Which 125?

[Fozzie]

Welcome to the 125 thread! First of, this thread has been generated in responce to the amount of people looking for 125's. Also, I am very much involved with 125's and love to ride them. It is the class I have been most heavily involved in, I have ridden many of them and know most of the other modern 125's as well as a couple of old ones. Please use the index below to

1. The 2-stroke 125 Bikes - Separated into sections as there arent that many

1.1 Gilera SC125

1.2 Derbi GPR125

1.3 Aprilia RS125

1.4 Cagiva SP525

1.5 Honda NSR125

1.6 Summary

2. The 2-stroke 125 Scooters - This Class Has Died, I Would Advise You Dont Buy One For Much

3. The 4-stroke 125 Bikes - Pictures with a key to tell you which bike is good for what. The Bikes in this review are:

Honda Varadero XL125, Rieju RS2, Suzuki DRZ125, Honda CBF125, Yamaha YBR125, Yamaha YZF-R125, Derbi GPR125, Hyosung GT125R, Honda CBR125, KTM Duke 125, Derbi Terra, Daelim Roadwin

4. The 4-stroke 125 Scooters - A Paragraph Spared To Explain The Differences Between Them

5. Bikes On A Budget - Reviewed: Honda CG125, Honda XR125, Kymco KR Sport 125, Hyosung GT125R, Rieju RS2 125, Yamaha SR125

6. A list of all manufacturers in order of which to buy from as reccomended by myself and drafted in from other sources such as bike magazine and online reviews and friends reviews.

6.1 A list of 2-stroke manufactures in order of how good they are and which to trust.

7. 125cc Cruiser Motorbikes - Pictures And With The Same Key as used for the sports bikes.

7.1 Suzuki VL Intruder 125

7.2 Suzuki Vanvan 125

7.3 Hyosung RT125D

7.4 Suzuki Marauder 125

7.5 Honda Shadow 125

7.6 Yamaha SR 125

8. 125cc Road Legal Moto-Cross Bikes

8.1 Kawasaki KLX 125

8.2 Yamaha WR125X

8.3 Yamaha XT125X

9. Closing Comments And List Of Manufacturers You Can Buy From With Confidence

10. Bike Awards - The Best In Category And More

1. The 2-stroke class is well and truly dieing. Soon it will be gone which some take as a reason to get one now. Your options are fairly limited as Derbi has turned its GPR into a 4-stroke. Your options are the Aprilia RS125 and the Gilera SC125 or an old Derbi GPR 125.

1.1

http://www.moto-newsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/03/060330_gil125b.jpg

This is the Gilera SC125. It comes with 15bhp and a very normal amount of specs. It can get passed 80mph, it accelerates ok. It is however quite jittery. This can be changed by making it run less rich but this destables reliability. In terms of economy and reliability it just isnt worth it compared with the 4-stroke alternatives. Derestricting is easy and performance parts are in abundance. It will burn through its cylinders at the usual pace. However, the electrics can degrade on this bike over time so be warned. Out of 10... 4/10

1.2

http://www.motosyco.com/catalog/images/GPR_125_R_1.jpg

Derbi GPR125. Look familiar? Yep... The gilera and derbi are basically copies of each other. They both handle brilliantly and have easy to derestrict engines but both not good for the novice rider who isnt prepared to maintain his/her bike. 4/10

1.3

http://www.paddockreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/2010-Aprilia-RS125a-small.jpg

Aprilia RS125.The hardest to derestrict, the fastest of the bunch. Best handling. Lethal to the new rider. Restricted they are good stable bikes. Derestricted and you can now buy them as such they are little pocket rockets. Not for the new rider and for the same reasons above. 6/10

1.4

http://www.maquantocosta.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/cagiva_mito_sp525_2009_01.jpg

Cagiva SP525. Has always tried to be better than the aprilia and failed. Not as jittery as the derbi. This one however has more faults with its electrics than anything else. So be warned. Also they are quite expensive considering how simple they are. 5/10

1.5

http://www.mc-nett.no/honda/honda-02/honda-nsr-125-3.jpg

Honda NSR125. The most reliable of all the 2-stroke 125's. The only in its class to manage 20,000 miles per rebuild. However, do not buy one for little cash unless there are cosmetic problems. The engine and its electrics have to be in good condition for this to be a good purchase. So be warned. They have better low end power than the others. But a weaker top end. They do however make up for this by being devilishly quick in the corners. They are also very comfortable to ride.

