Aprilia r125 4 Or Yamaha yzf 125

Huskyrunner

Re my post title has anyone experience of these motorbikes??

Reason I ask is I am pig sick of getting home from work via public transport or cycling. I work nights in a call centre in Sunderland and I live just outside Newcastle so a route around 14 miles if driving. But if I use public transport it's two buses and a train home 90mins too 120mins cycling home is about the same as its stop start stop start through traffic and I can't exactly ride down a dual carriage way ie A19 so the routes longer.

Near where I work there's a nice dual carriage way that would have me home in say 20 mins on a motorbike. I really fancy doing me cbt again which 125 would peeps recommend. I have had motorbikes in the past I used too have a Honda 125 superdream and in the past I owned a 2 stroke Aprilia rs125 derestricted which was a rocket. For a small bike 120mph.

Richard53

I don't have experience of either of those bikes, but in your situation I would be thinking of something more durable and reliable. Depending on your age, you may not be limited to a 125 any more, so perhaps think of a GS500 or similar. Good fun to ride, fast enough for any commuting, and will be much more reliable day to day (which is what you need if you depend on it for your transport). Check the Aprilia especially for service requirements - I have heard of pistons & rings every 4000 miles to keep them sweet. Have a read of this: http://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=217238

I believe it's something like piston rings every 5K, top end every 10K, and bottom end every 20K. Ignore these, especially the piston rings, at your peril. And only use some top oil (an owner will be along with the name soon), at ~£11 per litre. And do not thrash from cold!

This just the extra stuff, the basics are on top of course.

It's an expensive bike to run. More so than even a big cc commuter.

A commuter bike has to be tough, reliable, able to start and stop in all weathers, and not crumble to dust at the first sign of rain. You trade a bit of excitement for dependability. I've commuted on everything from a Jawa 350 to a Ducati 1000, but the one that I would call my supreme commuter was a Yamaha XT600E. Little rubber fittings on every cable to keep the water out, tough as a concrete block, fast enough for A-roads, coped with snow and mud, maintained with simple tools, and even at 20 years old and with a million owners, it just kept going on and on. Keep your R125s and your YZFs for sunny Sundays - you need a workhorse, not a toy.

BeenThroughItAll

I know a lad who has commuted on a YZF-R125 for about three years now. He bought one new and he's used it all year round except in snow and ice. Still looks good. Gets washed regularly in salty winter and he's replaced all the fairing fasteners with stainless to alleviate corrosion.

It's been knocked over a few times in the car park, but it's not expensive to fix. He does all the maintenance himself. Oil changes are every couple of thousand miles, with plugs and valve clearances every 6K I think. Because it's very light and not that powerful the tyres last well too, and they're not expensive. He has a Scottoiler or equivalent on it, so chain maintenance is fairly straightforward, I believe it's had one chain in its life.

Has over 20K miles on it now, still runs sweet.

consumers_revenge

don't get the apprillia..............way too many issues


bought new a ybr125 as was in same ish boat as you.


16k now on it over the last 6 years and still looks good and drives fine ( local shop services once every 3k )

Huskyrunner

So by the sounds things Aprilias aint changed the 2 stroke 125 i had was a pain in the backside, i bought one that was derestricted that had just being rebuilt but after 3 months it slowly fell too bits.

I thought things may of changed since they stopped making 2 stroke models and switched too 4 stroke models.


Think i may go for a new yzf 125 just for 3-6 months just too get about on as the nearest motorbike training place too me aint easy too get too. Then i was really thinking of a suzuki sv650

bigjl

I had a CG125 for commuting and it cost buttons to run

Got bored with it and bought an MTX125, much more fun, two stroke. But running costs were much, much higher and being a two stroke they will be more fragile.

I would have been better off staying with the CG.

And don't forget that owning a bike you really like means you will soon tire of seeing it get hammered and get a high mileage.

One reason why i would buy as cheap as possible. And probably why many people are buying Chinese for the commuting grind. Then you don't care if it gets scuffed or dirty.

And I would be very sceptical of a RS125 doing 120mph, if it could be tuned to do that speed then it would likely only last a few hundred miles between rebuilds.

A 125cc GP bike would do just over 130mph if memory serves.

A derestricted RS125 top speed was around the 100mph mark when I read about them in a motorbike mag years ago.

RS250 would give an easy 120mph

In between rebuilds.

Silver-Surfer_2

Huskyrunner wrote: »

So by the sounds things Aprilias aint changed the 2 stroke 125 i had was a pain in the backside, i bought one that was derestricted that had just being rebuilt but after 3 months it slowly fell too bits.

I thought things may of changed since they stopped making 2 stroke models and switched too 4 stroke models.


Think i may go for a new yzf 125 just for 3-6 months just too get about on as the nearest motorbike training place too me aint easy too get too. Then i was really thinking of a suzuki sv650

You mentioned in the op you fancy doing your CBT again, so you were riding in the past otherwise than in accordance with your licence.

Huskyrunner

Silver-Surfer wrote: »

You mentioned in the op you fancy doing your CBT again, so you were riding in the past otherwise than in accordance with your licence.

No no i never went over a 125 bike i did a cbt back in 2003/2004 i never went over a 125 bike

BeenThroughItAll

Huskyrunner wrote: »

No no i never went over a 125 bike i did a cbt back in 2003/2004 i never went over a 125 bike

Derestricted RS125 makes more than 11kW though. So therefore otherwise than in accordance with licence.

Silver-Surfer_2

Huskyrunner wrote: »

No no i never went over a 125 bike i did a cbt back in 2003/2004 i never went over a 125 bike

But you say it was de restricted your licence would only allow you to ride up to 11kw.

Huskyrunner

Flying down a hill out of stanley in co durham down towards chester-le-street a road which is 2-3 percent decline i did do that speed it was off the chart revs wise.