Used 125cc

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Used 125cc

Used 125cc
Dream imprisonment

Trapped in a traffic jam, strange desires are awakened. Many drivers can now fulfill one of them: driving a 125cc. And it doesn’t even have to be new.

Michael Allner

03/27/1997

Until recently, hardly anyone would have expected that the 125 class would experience such an upswing. The small displacement class was on the floor, only very die-hard freaks could still get excited about such a lethal injection with up to 30 hp, so the selection of new machines was correspondingly meager. However, since March 1, 1996, drivers who obtained their class 2, 3 or 4 driving license before April 1, 1980 have been able to drive a 125 with up to 15 hp without a further test – thanks to the European Union. And since then everything has changed.
The new regulation naturally provided a huge boost in the range of eight-liter class. While there were just eleven different 125cc models on the German market in 1995, the number of models has more than quadrupled to this day. At the moment there are around 45 pieces – you never know exactly, as the number changes from month to month due to the sometimes extremely imaginative importers. And not to forget the 125cc scooters, which offer around 35 alternatives. There should be something for everyone, one would think.
It would be the same if there was something else. Because hardly any dealer still has a new 125 cc in the yard. The interest is simply too great, and the market has been swept almost empty. Incidentally, experts believe it is possible that up to two million drivers will decide to add a 125 to their fleet within the next two years.
So all that remains is the used market. After all, there was already a boom in the 125 cc class in 1977 and 1978, triggered by the regulation that still applies today, namely that motorcycles are no longer insured according to displacement but according to performance. You couldn’t and can’t ride a motorcycle cheaper than with a 125cc up to ten hp. After all, the range in each of these years comprised well over 20 machines.
And what kind of. Harley-Davidson got involved with two two-stroke models called SXT and SS 125, even an MV Agusta 125 S with a brutal nine hp was in the list of offers. The Spanish company Bultaco ventured away from their trial program with the Streaker 125, while the Italian company Morini cut off the rear cylinder of their “3 1/2” and created the 125 T with nine hp. These years were also the heyday of the so-called city bikes, which today represent something of a counter-trend to the ubiquitous scooters: the Honda ST 70 Dax, Suzuki RV 90 or 125 and Yamaha LB 3 bop 80 are now at least as popular again as they were then. If you are looking for a different enduro, you might want to go with the former Bundeswehr bike Hercules K 125 Military happy, and as completely “normal” motorcycles, for example, are recommended Kawasaki KH 125 or the Yamaha RS 100 DX. But even with all these models, the selection is rather poor, the interested party must at least show some patience.
In any case, high mileages are not to be expected with the old 125 cc. Very often such ten-horsepower machines remained registered as custodians of the no-claims discount all year round, but were rarely used or not at all. In this way, major damage caused by high mileage can probably be ruled out. But be careful: motorcycles can also get broken. The interested party should therefore pay particular attention to the inside of the tank. If there are rusty spots when shining in with a flashlight, the future owner will not have much fun: the rust will fly around in the fuel and eventually clog the fuel tap. Four-stroke engines then only stop, two-stroke engines with mixed lubrication, on the other hand, can get stuck due to a lack of fuel. Furthermore, all seals, but especially the sealing rings on the fork and on the transmission output, are affected by the aging process.
If the targeted item is not a city bike or some other collector’s item, the price should normally hardly be more than 1,000 marks. But only normally, because the conditions on the 125cc market cannot be considered normal at the moment. And the supply regulates the demand. But perhaps it has not yet leaked to every seller that the old, dusty 125, which has been in the basement for so long, could meanwhile be really coveted again – and therefore expensive.
A used one does not have to be very old, maybe the interested party is lucky enough to get a used one, for example Aprilia RS 125 extrema or a Cagiva Tripping Mito. These motorcycles both produce over 30 hp, but the accessories trade can help slow the horses down in a way that is appropriate for a driver’s license. Especially the companies Alpha-Technik (Kleinholzener Weg 1, 83071 Stephanskirchen, phone 0 80 36/45 45) and Motorrad Boe (Habbeler Strabe 4, 58849 Herscheid, phone 0 23 57/37 60) can supply throttle kits for many models, not only to 15 hp, but also to 80 km / h for the 16-year-old newcomers. The prices for this move, depending on the model and effort, between 75 and 430 marks.
Speaking of throttling: Every now and then, the opposite, namely dethrottling, can be worthwhile. The Honda scooter SJ 100 Bali EX, for example, runs exactly 80 km / h, so it can also be driven by a newcomer – and is punished for this by many insurance companies with a correspondingly high insurance premium. With the dethrottling kit from Boe for 75 marks, the scooter is five km / h faster and thus slips into another, much cheaper insurance class.
Otherwise there is hardly any need for subsequent changes in performance for used scooters, because in this case it is really an advantage: 125cc scooters rarely have more than eleven or twelve horsepower.

