Small displacement question

[Apex]

If Kawasaki came out with a 125/150, would you consider one?

Lets say it had 20hp. Single or twin cylinder...whatever. 6spd transmission, digital ignition, EFI, etc.

Would you consider getting one?


I would love a 125 personally. It would be all the bike I would need.

Discuss...

[Daks]

Nope

I don't feel like it would have the freeway speed or minimum acceleration I'd need. I do a lot of highway riding----in the bay area so I need to be able to live at 80-85mph for a good clip.

[Jiggles]

Thats 5hp less than what the 250 has, throw a sexy area p on it and its a 250

[Scattcatt]

I'm all for a 125, would depend on how good it looked I guess. Like I've always loved the Apriia RS125

[Apex]

I wanted one of those soooo bad when I saw one at the local Aprilia dealership years back (before the shop closed down). It just seemed like it would rock to have one.

I'm telling you Kawasaki...I may do all I can to get back into motorcycling if you release a pimp 125.


@Jiggles - You'd be lucky to see those kinds of numbers from a slip on when placed on a 125. Smaller engine means less to muffle, so freer flowing stock exhaust.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Apex

@Jiggles - You'd be lucky to see those kinds of numbers from a slip on when placed on a 125. Smaller engine means less to muffle, so freer flowing stock exhaust.

Who the **** do you think you're talking to?

Anyway, just turbo it

[Apex]

Turbo and NAWWWZZ!

[Bassman]

As long as the bike had a good look, good mpg, and could go freeway speeds, I'm game. So far my Ninja is the only bike that fits my need and I'm still happy with her.

[Jiggles]

I want a scooter

A cheap scooter to drag knee on

Make that

[Bassman]

oh ya, pink with tassels, that would be, er, kool?

[himynameisjoe]

No.

I'd much rather buy this if I were so inclined to buy a 125

[Jono]

Heck naw!! I own both a single and a twin 250cc from Kawasaki. Anything with less power would absolutely suck to ride in traffic or anywhere really. Haha. You wouldn't be able to get out of your own way.

[Mountain Dew]

Anything less than 250cc needs to be two-stroke to be interesting.

Just look at all the ****** 125, 130, 150, etc in third world countries.

[Apex]

Originally Posted by Jono

Heck naw!! I own both a single and a twin 250cc from Kawasaki. Anything with less power would absolutely suck to ride in traffic or anywhere really. Haha. You wouldn't be able to get out of your own way.

I'd do it.

I'm crazy enough to ride a bicycle in traffic, a 125 would be an improvement in speed.

[himynameisjoe]

Honestly I think a 125 would be fine in traffic. Other countries do it just fine. How often do you drive/ride over 45 in traffic?

Unless you're talking about freeway 55-75 mph traffic. But I don't think that counts.

[Apex]

Yeah, 125's aren't for freeways. However, I could easily hop on a nearby freeway on a 125. The speed limit on the one by me is 60mph. Lets say I go 55, still plenty fast enough. However, I'd enjoy riding the slower speeds on the back road that runs parallel to it, which is 35mph. Honestly, you only lose maybe 30-seconds taking the slower route.

[himynameisjoe]

I agree. As long as I'm not going to work or something I tend to take the backroads going somewhere. I have noticed when going home though, I often do take the freeway. I guess it's just that "okay I'm tired, I just want to go home" mentality and the fact that you can be pretty mindless on a freeway.

[SteveL]

I have a good friend who has ridden all his life 500cc singles in the nineteen sixties through CBR's VFR's now at 79 years old anything heavier than a 125 is too much for him to maneuver around the garage. This year he bought a YZF-R 125 from Yamaha and put a power commander on it, the result is surprising on the twisty road around where he lives it is more than fast enough and has given him back a lot of fun. So don't underestimate a 125 like a lot of people do with the Ninja 250.

Steve

[Racer x]

No and that Aprilia pissed me off.
First I worked for an Aprilia dealer for 6 years. I Love scooters. They should be 50 to 250 cc unles you want a gold wing and then the big Maxie's are for you.
But there is a difference between a 125 scooter and a 125 sport bike. First the scooter has a CVT trans. Keeping a 125 on the power band in traffic is fun for a while. While riding a 125 scooter with rain gear in the trunk and a couple bags of groceries is something you can do.

The Aprilia RS 125 is a four stroke . It is meant to replace the RS 50. When they cam out with it. Honda just came out with the 250 single. And the redesigns on the 250 ninja had them flying out of show rooms. And the economy tanked. So instead of Aprilia bringing back the RS 250 with a cool Rotec four stroke. And modernizing a bike with a cult following. They give us a plastic little race track toy that won't go over 75 mph. And they want to sell it for 7000 plus dealer stuff. When I went off on them on face book I got blocked. Haha.

[akima]

I wouldn't be interested. I learnt to ride on a 125CC four stroke and it was great for that purpose and I had fun, but it felt sluggish. It didn't have enough pep for me and it also felt like it was inferior to most the other vehicles on the road. My 2fiddy however feels responsive, alive and easily capable of keeping up with traffic. I think I can learn more about riding, be safer and get more excitement out of my 250 ninja than I could out of a 125 four stroke.

