Would you in later life go back to a tiny 125 race replica?

Would you in later life go back to a tiny 125 race replica?

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Discussion

Biker's Nemesis

38,534 posts

207 months

Monday 1st March 2021
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Birky, you're wrong.

I was 33 in 1999

Edited by Biker's Nemesis on Monday 1st March 23:01

Biker's Nemesis

38,534 posts

207 months

Monday 1st March 2021
quotequote all
A few of us out on our 125's 2 years back.


PurpleTurtle

6,938 posts

143 months

Monday 1st March 2021
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I always wanted a DT125 but couldn’t afford one as a yoof.

Now I’m 48, 6ft and 15 stone, not sure if one would carry me at any great speed!

Biker's Nemesis

38,534 posts

207 months

Monday 1st March 2021
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I'm 55, 6ft 4" and just over 15 stone.

Mrtee

90 posts

192 months

Tuesday 2nd March 2021
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I have a Mito!! its a complete hoot.

broke the 7 speed engine, so currently got the backup 6-speed in, need the original 200G head repaired, as the loss of performance with a 200C head is really quite noticeable.

BTW Im 55, weigh a fair bit (yes Im heavier than you) and this will still lug me along at 80 quite happily.

its a total laugh going out and thrashing it - makes you think about lines and concentrate on being a better rider.

Fleegle

16,688 posts

175 months

Wednesday 3rd March 2021
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S2r said:
Derventio said:
However, I can't get past the mental point of handing over in excess of £3000 for such a tiddler when I can by a minty 90s CBR600F3 for fifteen hundred quid.
But a CBR600F will bore you to tears whereas a 125 stroker won't.
I'd rather have a bloody scooter than a 90's CBR600

slopes

38,748 posts

186 months

Wednesday 3rd March 2021
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Biker's Nemesis said:
I'm 55, 6ft 4" and just over 15 stone.
You old fart!! hehe


I'm a shade behind you in years, about 8 inches or so shorter and until i caught Covid about 2 stone lighter yikes My body is so knackered now i doubt i could bend into shape for a proper race replica, unless they make a race version of a Mobility scooter*


* yes i've seen Colin Furze's version laugh



Birky_41

4,276 posts

183 months

Thursday 4th March 2021
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Biker's Nemesis said:
A few of us out on our 125's 2 years back.

Thats a proper picture! Was it fun though? Like how you remember as a teenager?

Biker's Nemesis

38,534 posts

207 months

Thursday 4th March 2021
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Birky_41 said:
Thats a proper picture! Was it fun though? Like how you remember as a teenager?
Hello Birky.

I'm not just saying it but when we all get out I can't begin to tell you how much fun it is, I can't ever see me getting rid of it, I've had it 8 years now.

I sometimes go out on it myself and have fun chasing 1000cc sports bikes on the tight twisty back roads, if the 1000cc rider has half his wits about him I have no chance but the posers with 20mm chicken strips get it.

hehe

BroadsRS6

Original Poster:

785 posts

38 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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At 43, I weigh 69 kgs, around 10 stones 12, so still fit ok on a 125. I keep very fit as well so that helps.
I am looking into the possibility of a bigger piston for the bike to get some more bottom end power. I spoke to an ex employee of Stan Stephens and he thinks he can get the bike maybe a modest 5 bhp more but importantly a 20% lift in torque and mid range power with a 160cc piston kit from Italy.
40 bhp, 125 kgs and gearing-related top speed sounds good to me! 3 sprockets came with the bike, reportedly it'll do currently 90-110 mph dependent on overall gearing chosen.

chippy348

623 posts

146 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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I have a passion for Italian 2 stroke bikes since i came across them on a trip to Italy in 1987. Most of us UK lads were riding around on 50cc Japaneses bikes, steel frames, drum brakes, poor suspension chasing mediocre ( being political correct here) birds and failing.

while my Italian counter parts were riding around on bikes like the Aprilia AF1 50 and the AF1 125, Alloy frames, single sided swing arms, up-side down forks, disc front & rear, and engines with genuine race technology in them, and more to the point stunning looking birds on the back.

I came back from that trip to tell my mates what i have seen and then at the NEC bike show that year Aprilia had a stand so i could show them. None of us could afford them ! but they were miles ahead of anything else.

For the past 20 + years i have been lucky to have made a living of selling parts for these bikes and now have a collection of them.

They are a fantastic bike to ride, relative light, enough power to do a genuine 100mph for me they were a proper motorbike. Sadly they will never be re-made again, that time has passed. The current bikes on offer are along the lines of the bikes i we had in the UK back in the 80s, slow, not much soul and not very inspiring to ride.

This has made the bikes like the Mito and Aprilia quite popular both with the current youth and also now the lads who had them 10-15 years ago. The price of the bikes are on the rise not just in the UK but across Europe because of this.

Anyway if you want one, buy one and go and give it a good thrashing and enjoy it.

Llandudno

2,457 posts

181 months

Sunday 7th March 2021
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I couldn't afford an RD125LC as a teenager so had to settle for an MBX80. Having just looked on eBay, as a now 50 year old, I still can't afford one! Why do they fetch such silly money?

