All These 125's

[Slim]

Is it just me, or are there a lot of 125s out there on the road now?

I'm not sure if it's reading Antallica's recent threads thats just making me notice them, but I don't recall 125s being big on the scene 10+ years ago when I first got into bikes. Everyone bought 250cc bikes (usually 2-stroke pocket rockets :D ) when they got their learner licence, including me.

What say you lot? :apint:

[Dave]

I think 150,s Slim (rgv,fxr,etc)
Only sporty 125's that i know are Aprilia.

[Andrew]

Yep, I can vouch for that. I know heaps of guys on 150's. Cheap cheerful and good for commuting. :)

[Duke of Rogan]

I used a FXR150 yesterday (bike in for insurance accessment :( ) and I found it quite weird, espicially when I jumped back on mine!

I can understand people using them for cheap commuting bikes etc, but reckon they're too light and low-powered to have as a "learners bike" prior to something over 250cc (and over 150kg)

my opinion is that they are a great first bike, but the second should be a 250, before moving to a larger beast.
not that I'm an expert on the matter, considering I just had a scrape on my 2nd bike... :gob:

[SPman]

Originally posted by Dave
Only sporty 125's that i know are Aprilia.

There are a few Cagiva Mito's around  - mini 916 with 7 speed gearbox.:niceone:

[Slim]

Originally posted by Dave
I think 150,s Slim (rgv,fxr,etc)
Only sporty 125's that i know are Aprilia.
That's it - saw a FXR today on the way to w@rk - looked a little on the light/skinny side. I have to agree with The Duke though.

I remember being horrified by unresponsible bike salesmen extoling the virtues of RGV250's and the like to young people who openly admitted they'd only just passed their written/aural/basic skills & handling!

Have things changed that much!?!?

[SpankMe]

I rode around on a FXR150 for a couple of weeks when my SV650s was getting fixed. It is definitely too underpowered to be a learners bike if you are planning to upgrade to larger capacity bikes later. It’s like making another unnecessary step in your upgrade path. The FXR has weak acceleration from a standing start. You almost feel like you have to give it a push off.

A 250 single or twin is a much better option. I learnt on a 250 single, a Honda CB250rs.

[Slim]

Originally posted by SpankMe
A 250 single or twin is a much better option. I learnt on a 250 single, a Honda CB250rs.
I learnt on a CB250 too. :)

And the first bike I owned was a GB250. :) That thing was great for learning how motors work - one cylinder makes everything so simple.

[jrandom]

Originally posted by SpankMe
definitely too underpowered to be a learners bike

A 250 single or twin is a much better option. I learnt on a 250 single, a Honda CB250rs.

Hmmm... I don't think the FXR's as bad as all that (although I'm not about to praise it *too* highly :D) IIRC, the only mention of power output I could find on the net said that it made about 19bhp on the dyno (which, if I'm not too wrong, should be about the same as your CB250). It'd be interesting to get one of the local FXRs on the dyno and see how it went.

The FXR is still scary-small, though, it tends to skitter around in a most un-confidence-inducing manner.

Re. the 'moving up' issue, the folks in the UK seem to do pretty well with their CBT/DAS setup, where they ride a 125 for a while before moving to an unrestricted license (and most of the ones I've spoken to have moved from a CG125 or the like straight up to a GS500, SV, CB500, NX650, etc). Going straight to a sport 600 might cause a few soiled undies though...

[jrandom]

Originally posted by jrandom
where they ride a 125 for a while before moving to an unrestricted license

Of course, posting that, I forgot about the intermediate 33bhp-limit step... there still seem to be a decent number of riders that bypass it and go straight to DAS without too much pain and suffering, though.

[SpankMe]

I did manage to get the FXR up to 149kph thou :)

[Marmoot]

... and what about that CBR150 (yeah, C B R) they have in Boyd Honda? Man, 150 market now is about the biggest so far.