1.6 - Summary

125 2-stroke bikes are good as weekend runabouts but certainly not an option for using for any kind of distance. They will burn a hole in your pocket. But the wicked fun you can have with them cant be ignored. Always warm them up in the mornings and before any ride and keep filling up the oil with the good stuff. Tweeking isnt reccomended but if you think you can get it set up properly go for it. They are a big laugh and will do you proud on those sunny sundays. The one 2-stroke out of the list I would suggest is the Honda NSR. They have stopped making them but they still have a mass of parts available for them. There are still hundreds out there and being the easiest to look after and maintain I would certainly get one if I was a noobie rider.

2.

125cc 2-stroke scooters and there are alot of them are all the same essentially. I wont do any stats reports on specific scooters as they are all the same. They all produce the same sort of power. The ones to go for are Peugeot usually. The peugeots are good value and give you a lot but they do require a lot of maintainence as all 2-strokes do. 2-stroke 125 scooters are now more or less dead. So you can only really get them 2nd hand. This said I am only speaking of the reliable trustworthy brands that I would use personally if I had the choice. I am not saying there are none. Just please avoid Chinese apart from Kymco.

3. The 125cc 4-stroke class is by far the most underrated of all the bike classes. It isnt my opinion speaking here but in the last few years the 125cc class on the whole has taken some big leaps. They are now coming better equipped with more power, looking better, with better quality all around. They are also steadily becoming suited to doing long trips. Especially the higher powered ones. I will break this down into 2 sections. The air cooled and the liquid cooled. The best air cooled 125s you can buy in decending order as gathered from numerous people and sources. Honda varadero 125, Rieju RS2 125, Suzuki DRZ125, Honda CBF125 Or Honda CG125, Yamaha YBR125. They all make the same sort of power except from the varadero which makes 4 more hp but weighs 30kg more than the others. The liquid cooled are in order. Yamaha YZF-R125, Derbi GPR125, Hyosung GT125R, Honda CBR125R, KTM Duke 125.

Pictures in order... Heres the key: Town bike = Nippy but too revvy for long distance - A-road Blitzer = Nippy and good at longish distance - A-road tourer = Good in town and good to sit on all day up A-roads.

Honda Varadero - A-road tourer

http://www.litestudio82.co.uk/db/img/mv-blog/Honda_XL_125_V_Varadero_travel_stpz.jpg

Rieju RS2 125 - Town bike

http://www.bikez.com/pictures/rieju/2006/23192_0_1_2_rs2%20125_Image%20credits%20-%20Rieju.jpg

Suzuki DRZ125 - Town bike

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/Gallery%20C/Suzuki%20DR125SM%2008.jpg

Honda CBF125 - Town bike

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/Gallery%20B/Honda%20CBF%20125%20%2009.jpg

However, a point raised by Ingah, this bike is just the new updated Honda CG. Its just modernised with slightly better kit. The CBF has poor quality tyres so change. The CG is more dated but just as nice to ride.

Honda CG125 - Town bike

http://www.bikez.com/pictures/honda/2006/22471_0_1_2_cg%20125_Image%20credits%20-%20Honda.jpg

Yamaha YBR125 - Town bike

http://www.manualesdemotos.net/catalog/images/yamaha_YBR125.jpg

Liquid Cooled Yamaha YZF-R125 - A-road Blitzer

http://www.yamaha-motor.be/french/Images/2010-yamaha-YZF-R125_MBL2_studio_007_prv_tcm31-325904.jpg

Derbi GPR125 - A-road Blitzer

http://www.wallpapers10.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Derbi_GPR_125_2009.jpg

Hyosung GT125R - Tourer

http://www.bikez.com/pictures/hyosung/2007/25046_0_1_2_gt125r%20supersport_Image%20credits%20-%20Hyosung.jpg

