Why Riders Never Go Back To 125cc... 

pedant point: 125s can ride on motorways. Apart from the displacement limitation (and to be a further pedant, the floor is 50cc and yes some 125s only displace 124cc but they're classed as 125s for insurance purposes), motorways are classed as special roads, upon which the only other limitation is a motorised vehicle must be able to achieve a minimum self-propelled cruising speed of 25mph.

Only ever rode a 125 when doing my CBT - as soon as you get onto the bigger bikes there is no going back. The bigger bikes are more stable, safe and obviously more fun. Just passed my direct access at 24 and my first bike is a 2005 CBR600f. Won't ever get me going back to a 125cc now!

I have to disagree with a lot of your views in this video, 1. The title is wrong, there is a growing amount of mature riders like myself, ditching their "big bikes" and indulging on small, quirky, fun, cute motorcycles, because they've done all their fun and speed days and just want smiles per mile even if it means looking a bit silly on something like a monkey bike! 2. 125s can legally ride on motorways and I've done it multiple times and I wasn't pinning the throttle and I didn't feel unsafe as cars and lorrys can pass when they like, 3. Not enough power to get out of dangers way! 🤦‍♂️... this is more down to perception and reaction rather than machine, 125s can pull away fairly quickly, it's just they run out of acceleration quicker than bigger bikes, running from a car, yes the car would have the edge on normal roads, but if a car tried chasing me, I'd be nipping into footpaths and alleyways.. that mini you said was going really slow when it came to a roundabout where a car that could have been turning into it's path, was blocked by the truck in front, soon took off when it was legal to do so.. and you called them a "moron" for indicating left when the left turn is such a hidden side road and easy to mistake, also its road positioning gave a clue it was going straight on, and you say you would've overtaken it on any other bike but there was traffic on the other side if you'd gone faster and you were almost up to legal 50mph anyway, I disagree with the not as fun as anything else bigger, you are just riding the wrong 125, and 125 sport bike will not compete with a bigger sport bike, its trying to be something it cannot, that's why its boring, its faired so you don't feel the wind like on a naked bike which is more exhilarating, anyway that's enough debate for me, you still seem young and many of your views would have been a mature riders view back at the beginning of their riding career, bigger is better, sports bikes are best, fast is where its at! Simply not the case for everyone, and the only reason I've gone so in depth with this reply is because of your authoritive way you are stating all of these claims 😅, my zx9r seemed very boring after 14 yrs ownership, my cbr1000f before that was too big and heavy but ate miles, and a honda monkey 125 has made me enjoy riding again and get my "fun fix" in a quarter of the distance 💁‍♂️🤷‍♂️ and the only bike that's not scary taking off road..👍

I been riding a 125 moped since I was 17 years old and still am because I can’t broth up upgrade to bike can’t ride fast in the uk

I still have a Honda Grom…. Use it for fun times. Sold my cb1000r and dropped down to a new NX500 for long trips… but the grom is still a really fun bike to play with, and nip to the shops with.

Bring back the 250 as the beginner bike now we're out of the eussr

You 100% can ride a 125cc on the motorway if you have a full motorbike license, you also need to remove your L plates once you get your full license, your insurance company will also not cover you if you dont remove them

Since I passed my test I have had some bigger bikes and in between four 125s, I still have a Honda Monkey 125 in my collection. I also have a Kawasaki z400 and Ducati Monster SP. The Monkey is used the most as I used it every day to nip to shops and run other jobs, and it makes them all fun to do.

The Ninja a name should not be used on anything other than the ZX10, H2 range, as it doesnt provide a premium badge to these high end machines. The term Ninja is used to much and they need to readdress that

i upgraded to a 750 hornet and it's fantastic, but can't bear to part with my 125 as i still love it, even though it's unused atm. I did a 1500 mile tour of scotland last year on it in 7 days, including the NC500 and wouldnt have enjoyed it any more whatever bike i had, as most of the time was pootling around the lanes just enjoying the scenery, and wouldnt have been able to go too fast anyway. I agree that bigger bikes do add a different dimension and can be more fun, but i wouldn't rule out a return to it in future in the right circumstances. GL and thanks for the good points again.

125cc bikes are learner bikes, soon as you have access to bigger bikes theres no reason to go back, even as a commuter bike, example cb125r 15bhp but for an extra £500 you can get a cb300r with double the power and only weighs 13kg more wet. Most people jump to a middleweight though

125cc is amazing for running around town, light, nimble and balls of fun, like a bicycle yes. Pairs well with my 750 gixxer.

Some Asian countries the tax insurance is prohibitive above 150cc. They are are actually good fun if you get the right one.