[Coldkiwi]

I agree.... best bikes to learn on if you intend to move up are 1 or 2 cylinder 250 4 strokes. The ZZR, GPX (my 1st bike) and GSXR (Likewise VT250's) are all respectably performing 250's that are quite forgiving without being gutless. They're also a lot more comfortable and give better wind protection etc... and you can hoof along quite respectably once you know how! (but most importantly you can chuckle at the 150 riders when they try and drag you off!.. been there, enjoyed that)

 

[Marmoot]

CK: about 'learning experience', it depends on what type of riding you want next.

150s only teach you basics about riding, and some city riding awareness.

If you are interested in commuting in the city mainly, it gives you considerable learning because you will learn to be aware of the danger without having to concentrate on the bike too much (150s are easy to ride).

But if you are interested in backroad sport riding later on, 150s don't teach you much except on how to keep the bike upright. You need to learn on 250 fours for that.

Anyway, it was really CBR150R. THe first time I've ever seen CBR name on a single cylinder engine. It was 4 stroke, though.

[jrandom]

Originally posted by Coldkiwi
you can chuckle at the 150 riders when they try and drag you off!

Really? Someone actually tried that on?

Only things I can drag off are weenie cars and scooters. And there's *never* any honour in beating a scooter. (Might be some points to be gained from beating *up* a scooter *rider*, mind, if he's on a C1 :p)

[bluninja]

BTW UK is up to 125 cc for all learners, except riders over 21 who can go on a bike over ?? bhp when accompanied by an accredited/certified instructor.

Under 21 pass test, bike up to 33 bhp for 2 years (eg a 996 with a restrictor like BB has:confused:) and then anything you like.

Over 21 you can do the above, OR take test on say a CB500 and then go straight onto the GSXR1000. Either way you only tend to get the last part of your training on the bigger bike, to make sure you get through the test.

I took mine before this and went CG125->ZZR600........did I miss something not riding a 150?

TTFN

[jrandom]

Originally posted by bluninja
did I miss something not riding a 150?

Nope.

And you had the opportunity of enjoying the sublime experience of CG125 ownership (MSoHP)

[bluninja]

Owning a CG 125? not me. I had a Suzuki A100 when I was 17, but the CG125 was just hired for the three days to learn to ride and pass my test. Should have taken my test when it was 2 laps around the block and an emergency stop...instead of CBT, training, and full pursuit style test.

TTFN

[jrandom]

Originally posted by bluninja
Owning a CG 125? not me. I had a Suzuki A100 when I was 17, but the CG125 was just hired for the three days

Ah, right.

Well, you'd better go get one then, hadn't you?

I dunno, folks these days, riding all this dodgy V-twin Italian rubbish. Not a proper pushrod in sight.

[SPman]

Originally posted by Marmoot
CK:
Anyway, it was really CBR150R. THe first time I've ever seen CBR name on a single cylinder engine. It was 4 stroke, though.

They also sell (sold?) an NSR150 in OZ - single side swing arm and all - a bit like a single pot MC28. (NSR250)

[bikerboy]

" dodging Italian v twin.." , Hows about a proper pushrod up the
yingyang mate! :D :eek:








Sorry, don't know what came overme .:o

[Kwaka-Kid]

yay for more ppl that learnt to ride on a CB250RS! best bike ever to learn on! and yeah a dude from skool had a FXR150, and we did line them up, i must admit (and not trying to blow my own trumpet here) he was a shit rider as he had only just got it, i had ridin dirt bikes for over 5 years, but anyways we dragged down our "roskill dragstrip" (still used t othis very day!) and CB250RS would always win.  i Also lined up against my mates stock ZXR250 '91, 7,000km.  anyways i kept in lead all the way till 3rd gear and approx 100kmph from memory, then the ZXR just kept on going and cb had done its dash, but again, rider experience was VERY lop sided :)  -i still say that CB had some grunt tho, ported polished, oversized 2into1, K&N airfilter, and seat of the pants riding it did go much better then stock, yet still returned approx 24km/L LOL!

oh crap its nearly 2am, i should sleep soon, wakeup @ 6am and work on Blue tomorrow morning, SHE RUNS NOW! go the ZXR400!

