125cc

Knight Rider for me! Although BTTF and Dukes was a close joint 2nd. But that supercharger in the Mad Max Interceptor... ooft!

Thanks for the replies everyone. My biggest concerns were cost and affect on handling. I'll continue to mull it over

Mot smaller top box won't have enough space for a full face helmet, my 42l Givi doesn't take my nolan I actually looked at the 30l box, my lid fits it thankfully. I use the bike most days year-round so it would be useful. Not sure if its worth 200 quid though hence my asking.

More public-sector f**kwittery. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-53917226 Our hard-earned being urinated away liberally against the wall.

Been considering a top box for the YS recently as it would be handy for shopping, storing my lid, lunch etc. Only thing is I balked at the cost. its about 80 quid for a 30lt box and £110 for the mounting Up til now I've been using a comfy and secure hillwalking rucksack that has chest and waist straps that I got from Lidl for £15. Can't fit the lid in it but I get some limited shopping in it. I looked at tail bags as they are reasonably priced. What's everyone's thoughts, is the box worth it or should I go for the tail bag?

Good advice fastbob. Start with the basics and go from there. Learned that many times myself looking for something complicated that turned out to be astonishingly simple

I always like to stop by and give an update & thanks where necessary. Good manners and it helps anyone else who has similar questions

Have decided to write a review of my bike having owned it for 2 years now. 2018 Yamaha YS125, £2973 brand new, 0% finance (an excellent deal). Purchased August 2018. Mine doesn't have any optional extras e.g. windshield, top box etc. These are widely available through Yamaha dealerships or online from various suppliers. Most are easy to fit yourself. Good Points:- A very simple and fun bike to ride. As you'd expect being the successor to the YBR it is perfect for beginners. I did my first CBT on a YBR and coming to this was 2nd nature. Its very lightweight (around 130Kg) and has excellent fuel economy (I average 130mpg over a tankful, giving a range of over 300 miles). Despite being Chinese made it seems reasonably well-made and has proved durable riding in all weathers and seasons including through Scottish winters. The riding position is upright and very comfortable and natural-feeling. Being simple and air-cooled there's very little to go wrong. The generic Japanese design isn't to everyone's taste but I happen to rather like it. The linked brakes (UBS) work well in use. Instrument binnacle is simple in design and easy to read. Performance around town is very reasonable with enjoyable, safe handling and nippy enough to keep up with traffic. The manual is well-written and explains in good detail pretty much every maintenance job you need to accomplish to keep your steed in good running order. Bad Points:- Nothing major, but the main issue, if there is one, is performance on the open road. Its a 125cc so you have to have realistic performance expectations. It's never going to win any drag races so on the open road it does struggle above 55mph. Being a thumper there's practically no torque below 3500rpm so you drive accordingly. Any reasonable headwind will severely limit speed. The overall quality is decent however there have been issues - In 2 years I've had the starter solenoid go u/s (leaving the bike unable to start) and the instrument binnacle went u/s after water ingress due to a poor seal; both replaced under warranty. Most of the nuts/bolts rust very easily. Exhaust paint has started bubbling/peeling off in certain areas. The tires are very skinny (good in snow!) and the rear has worn to the limit at 3200 miles which isn't much. Also the colour choice is a bit "generic"; white, black and red and that's it. Honda at least offer a nice yellow on their CB125F which is their equivalent model. I'd happily buy another if I needed to. Generally speaking its been dependable year-round and was a very good value purchase especially with Yamaha's 0% finance deal. Running costs are minimal at best; road tax is £20 p.a., £15 fills the tank from empty and lasts >300 miles, insurance is very cheap. For skint students, learners or (like me) people looking for an affordable alternative to a 2nd car it is ideal. It's also good fun! I'd consider a CB125F as an alternative as it has a nicer choice of colours, is equivalent performance-wise and it has old-fashioned analogue instruments (strange, but I prefer those!). I'm not planning on moving on from the YS any time soon. As I spend most of my time on A-roads I'll probably invest in a screen and a top box as it's handy for shopping etc. I'll post a pic when I can. Cheers, 125cc

Whereas the British invented champagne and the guillotine. Something your average Frenchman does not know. Didnae ken that. Interesting the stuff you learn on t'internet!

Yep, more evidence that common sense and safety goes oot the windae when EcoFascism, CovidFascism or any other bandwagon is in force. That roundabout is a mess and a nightmare for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike. A good idea to cross at r'bout exits??? We were taught from day naught at school that that was about as sensible as jumping off a cliff. Bonkers, utterly bonkers.

That's against the Highway Code surely? Well they have done it give it a google. Whatever happened to road safety...

That's against the Highway Code surely?

Nah. Probably a student

Same thing in Edinburgh. I moved away 10 years ago and have never regretted it since. Another area run by a proper headbanger of a Council...

what have the Romans ever done for us?????? Nothing for us. They took one look at our lot, went "bugger that" and built a whopping great wall and left us to it...

