Getting a bike - Help Please - RS125

SKILL · 12 Apr 2008 at 16:32

What do you mean by the cable not being long enough?

As for the toolkit, what's your budget, something like the Halfords 150 piece looks fairly decent and iirc it comes with a lifetime warranty, but then it is £100... I've just got a collection of various socket sets, spanners and other bits and bobs i've collected over the years

kvfb97 · 12 Apr 2008 at 17:06

SKILL said:
What do you mean by the cable not being long enough?

Ok so this is what it should look like (well. I think) when the clutch is NOT pulled-

However, this is how it is when I have the wire connected up to the bike-

Notice how it is not resting at the left like the first picture. It has not enough length to do that.

And here it is when the clutch is pulled-

I'm not even sure if this mechanism is correct. It looks to me that it isn't even doing anything when linked up to the clutch. I can't see how it would do anything..

Oh, and this is the bike at the minute, everything stripped

Cyanide · 12 Apr 2008 at 18:09

kvfb97 said:
Oh, and this is the bike at the minute, everything stripped

You call that stripped?

kvfb97 · 12 Apr 2008 at 19:34

Cyanide said:
You call that stripped?

Ok ok. Its not that bad, but it'll be worse soon. I'm a bike n00b. Leave me alone

Cyanide · 12 Apr 2008 at 19:36

Does the clutch mechanism move outwards as it turns when you pull the lever?

kvfb97 · 12 Apr 2008 at 19:42

Cyanide said:
Does the clutch mechanism move outwards as it turns when you pull the lever?

Ah, never noticed this. Yes it does

SKILL · 12 Apr 2008 at 19:46

Is the adjusted on the clutch lever adjusted out at all, that could explain why it's not fully going to the left, although that should make it slip if anything,

Seems the clutch cable itself is fine though as it's actually moving the mechanism, you'd need someone who knows the RS125 clutch better to diagnose, but I'd imagine new clutch plates are needed...

Cyanide · 12 Apr 2008 at 19:46

kvfb97 said:
Ah, never noticed this. Yes it does

That indicates that at least that part of the clutch is working then. As that mechanism moves outwards it should push a rod which goes inside the engine, which in turn pushes the clutch plates against the spring and opens up the clutch. When you let go the clutch spring pushes the plates back into place.

Can you see the rod that the external mechanism pushes? Does it move freely or does it take force to push it? If it moves freely then it's probably the clutch spring, if it's still fine then it's probably the clutch plates that have worn out.

kvfb97 · 12 Apr 2008 at 20:05

Just tried pushing the centre part and nothing budged. I was pushing quite hard too. Then I noticed that it looked like it was stuck "in", as you can see below..

You can see how it sits in. Maybe this is the problem?

atpbx · 12 Apr 2008 at 23:55

kvfb97 said:
H

And I don't mind the money pit, money isn't a problem really other than parts. I want to do everything myself if possible. I think this is still a bargin.

Its not a bargain, its a £500 shed that you cant even use to store a lawnmower and grot mags in.

However, I would suggest that as well as the battery, tacho cable and starter relay you are possibly going to end up not far short of needing to pull the entire thing to pieces and replacing most of it.
Just for the sake of it, point out what exactly happens when you try and start the bike.
For the record, you shouldnt be using a car battery to jump start a 125 with or indeed juicing the starter.
It tends to fry things, larger bikes with stronger electrical systems yes, worn out Italian 125's no.

kvfb97 · 13 Apr 2008 at 00:25

I used to use the car battery to start it by connecting the red lead to the red battery connector and sparking the starter with the black. I don't do this anymore as I've got it jump starting now, well not at the moment as it is apart.

I knew before I got it that it would be hassle, but I figured I'd learn a lot more about bikes if I had to change different parts more. I'm loving it already; it is fun, and it is sitting in the shed half apart. Surely my theory is working out ok?

atpbx · 13 Apr 2008 at 09:52

Aye it is fun taking them to bits, I'll give you that.
Its also a lot of hassle and expense, but then you knew that anyway.

kvfb97 · 14 Apr 2008 at 16:49

Going to spray the bodywork soon. Was thinking of this shade of yellow-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aprilia-rsv-2...oryZ9913QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thoughts?

SGCWill · 14 Apr 2008 at 17:25

Stay away from kickstart in castlereagh, very expensive. Sold my brother a 98 RS125 rossi rep. for 2K, he brought it home and it had 2 flat tyres, clip-ons falling out, a chain with 9 inches of play in it, and it wouldn't start (flat battery). But it serves him right for not checking it before he left.

A lot mates had RS125's and they are quite fast and keep up with 400/600's around corners (where it matters) and the feeling as the PV kicks in is great.

One guys' RS engine blew (crankcase etc beyond repair) and he bought an engine from an auction site for a fiver!!

That won't happen often though, they do tend to chew through barrels and rings, you should change the ring every 8000 miles on an extrema to be safe and 12000 on the standard model.

To upgrade from a standard to an extrema all you have to do is change the carb from 28mm to 34mm flatslide mikuni and rejet, then add a full arrows system.