AMERICANS: Would you buy a 125cc motorcycle for the street?

[woodsrat]

Pitster Pro offers a 190cc five speed e-start motor that will bolt into my K-Pipe (or similar Honda 50/70 style motor'd bikes). If it's reliable enough for them to sell it in a production pit bike maybe it would be reliable enough for my street use. It's very tempting. The price is just shy of $900.

Currently I have a semi-auto Lifan 125 in the bike that's kickstart only and a Trail Bikes 141cc kit and roller rocker head in a box waiting to go on it. It saved weight but I miss the e-start.


I forgot to mention that my K-Pipe doesn't have a catalytic converter, either.


I had a Grom for around eight months and sold it. The 12" wheels just didn't get along with the chuckholes we have around here. It ran perfectly but was no faster than my wired-together Lifan powered step throughs.

SSR offers a bike similar to the Grom/Z125 called the Razkull. It sells for well under two grand and had gotten excellent reviews when compared to the other currently available 125's here in the U. S.

KYMCO also offers a 150cc five speed "mini" called the Spade that is the current "superbike" of the class. It has a vertical OHC engine.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Daschicken

How did that affect the prices?

I don't remember how much it increased the prices, but there is the whole economics of scale to take in consideration and also the impact on fuel economy without compromising too much the performance in order to still meet emission regulations. Most motorcycles here are not seen as a summer toy.

Just curious, as I responded to a YouTube comment yesterday saying how emissions standards were to blame for the loss of 4 cylinder 250cc bikes. I said price had way more to do with it than emissions. They could probably make them today and meet emissions with fuel injection and a cat. The problem is if they have a sufficient market as to not lose money.

With a fuel-injected parallel-twin 250cc being almost as rev-happy as their 4-cyl predecessors, plus the lower manufacturing cost and a broader appeal to international markets more cost-conscious than the JDM leading to a quicker ROI, it's understandable why the 4-cyl ones have been phased out (even though one of my early teenage pipe-dreams was to privately import a Hornet 250 engine and fit that into a beach-buggy). Well, the tiered licensing enforced in Japan sets a 400cc limit for novice riders, which could already render 250cc motorcycles less competitive, even though they're benefitted by a lower cost for their annual licensing which appeals to more budget-conscious buyers who don't seem to care so much about a 4-cyl...

Originally Posted by Daox

Just saw this, didn't even know they existed. They are fuel injected. Only a 4 speed trans though seems odd.

Those seem to use an engine very similar to the Cub and its counterparts from Yamaha and Kawasaki, so that might explain why they have only a 4-speed transmission (even though they lose the automatic clutch which is a standard in the Cub class).

[Isaac Zackary]

I'd buy a Grom or a PCX if I were single or if I lived where it isn't below freezing 11 months out of the year.

[Daox]

Originally Posted by Daschicken

Did you at least know the Honda grom existed? There is an aftermarket 5 speed transmission available for the grom for around $500.

Yeah, I knew about the Grom. Just never heard of the Kawasaki version.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zackary

I'd buy a Grom or a PCX if I were single or if I lived where it isn't below freezing 11 months out of the year.

I would buy a Grom if it had normal size wheels and wasn't the size of a pitbike.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by JSH

I would buy a Grom if it had normal size wheels and wasn't the size of a pitbike.

Then something similar to the Hornet 160 from India, which despite the name has the very same thumper fitted in the Brazilian CG 160, would be more likely to meet your requirements.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Then something similar to the Hornet 160 from India, which despite the name has the very same thumper fitted in the Brazilian CG 160, would be more likely to meet your requirements.

Yes, but it isn't sold in the USA which makes it off limits for us.

My next bike will likely be a Honda CRF250L with ABS. I haven't decided on the regular or Rally version. I won't by a motorcycle today for use in the USA without EFI and ABS.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by JSH

Yes, but it isn't sold in the USA which makes it off limits for us.

OK. But anyway, there is in Europe the CB125F fitted with the same OHC engine of the current Brazilian-market CG 125, however it's fitted with electric start and front disc brake as standard features, while the CG nowadays only has those in the 160 (electric start as standard, and disc brake only unavailable in the basic trim). I guess it could be a good option for an U.S. military service member deployed to an overseas base to bring back home if they're still allowed to use that loophole in the grey-import rules.

My next bike will likely be a Honda CRF250L with ABS. I haven't decided on the regular or Rally version. I won't by a motorcycle today for use in the USA without EFI and ABS.

Nowadays I'd also be more inclined to buy a motorcycle fitted with EFI, even though sometimes I still consider getting one fitted with all-around mechanic drum brakes which would render it impossible to get ABS.

[Daschicken]

I just remembered being excited about the PCX 150 coming out back in the day, and went to check on its specs. Its got a basically square engine, fuel injection, liquid cooling(tiny baby radiator!), and a decent compression ratio.

Just checked the metropolitan and it has liquid cooling too! I thought it was air cooled???? (Super tiny baby radiator). 12:1 compression ratio! Nice! Looks like 2016+ models got upgraded to liquid cooling. It is actually slightly undersquare. Kick start = cool points

One of those engines with a transmission on it would make me very happy.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Daschicken

One of those engines with a transmission on it would make me very happy.

But they have a transmission anyways. Well, actually I'd like to see some small-displacement conventional motorcycles (not scooters) becoming available with automatic transmission, or at least some automated clutch such as those Rekluse ones. I've been checking compatibility of those Rekluse clutches, and a handful of Honda and Yamaha models that are popular here in Brazil can be fitted with them