I'd definitely consider a 125CC scooter. I feel like it would serve a different purpose to a motorcycle. It would be for convenient transportation on non-motorway roads. For a motorcycle though: I'll never want anything less powerful than my 250 and on public roads... I don't think I'll ever want much more power.

Also: if Ninjas are 600CC and up and Ninjettes are 250 and 300CC, I think that would make a 125 Ninja a... Nini!

[Racer x]

"Nini". Sir you are cut off.

[Jono]

Originally Posted by himynameisjoe

Honestly I think a 125 would be fine in traffic. Other countries do it just fine. How often do you drive/ride over 45 in traffic?

Unless you're talking about freeway 55-75 mph traffic. But I don't think that counts.

Quite often! Haha. On the KLX at least. You sit so high and upright it feels like you aren't moving that quick. So 60mph on it feels like 40mph on my ninja which has a much sportier riding position.

[himynameisjoe]

Originally Posted by Jono

Quite often! Haha. On the KLX at least. You sit so high and upright it feels like you aren't moving that quick. So 60mph on it feels like 40mph on my ninja which has a much sportier riding position.

I should say how often do you need to I'll admit to sometimes "not noticing" the speed limit signs myself haha

[dfox]

Nope. Definitely not.

Can't take it on highways, and you look like a dick riding and parking it like a scooter.

Want really low displacement, get a scooter.

[Rollo]

I doubt it. My 250 is just powerful enough to keep me out of trouble most of the time. And even then I rarely take her on the freeway; people in Arizona seem to try and kill me enough as it is on surface streets.

And I imagine 125s and such are even smaller than the 250. At 6'4" I'm already just baaaarely fitting on my little Ninja. Anything smaller would be both hilarious looking and totally uncomfortable.

[Apex]

What? You mean you don't like looking like this?

[akima]

Originally Posted by Apex

What? You mean you don't like looking like this?

That's so awesome! I was thinking the other day about how groups of people/friends/co-workers can casually go gokarting, but they wouldn't casually go motorcycling because of how much more skill, danger and cost is involved. If you got padded up though you could go casual pocket bike racing instead of go karting! That would be so fun. Anyone know if that's done anywhere?

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by akima

That's so awesome! I was thinking the other day about how groups of people/friends/co-workers can casually go gokarting, but they wouldn't casually go motorcycling because of how much more skill, danger and cost is involved. If you got padded up though you could go casual pocket bike racing instead of go karting! That would be so fun. Anyone know if that's done anywhere?

we have two series in CA for mini and pocket bikes

[akima]

Aww~

[Samer]

I believe two stroke is banned for the street in the US, therefore, anything below 250 which is a naturally aspirated four stroke will be underpowered and not allowed on the highway nor very practical.

[akima]

Originally Posted by Samer

I believe two stroke is banned for the street in the US, therefore, anything below 250 which is a naturally aspirated four stroke will be underpowered and not allowed on the highway nor very practical.

I think the EU has effectively forcibly banned 2 strokes through their emissions laws. I think that just means they don't make new ones here, but you can still buy and legally ride old ones.

[Racer x]

Have you seen the buddy 170? Fuel injection and all.i would ride it on the highway.
http://www.genuinescooters.com/buddy170i.html

[akima]

Originally Posted by Racer x

Have you seen the buddy 170? Fuel injection and all.i would ride it on the highway.
http://www.genuinescooters.com/buddy170i.html

Very nice!

[Racer x]

It left twenty feet of burned rubber on the painted garage floor. And it will loft the font wheel with ease

[Joshorilla]

Originally Posted by Apex

If Kawasaki came out with a 125/150, would you consider one?

Lets say it had 20hp. Single or twin cylinder...whatever. 6spd transmission, digital ignition, EFI, etc.

Would you consider getting one?


I would love a 125 personally. It would be all the bike I would need.

Discuss...

Kawasaki UK do the KLX125 and a D-Tracker 125 here, look em up, I have no idea if they are available for the american market, I guess not.

[Boom King]

Up here in Canada we get the Honda CBR125R. It's what I learnt on during the safety course. Very thin, light and super flickable but it's pretty gutless and does not "feel" like a motorcycle. I had considered getting that as my first bike but after riding it for a weekend, straight away my mind was made up to go for the Ninja 250R. No regrets whatsoever.

[Apex]

Back when I was in high school they still had the KLX125 here. That was on my list of possibilities until they discontinued it here in the states.

[RockyCapone]

No never. 250 is the lowest and i have no beef with it except for exhaust sound. Otherwise i honestly really like my pregen. Now a 125 would be too weak honestly. We could take a busa body and put a lawn mower engine it and it wouldnt be the same and look good. Even the the new battery powered bike sucks for the regular sound but bottom line is it has to fill the human senses. Just like old muscle cars. So for me a 125 and piss poor performance ill pass.

[RockyCapone]

Now if we had a 125 2 stroke hell yea id be on board.

[RockyCapone]

Fyi i do believe that my sons kx65 will beat my name ninja in a 0-60 race.