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Not interested in a 600cc etc. This is strictly for traffic urban commuting. Recommendations and what tends to be reliable and relatively popular for resale? 😀
Honda CG125
Honda CG125
Honda CG125
Avoid anything motor cross related. It'll be knackered.
Avoid anything with acres of plastic fairing. It'll be knackered.
Avoid anything from random Non-Japanese manufacturers. It'll be knackered and you won't be able to get parts.
You're competing with every 17 year old in the country.
Buy on condition not age or mileage.
Seriously. Honda CG125.
No, if it's just urban, low speed commuting, get a scooter.
For mixed traffic, a CG would be a great shout it's tough as old boots, but the gear changing will drive you nuts. At least on a big bike, you only have 2-3 gears and a wide spread of torque to help (Some sports bikes will almost getto 60 in first!)
But with sub 30mph, just get a scooter of some description. And Jap stuff keeps it's value in the way Chinese doesn't.
Unless you want to throw a wild card into the pack, pay a lot more then check out Herald Motorcycles......
Ditto, any Honda 4 stroke for reliability. Two of our kids when younger had; Honda Innova 125 scooter and Honda XR125 trailie, always started and just went well. Both bought for well under a grand. The scooter was less desirable so cheaper and seemed pretty quick for a 125 as well as amazingly economical. Both later sold after many more miles & getting all the original outlay back plus a bit more, they seem to hold their price well compared to all these weird named import copies you get now, for a reason I guess.
Piaggio PX125?
My missus bought a Honda PCX 125 last year, and a work colleague bought some cheap Chinese thing around the same time. Both got blown over in the storms last winter. The Honda suffered a small crack in the corner of the footplate, you'd never even notice unless you were looking for it; the Chinese one disintegrated.
Honda build quality all the way.
I have a old and battered Honda Click (the cheaper Asian version of the PCX, I think). I would agree with reliability as well as the auto being preferable for driving in traffic.
Two choices really, both Scooters.
Either a Chinese-type one or one with a Japanese name (and still probably built in China).
A few years ago we bought a new 50cc Pulse 2-stroke scooter for Son No2. It was £1k on the road. It lasted 3 years but because it lived outside had a fair few electrical problems, plus he fell off a couple of times and it was his only mode of transport (Apprentice).
Or we could've bought something s/h. Either these were s/h Chinese-types and knackered or s/h Japanese/European ones and still knackered (just older).
So I'd still be inclined to buy a new Chinese-type one and get it from a local dealer who can look after it - and when it's due it's MOT, walk away. Cheap motoring.
http://whateverwheels.co.uk/m3b0s355p0/New-Motorcycle-Scooter-/125cc-Scooters
Hora, do you have a motorbike licence? If so a 250 might be cheaper and more versatile otherwise any Honda four stroke as above.
The last time I looked at magazine fuel consumption figures automatic scooters were shockingly poor - a car could do better. I think it's down to the continuously variable transmission.
Maybe that does not bother you but if it does and you don't want a full manual then see if you can find a Honda stepthrough with semi-automatic transmission. With these the rider decides when to change gear and the clutch is operated automatically when you use the gear lever. Driven hard my old stepthrough still gives over 120 mpg which a scooter won't, apparently, get near.
Later models are, I think, a full 125 and have telescopic front forks so you can actually use the front brake hard without locking the wheel.
A pal does work on Chinese branded scooters and, based on his experience, I wouldn't give one house room.
Yamaha ybr, a comfy easy going rider and competent enough for a 125 plus it holds it's value rather well.
Honda PCX - great bike.
Surprisingly fast, will keep up with traffic on NSL roads.
I rode mine for the 2yrs post CBT/Pre DA. If my trips were more urban and less rural, Id have kept it.
We rented a PCX recently in Asia, pretty decent all round we thought. Have a few friends with the 3 wheeler things who like them for commuting for the stability and ability to keep a leg cover fitted - depends if you want to ride it much in our quality weather
Four stroke, Japanese, un-faired, Second hand, expect to find many many bodge ups on it, budget for fixing them.
Or whatever you like new and Chinese, expect build quality to bit hit or miss and budget to replace it every 3 years.
Avoid 2-strokes, that way pain and expense lies.
C70
Ok, I may have said C70 tongue-in-cheek, then I googled for images. Apparently there's a scene for modding these:
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Nice!
Do a DAS test and get whatever you want. The choice becomes a lot more varied.
Yam TW125 or a Suzi VanVan 😀 Fun, cool [i]and[/i] frugal? You bet your socks!
Out of curiosity I googled the 125 Innova I alluded to and they are for sale at your budget.
C70 are getting abit long in the tooth now aren't they? And are popular which means only tatty ones are reasonable.
If you can get Honda EX5 in BritLand then get it because it is the updated version of C70.
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If fact any from this [url= http://www.bikesrepublic.com/bulletin/top-10-bikes-that-ruled-malaysian-roads ]list[/url] will do.
If it's [u]only[/u] for urban traffic, then I'd say scooter. Just for the lack of faff of clutch and gears in traffic
Some sports bikes will almost getto 60 in first!)
My fireblade will do 100mph in 1st 😀
Love that c70!