Honda CBR125R - Town Bike

http://www.moto-station.com/ttesimages/motodivers/nouveautes2007/Honda_CBR125R_2007_rouge_stgz

KTM Duke 125 - A-road Blitzer

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload/271743/images/KTM-125-2.jpg

Derbi Terra 125 - Town Bike

http://www.derbi.com/int/images/stories/motos/dual/terra_125/000_07.png

Daelim Roadwin 125 - A-road Blitzer

http://www.bikez.com/pictures/daelim/2008/27540_0_1_2_roadwin%20r%20125%20f.i._Image%20credits%20-%20Daelim.jpg

4. 4-stroke 125 Scooters - Honda, Suzuki, Kymco, SMC-GB

There are loads of them out there all different shapes and sizes. The ones put forward are the ones I would suggest you buy as the others particularly chinese models just arent up to the same standards these are. You can get these 2nd hand cheap and in good condition. Power ratings vary, typically the bigger the scooter the more chunky an engine its given. The light little ones put out roughly 8BHP whereas the bigger built scooters are producing a more reasonable 12bhp. The average power tends to be 10-11BHP so make sure if you buy for the sake of being safe and being able to get around briskly get one within this power range or higher as it will make a big difference. Handling wise they are pretty much the same.

The larger ones I find inspire more confidence in the bends as with more weight you feel more easy about dipping it in low. The lighter ones can be thrown about but jitter around the road and are easily pushed around. The chinese ones dont last long. Usually they can manage a couple of thousand miles before they develop an electrical problem or worse.

5. Bikes on a budget. Ok so you have less than £1000. This tends to be quite common. People looking to start on the cheap or buy a hack they wont feel bad for throwing down the road. So here are the options.

1. Honda CG125 - As pictured above it is a very simple and effective machine. It does all the things you want for a beginner bike. It has 11BHP and almost 10nm of torque. So its a bit weak on power being air cooled but the torque means it can do 60-70mph on the flats with a tail wind depending on your weight. Don't try to do distance on it though, it will and can do it but its stenuous as the tyres are so thin and the bike so light you are thrown around a bit by the wind in the upright position. Its nippy, easy to look after and will never let you down.

2. Hyosung GT125R - Rare to find under £1000 but ive seen a few. Hyosung are Korean. That usually warrants distrust but I wouldnt worry. Like Kymco copying Honda, Hyosung uses Suzuki designs and employs suzuki engineers to design their bikes for them. The V-twin is strong making as much as its legally allowed too and torque is good. It is however very heavy using the 250 frame and wheels. This makes it planted but hard to lift if you drop it. Also the weight maybe unsettling for new riders but once moving its lovely to ride and control. Very good bike. A-Road tourer (see above) in my opinion.

3. Rieju RS2 125 - I saw a mint condition one go for £650 just 2 weeks ago. They are unknown but use moto-cross engines. Buckets of torque, very nippy but a bit strangled at higher speed. Its AJP brakes however mean its fantastic for coming to a stop. It has confidence inspiring grip and handling to match. Dont be put off by its low power. Its not just a pretty bike in a fake frock. A Town bike as it is, its probably the best on a budget.

4. Kymco KR Sport - Town Bike

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload/208521/images/KRsport.JPG

Taiwanese but Honda designed and just beat the Honda CBR125 in reviews. Are the non japanese brands now catching up or is it just a fluke? They are worth the money but change the tyres as they are cheap. Also ignore the rev metre as its redline of 8000rpm on the early models is to be laughed at. It pulls strong through to 10,000rpm.

5. Honda XR125 - Town Bike

http://www.fourstrokesonly.com/Images/2/3/4/5/Hon.XR.125.L.E.SM.jpg

A moto-cross version of the Honda CG. Exactly the same engine, brakes and weight. But it can carry more, handles better and looks better to me. Its bigger built and has wider tyres. A town bike, and a damn good alternative to the Honda CG125 too.

