Fozzie

I recently became interested in what people use their bikes for. I use mine for weekend fun or when I can get out in nice weather with little traffic. But my mate is under the impression that if you want to be a serious rider you should ride to everything. Work, for fun, to social events. I have a car so I just use that for everything thats social or work related as it gets me there dry and I can take more friends and its the only vehicle where I feel safe when it chucks it down with rain. On a bike I just stop and wait for it to pass even if it means waiting...oh I dont know....6 hours or so. Anyway, what is your bikes purpose.

You can import BIKES!?!? Japan I take it? Tell me how!!! I want a Honda CBR250!! 45BHP inline four and revs to 20,000rpm. Its almost as powerful as a 2-stroke equivalent.

Time for a 2-stroke RANT If you want 30HP either go for a 2 cylinder, 250cc 4-stroke. Will cost alot as there arent many out there and will be more expensive compared to a 2-stroke insurance wise. Buy a NSR125, then you've already got yourself on the right track. If the engine is in good condition then with it being a Honda it will go forever without missing a beat. 2-strokes only make twice the power because they operate at twice the speed so you get lots of power but not so much torque. Also when your on a NSR you will be able to watch your mates on their CBR's dissappear into the distance behind you eating your blue smoke. My RS125 would pull 70 at 8000rpm and go to 90mph top speed. But when fully derestricted you can put mahoosive sprockets on it and it will become an excellent bike to ride. You should be able to pull 70 with 5500rpm with the same sprockets I used.

Am I allowed to use flash earth? Should only take an hour to find at most then...

i am thinking of doing that to but gotta wait till 18 Because I have to save up and I'm working very little because of uni its going to take a year or so to really prepare for this thing. By then you'll almost be 18 and if I can't find anyone to do it with I'll wizz by brighton and hopefully you will be running a 600 and off to those roads we go. We could even set up a ride out taking others with us....

About the air problem. Powerful bikes will probably have one hell of a problem with this. When running pretty low on fuel I went up a series of hills and not once did it go flat. After 5 minutes the revs just came to a stop and the bike made a weird clonking noise. I couldnt start the bike. There was a spark but it would not start. Then I open my fuel tank to inspect and fuel just falls from the top of the tank and splashes down everywhere inside the tank. Turned out a vacuum had formed in the tank sucking all the fuel from my reserve up and to the side of the tank as it tried desperately to suck it in. A big bike would probably suffer worse from this if it happened. I was surprised the petrol holder didnt disfigure.

If you have a 2-stroke and you don't stupidly tune it and rag it about everywhere because lets face it, at half throttle you'll still be leaving a cbr125 behind. Warm up properly before opening the engine up and building the revs nice and steadily as you ride will make it just as reliable as some 4-strokes. Engine rebuilds arent required. When you need one, you know you've been an idiot with the bike. And a new engine costs £300 and a good rebuild around £200. If you service the bike yourself which its easy as 2-strokes are very simple then you'll be saving compared to the CBR125 which is meant to be serviced every 5000 miles or so just to keep it in check. To own a 2-stroke is like a right of passage where I come from Motorbikers around here say if you havent owned one your not a true biker and just a lazy wannabe. Not my words just so everyone knows, none of you are lazy wannabes

Sure the pump wasnt just ripping you off. I've heard that they are off by a small amount but never in the customers favor... I've ran my bike dry a good couple of times. The RS did 150 miles on its main 2 gallon tank. 75 isnt bad for a 125 but that was keeping the revs low. If you thrash it it will drop to about 55. I wish bikes were as fuel efficient as the honda cg, 100mpg at low revs 99mpg when you thrash it.

I'm seriously considering buying an SV650 and going down to switzerland and wind up in italy. Spend a week or two. I would do it on the RS but the modifications required to make it tourer like the old shape could be costs.....well too much.

What colour scheme is it??? I had a 2000 RS125. Currently running a 2008 model in. The fairings I got for my old one were £120 for both side panels. I did respray though as the colours were mis-matched. I did the re-spray myself, metallic silver if you want to have a go

STAY CLEAR OF HONDA!!! The CBR looks all well and good but an R1 is incredible. The power is dead up untill 7000rpm so remember to buy a C.D.I from its nude brother as that gives the same horse power but power all over the rev range.

