First bike after CBT

[Birch Vand]

CBT has been rebooked for April, in the meantime I'll be looking for a good starter bike. 

Something decent to ride for maybe up to a year before moving to something bigger.

These four in particular interest me, as I've seen some for sale locally:

Yamaha XSR125

Honda CB125R

Husqvarna Svartpilen 125

Benelli Leoncino 

 

I'm seeing Yamahas between £3k - £4k depending on age/mileage,  similar story with the Honda.

There's a Benelli near me for £2400, 23 plate with low mileage,  looks interesting. 

Best deal looks like the Svartpilen - local dealer has a couple, brand new, for £3500 - a £1200 reduction. Good brakes,  engine, tyres, decent potential resale value, looks too good to miss.

 

Any thoughts? 

 

 

[bonio]

I'd avoid the Benelli and the Husky. Huskies are legendarily fragile bikes - they can take a fair bit of spannering and fettering to keep them on the road. Benellis have been produced to a sadly poor quality recently - like in the last 10 years or more. Also both have the issue that parts can be harder (sometimes a lot harder) to find than for the Yam or the Honda. 

[RideWithStyles]

the Svart is probably the most uncomfortable road bike designed (over 75%seat but rest is handle bar placement, thats the reason its a deal also dealers struggling to shift there stock of them what they have to have in, of the margins they dont want to sell them for less than retail. but that doesn't mean thats a bonus for the seller at resale.

0h and they share the same components as the ktm as its their parent company but you have to pay more for it. watch out for head gaskets.

 

Cino - yes they look nice and cheapish but seriously no dont get it as it will be a rust bucket in a year with corroded ground points that just add fuel to the fire of the cheap electrics and tight looms, fogging clocks and headlights, access to parts is rare and hard to get (if you luckly its only a three month wait off the boat from china's as they dont have a distribution system for parts) to get angood luck getting anyone to look or fix it beyond a dealer (which are few and less all the time) resale value are....just throw it in the skip

 

yama is the most interesting over the honda.

Edited March 25, 2024 by RideWithStyles

[S-Westerly]

Benelli is Chinese so avoid. Husqvarna is notoriously uncomfortable not that I have personal experience. Go for used Japanese brand although the small bikes are no longer made in Japan. Remember with CBT only you can't ride anything over 125 cc ever so until.you get some kind of proper bike licence you'll not be getting anything larger.

[Birch Vand]

1 minute ago, S-Westerly said:

Benelli is Chinese so avoid

That's interesting,  hadn't spotted that,  I'll give that one a miss. 

 

1 minute ago, S-Westerly said:

CBT only you can't ride anything over 125 cc

No worries, only looking for a 125 so far, I do have some ideas for later down the line, but focusing on the 125s for now

[Birch Vand]

38 minutes ago, RideWithStyles said:

just throw it in the skip

Ha! I'm getting the idea that the Benelli is one to avoid, didn't realise it was a Chinese bike. 

 

I'll give the Husqvarna a miss,  there had to be a reason for the big discount

 

39 minutes ago, RideWithStyles said:

Svart is probably the most uncomfortable road bike designed

[Birch Vand]

45 minutes ago, bonio said:

I'd avoid the Benelli and the Husky. Huskies are legendarily fragile bikes - they can take a fair bit of spannering and fettering to keep them on the road. Benellis have been produced to a sadly poor quality recently - like in the last 10 years or more. Also both have the issue that parts can be harder (sometimes a lot harder) to find than for the Yam or the Honda. 

Good stuff, looks like it's Yamaha or Honda - there are loads about, I'll get the CBT out the way and start having a look at some bikes,  got loads saved on Facebook and Autotrader.

[Blackholesun]

What about an old ybr or CBF? I haven't checked but you can prob pick one up for a grand or so 

[RideWithStyles]

poor ones are £1k decent old ones are 1.5, newer ones are 2k 

[Birch Vand]

1 hour ago, Blackholesun said:

old ybr or CBF

Good shout, there are quite a few about, bit less pricey than an XSR.

