Restoration of an abandoned Aprilia RS125 barn find forgotten since 2011 

In 2014 I decided to get a motorcycle and start riding again. I wanted my dream bike that was unobtainable when I was 20. I searched for three months and found a 1989 Yamaha FZR1000. Still on the stock tires and last registered in 1991. It had been sitting in a garage for 23 years. Only had 4002 miles on it. New tires, hoses, fluids and off I went. I still have it and about to do a refresh on it. Love watching old vehicles being brought back to life. Keep up the good work.

I bought one of these in 2009 when I was 19, I was the nuts, £400, straight away bought the gianelli carbon tipped pipe and off for a blast I went, hit 90 on the dual carriage away before the back wheel locked up with a bang! Grabbed clutch and it rolled to a stop, with steam pouring out. My local shop had a set of harada panels and a polini 154cc kit in stock so then that happened, awww memories, got pics somewhere, was lovely

Nice video pal. I remember these back in the day, legit rockets when fully tuned.

Gotta love the nostalgia:) back then you had a RS or a cagiva Mito. I had a kmx125 :) my mate had a mito. the fun we had, we still reminisce about today :)

The GP1 is the most beautiful of them all and probably the rarest. The Arrow exhaust enables another 1-2 hp with a nice new foam air filter mat and sounds perfect.

I had a facelift Spain's no.1 at 18 after some knocked me off my Honda NSR and cracked the alcast frame 😢 then got the RS125 it was awesome and quick I loved it was so light could pick it up myself, I'd have another in heart beat

I can remember buying one from Motorcycle City when they were just released. It was one if the very first registered in the UK. Still have pics of it had it for 4 yrs it was awesome. My best mate had a brand new caviga mito at the same time we had them both derestricted but Rs had the legs on the cagiva no probs!! Used to wind my buddy right up when i would go past him down the local bypass both pinned behind the screens 😂. Great bike great times it was my first ever Motorcycle and I miss it dearly. I traded in for an Rs250 in the end and that thing was incredible.

What a bike! Brings back so many memories of being back in my teens and riding in large groups with mates. Great upload lad

Had the rs50 rs 125 and then cagiva mito 125.. 15 years ago lol I'm similar age to you 😅 Think I was around 20, had 2 top end rebuilds on the rs125 and the others were fine not alot of problems. Good to see the old barn finds,same with old cars aswell love a good barn find 👌

Great video! I used to love mine, I had a 1994 RS 125 extrema, the only downside was at the time when I had it the parts for it were hard to get from local bike shops. Wish I still had it now as I would have gotten everything online.

So sick, a true blast from the past. Great track bike. Can't wait for the next episode .

Some of the best memories I have are on a 125 i understand faster bikes are better but sometimes this is all the fun you need 👌

Glad to see you found something suitable, looks a good one

You've found a little treasure. In Italy this bike would be worth a lot. If I were you I would install the PHBH 28. The VHSB 34 is too big for the original porting, it might give you slightly better torque, but it'd be a hassle to carb. Plus if you want to install the oil pump, do not use the VHSB 34, that pump is set up for the 28, cable and everything. If it had the VHSB 34 and the oil pump, it was running thin on oil. I've had two of these bikes. With original exhaust opened, definitely the 34 is not worth the candle. The main jet for the 28 is 126 in summer, 128 in winter (depends on the sprayer/pulveriser), if that 28 is the original of that model, with the rave kit, original air filter, rev limiter unlocked and compression ratio restored to the Rotax 123 specs. Later models had a 28 with a different sprayer, which limited the amount of fuel to pass the emission and was impossible to carb, people went up to 200 as main jet, and it was always lean. I do not remember the code of the sprayer. With that set up, if you weigh between 70 and 80 kg, and you don't need to go uphill every day, the best final gear ration is 17/39, even though you might want to keep 17/40 (I guess you have 40 as rear sprocket). If you have a different exhaust, you might want to go change your main jet, some exhausts run better leaner, some richer. Hope you find this info useful. You can ask more questions. I'd love to see the final result. I had that model as well (actually I uploaded a video shot over 10 years ago a few days ago, it was an old on board). That was the set up with the original exhaust.

one of my dream bikes when i was young.... i love it.

