The Bikeshite Thread

[John F]

I was having this chat with a mate last weekend.

 

He's currently restricted to 33 bhp, his 650 Bandit takes 8-9 seconds to get from 0 to 60 whereas an unrestricted one would do it in about half the time.

 

So I suspect that the intended goal of the 33 bhp legislation is to restrict rapid acceleration rather than top speed.

[hairnet]

friend bought a 600 hornet in 01 after passing his full test ( he was 51 )

 

he had it 33hp'ed by choice for the two years

 

would still do 100 mph and 6 to 60 in stead of 4.5 and 135 mph

 

he bought a pan euro in 2004 and still has the hornet

[Aston Martin]

I'd never have anything bigger than a 250 I don't think, I don't see the point.

 

In a car I'll do 99mph (on private roads) but I'd never so that on a bike. Give me a Veyron and I'll try and hit the limit. Give me a Hayabusa and I'd probably do 80 mph.

[strangeangel]

I'd never have anything bigger than a 250 I don't think, I don't see the point.

 

I had a 400 for my two 'probationary' years at 33bhp, and then went back to the two old 250s I still ride now (amongst other tat). It works for me, although I can see the point of bigger stuff for touring.

 

I guess I'm lucky really, in that I just enjoy being out and about on 2 wheels. Speed was never an issue, so I can have a good time on pretty much anything vaguely bike-shaped.

 

Give me a Hayabusa and I'd sell it and buy a Honda Pacific Coast, some obscure JDM-only scooters and blow the rest on pies and real ale.

[UltraWomble]

 

 

Give me a Hayabusa and I'd sell it and buy a Honda Pacific Coast, some obscure JDM-only scooters and blow the rest on pies and real ale.

Yeah, I dont mind what I ride really - though 50cc is a bit slow for modern traffic.

I'd probably flog the Hayabusa and buy a shed full of old mopeds to polish.

Oh and a Marauder for commuting.

[Aston Martin]

MSXs do hold there bloody value, last time I looked, used prices were almost new prices.

[DodgeRover]

I went through numerous 125s before passing my test and going on to bigger things, top speed was never my thing though although carrying it through corners was.

On private roads I maxed out my 1980 cb750f2 and got most of the way there on my '87 FZ600.

 

After going quick I realised I wasn't having fun and if I had an off at that speed it would really hurt.

 

Since then I've stuck to my trail bikes on the road and trials bikes for off road fun, I still have a CB900F2 I need to get out of the shed at some point but I'm not likely to be going particularly quick on it.

 

Most of the quick road riders I know had mx bikes growing up, I always had trials bikes.

[strangeangel]

buy a shed full of old mopeds

 

Ya don't say

[strangeangel]

I've never even sat on a moped, but am for some reason becoming more interested in doing my CBT... I am however a complete beginner.

 

Sorry for the noob questions, but I guess this is a good place to ask:

 

1) What sort of money are you looking at for a reasonable 125. I like my Japanese cars and gather their bikes are a good bet too?

2) What sort of money for a years riding? Insurance, tax... anything else?

3) Are 125's all toddler looking scooters? Any photos of some cool looking bikes to convince me further to do the CBT?

 

1) I just sold an entirely viable 125cc scooter, running with MOT for £250. Italian, I grant you, but stlll. Jap stuff is very good, although later things branded Yamahahaha and Honda will be made in the far east without the benefit of quality control. There was a CG125 - as good a bet in the 125 stakes as any - for sale on here for £600 not long ago. If you're serious, and it hasn't sold, then were I in your shoes I'd get it bought.

 

2) As Sir will be starting out on a 125, the year's tax bill will be £17. Insurance is, as ever, a piece of string - what's yo' hood like? Crashed he car lately? Get on the phone and sound out any introductory discounts for new riders etc.

 

3) There's all sorts of 125s, but if you want 'cool' I'm probably not the man to help. Cool - in the conventional sense-  is expensive, and none of it appeals to me anyway.

 

Noob questions are good - it's never bad to have the opportunity to encourage curiosity in the two-wheeled version of 'shiting.

[Aston Martin]

3) Yamaha YZF R125 look amazing... and the price of a small house.