Driving license regulations

March 1, 1996 is a memorable day for many Grade 2, 3, and 4 license holders. Since that date, they have been allowed to drive a motorcycle or scooter with 125 cm³ and a maximum of 15 hp (11 kW) without a further test – provided that the driver’s license was issued before April 1, 1980. In this context, the bad news for all those who have had their driving license withdrawn before: A new driver’s license issued after this date does not entitle them to drive a 125cc. In view of the large number of 150s MZ (for example around 24,000 ETZ 150s alone), which do not fall under the new regulation because of their too large displacement, at least the state of Saxony had an understanding: Here, an exemption can be applied for from the responsible driving license authorities. Prerequisite: The motorcycle must have been registered for the first time in the former GDR, and the issuing of the exemption is at the discretion of the respective authority. A new rule has also been in effect for 16-year-old newcomers since 1996: They can use the 1b driving license instead of the previous 80 cm³ now move with 125 cm³. Unfortunately, as before, these light motorcycles are not allowed to run faster than 80 km / h – sometimes a dangerously low speed, especially on the autobahn.

Motorbike or light motorcycle?

Since March 1, 1996, 125 cc models up to a maximum of 15 hp, regardless of whether they are old or new, have been called light motorcycles or light scooters. This type of vehicle does not have a vehicle registration document, only an operating permit and is therefore tax-free. However, the tax savings are not great – just 18 marks are ?? s. If the 125cc was already registered before March 1, 1996, the owner still has the free choice of whether he wants to be classified as a motorcycle or a light motorcycle. And that’s not entirely unimportant. The mostly lower insurance tariffs speak in favor of registration as a motorcycle: Liability in the class up to 17 hp usually costs less than 150 marks per year (with a 100 percent no-claims discount). For light motorcycles (up to 15 hp) the tariff scale ranges from around 120 Marks to around 750 Marks per year – to be read in the comparison of the light motorbike insurance tariffs in MOTORRAD 5/1997. Some insurers grant drivers who are over 25 years of age special discounts, while others rate light scooters as cheaper than light motorcycles – it is therefore worth making a meticulous comparison of the insurance conditions. Even if the choice between motorcycles and light motorcycles has apparently not yet got around to all test centers and licensing authorities, the traffic gazette 6/1996, published by the Federal Ministry of Transport, read on page 165: »Motorized two-wheelers up to 125 cm³ and 11 kW (but more than 80 cm³ or more than 80 km / h), which according to the old law were classified as class 1a motorcycles, now fall into class 1b and can be supplied to this class with a driver’s license, even if they are motorcycles This option does not apply to the 125s, which were only put on the market after this deadline: They are regarded as light motorcycles without any ifs or buts. The poor 16-year-olds, incidentally, usually have to spend a lot more on the table with insurance, usually around 1,000 marks . Speaking of 16-year-olds: 125 cc engines throttled to 80 km / h receive a small license plate, the open light motorcycles a normal size, both variants have to go to the TuV every two years.

Book “125 Cubic” – Very Fresh

Curious? Would you like to find out more about 125cc? There is now the brand new book “125 Kubik” by Michael Allner and Klaus Herder. In the work, which costs 29.80 marks and is illustrated in full color, there are 128 pages of tangible tips for newcomers and those returning to work. How does the newcomer find the right driving school? What are the best driving exercises for returnees to get fit again on two wheels? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of motorcycle? What is the cost of a 125 to maintain? What should you watch out for when throttling? Which equipment is useful? There are practical answers to all of these and many other questions. The core of the book: A comprehensive catalog section shows the entire range of the 125 range – all current 45 motorcycles and 34 scooters are described in detail here. In other chapters there is information on 125cc oldies and an outlook on the future of the eight-liter class. If you still don’t really know what to do after reading this book, you should perhaps stick with driving a car. Published by Motorbuch-Verlag Stuttgart, ISBN 3-613-01813-6.

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