Rise of the mighty 125 (Motorcycles)

lapua65

When I hit 17 in 1985 I was upset as the dreams of my LC250 or X7 were scuppered as I was now in to lowly 125 territory. After much deliberation I ended up on a spanking new DT125 that served me well and got me to college on days were snow stopped many. There was so many choices of bikes. Fast forward no COVID exit and my recently turned 17 year old is on a 10 month waiting list for driving lessons (not too bad as me being the worlds best driver can teach him a thing or two ) but I suspect it will be a good idea for a few professional tutorials. Even then the tests centres are expecting a backlog of 18 months. He has secured a really super apprenticeship he needs transport so we opted for the 125 route. He has had a bloody horrible Chinese 50cc bike that has spent time on the road far less than the amount of time under my spanners, so the 125 made sense.
Apart from the showrooms being shut even internet searches show there is absolutely bugger all in the way of interesting bikes. There seems to be a move to the "Naked" format but although I love the KTM and Yamaha my son is definitely only interested in Enduro style bikes. We could convert an off road MX but I want to avoid any messing about with factory standard. We only really have one choice, that being an Aprilia RX 125, not too pricey (but I could get a lovely Les Paul for the price) but Chinese made.

I suspect though that we will start to see the rise of the 125 and a good thing as I learned 10x more about road safety and road sense on a bike than I ever did in a car..

Steffo

The 125 I grew up with in the early 90’s are quite different beasts from those you can get now. Still remember my brother had an Aprilia Rx 125, built in Italy, just over 30hp, a beast off road. I had an Honda nsr125, same kind of output. I didn’t know they limited their power so much these days.

chillidoggy

I got two thirds of the way down the OP before I realised this was about motorbikes.

phil_b

Steffo said:

The 125 I grew up with in the early 90’s are quite different beasts from those you can get now. Still remember my brother had an Aprilia Rx 125, built in Italy, just over 30hp, a beast off road. I had an Honda nsr125, same kind of output. I didn’t know they limited their power so much these days.

125 needs to be restricted for learners but a 100cc doesn't.  So you often get better value buying a cheaper 100cc bike that has the Same sort of power as a restricted 125

grungebob

I loved my AR80. Went like stink. 

HerrMetal

phil_b

HerrMetal said:

Reminds me of Jimmy Savile

HerrMetal

Really? Can't think why.

rlw

Now then............

usedtobe

chillidoggy said:

I got two thirds of the way down the OP before I realised this was about motorbikes.

Likewise.

Funkfingers

125cc motorcycles used to have their own GP racing formula. The power output of track bike engines was astounding. 

The days of small displacement motorcycles are probably numbered. For better or worse, electric motors are the future.

Hattigol

I'm a similar age. The 125 everyone craved was the Yamaha RD125LC. Went like stink and looked fabulous. 

gubble

The difference between a four stroke 125cc bike built for cheap and practical transport -vs- a two stroke 125cc bike that's more track focussed are like night and day.

A late 90s / Early 2000's Aprilia RS125 is a wonderful machine with a fantastic chassis. They do however have a really narrow powerband so you have to learn how to use the engine properly.

In the right hands on a normal roads they will keep up with any normal rider on the latest full fat sportsbike.

Terribly fragile engines though.

Unlike the modern 4 stroke 12bhp commuter machines you get today - which whilst being a lot slower can still be a hoot to ride - because any motorbike is fun to ride full stop.....

In response to the OP's initial comments I do think that more people learning to ride motorcycles will increase road safety.  I'm sure I'm not the only bike rider who does a lifesaver whilst driving a car....

Dominic

^ all so true.......my son had a Yamaha 125 ( mini R1 type ) hyper sport.....very often we would ride in to London together from Hertfordshire with me on a very large Sports Bike over 1200cc........rarely did I ever arrive more than 2 mins before him and if it wasn't for the A41 and A1 there would be no difference at all .
........but I couldn't stand that Bee in a Biscuit Tin sound in my ears for 30 minutes if I was on the 125 !

Jimbro66

As a young Post Office messenger boy my dad had a 125 -   a BSA Bantam. He claimed he sometimes overtook cyclists.

strumjoughlamps

Dominic said:

^ .......but I couldn't stand that Bee in a Biscuit Tin sound in my ears for 30 minutes if I was on the 125 !

You would bloody hate what I use to get work and back.

I was gutted having to stop riding gears but I thought I'd try a ped for work so I picked up a Peugeot 50cc dirty 2 stroke, you ought to hear it, a head turner for the wrong reasons. 

That said its blooming fun, flys off at the lights.

AK99

Jimbro66 said:

As a young Post Office messenger boy my dad had a 125 -   a BSA Bantam. He claimed he sometimes overtook cyclists.

Not a 125, but one of the lads I went to college with from the North of England - Yonky (Yonkie?) had a little 175 Bantam that he'd used for 'a spin' to Greece and back. Seized on him in Athens after a midday climb in heat up the hill to the Acropolis - fully laden.  Jz that must have been a hassle I said - "Nah, Booger it I sed to misel'. Sat down and 'ad a bru..then pulled the 'ed off and gorrit sorted".

The same chap had a mint - and I really mean mint - BSA A65 sitting in his student bedroom that he'd been working on for most of the final year. Lovely guy, always wondered what became of him.

zepp76

Stink wheels! Got to love ‘em, got to hate ‘em. 

Sadly the golden days of Schwantz and Rainey are long gone.

Dominic

which was the one who was paralysed from an accident ?

zepp76

Dominic said:

which was the one who was paralysed from an accident ?

That was Rainey, 

TheBigDipper

aphil_b said:

Steffo said:

<snip>.

125 needs to be restricted for learners but a 100cc doesn't.  So you often get better value buying a cheaper 100cc bike that has the Same sort of power as a restricted 125

Totally true, until/unless you want to sell it on. People who can only ride A1 learner bikes want a 125cc, I'm afraid. That's why buying a 100cc bike is cheap. Unless the plan is to run it into the ground and don't care about resale value.