6. Yamaha SR125 - Town bike

http://www.catalyst-findit.co.uk/images/vehicles/large_102393.jpg

Probably the cheapest out of the lot to buy. Need to be careful now as owners are just roughly keeping them together and selling them on. One in good nick will never let you down though!

6. For 4-stroke bikes = Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Derbi, Rieju, Hyosung

6.1 For 2-stroke bikes = Aprilia, Derbi, Cagiva, Gilera

I have already mentioned scooters in the appropriate sections.

7.

7.1 Suzuki VL Intruder 125 - A-Road Tourer

http://www.suzuki-gb.co.uk/uploads/bike_vl125_main1.jpg

This is one of the favourite 125 Cruisers. It has a chunky V-twin developing 13.5BHP. This is almost a full horse power ahead of the CBR125 which it needs weighing 20kg more. It produces the same torque as the single cylindered CBR125 as well which means its not too fast. However its V-twin delivers the power and torque over a wide band meaning it is a very user friendly bike.

7.2 Suzuki Vanvan 125 - Town Bike

http://www.arpem.com/motos/modelos/suzuki/flash/2008/suzuki-vanvan-125/suzuki-vanvan-125-post2.jpg

These have an owners club devoted to these and you dont see many used as general hacks or commuters, I dont doubt their ability to be used as such however. Engine from a DR-Z125, not a lot of go but a solid motor. However with the rear tyre the bike should be remarkably stable, not flick through corners style but getting around and cruising even in wet over diesel I suspect it would perform well.

7.3 Hyosung RT125D - Town Bike

This is a copy of the Suzuki vanvan. Hyosung are very much controlled by Suzuki. So this bike is just an alternate option. Is uses the same engine and frame. However, the colors are better on the Hyosung so I would prefer one of these to the Vanvan. And to sneak in an opinion many will share it has a better name than that youd hear sputtered from a child when you point at a transit.

7.4 Suzuki Marauder 125 - Town Bike

http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/2006_Bikes/MARAUDER125.jpg

Unlike the Intruder this is a town bike. It is only a single cylinder for a start. But it vibrates a lot more especially at higher revs. It tops out at about 65 when then intruder can pull further. However its single is punchy so it is good for commuting around and into town. But for those who want to go any distance comfortably. Go for the Intruder.

7.5 Honda VT Shadow 125 - A-Road Tourer

http://katalog-motocyklov.sk/img/honda-vt-125-shadow-2.jpg

I've saved the best until last. The Shadow 125 comes well equipped with the Honda Varadero engine which has proved time and time again it can pull a lot of weight. With me on the Varadero with a pillion and full top box we still got on to do 75 easily enough. So this bike comes with an uncanny ability to go the distance and also go forever as you would expect.

7.6 Yamaha SR 125 - Town Bike

http://www.catalyst-findit.co.uk/images/vehicles/large_102393.jpg

Its more of a cruiser than anything else I think, it has a very compressed look about it. But essentially this bike is powered by the same engine as a Honda CG125. Given the right servicing it will go forever. They come very cheap these days as they were put out of production some years ago now that the 125 class is dominated by little town bikes and super sport replicas. For a nice, cheap easy all round package this bike is the one for you and can be bought on a tight budget.

8. As I have written this post I have noticed a little startling fact. With all the modern day street and sports bikes out there, the road legal moto-cross bikes have been forgotten. However many believe they hold the key to having the most fun on Britains B-roads. So having already given the Suzuki DRZ125 and the Honda XR125 a word in I thought I would let you know about the 125 moto-cross bikes that are worth buying. I have used the key from previous parts of the article as well.

8.1 Kawasaki KLX 125 - Town Bike

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/images/2010_Kawasaki_KLX125_2.jpg

This bike is by far the smallest bike you can buy. It is absolutely tiny and you can see that with it barely weighing in over 110kg. For the smaller rider however. Brilliant, providing you are about 5 foot 7 or less. You have to be short to ride this bike with any degree of comfort. The power isnt great, with 10.3HP its less powerful than a Honda CG. But it makes slightly more torque and it weighs a little less. The Honda CG of the moto-cross world essentially. Very reliable and probably amazing at taking corners with that wheel base.

