In a country of liter bikes, we need some stuff like they get in the UK. For instance...a little 125cc banger. Now...why the hell can't we get stuff like this in the US??????? :evil: :evil: :evil:

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3039/p012120068zu4.jpg

I share your attitude. :banghead

Just reviewing some of your old posts, Moto. Would you even ride something like this...? :lol:

I like the little cbr125rr's with something like an 18,000 rpm redline

An awesome bike, but I'm guessing it's a 2-stroke, which doesn't go over well with California or the EPA. And as much as I'd love to ride a CBR 125, I don't know that I'd feel safe on the highway with one. And we already have a hard enough time getting kids to get a 250 or anything less than a 600 supersport, so how well would a 125 do?

Just reviewing some of your old posts, Moto. Would you even ride something like this...? :lol:

Better believe it!

An awesome bike, but I'm guessing it's a 2-stroke, which doesn't go over well with California or the EPA. And as much as I'd love to ride a CBR 125, I don't know that I'd feel safe on the highway with one. And we already have a hard enough time getting kids to get a 250 or anything less than a 600 supersport, so how well would a 125 do?

Inact a graded system like the UK..which really needs to be done anyway. Have you seen how these kids on LITER bikes are riding????

It's very common where I live to see an 18 year old whose never say on a bike go out an d buy a CBR 1000 or a BUSA and go blazing up and down the highway.

Sorry...but I think we need a graded system. For the people who ride responsibly and enjoy riding for the sake of riding, a graded system would be no big deal.

I share your attitude. :banghead

I felt for sure you would... 8) 8)

That would be a fun bike to carve the canyons with, no doubt.

UK Age restrictions explained...

Age 16 - riders are limited to a 50cc scooter and no faster than 50kph (31mph)
Age 17 - riders can upgrade to a 125cc machine with a maximum power of 11kw (14.6bhp) At 17 you can also take the A2 practical test for a full restricted licence
Age 21 - You are able to take the full direct access course and ride larger machines

Up till 21, 125cc bikes are the largest you can ride I believe, hence their popularity...
In the past a lot of kids de-restricted their bikes also, and don't know how stringently this is enforced against these days...

in Amsterdam they have cops that patrol for illegal derestricting of bikes, they even have mobile dyno machines to test if the bike is legal or not...pretty extreme but I do like the tier license system it saves lives and makes insurance cheaper for everyone, but there needs to be a clause in there that will allow you a larger machine if you have the skills to pass a riding test on said machine

I would love to have a cbr 150rr for around town

I agree that it's entirely too easy here to ride a motorcycle. People here can have a full license before they're even able to ride a bike off the lot. I would love to see that system implemented nationwide, but without it, 125s are never going to sell here. And I still don't think they're suitable for American highways, but I would love to have one to ride to class and around town. It would probably be even more fun than my 599.

Poppycock, hogwash and blasphemy...every word here. :lol: :devil :lol:

Here's another one...

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d58/RD350b/2008yamahayzfr125black.jpg

This is the all-new 2008 Yamaha YZF-R125 motorcycle which will go head to head with the top-selling Honda CBR125R.
The Yamaha YZF-R125 uses an all-new liquid-cooled 124cc, four-valve, short-stroke single cylinder engine, which is claimed to be the most powerful 125cc four-stroke motorcycle available. It has a six-speed gearbox and fuel injection, and a Yamaha YZF-R6 style stubby exhaust with twin catalysts is fitted.
A full size Deltabox beam frame is used to make the Yamaha YZF-R125 feel and ride closer to a full size bike than the Honda CBR125R, and an aluminium ‘banana’ style swingarm, 33mm diameter forks and a 292mm brake disc/Brembo caliper and wide tyres complete the mini-sportsbike chassis.
The styling is close to the new 2008 Yamaha YZF-R6 – the short tail and aggressive looking twin headlight fairing are almost indistinguishable from the 600 at distance. Colours are blue/black, red/white, grey/black or yellow/black.

Smaller bikes don't sell because they cost the same as a 600 to make and therefore would be the same retail price. In general people shop for displacement the way they do antything else..."oh I get MORE of something for the same price" Super-size for an additional 60 cents.
A 400 would be perfect for a lot of us. Yamaha was the last to actually bring one here FZR400.

yamahas I would NEVER even consider buying one

I've been riding a cbr125r for a few months now and just moved up to the 599 :D . It is a great bike to learn on and for city driving (90 mpg), but I wish they would of brought the cbr150 instead.

