Why are 125cc's so expensive in the UK?

[IC3]

Check out some other places like sports bike shop, there's a massive range of helmets under £200.
Up until a couple of weeks ago I was using an MT Thunder, decent little helmet for the price and scores well in the sharp tests if that's your thing.

I really like the alpinestars textile jackets, but I can't seem to find any shops around my area that sells them...

I went to sharp test and found this helmet to have better protection than some of £300 mark helmets

http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/testsratings/nitro-aikido

How?

 

[IC3]

They know exactly how they'll be tested so they build it to pass the test with high marks I'd imagine, but then it's of no use if it doesn't fit you right whereas a more expensive lower scoring helmet might fit like a glove and therefore will offer better protection.
.

Oh okay, I thought something was wrong that a £70 had better scoring than some well known branded helmets at £300 mark.

I haven't really set a budget for the gear, I was going to first look around how much to spend. I don't mind spending a bit more on the textile jacket, I have a group with which I'll do trips so miles will go higher pretty quickly and I prefer to ride comfortably.

 

[IC3]

Ok, I went to bikestop to try some clothes on and this is what I came up with in terms of comfort and value for money. By buying online I'm going to save around £130 : O

So most well known brands such as AGV, Shoei, Suberth didn't fit me well, I tried Arai which fitted me. But it was a tiny bit too loose, Shark was the only brand from their range that fitted me comfortably and passed all the test that they did in the shop.

Shark S700-S Matt Black with Silver mirrored visor

DAINESE LAGUNA SECA D-DRY

DAINESE MIG C2 Lava or DAINESE MIG C2 Nero


What do you guys think?

 

[IC3]

Nice 2 stroke or 4?

4 judging by the exhaust.

Yep, its a 4T and my neighbors hate the exhaust

Looking at it is making me want to go test ride one, always been fond of KTM bikes!

Fun to ride, the gearbox is smooth and its really hard to miss-shift...

The Duke range varies from 125, 200, 390, 690, 990 and finally the beasty 1290. Which one where you thinking of test driving? The 690 is a fun bike to ride, hopefully that will be my upgrade from this.

 

[IC3]

Invest in a lot of security. 125's are very desirable and KTMs especially.

The guy who bought by cbf125 off me was doing so as his sons was taken from their heavily bolted garage, they came in through the roof or something to get it. He was only third party too due to cost.

I will, my TPFT is £280 so its not that bad compared to £1400 for a 1.2 corsa

 

[IC3]

Not to hijack the thread but I've been looking at 125cc recently also having just passed my CBT.

I'm old enough however to just do my DAS, this was my plan originally but my only experience of riding a motorbike are those few hours from the CBT.

I'm in two minds of whether I should get a year or so of riding experience on a 125 or just go straight into the DAS. Any opinions from anyone?

Get a cheap 125 such as CG, YBR or CBF.

 

[IC3]

I went on a longer trip today, the power is missing... The 125 is good for town, but outside of town its struggling. It gets me from A to B in a fun way, so don't really regret getting it. But bigger journeys on a bigger bike must be a lot more enjoyable, btw seen lots of bikers today.

 

[IC3]

As someone who spent 6 months and over 7000 miles on a 125, I will say it was time well spent. A 125 lets you get your skills up while not going a million miles an hour, I passed my DAS, MOD1 and 2 in the same day after 3 half days of training, with 2 minors on MOD2. No way I would have done that without the timer on the 125.

7k in 6 months on a 125?

I'm 12 stone and I hit 80mph so far and it was still going, but traffic was a head so I had to let go of the throttle...

 

[IC3]

 

[IC3]

I did 2 years on a 125,loved it

How did you survive those 2 years on a 125?

Hopefully after passing A2, I'll be able to jump onto something bigger & more powerful e.g. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KTM-690-D...bzH%2BGvCzr9mj%2FKCZA%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc or http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawasaki-...217?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item25a8eaec89

 

[IC3]

Set the trip meter and clock up how many miles you can do on a tank full

@ic3 it gave me time to save up for my first big bike,I had a 100cc then a kmx then a cagiva mito in that time

Cagiva mito must have been a blast? But I bet it wasn't exactly trouble-free?

 

[IC3]

I still can't wait to jump on something bigger, I usually cruise at 60-65mph on 6th gear. But on roads where you can go 50-60mph on a 125 you can forget about overtaking...

BTW Today some guy in a corolla block me whilst filtering, he purposely blocked the middle... Another guy made space for me, so I thanked him by sticking my leg out

 

[IC3]

Yeah that was what I got tired of - 60mph road and a lorry or van or car doing 40, on a 125 you need a good 15+ seconds to build up speed and overtake, which means a quarter of a mile (or more) to overtake. Even on a 400 with only 50bhp it's a case of drop a gear or 2, 2-3 seconds and you're past and back on your side of the road. The instant torque of a v-twin would make overtakes even easier, just means you have to work the gears more on a smaller bike with less torque.

And sat at the front of lights on a 125 you'll get idiots trying to beat you away, they see the L plates and thing you'll be slow. You get more respect on a big bike with a throaty exhaust.

I'm doing A2 ASAP, selling duke and depending on how much money I'll have... get something with better punch.