect of them. But there is one thing about it I really wasn't expecting and nobody has really made a big deal of. For those of you that remember the xl185 it is uncannily similar in it's ride characteristics. The geometry, wheel sizes, engine characteristics, seating position, balance and height. I think they may have missed a trick. Put a high level exhaust on it and you have a very capable small trail bike. I live in deepest darkest Somerset and the 10 mile commute each way for work involves country lanes which are not much more than tracks complete with grass growing up the middle. And it loves them. As a commuter it's probably the perfect bike for me and my requirements. I wouldn't fancy riding it on a motorway, it does invoke a very lazy way of riding with slow cornering and short shifting and I imagine it's a great town bike. But it won't suit everyone. For me though I love it.

Thanks all. I work nights so sorry for late response. At the risk of alienating myself further I'm a truck driver.

Just to say hi. Someone had already taken the username Steve so here we are. Not sure what I can tell you. I grew up on a diet of fs1es and 2 strokes and still yearn for those simple days. I have short legs and can't ride anything later than 1998. Id love to go back to riding liquid cooked 2 strokes but the prices are just silly so 80s sports bikes with skinny crossplies are de rigeur. My wife hates bikes and refuses to get on them so tend to spend loads of time on them for some peace and quiet.

I had one of these back as a skinny 17 year old and absolutely loved it. If it's an early 82 model they were plagued with exhaust valve issues. They used to bend or break and write the heads off. I think it was due to weak valve springs allowing them to bounce and clash with the piston. As for parts a few of Chinese bikes run copies of the gs125 engines so these should be ok to act as donors or complete engine swaps. In UK also these early ones came in 2 forms. The standard gs125 which had a 5 speed box and the es(?) version that had a six speed, electric start and gear indicator. There were other. Differences but as far as I know they were the only engine differences.