Author Topic: DKaz's bike adventure (Read 45180 times)

dkaz · « **on:** March 06, 2015, 01:38:33 pm »

September 12, 2015:

Once again, I'm on two wheels! Here's my 2004 Yamaha Vino 125.

Original Post March 6, 2015:

A small upgrade from my 49cc 2004 Yamaha BWS, I picked up my preowned 2014 Honda CBR 125R yesterday with 1,259km on the clock. It's in mint condition, the previous owner obviously got bored of it very quickly. What an upgrade. It won't win races with a 0-60mph time of an abysmal 16 to 20 seconds from the videos I've watched, but 0 to 60 km/h is generally faster than traffic and that's with 5,000 to 7,000 RPM upshifts, well below the 10,800 RPM redline.

It'll go on the highway fine and will cruise at 95km/h all day. I've gotten it as high as 108km/h before letting off the throttle as it was getting pretty darn fast for inexperienced me. My commutes last night leaving 5:30pm and 7:00am this morning was 49 and 47 minutes respectively, cruising in the HOV lane on Hwy 1. This is almost half of what my 49cc commutes were.

Photo from a test ride on Tuesday:

Other thoughts:

Much better than the older 2007-09 models. Wider tires (130 wide vs 110), 1" longer wheel base and a 20lb heavier body means better highway speed stability. It's very similar in size to the CBR 250R so it feels less like a toy as well. Engine output is slightly by a couple percent maybe but it comes several hundred RPMs lower.
It's slightly less nimble in the city with the increased weight and higher centre of gravity, but the wider tires make up for it
55W H4 headlight vs. 35W on the previous gen and my old BWS should mean much better night output for when my sunrise to sunset riding restriction gets lifted. Plus it makes for an easy-ish bi-xenon projector retrofit in the future.
People are averaging 2.7 L/100km on this bike, closer to 3 on the highway and in the low 2s in the city. The dealer filled up the 13L tank before I left, and after about 75km of riding 50/50 city/hwy I have 5 out of 6 bars left.
I'm thinking of getting Helibars for it which would lift the handlebars 1-1/4" and bring it back 1-1/2" for a more comfortable riding position. My sales
A top case would be nice to make up for the underseat storage and floorboard that I lost.
I can't get my eyes off of it and it's seriously so fun to ride.

Time will tell if I made the right choice choosing a CBR 125R sport bike over a PCX 150 comfort scooter for year round commuting, but I love it so far.

Noto · « **Reply #1 on:** March 06, 2015, 02:33:43 pm »

I'm assuming nobody has responded because while we all have snow on the ground, you're posting pictures of nice sunny days and a motorcycle.

...ya jerk!

Nice purchase - goes to show that 0-60 times are not the be-all, end-all.

Fobroader · « **Reply #2 on:** March 06, 2015, 02:41:59 pm »

I've always wondered about those as there are always a ton of them for sale with little to no mileage on them, thought there might have been something wrong with them.

bridgecity · « **Reply #3 on:** March 06, 2015, 02:45:48 pm »

Congrats on the new wheels! Have fun.

Sir Osis of Liver · « **Reply #4 on:** March 06, 2015, 02:52:31 pm »

Congratulations! Nice and well made bike. It'll serve you well.

micha · « **Reply #5 on:** March 06, 2015, 02:54:50 pm »

Quote from: Fobroader on March 06, 2015, 02:41:59 pm

I've always wondered about those as there are always a ton of them for sale with little to no mileage on them, thought there might have been something wrong with them.

It's just that people buy them to learn riding on and then they get bored with them after a few weeks and upgrade. I would just start with a bigger bike and keep it longer.

And congrats! Good decision to buy used as well.

HeliDriver · « **Reply #6 on:** March 06, 2015, 03:31:05 pm »

Congrats on the neat bike! Should be way more fun than a scooter.

dkaz · « **Reply #7 on:** March 06, 2015, 04:43:48 pm »

Thanks! Maybe I should've waited another month to post this in fairness to 85% of my fellow countrymen. Hey, we don't have the highest real estate and gas prices in Canada for nothing!

Fobroader, 90% of new motorcyclists typically move on to faster machines from the 125R within a season. I know one guy though who went from a 125R, to a 250R, then back down to a 125R. As I'm strictly just using my machine 90% for commuting with the occasional back country roads adventure or even learn how to track in the 125 class, this should be good enough for me. Although I may or may not have already been eyeing a Honda NC750S as my next bike...

Definitely more fun than a scooter so far. Although I initially intended to get a bigger scooter, it really shouldn't have surprise that since I love driving stick shift, I would also love riding manual as well. Well it kinda did. lol. Having something that handles so well is a bonus, although as a oath to my family I will not do anything to push the limits on the streets. Track days I heard were good to discover limits of your bike and have fun, so you know to keep well within the limits on the street. If you can slide out a crash, you'll generally be ok. As soon as there's something for your body to crash into, that's it.

Video of survivable track crashes, but with everyday objects you might see on a public roadway superimposed in:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VruWHHEnZGw

Noto · « **Reply #8 on:** March 06, 2015, 04:49:57 pm »

Please be careful.

