Yeah I guess I should have clarified as well, I dont have any experience with the '98 125, only the 250, and if it's anything like its big brother its stiff. Probably still be a fun bike though. Without anything to compare it to a new rider wouldn't notice it being rigid. I should also clarify, I do like the yz wishbone aluminum frames.
What do you think of this bike for sale?
- Thread starter Trfsrfr
- Start date
I think you might be ok with that CR125 if the price is right. I would like to see it under 1,000 bucks for sure.
not to offend anyone's bike, but that is the worst Honda 125 of it's time. you would have to go back to 1989 to get one worse for moto. the 89 was actually better for cross country. put a six speed trans and an older steel frame or a 2000 or newer frame and it is back in the same league as a 98 yz.
Okay, cool. Thats awesome info.
But l tend to agree with 2-stroke about not having anything to reference from or compare to.
Having said that, let me ask;
What are the main complaints about this bike? I heard rigidity, is weight also an issue?
I ask because In my mind I am comparing this to me starting to learn how to play guitar 30+ years ago. My first guitar was a piece of shit, with horrible action; strings were a mile off the fretboard and the neck was bent/warped. But it was all I had, and I learned how to play it well.
Then when I got a nice guitar...man, I was instantly way better. I didn't have to work so hard to make the same sounds come out, and everything was just way easier.
Could this be the same type of situation with my kid, since he doesn't know any better...?
I'm waiting to hear from my buddy on the price...
But l tend to agree with 2-stroke about not having anything to reference from or compare to.
Having said that, let me ask;
What are the main complaints about this bike? I heard rigidity, is weight also an issue?
I ask because In my mind I am comparing this to me starting to learn how to play guitar 30+ years ago. My first guitar was a piece of shit, with horrible action; strings were a mile off the fretboard and the neck was bent/warped. But it was all I had, and I learned how to play it well.
Then when I got a nice guitar...man, I was instantly way better. I didn't have to work so hard to make the same sounds come out, and everything was just way easier.
Could this be the same type of situation with my kid, since he doesn't know any better...?
I'm waiting to hear from my buddy on the price...
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one it is a stone. weight wasnt the reason. 5 speed vs six, made for a step backwards. as a pure motocross race bike the 5 speed works, as a trail bike or cross country it sucks. did i mention it sucks for cross country or trail, and i may have left out it sucks for cross country or trail. the frame was way over stiff for a 250 doubly so for a 125. This made the ones i was around the most vibration prone 125's I ever touched. I was very much into Hondas. Still am, but that one just plain sucked when they had such good rigs before that.
There is nothing on it desireable to sell other than the wheels. it can become a six speed easily enough, but you still have the fame issue. if anything is cheap enough it can become a good deal. I would be so hard pressed to offer ANYTHING, but 5-600 if it really is low time would make it at least interesting. But I think there are far better ways to spend the money.
Like your guitar, anyone could learn to ride on anything with two wheels, but I doubt you are any better on the strings than you would have been had you started on something decent, so to pay good money just so you figure your kid might appreciate a better bike later on is kind of a bass akwards way to teach the lesson to me. I made my son learn momentum off the yamaha counter part to your xr200 so maybe that is a step to consider since you already have it, like I did my xt200.
There is nothing on it desireable to sell other than the wheels. it can become a six speed easily enough, but you still have the fame issue. if anything is cheap enough it can become a good deal. I would be so hard pressed to offer ANYTHING, but 5-600 if it really is low time would make it at least interesting. But I think there are far better ways to spend the money.
Like your guitar, anyone could learn to ride on anything with two wheels, but I doubt you are any better on the strings than you would have been had you started on something decent, so to pay good money just so you figure your kid might appreciate a better bike later on is kind of a bass akwards way to teach the lesson to me. I made my son learn momentum off the yamaha counter part to your xr200 so maybe that is a step to consider since you already have it, like I did my xt200.
Well, there you have it from some with experience. Now, instarted surfing on a shifty log, when I moved to Hawaii for a year and had a board specific, I excelled in talent. So, get the kid a YZ 125 and you'll be miles ahead.
That is an interesting perspective...I never thought of it like that, just know what worked for me.
As far as the CR125 goes, it's really all gonna come down to price. If he'll take 500 for it I have to do it, but I got a feeling he's gonna want more.
I have no problem with a YZ125, but they're virtually non-existent in my area. The only one I have found is below;
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/mcy/5821037551.html
It's a 2 month old ad, and it's out of my price range.
But my kid ain't ready for a 125 yet anyway.
