learner 125 bike

[ford421]

alright guys

i am looking at getting into bikes, but i dont know much about them. im 19 so im going to be a 125 for 2 years i believe.

i like the look of the Honda CBR125. whats everyones opinion on these ? does anyone have any other suggestions ? everyone seems to get the aprilla so that doesnt really appeal.

i have seen a CBR on autotrader for £1650 on a 55 plate with 4000 miles. is this about right?

cheers in advance

[johnnystorm]

MCN has a feature on 125s this week, it compares the CBR to some cheaper Chinese/Taiwanese bikes. It does suggest the CBR is the pick of the bunch. Having said that they were quite enthusiastic about the Kymco iirc and that's 1500 quid brand new. I guess the Honda will be easier to get bits for and pass on when it comes time to sell it on.

[ford421]

cheers for that, ill have a look at the Kymco too

another little question, sorry!, roughly how much could i get a decent helmet, gloves, jacket etc. for? i would look myself but i cant get on websites like that at work untill lunch time

[S2KUK]

I had a CBR125 as my first bike a year ago. I paid £1,700 for a 55 plate with 1,100 miles on it and got £1,600 for it when I traded it in in April this year (only put 600 miles on it myself). I found it really easy to ride, quite nippy around towns but it did lack power up any sort of inclines (and I'm not a hefty lad either )

It's well worth looking around for a mint bike as you will find them for that sort of money. I looked at 3 others before finding mine and it really was mint. You may be able to bargain a bit harder this year too as I don't imagine bikes have been selling too well due to the weather.

[TOPTON]

ford421 said:

alright guys

i am looking at getting into bikes, but i dont know much about them. im 19 so im going to be a 125 for 2 years i believe.

i like the look of the Honda CBR125. whats everyones opinion on these ? does anyone have any other suggestions ? everyone seems to get the aprilla so that doesnt really appeal.

i have seen a CBR on autotrader for £1650 on a 55 plate with 4000 miles. is this about right?

cheers in advance

I have in my garage an immaculate 54 plate CBR125 in black. Going to sell it for my sister who bought it 6 months ago but now, for medical reasons can no longer ride. She only went out on it once with me. What a waste. It only has 636 miles on it. Yes 636!!!!!. The ladyowner before my sis obviously never used it much neither.
Was given its first service when she bought it. I keep firing it up and giving it a couple of mile runout. Email me through my profile if you interested...T

[ford421]

sent you an e mail TOPTON. i wont be able to check my e mail untill i get home from work though, if you send a reply before then.

a quick question i forgot in the e mail, do you know what the stats are them, ie 0-60, top speed, etc?

[randlemarcus]

Ford,
Personally, having read a few reviews, I'd avoid the chinese bikes like the plague, as they have more quality control issues than 80's Italians..

If you're keeping it for a couple of years, spend a bit more than you might otherwise do, and look for a nice reliable Jap jobbie, as subtly hinted at above

And dont worry unduly about performance stats - its a 125, and everyone else on the road will simply ride round you

[rsv gone!]

ford421 said:

alright guys

i am looking at getting into bikes, but i dont know much about them. im 19 so im going to be a 125 for 2 years i believe.

You can ride a 125 on L-plates, so long as you have a valid provisional licence and CBT certificate.

If you pass the full test you are restricted to a 33bhp bike for two years. This could be anything.

BTW Everybody is saying get the Aprilia because it is two stroke and a proper racer. Derestricted, it makes about 33bhp, which is around 100mph. CBR is probably 14bhp.

Edited by rsv gone! on Thursday 19th July 11:16

[ford421]

fair enough about the performance. i reckon its got to be better to learn the trade on something smaller, and then get something a bit quicker!

im not very mechanically minded, so a reliable jap must be the way!

you lot are going to get into trouble with my gf, i was only thinking about getting one again yesterday. cheers! (i loved bikes before cars but i lost my way!)

[ford421]

rsv gone! said:

You can ride a 125 on L-plates, so long as you have a valid provisional licence and CBT certificate.

If you pass the full test you are restricted to a 33bhp bike for two years. This could be anything.

BTW Everybody is saying get the Aprilia because it is two stroke and a proper racer. Derestricted, it makes about 33bhp, which is around 100mph. CBR is probably 14bhp.

Edited by rsv gone! on Thursday 19th July 11:16

so i could get a restricted aprilla, do my CBT and then full test on it, and then derestrict (sp) it?

[rsv gone!]

ford421 said:

rsv gone! said:

You can ride a 125 on L-plates, so long as you have a valid provisional licence and CBT certificate.

If you pass the full test you are restricted to a 33bhp bike for two years. This could be anything.

BTW Everybody is saying get the Aprilia because it is two stroke and a proper racer. Derestricted, it makes about 33bhp, which is around 100mph. CBR is probably 14bhp.

Edited by rsv gone! on Thursday 19th July 11:16

so i could get a restricted aprilla, do my CBT and then full test on it, and then derestrict (sp) it?

Yep.

Or you could use a school's 125 to pass your test and then buy a restricted 600 like a hornet or fazer. Once your two year probationary period is up, you can take out the restrictors and have 80-90bhp.

[TOPTON]

ford421 said:

sent you an e mail TOPTON. i wont be able to check my e mail untill i get home from work though, if you send a reply before then.

a quick question i forgot in the e mail, do you know what the stats are them, ie 0-60, top speed, etc?

replied to you email with some pics included. Seems I am having a lazy day but you will have to wait untill you get home to look at the dream machine

[ford421]

thanks v much TOPTON, cant wait to get home and have a look!

im intrigued by the idea of having a slightly bigger bike though. i dont think i want a 600 straight away, but could i get a 250 or 400, for example, restricted for my 2 year period? with me only being 19, is this possible? what are other peoples opinions on this ???

does it do any damage to the bike having it restricted? the way my head is thinking about it, it would protect the engine?

sorry about all the questions guys, cheers for all the help!

[rsv gone!]

Makes no odds on what bike is restricted, they will all make 33bhp.

http://www.fiinternational.com/Restrictors.asp

[TPS]

Yes its possible to have any bike at 19.As long as its fitted with the 33bhp restriction kit and you have passed your test.Then as said after the two years you remove the kit and off you go.

[randlemarcus]

rsv gone! said:

Makes no odds on what bike is restricted, they will all make 33bhp.

http://www.fiinternational.com/Restrictors.asp

, they do one for my Blade!!

Wonder if you can fit an on/off switch for when you lend it out/put it in for a service?

[ford421]

ta for the link, do you know how much they are roughly? i couldnt find any prices on the site

is passing my bike test like a car test, in that it would help to have a 125 to practise on? would not having one mean more lessons? because if im thinking right, if i had a restricted bike higher than a 125, i wouldnt be able to ride it on a CBT ???

[rsv gone!]

£130-140 plus fitting, I think.

[fredd1e]

I spoke to FI internation about restricting a monster 600 for the missus but they wont sell to individuals/public, only to recognised bike garages who'll do the fitting. Price of the unit list was around £149 (maybe bike specific) but you would have to add garage charges on top of that.

[rsv gone!]

A mate of mine had a GSX600F restricted a few years ago. Cost maybe £200 all in.





[That was a shed of a bike. I fitted a bike alarm for him and whilst I was lifting the tank one of the petrol hoses was so brittle it split, covering me in fuel!]