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 ) when they got their learner licence, including me.

What say you lot?

[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...

[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.

[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 ) 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 )