Awsome channel! Grate content! Looking forward to seeing the finished project

Of course it can be saved 🙌 ive just revived a 30 year old yamaha dt125r from the dead!!

I am 19, and this just gives me so much hope for my future- cannot wait to rebuild classic bikes when the real adult money starts pulling in

I had one at 17. Im now 34 it was so much fun, mine was the chesterfield livery. I broke 3rd gear as their plastic cogs lol. I got 110mph out of mine.

Loved this. Your reason for building a bike from your youth is exactly the reason I wanted to rebuild a cr125 at 40yrs old. 🔥

I thought your RSV series was my dream but this has already trumped it, This was my first bike. I had a yellow one and my Brother had a red one. It was like old school moto GP when we started up in the mornings and at the lights. Great times. Wish i had kept it. Really special.

Nice aprilia i want a 250. So nice on the road aprilia, love um ❤

I'm looking forward to this one.

looking forward for the next episode. keep it up . cheers

I bought a 2000 model recently. I highly recommend replacing the rubber gasket under the fuel filler. Mine was perished from age and didn't seal. Fuel pools around that area while riding and then when you stop it pours out on a nice hot engine and exhaust

I got all of my engine stuff from PJME when I had my RS years ago. Nice to see they're still going strong! That larger carb made so much difference on mine too, along with the PV and deresricted ECU that bike was an absolute rocket!

gasoline/petrol is a superb solvent, if used with caution and logic, it is IMO the best solvent you can buy and use on your motorcycle when necessary 1. Gasoline/Petrol is chemically listed as a solvent 2. is great at breaking down alot of grease and grime without damaging factory paint or plastics (as most are gasoline resistant from factory) 3. Gasoline is probably gallon for gallon the cheapest, the most effective, and the most readily available solvent out there IMO

Beautiful project 👏🏻

Wow trip down memory lane i had the white one with gold lions first bike loved it that was round 20/21 years ago now great stuff

Great video bro 😎 keep up the amazing content ❤

I had one there great bikes mate loved it 0:28

I have messaged you on FB with some info. Hopefully useful. Early rs125 had the 34mm carb as standard (Rotax 123 engine). Yours with the 122 engine had the 28.

I know how to rebuild them!! My friend and I have had to rebuild my old one! I bought it with bad big ends! Had to replace them and put engine back together, bike came with a 28mm TPS sensor carb, it was derestricted so the bike wouldn’t make a mile before it blew up, I found a kx250 carb on a destroyed Aprilia, had to down jet it but the bike was killer! 100mph, wish I never sold it to get a family car

great video yet again late watching this one as was having a weekend in prague with my mates for our 40th comming up along with plenty drink and amazing food and miles of walking but would highly recamend it 😃

Great video, really enjoy them. My lad had a 2003 RS125 years ago - rebuilt it a couple of times. Had a Jim Lomas pipe, and always used to cut out in the wet! Could never find the cause!

Great stuff , something to watch again , wasn't into the car rubbish for some reason .

Really love the RS125, maybe next year ill myself look for one for cheap and build it, then keep it forever

I have had that bike as a teenager. It was a brilliant bike. And somehow everyone said it would also be not only more expensive and also faster than another RS125. But mine was restricted down to about only 7hp, but it still reached 120 kilometers per hour. (It was allowed to only go to 80 kmh). But we did not manage to get it there with more Horsepower. The guys from the bike shop said they can not do more. I loved that rainbow painting.