[UltraWomble]

MSXs do hold there bloody value, last time I looked, used prices were almost new prices.

Paid £1700 for it and sold it for £1600 - can I find one now for that price?

Can I fook like.

[John F]

Cool*-looking 125s?

 

Yep, lots to choose from.

 

Race replicas from Italy & Spain:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trail bikes & enduros:

 

 

 

Super motard bikes:

 

 

 

And also "cruiser" bikes, if you like that sort of thing:

 

 

 

... in fact, pretty much everything that's available as a 'big' bike can be had in 125 cc flavour.

[strangeangel]

^^ y'see? Those are cool. I wouldn't be seen dead on any of them

[John F]

No problem! A quick trip back to the 1970s and 1980s can provide cool* bikes that would fit in more with the Autoshite ethos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...etc., etc.

[Dave_Q]

I've never even sat on a moped, but am for some reason becoming more interested in doing my CBT... I am however a complete beginner.

 

Sorry for the noob questions, but I guess this is a good place to ask:

 

1) What sort of money are you looking at for a reasonable 125. I like my Japanese cars and gather their bikes are a good bet too?

2) What sort of money for a years riding? Insurance, tax... anything else?

3) Are 125's all toddler looking scooters? Any photos of some cool looking bikes to convince me further to do the CBT?

 

1. 125s hold their value quite well, but you should still be able to get something decent for £1500, something servicable from £500 up if you're not fussy.

2. Insurance, assuming that you're over 30 or so and don't live in Shameless, maybe £1-200 a year? CBT £70-100. Tax £17. Pez - most 125s do 100+ to the gallon. Bike MOTs are about £26.

3. No, even scooters are larger than they look, but there are plenty of "real motorbike" 125s with gears and a clutch.

 

eg. 

 

CG125 - the perennial learner / bike school bike but good in it's own right. Simple and hardy, these things used to be well cheap but are starting to creep up as old giffers start wanting one like they had when they were younger.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-Honda-CG125-2006-with-a-Years-MOT-/322517950143?hash=item4b17915ebf:g:jm0AAOSwHHFY88uv

 

YBR125 - a modern equivalent to the above, very similar but with fuel injection (I think) and probably better fuel economy.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-YBR-125-/322512033753?hash=item4b173717d9:g:qaIAAOSwDiBZEzkZ&autorefresh=true

[John F]

YBR125 - a modern equivalent to the above, very similar but with fuel injection (I think) and probably better fuel economy.

 

Pre-2007 versions had a carburettor, later ones got fuel injection

[UltraWomble]

 

 

ETA: That GC125 has sold, but thats more the sort of thing I like the look of

Yeah, sorry about that, I wanted a commuter bike. The Pegaso is cool off road, but maybe not the best for a 6 mile commute daily.

[LostnotFound]

If you head over to my Deux Temps thread you'll see my TDR. I fell for it on 1st Internet site and paid too much and have spent silly time on fixing it already. Bit, it's cool as fuck albeit only in my eyes.

 

I'm 6ft 3 and not very slim... It's a physically big enough bike that it fits. I did 5 hours in the saddle with no issues and being a 2 stroke it can pull away in towns enough you don't worry about filtering to the front of a queue.

 

Basically tho, if you sort of fancy it I'd book a CBT, look at it as a 100 quid 'experience day' where rather than ten mins in a super car you get several hours of riding a bike with the side effect of letting you go and buy a bike if you enjoy it.

 

If you don't live in London and have a garage insurance shouldn't be bad.

[Fat_Pirate]

I did a CBT (with no previous experience whatosever), and intended to spend a few months on my YBR125 but quickly found it incredibly frustrating and did my DAS 3 weeks later.  I could see all these yawning opportunities to make progress but the Yam had nothing to take advantage of them.  

[John F]

That's worth mentioning... 2-stroke bikes are lighter and accelerate much more rapidly than the equivalent 4-strokes, but their engines are not as durable so need more attention with respect to repairs & maintenance.

[Dave_Q]

I can't say I would recommend a 2 stroke race rep as a first bike to be honest. 

 

As you say they need a lot of maintenance - top end rebuilds every couple of thousand miles for some.