I think I'll be doing my cbt on a YBR, I spent a couple of hours on one during my first attempt (that's another story...),  felt quite nice.  That was an 09 plate I think. A decent fit for my height, 6'3".

[bonio]

A YBR is one of the zippiest 125 out there. And to me, zippy = good; so, zippiest = best.

But I'm a simple soul. 

[RideWithStyles]

well at your height the best is getting one that is particular to your unless you want to look and feel of being king kong on a mini bike,  As IFF was told and worked it out eventually.

i will put forward Honda xl125v varadero, used (so cheaper) but tuff and built more like a normal size bike (normal dimensions), been round for ages so no surprises. v twin is not gustless and not needing 10k revs to keep up with traffic compared to singles.

your only wanting to sit on it for a year or two at max? no point spending more on a new/newish bike then have to loses more only to spend more to get the next bike. if tou drop a newer bike, youll be pissed off and prices for parts have gone up on the newer model bikes.  

[Birch Vand]

8 hours ago, RideWithStyles said:

well at your height the best is getting one that is particular to your unless you want to look and feel of being king kong on a mini bike,  As IFF was told and worked it out eventually.

i will put forward Honda xl125v varadero, used (so cheaper) but tuff and built more like a normal size bike (normal dimensions), been round for ages so no surprises. v twin is not gustless and not needing 10k revs to keep up with traffic compared to singles.

your only wanting to sit on it for a year or two at max? no point spending more on a new/newish bike then have to loses more only to spend more to get the next bike. if tou drop a newer bike, youll be pissed off and prices for parts have gone up on the newer model bikes.  

That's a good shout  ill have a look what's out there, much obliged 

[Birch Vand]

Blimey,  the XL125V Varadero  does not look like a 125! Definite possibility,  as they say

[bonio]

the Varadero is probably the best 125 for someone who clocks in at 6'3". I hear that they're getting hard to find, though.

[Birch Vand]

32 minutes ago, bonio said:

hear that they're getting hard to find

Not as plentiful as the YBRs I've been seeing around, there are a few though.  It's an interesting choice.  I'm seeing a quite few with big top boxes and pannier boxes, they look to me like upright adventure bikes. 

[bonio]

I think they look great. When I rode a scoot I had nighttime fantasies about owning one 

[RideWithStyles]

thats because they're good enough and adapt to do nearly owt on.

im not a honda fan but its definitely one of hondas great works for anyone but often overlooked models.

[Birch Vand]

So... completed my CBT on Wednesday, brilliant morning,  absolutely loved it.

I'm picking up my first bike tomorrow!

2 year old Yamaha XSR with less than 3000 miles on it! 

It cropped up on local Facebook yesterday, couldn't believe it, seller happy to let it go for a bargain price for a quick sale as he has a big bike ordered! Exactly what I wanted!

[Shepherd]

Congratulations. 

The first ride out on your own is the best, make the most of it. Stay relaxed and keep smiling  - no-one will see the local loon grinning from ear to ear under your lid.

[jr71]

well done.

and never forget that car drivers are in a world of their own and some wont even know you are there. 

[Birch Vand]

50 minutes ago, jr71 said:

well done.

and never forget that car drivers are in a world of their own and some wont even know you are there. 

Good shout - ride like you're invisible,  I never assume someone has seen me in a car, let alone a bike

[Birch Vand]

12 hours ago, Shepherd said:

Congratulations. 

The first ride out on your own is the best, make the most of it. Stay relaxed and keep smiling  - no-one will see the local loon grinning from ear to ear under your lid.

Just bought it! I'm at home taxing and insuring it,  going back to fetch it and ride it home! 

[bonio]

7 minutes ago, Birch Vand said:

Just bought it! I'm at home taxing and insuring it,  going back to fetch it and ride it home! 

That's fantastic!

But we need pictures or it didn't happen.

[Birch Vand]

3 hours ago, bonio said:

That's fantastic!

But we need pictures or it didn't happen.

Ha! I'll get it now and put some pics up - absolute beauty, not a dinky 125, nice and chunky, wide bars, super clean, heading back to get it now!

Edited June 22, 2024 by Birch Vand