Can anyone recommend a decent 125?

Afuera

Hi all,

I'm currently living in Spain and just found out that over here, if you've got a full B driving license for 3 years, then you can drive any bike upto 125cc.

I've got about a 30km commute to work and it's starting to get nice and warm again, so picking up a scooter or motorbike sounds like a pretty good option now. It's possible to do some of the trip on the motorway but I'm wondering if there's enough power in an average 125 to keep up to the 100-120kmph that the rest of the traffic would be doing?

I don't have too much experience with motorbikes or scooters, besides renting them for daytrips in Asia so I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a good starter bike? I like the style of the Vespas and the fact that they can go on forever (plus they can be picked up fairly cheaply). Around these parts, the most popular 125s tend to be large wheeled automatic Honda Scoopys or Piaggio Libertys as they're nimble in city traffic, reliable and dead easy to ride.

Should I just do as the locals do and get one of those large wheeled scooters or is there something else that would fit my needs better?

Thanks in advance.

trotter_inc

I will have a silver 2002 Yamaha Majesty 125 cc bike for sale very soon, less than 20k miles on it I think.

This 125 cc is a great bike, top speed of 74 mph, great on any type of road, including motorways.

Has an alarm, cover sheet, 2 helmets and a very strong lock. Still have all manuals too.

See review and pic here.... http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/global...8/majesty.html

Garibaldi

Will you pay for postage?

Afuera

Ok, I guess that answers the question of whether a 125 would be able to hack it on the motorway or not.

As Garibaldi pointed out, postage could be a problem for me on your bike though.

Tomohawk

Afuera, try and get yourself the fastest 125cc vespa that Piaggio produced, the T5.
(note: the T5 has five transfer ports at the crank mouth and through the barrel for more power - top speed is about the same as a P200E.)

Piaggio produced the T5 from 1985-1992 in a T5 "Square headlight" version, and then from 1992-1996 as the T5 "Classic" which resembles like a standard round headlight px125, only the side panel badging indicating this difference. 1980s "Square Headlight" versions are quiet collectable now, coming with either an analogue tachomter or a rarer digital tachometer on the headset instrument panel. They also are more pronounced and straight cut at the back of the frame, feature full rubber floormats, an under-legshield spoiler and slimmer sports mudguard. Basically they are the coolest vespa in the fleet!!

Should be plenty of these Vespa T5s in Spain and rust and old age shouldn't be a major problem due to the lovely spanish weather you have...

trotter_inc

Garibaldi wrote:

Will you pay for postage?

Where you based?

Garibaldi

Not for me, for Afuera.

trotter_inc

Garibaldi wrote:

Not for me, for Afuera.

Sorry Garibaldi

Afuera

Thanks for that Tomohawk.
As I said at the start I'm a bit partial to the old Vespas so this would probably be my first choice. A few questions I had though were whether a T5 is really a good first bike to get though? What is the learning curve like for dealing with the manual shifting?

I've also heard that the brakes on a Vespa can sometimes be lacking which was one of the reasons I was looking around at what everyone else uses over here. Granted, there are quite a few Vespas around but the vast majority are the newer large wheeled automatic scooters. Are the T5's brakes ok or is it possible to improve them?

trotter_inc, I'm living in Catalunya near enough to Barcelona.

trotter_inc

Afuera wrote:

trotter_inc, I'm living in Catalunya near enough to Barcelona.

Thanks, give me a shout when you get over if you're interested in the bike...

Beruthiel

I used to drive a yamaha sr 125, loved it

KTRIC

Beruthiel wrote:

I used to drive a yamaha sr 125, loved it

Oooh look ,

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Tomohawk

My second scooter was a T5 Classic from 1993 (only 7 previous owners but then again it was only 500 euros). I was able to put a Grimeca Disk brake unit on the front. It made a lot of difference as the old hub brakes are a bit ropey to say the least. You can now even put disk brakes on the back of the Vespa px models either on the spare wheel side or the engine side!! Have a look at http://www.sip-scootershop.com/ for info on the different units available. Go for a T5 Classic rather than a Mk1 Square Headlight version as it may be easier to fit the master cyclinder onto the headset...

Then stick a Malossi 172 piston kit into it and an expansion power exhaust onto the back and you'll be laughing (and its still registered as a 125cc)

omb0wyn5ehpij9

Honda nsr 125

Beruthiel

bite my shiney metal ass K-TRIC!

KTRIC

Beruthiel wrote:

bite my shiney metal ass K-TRIC!

Only if you ask nicely

Odysseus

Hi I used to use a DT 125, great for commuting, a nice hight as well if you need to filter through traffic.

a_ominous

Afuera wrote:

Hi all,

I'm currently living in Spain and just found out that over here, if you've got a full B driving license for 3 years, then you can drive any bike upto 125cc.

I
Thanks in advance.

Not sure where you got this from, but this is wrong.
If you have a full B licence, you are also licenced to drive a motorbike up to 49cc and capable of not more than 45kmph.
See http://www.oasis.gov.ie/transport/motoring/full_motorcycle_driving_licences_in_ireland.html
Section[/URL]
See paragraph "Full motorcycle driving licence categories"

Afuera

Thanks all for the suggestions.

So it seems that there's plenty of choice in the 125 class. I'll have to see what I can track down easily over here now.

a_ominous wrote:

Not sure where you got this from, but this is wrong.
If you have a full B licence, you are also licenced to drive a motorbike up to 49cc and capable of not more than 45kmph.

Different laws on this in Spain. It used to be more or less the same as in Ireland but they changed it a few years back. Now you can ride a 125 on a full B license (provided that you've held the license for three years or more).

My vote is for the TDR 125. I had one for a year and a half and it never let me down. Has a great riding position and seems very high so you get a great view of the road ahead. Nippy for a 125 also because it is 2 stroke.