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

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Since I'm not even in the U.S. I'm going to abstain from voting this poll, but I might still give my opinion from a Brazilian perspective.

Originally Posted by jamesqf

I think your poll needs a "No, because I don't travel on streets much" option. Basically all my travelling is either in rural areas, or on divided highway going through the city to get to the other side. And there are a lot of mountains to climb...

People riding 125cc motorcycles even on highways is something I got used to see here. Sure a Honda CG 125 might not be the most suitable for that usage, more due to the skinny tyres and modest braking performance, but sometimes it's the only option for its rider.

Originally Posted by woodsrat

For the past four years I've ridden 125's exclusively, mostly repowered Honda step-throughs with Lifan semi-automatic engines. I travel on two-lanes and back roads so there's absolutely no liability in riding one. Geared with a 17/36 combo my bikes will cruise all day long at 50-53 MPH and top out in the low 60's. My biggest trip was a multi-day adventure from Indy to the Smokies and back with a childhood friend who rode a Harley Tri-Glide and another on an Ultra Classic. Talk about being the odd man out!!

I must confess I'd rather ride some 125cc motorcycle instead of a Harley. Well, at least a Honda CG 125 is more reliable

I'd like to have a 125cc street or dual purpose bike with a liquid cooled engine and a six speed gearbox. The problem is weight. Bikes sold in other markets like this weigh 275 lbs. or more, not much less than a bike twice it's displacement. Unless there's a reason to buy one (tiered licensing?) there's not much reason to buy one of these modern 125's. They're expensive, too.

Had it been legal to ride a 125cc motorcycle within a certain maximum power limit with a regular car driving license there, like it's done in France, Portugal and Spain, I'm sure there would be more market opportunities for those bikes there.

[Daschicken]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Since I'm not even in the U.S. I'm going to abstain from voting this poll, but I might still give my opinion from a Brazilian perspective.

That's the idea, I wanted to see if there was an actual interest for more expensive street 125s. Considering this is a hypermiling forum, and there isn't a huge amount of people voting yes, it makes me realize the sad truth that 125's like the ones I want are a 14 year wait away.

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

I must confess I'd rather ride some 125cc motorcycle instead of a Harley. Well, at least a Honda CG 125 is more reliable

Same, but having never ridden a harley before I wouldn't be against trying one out. They actually offer small displacement(for them) v-twin bikes, the Street 500 and Street 750, and they are very reasonably priced too!

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Had it been legal to ride a 125cc motorcycle within a certain maximum power limit with a regular car driving license there, like it's done in France, Portugal and Spain, I'm sure there would be more market opportunities for those bikes there.

Well, i'm going to have to say I don't support that idea for three reasons.

1. I don't believe in limiting power for engine sizes, 125s are easily capable of more than 15 horsepower.

2. The 125s I want are rather expensive for what you get, if someone wants something cheap, they can get a grom.

3. I got to witness clueless people riding scooters(probably 50cc) just outside the sand dunes in Michigan. Aside from being hilarious, it was terrifying. Their sheer ineptitude in operating such underpowered vehicles does not give me hope. You have to remember this is Merica', where motorcycles aren't an everyday thing for most of the population. So lots of people don't know how to ride motorcycles. Letting them ride even 125cc bikes without any sort of motorcycle training would only end badly. Plus it isn't that hard to get your motorcycle license here in Merica', and when you do have it, you can ride ANYTHING.

[woodsrat]

I'd personally like to see Honda bring these in as an alternative to scooters and as an "entry-level" bike. Interestingly enough there are old guys in the U. S. who either physically can't ride or financially afford anything bigger so there's a market they're totally ignoring as well.

Sadly a nice lady from American Honda, who called me one Saturday in response to my letter pleading for them to get back into the small bike business, told me that "Honda is after a more affluent buyer.". Reading between the lines I gathered this to mean they'd adopted the H-D business model, i. e., big bikes=big profits. A conversation with a local long-time Honda dealer backed this up when he told me there was no profit in small bores. When I asked him what beginners were to ride he took me over to the CTX-700 and said "...these are the new beginner bikes." A $7000, 500 lb. bike that would easily run a hundred miles an hour a "beginner bike"? Hardly.

In my own case after riding for 46 years and owning everything the market offers simple 125's just make sense for the way I ride. I'm really tired of complicated bikes and now enjoy something lightweight and easy to work on. That they're inexpensive is just icing on the cake.

A high tech 125 would be great but I'm not sure I want to spend that much at this stage of the game. A CG-125, sold for well under $2000, is a whole 'nuther story.

[ASV]

I ride a 150 now and its just a little bit under powered for me.
I would like a 200 or some form of boost
but I am a heavy guy
I think a 125 would be good if I didn't already hav my bike

[Daox]

Have you tried any Kawasaki Eliminator 125s? I know its not liquid cooled, and I'm also not sure its fuel injected. But, you can pick them up for peanuts and usually don't have many miles as people upgrade to larger bikes. I've though about getting one a few times.

[Daschicken]

Originally Posted by Daox

Have you tried any Kawasaki Eliminator 125s? I know its not liquid cooled, and I'm also not sure its fuel injected. But, you can pick them up for peanuts and usually don't have many miles as people upgrade to larger bikes. I've though about getting one a few times.

It certainly is interesting, didn't even know that was an option. Stupid cheap, found two on local craigslist for $800, one has less than 400 miles. As much as I am a weight reduction bro bro, I do like the normal sized bikes better, so I wasn't really ever interested in the grom. Those eliminators are all carbureted though. It has to be something special for me to justify getting another carbureted motorcycle, and there is nothing special about one of those.

[Grant-53]

Unlike a bicycle a motorcycle is not as adjustable for seat height and handlebar positions. I weight much more than ideal for my frame so power to weight is critical given that 1000 foot climbs are common in my area. I have tried a Honda XL 125 dirt bike but I am more inclined toward a scooter at my age. I can buy a restricted 50cc scooter dirt cheap and run it up to 30 mph without a additional motorcycle license here in NYS. A Yamaha Zuma 125 or a Honda PCX 150 would suit me. A liquid cooled streamliner with a heater and dual sport tires would allow for a longer riding season.

[woodsrat]

125 Eliminators weigh in at around 320 lbs. and supposedly have 12 horsepower. I could probably get it down to under three hundred pounds by stripping off some of the stuff that doesn't make it go forward without making it ugly. Taken to an extreme (plastic dirt bike tank, cut away the subframe to "bobberize" it, etc.) might get it down to 275 or so, maybe less. Beyond that I'd have to figure out how to add a kickstarter, eliminate the big battery and electric starter, etc. but even then 250 is probably a long shot.

They were really popular as trainer bikes for awhile and probably aren't a bad bike. Like Daschicken says it has to have something to draw you to it and there's not much for me to like about it, either. Even if it had F. I. it's still way, way overweight and lacks the excitement factor needed to justify the pork.

[Hip001]

The honda scooter, i think 2010 elite 110 is what id pick. Lots of storage, and excellent mpg! With Honda relaibility! Win win!
On second thought the yamaha xmax is bigger in size and can still go highway speed. Prob pick the Yamaha for technology advancements.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by woodsrat

I'd personally like to see Honda bring these in as an alternative to scooters and as an "entry-level" bike. Interestingly enough there are old guys in the U. S. who either physically can't ride or financially afford anything bigger so there's a market they're totally ignoring as well.

Scooters seem to be easier to market, due to their "urban mobility" appeal that makes them be seen as a "lifestyle" vehicle instead of a povertry feature.

Sadly a nice lady from American Honda, who called me one Saturday in response to my letter pleading for them to get back into the small bike business, told me that "Honda is after a more affluent buyer.". Reading between the lines I gathered this to mean they'd adopted the H-D business model, i. e., big bikes=big profits.

Had Honda tried a similar approach in most of the world, it would most likely lose its already-consolidated leadership.

A conversation with a local long-time Honda dealer backed this up when he told me there was no profit in small bores.

Maybe the lack of a tiered licensing scheme, which is used in markets such as Japan, Australia, Europe and on its way to be implemented here in Brazil too, leads to the small-displacement being seen as "less profitable". Plus its riders are less likely to buy expensive official merchandise and aftermarket accessories which may also account for much of said profit.

When I asked him what beginners were to ride he took me over to the CTX-700 and said "...these are the new beginner bikes." A $7000, 500 lb. bike that would easily run a hundred miles an hour a "beginner bike"? Hardly.

From my 3rd-world perspective, I wouldn't consider a motorcycle that costs nearly as much as some low-mileage subcompact a "beginner bike".

In my own case after riding for 46 years and owning everything the market offers simple 125's just make sense for the way I ride. I'm really tired of complicated bikes and now enjoy something lightweight and easy to work on. That they're inexpensive is just icing on the cake.

Gotta love the old-school ones?


And what about this? At least 15 years-old, and they're still easily seen on the job.

A high tech 125 would be great but I'm not sure I want to spend that much at this stage of the game.

Considering that size and displacement are often seen as a "prestige" feature, it's understandable that a hi-tech small motorcycle could be regarded less cost-effective.

A CG-125, sold for well under $2000, is a whole 'nuther story.

This is a version meant for couriers.