Rob 131 Sport

2,476 posts

51 months

Sunday 7th March 2021
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I lusted after all the 125 Race Replicas in the late 80’s particularly the TZR in White and Red followed by the NA Honda.

They don’t hold much appeal now. Just too slow and small for a 48 Year old.

srob

11,564 posts

237 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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chippy348 said:
I have a passion for Italian 2 stroke bikes since i came across them on a trip to Italy in 1987. Most of us UK lads were riding around on 50cc Japaneses bikes, steel frames, drum brakes, poor suspension chasing mediocre ( being political correct here) birds and failing.

while my Italian counter parts were riding around on bikes like the Aprilia AF1 50 and the AF1 125, Alloy frames, single sided swing arms, up-side down forks, disc front & rear, and engines with genuine race technology in them, and more to the point stunning looking birds on the back.

I came back from that trip to tell my mates what i have seen and then at the NEC bike show that year Aprilia had a stand so i could show them. None of us could afford them ! but they were miles ahead of anything else.

For the past 20 + years i have been lucky to have made a living of selling parts for these bikes and now have a collection of them.

They are a fantastic bike to ride, relative light, enough power to do a genuine 100mph for me they were a proper motorbike. Sadly they will never be re-made again, that time has passed. The current bikes on offer are along the lines of the bikes i we had in the UK back in the 80s, slow, not much soul and not very inspiring to ride.

This has made the bikes like the Mito and Aprilia quite popular both with the current youth and also now the lads who had them 10-15 years ago. The price of the bikes are on the rise not just in the UK but across Europe because of this.

Anyway if you want one, buy one and go and give it a good thrashing and enjoy it.
I'd love to see some pictures of your collection!

I too love those 125 two-strokes. I was 16 in 1996 and was desperate for an RS125 or Mito, but couldn't afford either!

Someone at the sixth form part of the school I went to had an RG125 (the last version, blue and white and the mini RGV250) which was the best thing I'd ever seen hehe

I did eventually get an RS250, but still look longingly at the last of the 125s and think one day I should scratch the itch! There was some amazing Italian market only 125s from what I remember. What was the hub-centre steering one? Think it was either an Aprilia or a Cagiva...

MrBig

2,637 posts

128 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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Get some pics up when you have it OP! I was always jealous of the guy at school with the Mito.

I keep looking at 125's again but I'd really only want a 2 stroke crosser and I can't stomach the thought of £2.5k for a DT, Back in the day I have a DT50 with a CB125 engine cobbled in hehe When that went there was a KH100 and then a Can-Am Bombardier 250.

The latter was sold before I ran out of luck as I've only ever had a provisional bike licence!! The £500 needed to address that these days for something that would essentially be a dry weekend toy means that I go back full circle to looking at 125s again.

Just have to keep hoping something that's been languishing at the back of someone's garage for 10 years comes up on marketplace locally for £500 biglaugh

toasty

7,441 posts

219 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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Biker's Nemesis said:
A few of us out on our 125's 2 years back.

If ever there's been a picture to brighten my day, this is it.

It makes me want to jump on my RD125 and ride to see my Gran. Both now long gone. frown

Derventio

1,227 posts

97 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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I know it's not a race replica, or a two stroke but I bought one of these for £100 as my first 125.

My mates all took the pi1$$ as they sat on their TZR/AR/NSR125s. Right up until the point when they realised that a) My was so old it wasn't restricted so was actually faster than theirs. b) the set of Dunstalls that I had fitted actually made it sound like a "proper bike" and c) I had bought, MOT'd, Taxed and insured a whole motorbike for less than a single monthly on their newer bikes.



It ended up with clip-ons and rearsets fitted. Well, when I say clip-ons, I mean it had the handlebars turned around and fitted upside down!
The brakes were truly shocking though and it was a bit... compact for my then 6" 4" frame!

I eventually saved up and bought myself a DT125R.

Derventio

1,227 posts

97 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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I also had one of these, too. They were never as cool as the race reps but they did actually go quite well and offered a little more room than the full race rep bikes.

Rob 131 Sport

2,476 posts

51 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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Derventio said:
I know it's not a race replica, or a two stroke but I bought one of these for £100 as my first 125.

My mates all took the pi1$$ as they sat on their TZR/AR/NSR125s. Right up until the point when they realised that a) My was so old it wasn't restricted so was actually faster than theirs. b) the set of Dunstalls that I had fitted actually made it sound like a "proper bike" and c) I had bought, MOT'd, Taxed and insured a whole motorbike for less than a single monthly on their newer bikes.



It ended up with clip-ons and rearsets fitted. Well, when I say clip-ons, I mean it had the handlebars turned around and fitted upside down!
The brakes were truly shocking though and it was a bit... compact for my then 6" 4" frame!

I eventually saved up and bought myself a DT125R.
But those on Race Reps were super cool and you can’t get your teenage years back.

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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Derventio said:
I also had one of these, too. They were never as cool as the race reps but they did actually go quite well and offered a little more room than the full race rep bikes.
I had one of those, for around 24 hours until someone in a landrover pulled out infront of me frown