 

Also, there is the small technicality that the full power Aprilias, Cagivas etc are far too powerful to ride legally on L-plates.

 

For Nyphurs reference, a learner 125 in this country should be restricted to 11kW / 14hp. It is possible to get much more than this from a 2-stroke 125 such as an Aprilia RS 125 or various Japanese equivalents (NSR 125 TZR 125 etc)- some of these have up to 30hp.

 

Obviously many, many people ride them on L-plates and you're unlikely to go to prison for it, but that's DA LAW.

[twosmoke300]

That Ktm in the pic above is a 4 stroke so will be a 250 at least.

Ktm do a 2t 125 exc but it kicks out about 30 hp so a proper enduro bike that won't be suitable for road use

They do now do an Indian built 125 duke 4t tho

[John F]

Yeah, I just grabbed the pics from a Google Images search for "race rep / enduro, etc. 125"... it might have thrown up one or two with the wrong cc, I'm not up to date with newer bikes

 

Aren't the full-power ones also available as UK learner legal? When I bought my old KMX125 new in 1988 it could be had as either a 12 bhp or 24 bhp version.

[Dave_Q]

Yeah, I just grabbed the pics from a Google Images search for "race rep / enduro, etc. 125"... it might have thrown up one or two with the wrong cc, I'm not up to date with newer bikes

 

Aren't the full-power ones also available as UK learner legal? When I bought my old KMX125 new in 1988 it could be had as either a 12 bhp or 24 bhp version.

Yeah anything UK supplied should have been restricted from new, although I once knew a man who claimed to have bought a new RS125 in the 90s and apparently the dealer de-restricted it for him.

 

In most cases the "de-restriction" actually involves fitting powervalves and controllers etc, it's not like removing the variator washer on a moped.

 

Many, many of these bikes will either have been converted to full power, or imported from Italy or France etc, so buyer beware I guess. The power output is normally stated on the VIN plate so that's a start.

 

 

Would still recommend a 4-stroke unless you like taking engines apart.

[Guest Hooli]

I did a CBT (with no previous experience whatosever), and intended to spend a few months on my YBR125 but quickly found it incredibly frustrating and did my DAS 3 weeks later.  I could see all these yawning opportunities to make progress but the Yam had nothing to take advantage of them.  

 

That is how I was too.

 

I did my CBT, got a 125 & rode it for 13 days till I passed my DAS. By the tenth day it felt annoyingly slow. Had a RF600 ready for passing my test & it scared me shitless, mind you it had a bent frame & couldn't corner. Eight months later I part-ex it for a GSX1400 & 103k later I've still got it & not dead yet.

 

Oh & got a '76 Bonnie flat tracker two months after my test, 49bhp in a bike that handles felt about perfect at the time & still does when it works.

[strangeangel]

Would still recommend a 4-stroke unless you like taking engines apart.

 

This. 2-stroke engines are for hedge cutters.

[Dave_Q]

This. 2-stroke engines are for hedge cutters.

 

Disclaimer: I do have a 2-stroke bike - I do like taking engines apart.

[Guest Hooli]

And chainsaws.

[John F]

Yeah anything UK supplied should have been restricted from new, although I once knew a man who claimed to have bought a new RS125 in the 90s and apparently the dealer de-restricted it for him.

 

In most cases the "de-restriction" actually involves fitting powervalves and controllers etc, it's not like removing the variator washer on a moped.

 

Many, many of these bikes will either have been converted to full power, or imported from Italy or France etc, so buyer beware I guess. The power output is normally stated on the VIN plate so that's a start.

 

 

Would still recommend a 4-stroke unless you like taking engines apart.

 

A mate of mine had a 1987 KMX125 at the same time I had mine. He de-restricted it by removing the washer that had been welded into the exhaust downpipe and adjusting the needle in the carb, but that was nearly 30 years ago now...! (eek).

 

And yep, another vote for "don't bother with 2-strokes unless you like pulling engines apart" here

[strangeangel]

Disclaimer: I do have a 2-stroke bike - I do like taking engines apart.

 

Fair do's. I have a couple too, but I like them in spite of their 2-strokedness.