I was the first person in the UK to own one of these badboys 💪

in 1998 i had the 46 Valentino rossi rep RS125 (silver, orange & purple) from brand new with 'the doctor' either side of the fly screen, full power mine topped out at about 115mph.

still got mine , spains number 1 2007

i always fancy the MiTO 125, MBX 125 and RD125 6 speed

My first bike and the source of a fractured pelvis 🙌

Totally mate i couldnt agree more 🤪🍺😁🎉🍺👍

I bought that exact colour way new. Back in the day.

Just subbed you… my mates son has an RS 125, lovely bike to work on…another amusing fact, I noticed you live opposite my old girlfriend’s house…I miss Staines… We used to live down Penton ave… have a good weekend mate.

Looking forward to this! As a man of a similar vintage and a similar biking history, I missed the 2 Stroke at 17 part. My mates were all on RS125s and NSR125s, but my parents in their wisdom thought I'd be better off on an XR125 instead. Pity. These bikes are becoming hens teeth, given that you can barely find an intact Cagiva Mito Evo. Also, get those D207s replaced because they were mega wank back in the day!

Forgot to say that unfortunately these bikes fall into the hands of teenagers, and in most countries it was their first bike (here in Italy you are allowed 50cc bikes at the age of 14, then at 16 and only after you have passed your driving test you can (actually could) get one of these. That would teach most teens to care about the bike and learn a few two stroke necessary evils, like warming it up properly, be careful with the oil you use, learn to do the maintenance and so one. But some teens were impatient and wanted more power, and the restricted version doesn't have an official guide to derestrict it, there are a few known things but some just added stuff which messed up the engine and make it even worse. The full power kit is not clear, so everyone improvises. There aren't a lot of mechanics who know how to do it properly either. I was a moped/small motorcycles/kart mechanic myself (and still am in my free time), and the main secret to derestrict this model was to take the specs from the 123 (I mean compression ratio, squish gap) and transfer them to the 122, the ports are almost identical but there are a few differences. Then you tune everything else accordingly to your exhaust. I'm not good at making videos unfortunately, but from next week I will have one of these (the 2008 model, slightly different but basically the same) to diagnose. If I find a friend who has the patience to film I could explain a few things or two that not everyone knows, or that only old mechanics do.

Nice.....

These bikes felt like a rocket when i was 17, I had a 93 with the rotax 123 engine but put 2002 fairings on it and wheels, (same frame)

I had a Rs125 extrema 03 but I put gp1 tank on it great bike sold it for a aprilia Mx125

My aprillia rs 50/70 is still going had to replace clutch and bottom end bearing few times but that's what it's about thrashing and having fun it's a 2003

Wd40 is great for cleaning wheels. It's all I use.

That's a shame about the other frame. But the new bike looks good for restoration.

If you find a Gilera DNA 125 hit me up. Loved that thing to death when i was younger would love another one. Always wanted an Aprilia but my mate had one and spent more time fixing it than riding it so i never bothered!

😢 Wish I never let mine go back in the day. Same GP1 rep

This is going to be a challenge and can't wait to see the end result...really looking forward to watching this...what brushes are you using to clean your bikes..my triumph gt pro is possibly the most difficult bike to keep clean. Looking for a decent set of brushes to get to the difficult places...

Looking forward to seeing the build I own exactly same bike with the GP1 scheme and also 2004. What are you planning to do with the colour scheme are you leaving it as a GP1 or changing to different farings

We got around the problem's with engine failures by blanking the 2 stroke oil system off and running a higher pre mix in the tank.

I had the cagiva mito 125 my mate had the rs125 best 125s by a mile at the time.

Also the early rs 125s were given the 34mm carb from factory

More effort than it was worth.

Get sum Ap workshop stickers for it it’s a 5 to 10 bhp in them things ❤ a rs

Hey man,i enjoy your aprillia refurbishment vids,i like these bikes. I have an RS50 but problem with it is when i hit high revs say 8 000rpm it cust power and temperature shoots up suddenly and its also has high revs while idling,this happens since i had a cylinder change it came back doing that,they checked eletronics starter coil change but its still doing that. Do you have an idea what it could be

I use oven cleaner for the first degreasing ,cheaper and goood stuff the astonish degreaser 😎

It was this Vs the cagive mito at the time,the cagiva had 7 gears though 😂

Great bikes. I had the cagiva mito, aprilia af1 and the rs 125. The rs was a much better bike 👍👍

pro tip best thing i found for cleaning wheels is wd40 !