I'm bad in that I will apply heavy front brake in a corner sometimes. I learnt from my first bike how to stop it from turning into a worrying situation. The bike goes bolt upright as a first response usually. I dont let it and I make sure I'm not counter steering because then you'll go down very quickly...

My old bag saved my ass during a 50mph topple on a old bike that wasnt even mine!! The initial landing hurt but for sliding along the ground the folders etc inside really helped. Ripped my jeans to shreds but bag stopped any other damage.

Top speed will be made to be 120mph. Thats not bad. Whats your top speed then rollazuki or have you not had enough man juice to take it up there yet lol

Came off a dodgy 50cc bike at 50mph when I was 16. The engine blew and I got thrown straight off. My jacket took the brunt of it well but even that doesnt have padding on my back (need to get that changed as well). When I got up after what felt like a million rolls and skids I saw my jeans had been ripped all over and had resulted in my getting bad grazes in those areas so I would really love someone to direct me to some decent trousers, not leathers I don't like em.

Having bought my new RS125 and with it derestricted it will easily pop 100mph. And recently I've seen alot of incidents involving knees because of lack of protection which lets their knees be obliterated. I need some decent trousers to wear preferably with padded protection and are pretty well priced.

You arent going to believe me on this but though the Hyosung will depreciate more, they are very very good bikes. A DAS instructor told me that they will not blow up no matter how much of a thrashing you give them. They are much more stable and handle better than most rivals as most reviews point out and I have ridden the GT250R (the one to get) so I know. You can have a GT250R on a restricted lisence so why not get one of those instead??? They have a growing rep at the moment as they have surprised alot of people with what they can actually do including MCN.

Its brilliant, the new one was only harder because it has to be carried out over an hour while the current one is only 30 minutes long... Good to see that people will have an easier time getting their license.

A friend has a tuned Fireblade that hits 195mph with one rider. With me on the back it did 180mph. It was on a runway, over half a mile. Never been so scared, it was soooo fast my reactions were struggling to keep up with the rate of speed.

Stick with the ruck sack. Or get a bigger one just to compensate for more luggage. Getting panniers would be out of the question for a 600 Hornet. Tail bags would work great, as in the ones that hang off the rear side of the bike so you can still take a pillion if you really wanted to. Tank bags have a nasty reputation for scratching the tank so tail bags would be the best bet or one that can stap onto the pillion if you don't intend on taking pillions.

I would have brought my RS out for this one but its up in Blackburn undergoing serious repairs (the crank case seals have worn badly.....again). I'm getting a new bike soon so I should be able to attend one in the future.

Quick question....How old is that engine??? Judging from the pictures its a fair few years old and done ALOT of miles.

I feel stupid saying this but have you switched it to reserve. The main fuel line wont drawn in any more past a certain level. I had the problem with my 50 because I didnt read the users manual The reserve in a 125 is pretty big so you would have to stick over 2 litres of fuel in for the main line to be getting fuel again.

When you had the 50cc the bike would have had top end power to get that speed. With a 72cc the powerband may have shifted. Where is the acceleration greater? low, mid, or top end of the rev range? If its got greater mid range then it would be best just to get a good exhaust that can improve the top end power and wack some bigger sprockets on it so you get slightly more power, better top speed but you would sacrifice some acceleration. If that really matters to you. BTW, that looks like a nice bike. Looks like a Suzuki GS500.

The joys with motorbikes is that if you find an engine similar in size then it could be possible to make your own supports. Or just buy a bigger engine from Rotax. I think they do a 50hp single cylinder 600cc engine that should fit. Give the rs a good kick I think Can't wait for the police to pull you on your L plate, with a straight four busting out either side of the fairing. I'd never put a straight 4 in an RS. The frame couldnt take it. The RS250 has 60Hp so I'd try to keep the new engine no more than a 2 cylinder with no more than 60hp. And if the police pull me over it would be an interesting conversation but as long as the bike is restricted it wouldnt be any hassle.