Fobroader · « **Reply #9 on:** March 06, 2015, 04:59:26 pm »

Quote from: DKaz on March 06, 2015, 04:43:48 pm

Thanks! Maybe I should've waited another month to post this in fairness to 85% of my fellow countrymen. Hey, we don't have the highest real estate and gas prices in Canada for nothing!

Fobroader, 90% of new motorcyclists typically move on to faster machines from the 125R within a season. I know one guy though who went from a 125R, to a 250R, then back down to a 125R. As I'm strictly just using my machine 90% for commuting with the occasional back country roads adventure or even learn how to track in the 125 class, this should be good enough for me. Although I may or may not have already been eyeing a Honda NC750S as my next bike...

Definitely more fun than a scooter so far. Although I initially intended to get a bigger scooter, it really shouldn't have surprise that since I love driving stick shift, I would also love riding manual as well. Well it kinda did. lol. Having something that handles so well is a bonus, although as a oath to my family I will not do anything to push the limits on the streets. Track days I heard were good to discover limits of your bike and have fun, so you know to keep well within the limits on the street. If you can slide out a crash, you'll generally be ok. As soon as there's something for your body to crash into, that's it.

Video of survivable track crashes, but with everyday objects you might see on a public roadway superimposed in:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VruWHHEnZGw

Cool, and thanks for the explanation, I thought they were flawed or something. Nice bike and yeah, please be careful and we all hate the green grass and sunshine you bastage!!!

craigq · « **Reply #10 on:** March 06, 2015, 08:17:31 pm »

Nice !

I had a 2007 for around 2 years and 15K KM. I loved riding it even though lots of people made fun of me/it

Coworkers still do

The fuel was cheap, insurance was cheap, tires were really cheap, valve adjustment was dirt simple and took no time at all, oil changes were simple. There used to be a good forum dedicated to it but I think it's gone

JacobBlack · « **Reply #11 on:** March 06, 2015, 08:23:55 pm »

Great little bikes! Many of my old riding buddies kept their smaller compliance bikes when they moved on, the reason? They're fun!
If you can afford to, keep this when you upgrade, this will do the milk shop runs and the odd roundabout assault lark... The bigger bike is your proper toy.

Great bike, good buy!

Triple Bob · « **Reply #12 on:** March 06, 2015, 08:28:07 pm »

Awesome, well done!

I loved the CBR250R whilst I had it, it was great fun to wind it out all the way.

dkaz · « **Reply #13 on:** March 07, 2015, 12:44:22 am »

I don't plan on getting hurt! 60% of bike accidents are due to rider error. 20% due to driver error. 20% could be a mix. I've been defensive while riding. Not overly so, but enough to foresee and avoid potential accidents.

Fob the only flaw is they don't satisfy the need for raw speed. 600-750 seems to be a sweet spot for a lot of riders.

Good to know craigq! Jacob, I think scooters would be more suitable for grabbing groceries! But the 125 is easy to ride. Turbo Bob, it's definitely fun to bring it up to redline without getting in trouble.

I have to do my road test in a 201cc+ so I have to use the riding school's CBR 250R. I hope it doesn't ruin my 125 for me. lol.

dkaz · « **Reply #14 on:** March 07, 2015, 07:22:04 am »

FYI, in Vancouver, grass is green in the winter and brown in the summer.

Triple Bob · « **Reply #15 on:** March 07, 2015, 09:11:05 am »

Wow that's a lot of bent metal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BiczTfhmuI#t=28

Nice little CBR too!

dkaz · « **Reply #16 on:** March 10, 2015, 10:20:42 pm »

Wow what a chain reaction. There was a 8-car chain rear ender in Vancouver last year. No video of it.

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Photos+Eight+crash+Broadway+Commercial+Vancouver/9729681/story.html

Filled up my 125 for the first time, 2.9L/100km. Nice getting 300km+ on a tank.

rrocket · « **Reply #17 on:** March 10, 2015, 10:23:33 pm »

Quote from: Turbo Bob on March 06, 2015, 08:28:07 pm

Awesome, well done!

I loved the CBR250R whilst I had it, it was great fun to wind it out all the way.

Oh...what do you have now??

The Mighty Duck · « **Reply #18 on:** March 18, 2015, 09:36:13 pm »

I've loved these bikes since they came out, and I've wanted for a long time to pick one up and learn to ride and use it as a cheap commuter.

Looks great - enjoy it!

footlong58 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 31, 2015, 12:07:46 pm »

Nice! I had a 2012 that I bought for a song... It was a great bike, I'd commute on it and take it on day trips out on the highway etc. I put about 12,000km on mine in one summer. Maintenance wise other than oil changes and waxing the chain, I checked and adjusted the valves once. Dead nuts reliable, cheap to run, and extremely engaging to ride. I mean you REALLY had to ride it, not just putsky along in 2nd gear. It was like my own personal MotoGP race every time I rode it, going through the gears, plenty of throttle etc. And the twisty stuff? The CBR125R ate it up. Knee down in the turns no issue at all.

You'll love it.