RS125 / RS250 & DAS

[sean19]

All,

I was looking into buying my first 'proper' bike, having owned 2 50cc mopeds and a YZ125.

I am only 20 (but not a hooligan) so have been looking into RS125's / 250's. I would prefer the 250 due to the extra power and the likely hood of me using the bike to get back and forth to work (in the dry months) using a dual carriageway / motorway, and dont fancy the 125 revving it nuts off.

I would like a bigger bike but Im not sure if the law allows even if I went DAS.

Just wondred what they are like to ride and maintain? and are there any real alternatives. I don't want a really dated design though. Say 2000 onwards.

Thanks!

[Steve_T]

Info here - http://www.union.ic.ac.uk/rcc/motorcycle/nf_learni...

The bottom line is below 21 you can only get an A1 (test on a bike between 75 & 120cc) or restricted A license (test on a 125 that can top 100km/h), so at most 33bhp. At 21 you can do DAS and ride what you want. If you're commuting, you'd probably find the RS250 the wrong choice - too focused and as a two stroke in need of more frequent maintenance than a four stroke. Not to say it's a bad bike, just perhaps not the right tool for the job. There was a thread on a restricting an SV650 a while back - might be worth trawling the archives for it.

Steve.

[podman]

cant say either would be best for that type of commute or commuting fullstop...they will be more expensive to maintain and run than any 4 stroke...and dont get a 400!

They (400's)may run well enough but ive yet to see one in recent years that hasnt needed a full chassis rebuild, thats what happens to old ,post test bikes, being passed from newbie to newbie.

Get a more modern 600, it'll have a longer lasting appeal, be more reliable , easier for the commute and tearing around.

[MiniMac]

I'm 19 and getting a bike for the same reasons (ish).

Doing my full DAS and getting a CBR600 restricted down. Well, getting the cert.

[Steve_T]

MiniMac said:

I'm 19 and getting a bike for the same reasons (ish).

Doing my full DAS and getting a CBR600 restricted down. Well, getting the cert.

If you go the DAS route you have no need to restrict your bike, or pretend to restrict it, which I believe is what you were implying.

[Carl-H]

You can only take your restricted licence at 20. You need to be 21 to take your DAS which would mean you could have any bike. If you take your restricted licence you will be restricted to 33bhp for two years. I would say to pass you restricted test but don't get a RS250. Two strokes wont run very well if they are restricted. They have all the power at the top and if you only have half the overall power, you will struggle to get there. I would get a 400/600 and restrict it instead of a two stroke 250. An RS125 would be good enough but you are going to be thrashing it most of the time. If you don't fancy restricting a bike you could get a bike which is already 33bhp but if its four stroke, its probably not going to be the style your after. To restrict a bike will cost you nearly £200 on average (400) but you need to pay it to get the certificate (even though its only a washer in each if the carb rubbers).

[Brite spark]

podman said:

cant say either would be best for that type of commute or commuting fullstop...they will be more expensive to maintain and run than any 4 stroke...and dont get a 400!

They (400's)may run well enough but ive yet to see one in recent years that hasnt needed a full chassis rebuild, thats what happens to old ,post test bikes, being passed from newbie to newbie.

Get a more modern 600, it'll have a longer lasting appeal, be more reliable , easier for the commute and tearing around.

"needs a full chassis re build" sounds like the kind of thing people off ebay say when they are trying to buy a bike for peanuts

What a load of c**p 400's are great litte bikes, yes there are some bad one's running about, not all ended up getting owned by newbie's and thrown down the road, although they are getting a little rarer now, but then there's also loads of bad 600's, it's just a case of looking for a good one same as anything. rvf's still look relatively modern, vfr's are seen as future classics, so will have appeal for years to come, since there engines are cam driven they are extremely reliable, apart from the rectifier which is known to be a weak point. Don't really see how a 600 would be better for the commute or tearing around as the power will still be limited to 33bhp, in fact a 400 may actually suffer less under the restriction, losing about half their 60ish bhp and as for handling you've got to remember these bikes were based on the rc's, so handle superbly, arguably better than some 600's, or as mcn once put it, if you can't put your knee down on one of these then you probably never will

Getting a 600 for some as their first bike for some may also mean dropping the trousers, bending over, touching their toes and waiting for the insurance man...

