rereradu Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Greetings everyone,I'm new to this forum and relatively new to bikes. I learned to ride while volunteering in Mozambique 10 years ago - I rode a Lifan 50cc but also a 250 Honda XL and a 250 Yamaha XTZ mostly on unpaved roads/trails through the Mozambican bushes for about 5 months, but haven't been on a bike since.Fast forward to present day & a new job in central Oxford with a 30-mile round-trip commute (and no parking space) made me think about getting back on a bike again. So now I'm set on getting my CBT and a 125 bike in the next month or so. I'll probably get a full licence in time, but for now I'll stick to an economical 125 for my daily commute. The route to work is mostly an A road, with a 50mph limit most of the way and two faster stretches of 60 and 70, respectively. That's why I've narrowed my search to bikes that can do 65-70 fairly easy, so I can keep up with traffic. Because I'll probably be riding it all year long, I'm also looking only at bikes with ABS and in general with as much rider assistance as possible - I know these are only 125 bikes, but I'd rather have the extra peace of mind.With all this in mind, I've decided to go "used premium" and I am now trying to decide between a Honda CB125R and a KTM Duke 125. I'm still exploring other options (like the Yamaha MT125) but these two bikes have so far ticked all the boxes for me in terms of safety and rider assistance, performance and styling (yes, I do want a 125 with a "big bike" feel...). So here come my questions:Does anyone have any experience with riding both of these bikes and could spare an insightful comparison between the two? I'm hoping to get a test ride with each before actually deciding to buy one, but I was wondering if more experienced riders have more insights about what sets these bikes apart. I favour the CB125R because of its looks and "smart" brakes, but I also like the Duke's extra bit of power. But does that one extra horsepower make any difference in real life? Is the Honda the easier bike to live with? Or will I enjoy the Duke's "temperament" more once I get a bit more experience?I hope these questions make sense (sorry if they don't) and I'm looking forward to hearing the community's thoughts & posting more once I get on the bike.Regards,--R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rennie Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Hello and Welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marino Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 , sorry last experience on 125 cc 35 years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynax Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Hello and welcome, no idea but my chinese 12hp very heavy cruiser nearly got to 80 and cruised nicely at 75 the other day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbob Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Hello and welcome, no idea but my chinese 12hp very heavy cruiser nearly got to 80 and cruised nicely at 75 the other day Did you sweep the bits up afterwards ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggie Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 There is absolutely nothing wrong with the KTM and would be a fine choice. I believe the Honda would be the more reliable though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynax Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Hello and welcome, no idea but my chinese 12hp very heavy cruiser nearly got to 80 and cruised nicely at 75 the other day Did you sweep the bits up afterwards ? No i will pick them up next time i'm down that way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Westerly Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Now I understand - that's what the handbags are for. They carry the bits! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Now I understand - that's what the handbags are for. They carry the bits! No the hand bags are for putting your overnight stuff in as you never know if your going to be spending it by the side of the road.Regards bikes I would lean more towards Honda, sustainable speed on a 125 however is not a great experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fro Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Hello and welcome, no idea but my chinese 12hp very heavy cruiser nearly got to 80 and cruised nicely at 75 the other day I want GPS confirmation of that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 my chinese 12hp very heavy cruiser nearly got to 80 and cruised nicely at 75 the other day strapped on the back of the recovery vehicle! What a missed opportunity for a Ride Report! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rennie Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 My Mrs, Sue, has a MT125, it's surprisingly good!And massively better than the YBR she had before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynax Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Hello and welcome, no idea but my chinese 12hp very heavy cruiser nearly got to 80 and cruised nicely at 75 the other day I want GPS confirmation of that! Will rig up some way to record the sat nav screen as i want to see for myself as i was only going by the speedo which aren't the most accurate anyway, give me something to do over the weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRH Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Hi and welcome. Sorry can’t help with 125 bike choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRH Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Hello and welcome, no idea but my chinese 12hp very heavy cruiser nearly got to 80 and cruised nicely at 75 the other day I want GPS confirmation of that! Will rig up some way to record the sat nav screen as i want to see for myself as i was only going by the speedo which aren't the most accurate anyway, give me something to do over the weekend Most SatNav’s will save the max speed recorded. Just post that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Hello and welcome, no idea but my chinese 12hp very heavy cruiser nearly got to 80 and cruised nicely at 75 the other day I want GPS confirmation of that! Will rig up some way to record the sat nav screen as i want to see for myself as i was only going by the speedo which aren't the most accurate anyway, give me something to do over the weekend I'm sure there's an app for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynax Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 I want GPS confirmation of that! Will rig up some way to record the sat nav screen as i want to see for myself as i was only going by the speedo which aren't the most accurate anyway, give me something to do over the weekend I'm sure there's an app for that. No good for me though i don't have a smartphone, and trying to fit my pc and monitor or laptop to the bike isn't very practical Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynax Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 I want GPS confirmation of that! Will rig up some way to record the sat nav screen as i want to see for myself as i was only going by the speedo which aren't the most accurate anyway, give me something to do over the weekend Most SatNav’s will save the max speed recorded. Just post that. Yeah i did see that in the sat nav data, but as i use it in the car as well i can't be sure where the max speed was obtained, i would have to reset the data and do a run on the bike, which would simplyfy things for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofferz Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 My Mrs, Sue, has a MT125, it's surprisingly good!And massively better than the YBR she had before I had one and it was great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Will rig up some way to record the sat nav screen as i want to see for myself as i was only going by the speedo which aren't the most accurate anyway, give me something to do over the weekend I'm sure there's an app for that. No good for me though i don't have a smartphone, and trying to fit my pc and monitor or laptop to the bike isn't very practical I've got an old vax server from 1986 I'm sure it would fit in your manbags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRH Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Will rig up some way to record the sat nav screen as i want to see for myself as i was only going by the speedo which aren't the most accurate anyway, give me something to do over the weekend Most SatNav’s will save the max speed recorded. Just post that. Yeah i did see that in the sat nav data, but as i use it in the car as well i can't be sure where the max speed was obtained, i would have to reset the data and do a run on the bike, which would simplyfy things for me But, my SatNav will let you review the trip log and give max speeds for each leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynax Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Most SatNav’s will save the max speed recorded. Just post that. Yeah i did see that in the sat nav data, but as i use it in the car as well i can't be sure where the max speed was obtained, i would have to reset the data and do a run on the bike, which would simplyfy things for me But, my SatNav will let you review the trip log and give max speeds for each leg. Modern ones might but mine is a 14 year old roadcom RC400 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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