8.2 Yamaha WR125X - A-Road Blitzer

http://www.yamaha-motor-europe.com/Images/2010-yamaha-WR125X_racing-blue_studio_007_prv_tcm26-328222.jpg

This is widely considered as the best 125cc road legal moto-cross bike money can buy. And it probably is in all fairness. It comes equipped with Yamahas latest 125cc engine put into the YZF-R125. This therefore means that it is one of the most powerful 125cc 4-strokes money can buy. A very tall bike with small wheels, it accelerates like a bat out of hell and corners very effectively. It also has the style to go with the power. But at almost £4000, is it worth it?

8.3 Yamaha XT125X - Town Bike

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/Gallery%20%20A/Yamaha%20XT125X%2005%20%201.jpg

If you want the smaller option here it is. The XT is a duplicate of the KLX. It makes the same power but makes the smallest amount of extra torque. Its a worthy equivalency of the Honda XR125 but with better brakes and better looks. Great as a town runaround and better for the taller rider. A great town bike.

9. To those who have probably thought I have brushed over scooters. The amount written for them is generous as they are designed as work horses with varying class. Light, medium and heavy. With engine power and physical size increasing with them. Its down to a matter of what you like the look of the most but please stick to the japanese scooters. Peugeot are good but not as good as the Japanese.

Manufactures to buy from, bike and scooter a like in no order.

Honda

Aprilia

Suzuki

Rieju

Hyosung

Kymco

Derbi

Gilera

Cagiva

Yamaha

SMC-GB

11 Manufacturers and a shed load of bikes between them... I hope this helped

10. Bike Awards And The Best In Category

So, seeing that I have covered a vast amount of 125s in this thread which is the best? My personal opinion would flaw this greatly however, I will write the awards based on the general over view of a bike and what owners have said. I have looked over review forums to get this far!

Best A-Road Tourer

1st: Honda Varadero XL125

2nd: Hyosung GT125R

3rd: Honda VT Shadow 125

The reason they are in this order is as follows. The Varadero can't be faulted on its good handling, its brilliant comfort and 250 mile tank range. It blows the others out of the water through just being a typical Honda. It goes forever on a single tank and never breaks down. The Hyosung scored 2nd only because it has a nice amount of power and pull that lets it hold a little bit more speed than the Varadero can. The Shadow came a respectable 3rd seeing as it is a Varadero in a different frock but it has poor handling according to many a rider. If you are after this in a 125, any of these 3 will do!

Best A-Road Blitzer

1st: Yamaha YZF-R 125

2nd: Derbi GPR125

3rd: Honda NSR125

A 2-stroke made it into the rankings but only the NSR due to its good reliability for a 2-stroke. The better bikes at blasting down A-roads and smaller and doing distance on them to a satisfactory amount are the Yamaha YZF-R125 and the Derbi GPR125. The Yamaha beat the Derbi simply because it has a stronger engine and is more friendly to ride. The Derbi as extreme and brilliant to handle as it is just doesn't quite keep up with the YZF-R. But its a close race.

Best Town Bike

1st: Rieju RS2 125

2nd: Honda CBR125 (Or the Kymco equivalent)

3rd: Suzuki DR125

The Rieju has topped this category based on its comfort, amazing handling and brakes that allow it to stop faster than most 125s. It is a fast bike off the line, it is simplistic and it corners faster than most on fat tyres. It also goes 2 up very effectively with a large pillion seat to either carry luggage or someone. Not very good on roads that require more than 60mph of use unlike the CBR125 which is the only one in class that can hold the higher speeds with any effect. The Suzuki also scored well here as a moto-cross bike it nips through town brilliantly.

Bikes On A Budget

1st: Honda CG125

2nd: Honda XR125

3rd: Yamaha SR125

The Honda's have come out on top here mainly because they are so solid. They really can't be faulted on their abilities and the value for money you are actually getting. I would say that the XR is better as a bike but the CG takes it purely on the cheapness of good nick examples you can get. The Yamaha SR also came in as it is a cheap and simple bike but it falls apart a lot more than the Honda's do and good examples are starting to be hard to come by.