The bike in the OP looks nice, but how long before it rusts/falls apart/breaks down?

My mate works for Network Rail. He says the number of utterly useless folk who work there who get away with absolute murder is overwhelming.

Highland caused a right uproar when they announced they had a £60m deficit and there was the usual pish and keech about "difficult choices", "neccisary savings", "inevitable cuts to frontline services" etc. etc. etc., then went and spent £750k renovating the front of the Town House in Inverness, and decided to spend £400k on some daft ugly swing bridge on the banks of the River Ness that nobody wanted. That and the Chief Exec earns about £160k p.a. basic. Cants

Ah yes. Sticker Louts and Graffitists. The bane of our lives in the Highlands. Between smiley faces, political/conspiracy theorist/nutjob stuff, "Yes" propaganda stickers by the Separatists, its a mess. Along with some sad prat who's painted "Flat Earth" on the back of literally every single road sign on the A9 from Perth to Thurso. Some folk can't be allowed out for public safety...

It's not just Fife Council. Highland Council have made the middle of Inverness a right old mess due to "Physical Distancing Requirements" (edict from The Dictator at Central Command at Dewar's Folly, Edinburgh). Half the roads are barrier'd off (at a cost of several million quid; a bung from Central Command, all this from a perpetually "skint" Council which always has the begging bowl out) to allow pedestrians more space in case, heaven forbid, they have the statistically insignificant chance of catching Covid. Added to this some prat has decided its a good idea to incorporate two-way cycle lanes that cross openings (presumably as part of the "Green Recovery", also a Central Command edict). The resultant mess is quite frankly dangerous for all. Millburn Road, a dual carriageway, reduced to single, the adjacent openings have pedestrians and vehicles mixing with two-way cycle traffic that is mostly ignored by the cyclists anyway and who dart about in front of pedestrians and traffic. How the risk assessment has passed for that one has me baffled. There again, the magic words "Covid" and "Green" seem to wave on the most illogical, expensive and dangerous ideas. Councils. Providing employment to the unemployable.

Don't talk to me about Midges. If the buggers aren't biting hell out of you they're plastering themselves all over your visor and headlights! Washed the car the other day, there must've been a few thousand midge corpses smattered across the nose and windscreen. P.S. Social Media - can't be farsed with it. Load of pish for self-centered show-offs/opinionated twunts arguing about politics. Got a FB account, only go on it once every 6 months, only to be faced with the same load of scheet and then say to myself "bugger that, see you in another 6 months"

Got personal experience of this. When I started riding I misjudged a roundabout and had a low-speed spill resulting in the bike landing on top of my leg. Thankfully I was in full riding gear and I hobbled away with a broken finger, a haematoma (bad internal bruise) in my leg and a wounded ego. If it hadn't been for all the gear it would've been a broken kneecap & shoulder, skin grafts etc. Skidding along tarmac was like being pulled across broken glass. I was shocked at how abrasive the ground was. Often see young folks on scooters wearing trainers, joggers and a hoody and can't help but wonder "what if..."

Problem is not the bikers, it's people. Plenty of aggressive car drivers, lorry drivers, bus drivers, cyclists, etc. Common theme... all people. Some folk turn into psychos when in control of a vehicle and/or use it as an outlet for their various frustrations in life. If I'm brutally honest, I'm not entirely innocent. When I was younger I was involved in a road rage incident when I reacted (foolishly) to another aggressive driver. I was off work after a period of stress. In car with the Mrs., driving along at 40 in a 40, minding my own business. Red Megane appears at speed in my mirror and gets very close to the tailgate. Eventually gets so close I can't see any of his bonnet and just his windscreen. Can see the driver's getting irate, very irate. Indicated and pulled over, horn blares, windows down, obscenities yelled at us. As I say, I was stressed at the time and combined with the folly of relative youth I foolishly retaliated back. He slammed on the brakes ahead, more obscenity exchanged. I drove past and carried on. Ended up being chased down the road for a couple of miles with him all over my rear bumper then stopping at traffic lights with this very angry and overweight bloke trying to pull me out the car and fight me whilst manically shouting all sorts. We just locked the doors and ignored him with folk on street looking on in utter bemusement at this nutter's sheer aggression. Drove off sensibly at the green light and he went the other way at the junction. Thought about reporting it but I retaliated so what was the point? Lesson learned. Now I just drive/ride sensibly and within the law, keep my own nose clean and let others do whatever they will, whilst myself remaining vigilant and on-guard against anyone else's unsafe driving. It's their neck if they want to risk it.

Stick a hole in it. It'll definitely get louder Whatever happened to all the boy racers with family-sized Baked Beans can tailpipes on Corsas, Imprezas, Fiestas etc.? Everyone must be grown up now.

Is "Covid-19 Compliance Officer" the grown up 2020 version of Milk Monitor? I always thought the legality of those "Polite" jackets were questionable considering they're deliberately made to resemble Police jackets at a glance. Not sure what additional visibility they offer over a standard Hi Viz.