Right now he is learning some basic mechanics as we're ripping the head off his KX85, which he has yet to ride.
So we got time.
Quick search brings up more. I think I would locate Ash/Fork and drive.
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/mcy/5863955529.html
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/mcy/5867119443.html
Little drive, little price
http://prescott.craigslist.org/mcy/5866411842.html
http://tucson.craigslist.org/mcy/5871915251.html
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/mcy/5863955529.html
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/mcy/5867119443.html
Little drive, little price
http://prescott.craigslist.org/mcy/5866411842.html
http://tucson.craigslist.org/mcy/5871915251.html
I thought I was a pretty good re-searcher on CL, but apparently you know some more tricks than I do.
I will look into those links, and thank you for them.
Also, was just sending you a PM when the response notification alerted me.
You have time. My feeling is that a 125 being a full sized rig is on the big side for him. It is a "fruit picker"compared to an 80-85. Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, KTM, Kawasaki all make great ones. You see 15 year olds racing them. With a guy his size and weight they will out drag a 125 usually. Get a small wheel for him this winter and start looking for wheels and a swingarm. the small wheel bikes sell low.
500 for the honda won't be a bad deal unless you are like I am in attitude towards them. The 97 was such a great rig (as was the 92-96) and then 98 comes around and Honda sends what they did.
If you already had the bike sitting in a shed, I would say use it up. Then it would be like the guitar you had available. When you look for a 125 if you are looking in that era the KX was a good race bike and had a power band that was more trail friendly than the honda. I think Suzuki was still using the very large and heavy conventionals back then and for that reason I would lay off of one of them until 99 or so.
To sum up my take on training rigs I don't think it matters a flying pickle whether "jr" gets a works bike first off or has to ride his dead uncles dead Allstate, if he has desire and some direction with an emphasis on balance and control rather than throttle twisting the rider will pick up confidence and the speed will come with it. You wont even have to stress it.
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Zach is just at the cusp right now I think. He's only 11, but he is tall for his age, and he is an only child, so he is very mature for his age.
It'll be interesting to see what he decides to do.
Tonight we ripped apart this 85KX that a friend of mine gave me. At first before we started, he didn't want to do it, cuz he is also a bit lazy, and wanted to build his Lego Technic's car he has been working on. But once we dove into it, he started to connect the dots and saw the similarities between the Lego cars he was building and the bolts he was unspinning on the KX.
It has a fried piston which he now has sitting on top of his dresser, and is proud to have removed from the bike himself.
So some major headway was made tonight in that respect.
After the teardown we visited a engine animation website that gave a really nice animation and theory behind a bunch of different piston engine designs going back to the 1700's (and a Wankel), and that really helped him solidify what he was looking at, and the things he just removed from the bike; carb, intake, exhaust, reeds, etc. So some learning was had there.
At the track this past Sunday we swapped bikes and I let him ride the XR200. It fits him pretty well I think, and am considering bringing it to the track for him when I get the YZ250 going. I think his XR100 is already too small for him, and was quite sluggish when I rode it. He is better than that.
So yeah, we have time, and he and I are both learning and having a great time, and I have stocked up on enough bikes to last us both through our transition periods. He even sat on my Shadow tonight and said "Dad, I could ride this..."
His feet touched the floor so...
It'll be interesting to see what he decides to do.
Tonight we ripped apart this 85KX that a friend of mine gave me. At first before we started, he didn't want to do it, cuz he is also a bit lazy, and wanted to build his Lego Technic's car he has been working on. But once we dove into it, he started to connect the dots and saw the similarities between the Lego cars he was building and the bolts he was unspinning on the KX.
It has a fried piston which he now has sitting on top of his dresser, and is proud to have removed from the bike himself.
So some major headway was made tonight in that respect.
After the teardown we visited a engine animation website that gave a really nice animation and theory behind a bunch of different piston engine designs going back to the 1700's (and a Wankel), and that really helped him solidify what he was looking at, and the things he just removed from the bike; carb, intake, exhaust, reeds, etc. So some learning was had there.
At the track this past Sunday we swapped bikes and I let him ride the XR200. It fits him pretty well I think, and am considering bringing it to the track for him when I get the YZ250 going. I think his XR100 is already too small for him, and was quite sluggish when I rode it. He is better than that.
So yeah, we have time, and he and I are both learning and having a great time, and I have stocked up on enough bikes to last us both through our transition periods. He even sat on my Shadow tonight and said "Dad, I could ride this..."
His feet touched the floor so...