[jrandom]

Originally posted by Kwaka-Kid
CB250RS would always win

hey KK, pity you don't have it any more, would love to pop over and have a crack at it on the FXR. Getting the 150 off the line in any respectable fashion is all about clutching and changing at *just* the right moments, so I'm not surprised yer newbie mate couldn't keep up with the CB.

Not a bad bike, mind, the CB250; if I'd have found one in decent nick when I was looking around I would've been sorely tempted.

Never mind, it's thrashy-sc00t3r-b0i 150cc territory for me until I get my full license I'm afraid.

[Slim]

Originally posted by bluninja
Should have taken my test when it was 2 laps around the block and an emergency stop
Pah!

I'll see you your "2 blocks + emergency stop" for my tootle up Stanley Street (unaccompanied because the coppers car was in for a service) with a u-turn and tootle back to the Stanley St cop shop. :D

The cop was already inside with my (restricted) licence half filled out by the time I got back. :p



And the full licence test, I hear you ask?!?!? Down the cop shop with my restricted licence, hand over the dollars & wait 2 weeks for the full licence to show up in the mail. :D There was no full licence test back then. :p

[MacD]

Originally posted by Slim

I'll see you your "2 blocks + emergency stop" for my tootle up Stanley Street (unaccompanied because the coppers car was in for a service) with a u-turn and tootle back to the Stanley St cop shop. :D

I can beat that with a figure-of-8 and emergency stop in the Glen Innes testing station car-park! :p

This was the 70's when it was straight from learners to full licence, and it looked like it might rain so the cop didn't want to get wet :niceone:

[SPman]

Originally posted by MacD
I can beat that with a figure-of-8 and emergency stop in the Glen Innes testing station car-park! :p

This was the 70's when it was straight from learners to full licence, and it looked like it might rain so the cop didn't want to get wet :niceone:

I'll see your figure 8 and stop from learners, and raise it to a Figure 8, outside Browns Bay council office,while the cop watched from the door, from no licence to full licence, on my trusty Yammy 100 twin.:D

But, that was the 60's.......

 :eek:

[Dave]

hey-and your all still alive,good on yaz. Mind you the roads wouldn't have been chocka block with psycho's in cars back then.


I remember being horrified by unresponsible bike salesmen extoling the virtues of RGV250's and the like to young people who openly admitted they'd only just passed their written/aural/basic skills & handling

I have to agree with you there, I think the cc limit rule is stupid.
Making it legal to ride a race rep 220k/hr two stroke but illegal to ride a 1942 500cc indian that won't even reach 100k/hr-theres good logic.

[SPman]

quote:
<HR>
I remember being horrified by unresponsible bike salesmen extoling the virtues of RGV250's and the like to young people who openly admitted they'd only just passed their written/aural/basic skills &amp; handling
<HR>
&nbsp;And quite a few were back in the workshop within 6 weeks, having spat their riders down the road!&nbsp; :angry:

[Slim]

Hey, SPMan! You had a sex change or something?!? ;) hehehe


I'd just like to point out that this acquiring of my restricted licence in Stanley Street was in the early '90s. :p

Dave - I had a friend who never quite got round to getting his full licence, who rode a Honda 500cc of late 70s/early 80's vintage who never got a ticket for riding outside his restrictions, cos the cops that pulled him over just couldn't argue with his logic. :)

[Lam]

Mine is 125

[Andrew]

I'd just like to say that I've overtaken a Ferrari on the Orewa motorway before. I had to get my bike right up into the power band to overtake this Ferrari that was probably in 2nd gear just putting along :rockon: