Video: Honda scores with 98 mpg (US) CBR125R motorcycle
 

If a bike made sense in my transportation mix, I'd skip the gas guzzling Ninja 250 for one of these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XW6MNMbzbI

Excerpts from a review in today's Ottawa Citizen:

full article: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/...41086452d7&p=2

:thumbup:

I so wish we could get bikes like those in the Us.

lucky lucky

For now there is this. And I want one.

Eliminator® 125

http://kawasaki.com/ImagesMain/Produ...ccc224de22.jpg

I have wanted a motorcycle for years, for fun and extreme fuel savings. I will write Honda and ask them to bring the CBR125 to the US, and I encourage anyone else who thinks they should to do so as well. If enough people want it, they will sell it.


Motorcycle Division
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
P.O. Box 2200
Torrance, CA 90509-2200
Mail stop: 100-4C-7B
Telephone: (866) 784-1870

Gas guzzler Ninja 250?

There's where the Ninja 250R wins, hands down.

I have a 250R and an Eliminator 125. It took real work to get the Eliminator to a point where I could comfortably drive it at 55mph.

http://www.deyemeracing.com/dusk/fil...exhaust-01.jpg
69mpg so far, and just put a new front fender on to try to tip the scale at 70!

http://www.deyemeracing.com/silver/f...20091201-7.jpg
78mpg @ 55mph. Smaller aluminum rear sprocket, windscreen, fork-mounted air deflectors, numerous lightweight fasteners, 35w HID headlight + LED lights... most of that wasn't to get more MPG, but just to give it the strength to cruise comfortably at highway speed!

Yeah, but where's the loud pipes, or 300kph top end?!? LOL

I've read a lot about the XV250 Virago's pushing 90mpg+ in fairly stock form and 100+ with a 17/38 chain/sprocket.

ViragoTechForum.com :: Log in

dont believe that crap about the virago/vstar 250 getting 90+ mpg. its a lie. i had one, and if i drove it real easy it would get between 75-80 mpg. if i drove it hard it would get about 60-65 mpg. to get 90+ mpg on a virago/vstar 250 you would have to drive 30 mph, and weigh about 100 pounds. those just aren't real life figures. i am not saying it cant be done, just that you would have to work REALLY, REALLY hard to do it. and if you were going to do that, you might as well get a 50cc scooter. oh well, just my 2 cents.

I'd pick a 250 over a 125 *anytime*.
125cc are hard pressed to get up to speed, and that's going to cost you in mileage.

Back in the late '90s Suzuki had the TU250 Volty in its line-up. The bike did 3L/100km or 80 mpg (US) in a test by a local bike mag, still using a carburetor.
I see they're still available in the US, with FI rather than a carb.
I wonder what mileage they get now.


We get less and less 250 bikes in the EU, they got washed away by a tsunami of 125's which ppl can ride using a car licence in many EU countries.

i have a friend who bought a new 2009 SUZUKI TU250 late last year. he loves it, gets about 75-80 mpg, and he doesn't baby it either. he let me ride it one time, and i can tell you, for a 250 single that little sucker can move pretty good. it was faster than my 250 rebel. but that may have to do with the fuel injection too.

Yamaha lists the V-Star 250 at 78 mpg. Kawasaki lists the Eliminator 125 at 98 mpg. The new Ninja 250 is listed at 68 mpg and is 50 lb heavier than the V-Star 250. Peirsport is selling a 125cc 6spd Sachs powered dual sport bike for $2700 USD last I checked but no word on mpg. In general every bike will improve its mpg potential by drag reduction from a good fairing and tall tail box combination. The rest is up to the skill of the rider and road conditions: Traffic, hills, wind, etc.

i just traded in my vulcan 500 for a new ninja 250 a few days ago. i have filled up already, and it worked out to 71 MPG. i have been driving it easy because of the break in period, but i dont drive fast anyway. i am going to change my sprockets and windshield, then we will see how much it improves, if any.

Nice bike. My wife owns a 1989 Honda VTR250 Interceptor. It is big enough for two up.

She and I took a 400 mile unexpected trip on it last year. Cruised easily at 75mph. I was able to hit 99 indicated on one section of interstate. I averaged 61 mpg.

I have a 150 Honda dirt bike. Is the CBR 125 an air cooled two valve or is it a water cooled 4 valve? Honda makes both motors in dirt chassis'.

She has her trade mark :) paint job.http://p1.bikepics.com/pics/2009\02\...74437-full.jpg The bike has yellow stencils on it now.

where is the bike? all i see is a seat and a pair of wheels. just kidding. hey, is that bike hard to get parts for now? i always have liked the look of the interceptors. let me know if you ever want to sell it.

Cowboy,
So far (2 years) no repairs except chain and sprockets, fork seals and fairing. The engine makes smooth torque at 3000 but can rev to 14,000.

I am always impressed at how much rpm the bike runs. 77 mph is 10,000 rpm. I am running 2 teeth over in the back so it clocks a bit more than stock.

I have three vtr's. All run although one smokes a bit.

Honda Canada

The 09 CBR125R is liquid cooled, 2 valve, SOHC, and fuel injected.

man, i so wish they would bring the CBR125 to the states, i would buy one in a heartbeat. i just love the way they look. they would be a perfect local commuter.

Same here, although I would wanna mod it for highway use :)

:turtle:

changing the sprockets would be all you would have to do. although you might not even have to do that. i have seen vids on youtube of people running these things up to about 100 MPH. thats FAST for a stock 125cc motorcycle, but i bet those little suckers would be turning some massive RPMs to get there. still, i just love the way they look. they have the perfect small and sporty look to me.

Two or three years ago I was determined to get one, too. I was talking with users on other forums and I have the impression that you mustn't be a big guy to get more than 80mph top speed stock (their own speedo, not gps) and forget upright position to get there.
The FE is impressive nevertheless. And the looks too. I'd still happily try one.

i would love to try one too, but unfortunately the united states are stupid and seem to think you have to have the biggest size bike available. i never will understand why someone feels they need a 1800cc motorcycle. can we say overkill anyone. and its even funnier that they cant legally go any faster than i can on my 250cc. and even illegally they cant out run me up to about 90 MPH. but that is just the stupid thinking here, ya know, bigger bike is better bike. yeah right. the only thing you get out of a big bike is more fuel consumption. it always cracks me up when i see someone pay 10,000-20,000 dollars for a bike that gets about 35-40 MPG. shoot, my ford escort will do that, and its got air conditioner. they need to bring more 125cc bikes to the US, i think they would be amazed at how quick they would sell, especially with gas being close to $3 a gallon.

Exactly. If it doesn't have loud pipes, or top out over 300kph, it's not worth it to most guys out there... Incidentally I did some looking for pricing, since I'm near the border. These are about the same price as a Ninja 250, IIRC....

Hey guys why should someone NOT purchase or build a large bike if that is what they want, can afford and find the most fun.

Japanese motorcycle manufactures learned about 35 years ago that sales went through the roof once they started making bikes that the majority of riders wanted.

If you just have to have a 125, just pry the motor out of your existing 250 and put in a 125.

thats the whole point. you CAN buy the biggest motorcycle YOU want, but we dont have the option to get the 125cc bikes that WE want. so whos getting the shaft here, huh? but that is the exact kind of thinking i am talking about. most americans think that if it gets any better than 45 MPG, or is any slower than 80 MPH, then it isnt worth having. having a 1000cc bike to get around town is like having a 10 inch pecker and only getting to use the first 3 inches.

Story of my life... *ba-dum-ching*

Not sure what your phallic imagery has to do with motorcycles. If I go more than half a mile from my house I usually don't walk. I ride my bicycle or take a motor vehicle. If I spend more than 3% of my income on fuel then it becomes a concern.

If you want a 125 and it is not available then feel free to do it yourself. In the part of the country that I live in riding 55 is a recipe for disaster if I am on pavement. Putting a 125 single four stroke in a small road bike is not much of a challenge. 250s make a much better compromise in speed and economy.

Rather can complain make up what works.

If I knew what I was doing, I sure would, but I know well enough that I don't know nearly enough to build my own bike. Heck, I've never even fixed a chain on a pedal bike.... Don't you think if we could, we would? Instead, we're looking at companies like Honda and others selling the bikes we want, outside the US, and not here. That's all.

Hi CosmicKid
Okay swapping a motor would be too tough for you at this point. Start by repairing something. Fix or replace that chain on your bike. I know that I didn't learn how to use tools before I tried.

I would say that most of the projects here are by people who are learning by doing.

I have a 1988 Yamaha XV250 Route66 and it's last two tanks netted 82.3 and 88.2mpg. I still have the stock 16/45 gearing but plan to change to the 38t rear..Bike is used for my work commute and I rarely exceed 45-50mph which likely contributes to the good mileage figures.