I ride a 125cc as a daily, a freind owns a 1000cc he brought to work an told me to feel the difference on a real bike. I had ago around the estate an carpark, I honestly thought it would be the power that hooks me, but it was actually the lack of gear changes. Getting back on my 125 to go home I immediately became pissed off with the amount of shifting I have to do on mine compared to his 1000.

this guy never had a hornet fly into his helmet, and it shows

Just comes down to the cost. All bikes are good in their own way, different strokes for different folks. Nice video.

Would be interested to hear what others minimum required power is. Like can do 80 uphill in a headwind. Or i want a particular overtaking performance, with my riding style.

My other bikes guzzle petrol and are older and occasionally are down for maintenance. My trusty old 07 cbr125r is a great winter beater here in Canada. If I got rid of it, I'd probably get a Grom so I could toss it in a van if I were going on a trip.

If you have never made the jump up to something decent (600cc+), the best way to describe it is with your best stereo you have ever had....car stereo, hifi at home....whatever you have that you consider the best. Get your favourite cd and play your favourite song from that cd. For me, I struggle to beat early Linkin Park music, Hybrid Theory for example. Play 'Crawling' with the bass turned right down and turn up the treble. This is the 125 pootling around town. Now turn up the volume until it's almost hurting your ears with the treble sharpness. That's riding the 125 enthusiastically. The move up to 600 is like turning the bass right up, then turning on the external amp, and turning that up....and if that's not getting the point over, think Marty McFly in the opening scene of BTTF where he stands in front of the guitar speaker when he turns the dials all the way up.....and then strums and ends up a cross the room. That's the difference if you jump from a 125cc to a GSXR-6 or a 636 Ninja. When you wind it back, you get an amazing sound, blistering acceleration and if you aren't holding on, you end up like Marty McFly in the pile of destruction as he strums that guitar. Why would you ever go back to high treble.... but no mids or bass?

I really enjoyed riding my 125 when I was learning. Upgraded to a bigger bike due to stability and better at slow maneuverers since you don't need to use much rev to keep the bike upright and moving. And also to overtake slow cars :)

I've heard a lot of people say that "You have too ride a 125cc". I'm 20 and want to ride bikes but being 6'7 and 18 Stone myself and a couple of experienced riders i know all said that a 125 isnt big enough. Especially where i live with a hell of a lot of hills etc. Can i not do my A2 straight away? CBT then right to A2?. Because if i can, id look at something like a CB500F, CB500X or maybe restrict a MT07 or something similar.

Another vote for small bikes. IMO 250-400 is sweet spot in tight city and suburban streets. Flat-out’s the most fun.

In some ways I miss my 125. I had the kawasaki z125, what a lovely little bike that was

Anything above 50cc can go on a motorway! A 125 is allowed. However, LEARNER riders and drivers are not allowed on motorways

ive been riding for 30 years , ive got a blade but I love a 125 they are so much fun

What complete bollocks... I'm 57 and been riding all my life, i currently own a Honda Blackbird, i love getting back on a 125cc sometimes, there great fun and remind me why i got into bikes in the first place.

i feel like cbt/a1 motorcyle should be beetween 200cc-300cc cause these 125 just dont have enouth of the true motorcycle feel. even tho i have cbt i have expidiance on bigger bike (Cbr 600f3) the 125 just feels super unresponsive and not giving you the true feel of throttle like on bigger bike. the only good thing about 125 is that you can have very choppy thorttle movement and the only thing you gonna have is the bike just pulling slightly more then like a 600 whitch could just pop a wheelie even a tiny one and you could lose traction and lowside

The biggest thing I'd say is cost. The fact you can buy a bigger bike for the same cost or a little more as a 125cc makes no sense to then limit yourself to a smaller bike. For example, if you already have the 125cc bike and then passed your test, i guess keeping it a little while longer wouldn't hurt, but eventually, you will want to scratch that itch and buy a bigger bike.

Hi,I have same ninja 125cc, and I noticed 2 green wires under the seat not connected to each other. What they mean if anyone knows about them...thanks for any info..

I'm on a 125, and for the city, it's OK, crap away from the lights, so I don't filter to the front at lights. Especially as I weight 310 lbs. My 2-stroke 125 Gilera Runner from 25 years ago was a world of difference from todays 125 4-stroke motorbiles. Modern 125s are severely lacking for Dual Carriageways. Forget overtaking. Will be upgrading at end June, and will NEVER go back. Why would I??? I hear you on the bureaucracy - For my 125 scooter last year, I did a CBT, and then had to do another CBT when switching to a 125 motorbike (I think that is a uniquely N.Ireland thing), and then had to do ANOTHER now that I'm doing lessons on a 650. Madness. As for ease of riding, a mid-range bigger bike is so much easier than a 125.

I have a KLR 650 at the moment, totally different type of bike. I had an older 4cyl concours for a bit so I would never go back to any sport type bike without 4 cylinders. These new parallel twins sounds like crap!

It’s so expensive and long to get a big bike lisence. They need to change the laws around this. Too complicated and so expensive.

