A few days back i posted regarding the CG-125. It seems to be a great bike, but no the best looking. So i went onto ebay and searched for different Manufacturers 125 cc bikes, and now i have a few to choose from, which is a bad thing!

I have read the reviews for the various bike i looked at, and they all seem to say the same thing! so i need your input please:

Honda CG 125 - Older bikes area  bit ugly, newer models are nice, but are usually out of my price range. However this is said to be the most reliable and learner friendly bike out there.

Suzuki GS 125 - To be honest, this bike it very ugly (well i think anyway) it is very boxy, but then the reviews all said that like the CG, it is very reliable and learner friendly.

Suzuki RV 125 - This is a very good looking bike, but for one that isnt covered in rust, or needs things fixing they seem to be a bit pricey. Are they easily fixable? The reviews said this was another great bike for leaners.

Suzuki GZ Marauder 125- This is probably the bike i would go for based on looks alone, its a mean looking 125. The reviews said it was great, but took a while to get used to cornering. Any ideas on how easy they are to maintain? Reliabilty?

Honda VT Shadow - I am yet to see one in my price range, but they are gorgeous!

Open to all suggestions and comments, im trying to build a bigger picture for each so i can decide (once January comes around) which one to purchase.

Thanks

Rich

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Fantastic little machine. Loads of chrome, good sound, comfy and it won't try and throw you off!!

Things to look for are rust and slack chain. Being so full of chrome you'll need to make sure you look after it. Vasaline (believe it or not!) is your best bet. Smother the chrome with vasaline after giving it all a good polish. It'll protect it all from rain and road crap. When you come to sell it, just wipe clean! It'll make your bike llok like crap but underneth it'll be gleeming.

The chain is a bit pants. You could look at getting a new one but taking good care of the stock one should do fine.

It only has a side stand, so taking wheels off is a pain. I used to stack planks of wood under the frame where the pegs are. I supports the bike enough to remove the wheels or turn the back wheel for lubing.

I'd recommend it definately. Not sure on the prize but it holds it's value. You're looking about £1000 for a decent one. I sold mine for £1100 after buying it for £1050.... made £50!!

Tax is £15 a year and MOt is cheap. Insurance is a tough one to predict but TTPF I got it at £150 without NCD.

Yamaha FZS 600 Fazer ... in gold! 

Ride safe, and look out for the Rainbow of Death!

^{There're only 3 kinds of people in the world, those who can count, and those that can't.}

^{Roses are red, Violets are Blue, I'm a schizophrenic ..... and so am I!}

^{Take pity on the man who invented the drawing board, when he screwed up, he had nothing to fall back on.}

^{Stuff everything, I've always got my bike.}

Unless you're fond of spannering, it's best to avoid any particularly tatty examples. It's usually a sign that the previous owner(s) haven't taken a lot of care: fine if it just needs a good clean, not so good if it's run for 30000 miles without an oil change. If you can spot the difference, that needn't be a problem, but if not, there are plenty of well-kept bikes out there.

Before committing to anything, have a check of the UBG (www.usedbikeguide.com/bible) for expected price and look at cost of spares on eBay, wemoto.com (www.wemoto.com) or M&P (www.mandp.co.uk) to see what the likely running costs will be. Figure on having to get tyres and chain at some point, and look at cost of levers, mirrors and bodywork in case of a spill. If you're considering a purchase that does need some work on it, make sure the parts cost is reflected in the asking price!

As for the bikes you've listed - my personal opinion would be:

CG125 - yep, ugly. But reliable and easy to work on, finish lasts well - avoid the cheap Far Eastern or Brazilian-made models. Probably the one I'd spend my own money on

GS125 - not great on finish quality and also ugly, but quite a smooth ride. If you like custom styling, might be worth looking at the GN125 instead - same bike but with factory cruiser looks

RV125 - probably one to avoid. Compromised by being a pseudo-off-roader, meaning it doesn't really do anything well. Possibly of some value if you want to try out it's limited off-tarmac capabilities

GZ125 - Mazz seems to have covered that one thoroughly. You'll need to take similar care of any custom-styled machine. A thick spray of WD40 achieves the same effect if you don't have any Vaseline handy

VT125 - quite hefty for a little bike, certainly looks the part, and comes with typical Honda build quality. Rider ends up pretty low to the ground, not necessarily to everyone's taste, but it helps hide the weight a little.

Just to add to the mix, a few other suggestions: Honda Varadero 125 (proper big little bike, but might be too costly), Kawasaki Eliminator 125 (Marauder-esque looks) and Yamaha SR125 (cheap to run). You don't seem that fussed about sports styling so we'll leave those aside!

>> ex silens nox noctis <<

Like you said, i'm not interested in sports bikes, i think they sound sily with a 125 engine (think hairdryer) and im 5ft 10 and weigh over 14 st so id look a bit daft on one!

I quite like the SR125, i may look into those if the GZ Marauder comes out too expensive!

Thanks again for your help!

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