Well, I still have and enjoy my Nighthawk 250. And some of those 125's look good, indeed. But I do think the price issue is killer, regardless of what our licensing system is. If you're buying a small bike, you want to pay a small price. Just for instance, a brand new Nighthawk 250 runs $3,700 list. Granted the styling is aged, but it's half the list price of the 599. So the 125's, even with fancy bodywork, have to come in pretty low to be attractive.

I think a smaller bike (125 or 250) would be a blast. If my wife was going to ride that's what i would have her start on. I wouldn't mind riding one of those previously posted...i think they look great...but the only 250 or 500s we get around here look retarded or like a badly designed 80's bike.

cbr 125 is 3190 euros which comes to about 4400 uSD. That's not all that bad.

Considering the amount of bullshit from certain riders at work I get for riding a 600, I hate to imagine what it'd be like on that sucker.

Not that I wouldn't enjoy riding it, but I might slit my wrists after awhile.

Here's the new 08 Ninja 250. Nothing official but that bike looks like a lot of fun to ride.

http://www.pashnit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13387

And I still don't think they're suitable for American highways,

So you don't think they are suitable for American highways even though they are used in european countries with much less stringent speed "limits"? The MotoGP has a 125cc class and the average speed of most of the races is around 95 mph. Don't under estimate the bike's potential.

IF I could either find an affordable one or close line the kid who rides past my house every morning at 4am and take his...

I'd ride an RS50 every once in a while (Why are they so expensive?)

I actually woke up early one morning to see what the piss was making the noise so early...this kids RS50 sounds like a Indy car...moves like a moped.

These smaller bikes may get up to 60-90mph but they don't do it quick...I think that is the issue for most people on the road. It is really dependent on a smooth riding style and maintaining momentum...not so easy with stop signs, lights and traffic. Race track is a bit of a different story...and keep in mind a Moto125 motor is making power more like a civilian 250...and not least, is in the hands of professionals.

The cbr125 is $3400 cdn in Canada. It's the first year we got them and they practically sold all in a month. To compare the 599 retails for about $9200 here. We worth getting the 125 as first bike for gas and insurance savings alone, and it only take a liter of oil and no filter for changes.

The rumor over on ninja250.org is that the 2008 250 is going to be the one in the spy pics that has the zx full faired appearance. Apparently there is someone on the forum over there who works for Kawi and is somewhat "up" in their business chain. There's a thread over there where this guy says he is not able to say anything specific but that this (spy shots) is a marketing ploy and to expect to see the 2008 250 show up on Kawi's website somtime late november early december. He then went on to say that everyone would be thoroughly suprised, and VERY pleased to see the 2008 version.

So, everyone is pretty much surmising the 08 250 is going to get that redesign.

You think Kawi's going to get a big 250 sales boost? I bet so. If the 250 had looked like those spyshots, I very likely would have bought one straight out of the MSF course. I imagine alot of riders would...

I think it's a hot design...

I recall looking at the specs of the current Canadian Ninja 250 has 17 inch wheels. The US model has 16's, look extremely dated, cheap looking, and is tiny. They are only $3,000 though. Used buys are really good, if you can find one that has not been crashed.

it's called personal responsibility, just the US has seen a steady decline in it over the last 50 years, especially the last 20

I don't want anyone telling me what I can or cannot do anymore than they already do and if I cannot make decisions wise enough to protect myself then I am just subject to the consequences as anyone else.

I see the idiots all the time in their shorts and tshirts if they even have a shirt on running around on their new 1000 or Busa, but that's their choice, granted it's a bad one.

I just always say to myself, "they have no clue" and "it's just a matter of time"

personally, I don't think sportbikes have any purpose on the road, the laws and traffic prevent them from being used as they are meant to be. they're like having to drive a Lamborghini the speed limit.

try track, that will teach and show you how a sport bike is meant to be ridden and what you can safely do, it's a controlled enviroment

I started riding track this year and I think I've honestly ridden my bike maybe 1/2 a dozen times on the road since, just no fun anymore after riding on the track

it's an addiction and you cannot explain it to anyone though, you have to do it to get it and then there's about a 99.9% chance you'll be hooked like the rest