Fozzie's Favourites

1st: Yamaha YZF-R 125

2nd: Aprilia RS125

3rd: Rieju RS2 125

My perfect 3 bike garage if I were restricted to 125s. Why? Yamaha as it just does everything, it can be used to go distance and for the weekend blast. The Aprilia RS125 as it can be used to go very fast through back roads and its a personal favourite. They go fast, they handle nicely and when looked after will look after you. The Rieju simply because its just a bundle of fun. You can scream around town and up B-roads and small A-roads with a big grin on your face as you take the bike lower and lower through corners. It out corners and out brakes most things and it just feels so controllable. Though all 3 are almost equally a joy to ride.

Edited August 10, 2011 by Fozzie

[Guest]

Can i just suggest this get made a sticky? Its very helpful and would help many newbies! (makes it easier for me to find it too )

[Danny-B-]

Yeah !! sticky it !!

Great thread this

[Fozzie]

Ive just added the Budget bikes section as it also came to my attention many want a bike for under £1000 so its been written up and pictures added appropriately.

Thanks for the responce. Its good to see I have found something I am good at

[Guest]

Nice thread!

[Jimmi_929RR]

Great thread!

PS is it me or does that 4-stroke Derbi GPR125 look absolutely fantastic in black? I'd have loved one of them when i 1st started riding! They don't know they're born these days....etc, etc

[Guest]

heheheh True dat!

[Fozzie]

Wow, did not actually expect this would make it to being a sticky, it was just a thread to instruct those who want a 125. Thanks for all the support, its being edited all the time hence the edit count being so high.

The bikes mentioned I have actually encountered at some point, whether it be talking to the owner as im full of a million questions to anyone who has a 125 bike as I want to know if there is any differences that make it unique and if so what they are and im currently in a friend group wanting to take part in my epic 125cc journey that im planning so ive sort of become the 125 Guru as anything they need to know I try to tell them everything I know of the bike from the general point of view rather than just my point of view!

When ever I find more 125's that fit this category I will add them here!

[Fozzie]

30/05/2010 - Added - Honda Shadow 125

Added - Section 10 - Bike awards

30/11/2010 - Added - KTM Duke 125

Will use this post to edit what I add and when

[Xbandito]

One to add to the list, a Derbi Terra and the upgrade, Derbi Terra adventure.

I own a Derbi terra and to be honest, it is a cracking little bike to ride, it is nippy in towns, fast enough to commute (short distances..ie 20 to 30miles), top end of 72, MPG of approx 85 (not fully worked this out yet...to throttle happy) (update, just gone onto reserve and looked at trip, only 130miles to 12 litres.. )

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r46/Motorbiker_photos/NewsPics2/Derbi-Terra-RD-01.jpg

[Guest]

I have been looking for such a guide, great work, NSR125 here I come.

[Guest]

Aabsolutely great thread/sticky!

Looked on a few websites to help me choose a 125cc and none of the information has really helped. Bit this, this is amazing!

The bikes i wanted before are now out of the picture now ive took in everything that this says and all the advice.....im thinking the Hyosung GT125R or the Derbi GPR 125!

Thank you.

[bex]

can i also suggest to people the Daelim 125, perhaps Fossie could look into writing these up, i had the roadwin and had no problems what so ever with it, loved every mile on it

[Guest]

I would highly recommend the Honda NSR, just traded in my old YBR for one a month ago and so far extremely impressed with the bike.

Looks bigger than most two strokes, handles great, extremely quick off the mark and up to 60, sturdy to ride at speed and so far seems reliable.

[Guest]

I know I am biased but the KTM Duke 125 has now been out a little while since this was written and its got a very good reputation. I love it.

yes its quite pricey at 3695 but still £500 cheaper than the yam WR125 and kicks out the full 15hp. it handles like a dream and is good economy, excellent quality, only suffered by a small dealer network which is quite important i think for someone new to motorcycling. you want to have a dealer fairly close i guess.

It's a grown up bike, just has a smaller engine.

[Capitano]

A good thread. Nice one!