I would have thought the Ninja 125 would have gotten an aftermarket full exhaust system by now lol. Worringly the average age of a motorcyclist right now is in their 50's... and it will keeping going up until nobody rides.

Looked at the comments and watched the vid. Contrary to popular opinion: I did an assment on a z650 very well slalom high speed. E brake ectt. Still quoted for 1k at a training school for das. For a1 i can get a bike insure it and do full a1 and cbt for that. And have change. I dont like the way you cant do a day learner insurence on a bigger bike for test day as that would help. Its so cheap to take the test and fail than to go through training. 15£ for mod1 and 75-88 for mod2.. Just my thoughts.

The boring factor is not the size of the engine! The boring fact is the sport position on a bike, try a 125cc adventure or offroad

Ever watched a 0-60 test on this bike? Needs about 20 sec. That's ridiculous and borderline dangerous in any situation outside of urban traffic.

In the last 2 years we been having a bit of a shift as people are finding financial hardship the big expensive bikes and care are being replaced with more universal ones. The Kawasaki ZX4RR is a prime example of the sports bike enthusiasts downsizing. I sold my Harley and just got a Triumph x400 scramble more diverse and multi purpose. We have now just 1 car and two bikes gf has a BMW 310GS. If anything you could get 2-3 125 bikes for the price of a base Mid weight bike teach a mate or have a 125 learner pack. It’s not the size it’s what you do with it. I would not register or insure my Harley over winter to save up to ride the rest of the year. I don’t have that problem now. In the CBD are we have speed and red light cameras everywhere 60-80 km the express roads 90km and highway 100 km. Your paying for an engine you will never use over

How is a 2 stroke 125cc motorcycle more powerful than a 4 stroke 125cc motorcycle??

Cars like this which are really slow - Having trouble keeping up there mate :)

Jolie 🏍

can you ride a 125cc 2 stroke iam 54yrs , iam thinking of getting a 125cc again , i used to have rm125cc 2 strokes back in the day lol kids toys ,lol u remember the fizzy 50cc lol

Are you allowed to wear the L plates if you're a full license holder?

And with a 125 i plan the longer routes about to places make a day of it the thing is on a bigger faster bike u miss all the cenary good views all the lovly views around your because your giong zoooom me am cruizing chilling whatching views enjoying time as hes saying bike bikes are no good around towns tgeirs alot of them were i live and country roads coast roads all on a 125 capable all day long been profing time and time again it can handle them so you paying bike money to drive on a motorway really na iam ok lol all people on big bike want is speed and the only place you see them on is a motorway other than that bigger bike people never take their bikes out alot unless its a long trip not worth all the money to keep it up on daily uses the bike spends more time in their garage than being on it just to say look at me no not worth it lol

That's because they never had a Grom! I keep my Grom around to hoon on even though I've now moved onto near litre bikes. You just brought the wrong 125cc.. Ninja 125 , R15 and "sports" bike 125's are pure JUNK and crap due to size and weight. Groms are WAY more fun and feel totally different.

I've started with 600 cc

I'm 44 and still ride my nsr125 which is mega fun. I disagree with the title

U can have a 3 doller watch qnd a 300 dollor whatch its still shows the excact same time weather we drive a 30,000 1000cc dollor bike or 2k 125cc bike well arrive at the same destanation bigger bike people just seem to wana think tgeir jioning the cool gang look at me on on big bike no ur not cool lol its your life at risk all i can say am happy staying in 125 catagory not driving on motorways chilling cruising music on enjoying what riding actully about speed limit all the same ether 30 50 70 or 80 mph my bike can do all if i want so why pay all thar extra to think ur someone better than everyone else cause your not lol we all ment to be looking out for eachother out the respecting each other if u want the big bike fine get one dont become someone your not thinking ur better funny because have the 125cc now adays are the same size as a big bike just smaller engine lol listwn ride safe enjoy life. Respect what people want to drive no ones a pussie some people just value there lifes more than others especally cause they have a family or kids ect u wana show of be my geust its ur life on line not mine.

I started on a Yamaha R6. Only bike I rode for 10 years. Then I bought a BMW S1000rr. My only regret is not buying a liter bike the first time. You ride a sport bike for speed, well then you better buy a fast bike.

In my opinion 125’s are dangerously underpowered for modern roads. They are so slow they actually make you a vulnerable target on open roads. Just too slow.

Riders with heavy bikes have big ego of themselves.

They're way too slow unfortunately lol

Maybe i should never get a bigger one,they are only boring if you want to break the law,which most riders with heavy ones do.there should be more police control for those hard learners.

Maybe you should take the opportunity to have some professional training. You might benefit from it. It seems you have some really bad habits, for example, Speeding and traveling too close to the vehicle in front of you. One tip I can offer you is called the 2 second rule.