[ninjaboy]

Aint kawasaki doing a ninja 250 now.

[sean19]

MiniMac said:

I'm 19 and getting a bike for the same reasons (ish).

Doing my full DAS and getting a CBR600 restricted down. Well, getting the cert.

What so at 19 you are able to ride a 600 providing its no more than 33bhp?

[Carl-H]

sean19 said:

MiniMac said:

I'm 19 and getting a bike for the same reasons (ish).

Doing my full DAS and getting a CBR600 restricted down. Well, getting the cert.

What so at 19 you are able to ride a 600 providing its no more than 33bhp?

You can ride an R1 if you want (and can afford the insurance)

[srob]

As a past owner of an RVF400, FZR400 and an RS-250, I'd have to say that the RVF was the best all round bike. I bought mine when I was 18, and had it restricted- it was still good for 'ton up' with the restrictors in. Felt much better built than the FZR (although it was a couple of years newer).

The RS-250 is an awesome bike, but tiring to ride. You HAVE to keep it in the powerband otherwise you'll be going backwards. Around town, you need so many revs and so much clutch slipping you look like you're trying to race everyone away from the lights. It is kind of addictive when you hit that powerband though, it's just like flicking a switch then changing gear as quickly as your foot can manage! Great fun, but I personally wouldn't fancy commuting on one (I did on both of the 400's).

I personally would go for a restricted 600 if you're intending on keeping it (and can afford to insure it, think they treat them as not being restricted from memory). Buy a good'un, run it restricted then you can take the restrictors out and keep the bike. Might work out cheaper than selling on and buying another once you've passed.

[Brite spark]

Carl-H said:

sean19 said:

MiniMac said:

I'm 19 and getting a bike for the same reasons (ish).

Doing my full DAS and getting a CBR600 restricted down. Well, getting the cert.

What so at 19 you are able to ride a 600 providing its no more than 33bhp?

You can ride an R1 if you want (and can afford the insurance)

It's the slight error that's being got at "full das at 19", you can't do das at 19(21 min), the test at 19 is for 33bhp restriction for 2 years, with das no restriction is required

[r5gttgaz]

With the RS250 you have to be 110% committed otherwise you might as well get a moped, they live at the red line and boy, if you get it right, you feel like a gp god.

I loved mine.

[Kawasicki]

get a zxr 400. You'll be shafted for insurance on a 600. The zxr is a fab bike. Just get Maxton to sort the rear shock. They are plenty quick enough. I bought mine as a first bike and kept it for 3 years, it was ace. I didn't have any problems keeping up with people on 600s. I do weigh 11 stone though.

+s
fast about 8000rpm (142mph on the speedo, I was once asked by a Ducati 748 owner what I had done to my zxr750 to make it so quick!)
Light
frugal (60mpg is easy to achieve)
reliable
good looking

-s
unrefined!
exhaust rust/front caliper sticking
slow but smooth under 8000rpm!
your mates always ask when you are going to get a proper bike!

thats it!

[MiniMac]

Brite spark said:

Carl-H said:

sean19 said:

MiniMac said:

I'm 19 and getting a bike for the same reasons (ish).

Doing my full DAS and getting a CBR600 restricted down. Well, getting the cert.

What so at 19 you are able to ride a 600 providing its no more than 33bhp?

You can ride an R1 if you want (and can afford the insurance)

It's the slight error that's being got at "full das at 19", you can't do das at 19(21 min), the test at 19 is for 33bhp restriction for 2 years, with das no restriction is required

Semantics

Its the full test, but you are restricted to 33BHP until you are 21, or for 2 years from passing. So if you passed on your 17th birthday, you could get an R1 at 19. But you wouldn't live very long