Only one thing at the moment I'd disagree on, and that is this-

 

7.2 Suzuki Vanvan 125 - Town Bike

http://www.arpem.com/motos/modelos/suzuki/flash/2008/suzuki-vanvan-125/suzuki-vanvan-125-post2.jpg

This is a rare sight on the roads. For some reason they arent too loved though that rear tyre is brilliant.

 

They aren't rare at all. There are an awful lot about. As for not loved they are one of the very few 125s to have their own owners club and forum which is thriving.

They are ridden by learners and experienced bikers alike. The owners forum regularly has photos and reports of intercontinental trips on VanVans.

[Fozzie]

In the case of the Vanvan I have only seen one or 2 around London and manchester but if you say theres owners club then theres a good chance that detail is wrong.

But I genuinely havent seen any and i see a great deal of other 125s in this thread every day so thanks for the pointer. It will be edited.

Am working on adding a couple of bikes now, the Derbi Terra, the Daelim 125 and trying to devise a warning notice for chinese bikes. Which are good and which are bad, how to tell etc.

[Throttled]

The Derbi Terra is a lovely bike to sit on and is the only rival I know of to the Honda Varadero as a 125 for really tall riders.

[guybandit]

Fozzie,

You ever had anything to do with an MZ 125 SM/SX. I've acquired a 2007 SX for cheap and I can find very little online about it. Seems pretty good tbh.

Cheers Guy

[Fozzie]

Fozzie,

You ever had anything to do with an MZ 125 SM/SX. I've acquired a 2007 SX for cheap and I can find very little online about it. Seems pretty good tbh.

Cheers Guy

 

German made motorcross bike?

MZ made the engine themselves (not a chinese replica) and makes 14.6BHP as much as the YZF. Its thought they are quite reliable but they are extremely rare and spares are hard to come by!

They are also quite expensive

But thats about it, if you look at the Suzuki DR125 in the main page its basically that with almost 4BHP more so it should be able to hold 65mph as a cruising speed.

[guybandit]

Awesome,

Cheers Fozzie, not bad paid 40 bucks for it as a non runner, no key no v5. Charged the battery, clean the carbs and put some fresh fuel in and it started first time. Sent off for the v5 and put in a switch for the ignition and it's an Mot passed. Gonna run it through the winter and flog it. Nice to hear it's expensive $$$$$$. Should make a tidy profit from that next summer. Thanks again

Guy

[Guest]

just wanted to say great thread.....i absolutly looooove my YAMAHA YBR 125 CUSTOM .... ive done over 13000 in a year and ive had no problems at all with it ... done loads of rallies on it ..... i do over load it a little but its been better since i had a friend addapt a back rest from another bike so i could use my leather top box...you cant get a back rest for it for some reason...

Great mileage on it and ive had 74mph out of it ....no it wasnt down hill either ...i would definately recomend this bike..

[Fozzie]

Good info!

As a somewhat more mature member of the biking fraternity, can I just throw in a good word for the Daelim Roadwin? It's a fabulously solid machine with a double downtube cradle frame that looks solid enough to support a much bigger engine, benefits hugely in handling from its surprisingly wider-than-usual tyre size and can accomodate a generously built 6-footer like me.

Admittedly it could use a higher top end, but cruises happily at 50mph. Mine is black with a naked front end and looks wonderfully solid and competent when parked next to its stablemate, my venerable Triumph Thunderbird.

 

Daelim Roadwin is now in there if you read and the standard YBR is in the post so I may put a side note explaining the difference between that and the custom version

[Capitano]

In the case of the Vanvan I have only seen one or 2 around London and manchester but if you say theres owners club then theres a good chance that detail is wrong.

But I genuinely havent seen any and i see a great deal of other 125s in this thread every day so thanks for the pointer. It will be edited.

 

Nice one!

The forum ( http://suzukivanvan.forumandco.com/ )has 3346 members so I would say the bikes are quite popular.

[essbeebee]

Nice thread. I wish I had read it before I bought my first bike.... may have gone for the Varadero rather than the CBF, especially as my commute is 20 miles per day.