cbr125r for a newbie

[gee200]

hey all,

just wondering if any of you would have purchased your first bike with a honda cbr125r?

i'm a 21 year old male and been shopping around for about a year now. i've never been on a bike either - but want to, clearly. i was originally thinking a 600... but a 2007 cbr125r doesn't seem too bad.

anyone offer their opinions of why/why not go for it? don't hold back!

[Cowtown_Raider]

A very cool little bike to start on. I would've loved to start on something like this instead of the crappy Maxim 400 I had. Nonetheless, it served it's purpose.

I say go for it

[CLiVE]

Great bike to learn on - YES
Great bike to ride on city streets - NO

IMO it is a great starter bike to take out in a parking lot and learn how to ride. Easy to toss around and handle at low speeds. Plus the low cost is attractive since you will likely drop your first bike. However having ridden a 125R there isn't enough power. ie: it was tough to keep up with the flow of traffic, and could not reach 80 km/hr going up Shaganappi hill. Now and then it is nice to have a bit of power on tap to get out of dangerous situations. The 125R has nothing to spare....

Of the few people I do know that have purchased one, they both went out and bought a 600 within 3 months of ownership.

[Dave P]

Dont do it, go for the 600

if your an average rider you will out grow it within months

[Cowtown_Raider]

Originally posted by CLiVE
Great bike to learn on - YES
Great bike to ride on city streets - NO

IMO it is a great starter bike to take out in a parking lot and learn how to ride. Easy to toss around and handle at low speeds. Plus the low cost is attractive since you will likely drop your first bike. However having ridden a 125R there isn't enough power. ie: it was tough to keep up with the flow of traffic, and could not reach 80 km/hr going up Shaganappi hill. Now and then it is nice to have a bit of power on tap to get out of dangerous situations. The 125R has nothing to spare....

Of the few people I do know that have purchased one, they both went out and bought a 600 within 3 months of ownership.

Seriously you couldn't reach 80? I've never driven one so I'm just assuming it's got adequate power to move around. The rider's weight could be a factor with a bike that small.

[5hift]

As long as your not retarded and can exercise a bit of control, just go for a older 600 to learn on. A 125 is really weak ... my neighbour growing up had a YZ125 dirt bike ... and we got bored with that power when we were barely in our teens. I cant imagine trying to pass someone going uphill on one of those; I remember it barely having enough power to go fast up dirt hills.

Take a look at any of the people who have actually bought the 125's. I remember one guy talked it up for so long trying to get a group buy on here, and then when his finally came, he had it for sale on here in like a month.

If I were you I would target a older CBRF4i600. Great starter bike, reliable, a ton availible, decent power. You wont care if you drop it or lay it down, and that will allow you to become a better rider. You can probably find one for about what you would waste on one of those 125's.

[CLiVE]

Originally posted by Cowtown_Raider


Seriously you couldn't reach 80? I've never driven one so I'm just assuming it's got adequate power to move around. The rider's weight could be a factor with a bike that small.

Not going up a hill you can't. There was nothing left...
On a flat road you can get up over 100 just barely.
It was actually very difficult to ride with him in a group. Whenever the other riders would get on the throttle (not even agressively) we would lose him.

I agree. An older 600 with a lot of self control is likely your best bet. But take a course like too cool before you go out riding.

[gee200]

wow... i really didn't expect it to have troubles getting up to 80 on a small hill. i'll be riding it in regina mainly, as i'm only here temporarily. there really aren't any hills there, but it still sounds like this thing is too weak for even me.

the price was very attractive to me. i'm not looking to spend much, but i've actually found it difficult to find bikes around 99 for a good price. in my previous searches people are listing cbr600 f4i, gsx, r6 and such for well over 5000 on average. i didn't really understand how the pricing works... i saw tons of 05-06 bikes selling for 6-8 grand. but you get to the 98-00 bikes, and the prices have dropped like 1k?? one or two people told me as bikes get older, they appreciate in value and retain..................

i apologize if i offend anyone in the bike world (since i don't know anything about bikes), but have they/he ever taken an accounting class? i woudl think it's depreciation.

anyways, i woudl love to find an 98-00 bike - but what's a good price on one of those? a guess - if in good condition?

[5hift]

its hard to say a price as condition, kms etc, how much its been dropped all come into play.

You should be able to find a good condtion 600 learner bike for less than $5000 (my friend just sold his 99 R6 in good condition to someone for $4500).

[picmerollin]

i cant add any real advice since i do not ride but a few guys at my work have used kawasaki ex 500's as a learner bike. it is a sport bike but is not really that powerful, they market them as chick bikes and any dude riding one will definetley get harrassed by buddies for riding a wimpy bike etc- but nowhere near as weak as a 125. the best part is i have personally seen 3 guys buy them, ride them for about a year and then sell for the same price and then upgrade to the bike they really want.

another option for ya

[CLiVE]

Look into a SV650. Great learner bike IMO.

[MikeHL]

ditto on the 125 being underpowered for the city. If you plan on doing any highway riding in the future don't get the 125. Great for inner city use but bad on highways.

I suggest a ninja 250 if your looking at something small and light i think the top speed is around 160km/hr on those. and they can be had for 2000-3000 used.

another option is getting an old 600cc bike, they might be as powerful as the new bikes but they can still hold their own in a pack. I got my cbr600 for $4000 but I see bikes like mine going for $3500 now.

There is also the drz400 super motard, think dirtbike with sportbike wheels. From what I heard loads of load end power, not so good on the highway... around 6000new

one more option is a SV650, great sounding engine (650cc V-twin :thumbsup: ). way more torque then a I4 but no top end "hit" of a I4, price is $7000 for a new one I have seen old ones go for $4500. note, any thing under 2003 will be carberated, 2003 and up will be fuel injected.

personally I went with the old 600 route, the 600 is great and i can still keep up with the new bikes. But I wish i had gone with a 250cc as riding in the city you only use 30% of the bikes power, so a smaller lighter bike i found is better for the city.

[Spoons]

Yeah dude you are going to see troubles with not enough power for riding around. DO NOT start on a new 600 or higher. Go for the Suzuki GS500F or the Kawasaki Ninja 500... Personally I hate the look of the Ninja 500 but to each their own.

You will find that these bikes have the look of a sport bike, but just enough power for you to learn on. Either that or an older 600.

[KRyn]

+5 for the older 600.

[Graham_A_M]

Dont get one of those CBR125's. Their a mind-blowing 13hp, and top off around 120kph, thats balls to the wall flat out. So passing isn't really an option. There is an ABUNDANCE of them for sale on the used classifieds, most with less then 400km's on them. The 125 engine is fine for the first week, but after that, its too small, by week three, you'll hate it.

If your set on a 125 bike, go with Yamaha's new YZF-125. Its Yamaha's version of the bike, and it puts out about 40% more power & torque, it handles WAY better, and looks much more like a sportbike then a toy. The full Brembro brakes & other goodies make it a phenomial track bike/learner bike.

Otherwise go with a Kawasaki EX500. Their very stable easy to ride bikes, that are VERY forgiving with stupid braking manuevers and sparatic body positioning into turns. I used to have a 1988 way back when, and for a 500, it was still a damn fast bike, and was uber-reliable.

Either that or a Suzuki GS500