Bilberry wheel cleaner really isnt that strong matey, get some no nonsense degreaser from screwfix on there or some bilt hamber surfex all purpose cleaner, itll get that chain grease/oil off really well! Looking forward to following the build, had an extrema at 17, miss it constantly!

if you find yourself needing any engine parts when stripping bottom end ive got 5 or 6 complete engines at the workshop that are doing nothing i'm only round 15minutes on m25 from staines

Is a Derbi GPR similar? Had an oportnityyears ago to buy one new, but I thought it was too pricey for a 50cc bike

Aprilia RS final edition 2003

Had one at 17 destriced had it 3 weeks before I met the bonnet of a car. The car won

Just seen one in garage? Mito ?lol yours is that proper one the 748 ?

I’ve always wanted a 2 stroke but I don’t have a lot of motorcycle knowledge, I’ve been on a 125cc for six years and at the tender age of 38 I’d love to own my first 2 stroke…. I currently have a 2007 Honda varadero 125cc. Is a 2 stroke something I should stay away from due to my lack of knowledge and funds (wedding happening April 27th 2024) or should I brave it and take the plunge? (If I can get one under £1300)

What are your thoughts on Cagiva mitos?

everything nice ! restored a yamaha and a aprilia myself.... but the costs oh lord .. tbh its getting to the point where its not worth it anymore especially with italian bikes.

16:40 that oil is new, you can leave it

You're going to have to ride a RD250LC, a 1980's 17 year olds wet dream.

Rs125 teen dream: "It didn't happen for reasons l'm not going to go into..." Mmmm. Looking forward to the Pjme engine analysis myth busting. Maybe lay off the fast food crap for the best power to weight ratio?😁

Arent you building already another aprilia rs?

I’m confused… is this a new bike? Cos I’ve been watching the rebuild … or has he gone back ?

I blew my aprillia RS 125 up when I was 18. It's the 2002 red and black race replica one....I passed my CBT on Saturday, really want to restore it but it's been in storage for 16 years...was thinking about throwing £1k at it to get it mechanically sound...I'm a paint sprayer so can do all the bodywork, wondering what your thoughts are?

That temp guage is not working perfectly, temp numbers jumping around means the sensor is deaded

Paraffin and a stiff brush gets chain lube off.

18:04

This bike 🏍 is better than s*x 👌

If it were my bike…… I’d swap in a 250cc motocross motor

Proper barn find from 13 years ago. F@@k off I've found cereal bars down the back of the kitchen cupboard older

I had the Mito yellow v reg loads better

I have my gsxr600 k5 stored since 2014, had it from new!

Breakfast wrap though… rookie… 😂

Haha had me there at the beginning,I thought ,that sounds mint 😒bastardo 😂

Back before a rainbow design was used to indicate you liked fiddling with other men's dangly bits eh? Imagine turning up to meet your mates on a bike with that colour scheme nowadays eh? 😂😂😂

Too much talking and cinematic shots for my taste. Had to ff through the first 3/4 of the video before he started working on the bike and he just kept talking. I just want to see good shots of mechanical work and less story telling.

I remember it as if it was yesterday❤️, bought pretty beaten up rs125 with all the money I managed to save, it was 2008 and I was 16 and I had the fastest 125cc in the neighborhood ( because that was what mattered back then). Please document the rebuild very thoroughly, because I am buying one for the winter as well and your videos are gonna be the main source of knowledge 😃😃

The carb sizes was that in relation to the UK version 12HP and the import 33HP?

Gilera Runner was the daddyfor me

Regular kerosene in a spray bottle will melt old chain wax, grease and grime.