well i would be tempted with a chinese 125 if it was this seem to think this one was mentioned on here before think someone actually got to see one build quality was said to be hmm made of cheese but still tempting as round town scoot :biggrin:
My SS looked just like this, only blue with a red seat..........However, I have since been told it was a Benly, but it never said that in the logbook. It just had 'SS' for 'model'. AL
It was pretty old when I got it in 1969, and some of it had been re-sprayed (or was it Brush-In Belco handpainted?).........but it went like the clappers, two up as well......
I've had 'my' 125 for a few days now, and learned a few facts. 1. It's not perfect - by a long chalk! 2. It's noisy. 3. It's gutless and under geared. 4. The build quality is a little poor - I can't see it outlasting a few winters if used regularly. 5. Mine - a Huoniao Hn125-8 - is ridiculously. small. However, in its defence, 6. It's cheap. £800 for a new one, and I paid £360 for a 61 plate. 7. Treat it a disposable tool rather a pride and joy, and it almost makes sense!
Good wax and plenty of wd40 and it will last quite well. They are simple bikes, and respond to simple maintenance - treat it as mid 60's technology and it will behave as per expectations. I actually really enjoyed the Yamasaki - there was an odd pleasure in fettling it on a Saturday morning with Sounds of the 60's on the radio. It was like being instantly transported 50 years back in time. So sad it ended the way it did for both of us.... Here is an odd thought for you, there were a couple of occasions I left the Ducati keys on the leg, picked up the Yamasaki keys and hunted out 40 or 50 miles of unclassified roads. You know what, I enjoyed every moment, too. You can have fun at 45 mph.
Yamasaki............Fark......Is that a real bike?.................I'm surprised the never came out with the proverbial Yamahonduki (even the name looks Chinese)........ Still, Kawayamuki is just as good..........or Suzhondyam
There's another cheapie 125 on Fleabay at the moment. Why am I thinking about getting it and wedging all the 'tuning' clobber on, the big bore kit, re jetting the carb, air filter mod', sprocket changes? id do it on the one I got last week but that has to stay learner legal... Ill even accept a bit of drop in fuel economy. As long as it stays over 100 to the gallon I'd be content...
Well, I bought it. In less than a week I've bought not one but a pair of Chinese 125s. Forgive me Ducati, for I have sinned....
I've just picked up the second of my Chinese 125s. I got it in SW Wales and promptly covered 500 miles plus with it. And people say they're unreliable! (Ok, so it was in a van....)
From what I've heard, and this is "bloke on a forum told me his mate (who runs a bikeshop) said"... the problem is one of aftersales disorganisation - parts get changed and the the parts fiches don't (nor do the numbers), so it's pot luck if you can get spares for them. Has anybody found this to be the case or not?
I'll have to get back to you on this. I reckon I'm going to be finding out ALL about the spares support before too long!
I guess they must be like Chinese food.......satisfied for two minutes; then you find you have room for another..........
But why a Chinese bike? When you can get a much better japanese bike, albeit older, for the same sort of money, I can't see the sense. I've ridden a couple of chinese bikes, and quite frankly they were awful, particularly in terms of suspension and brakes.
Depends what the bike is. Stick to the better known brands such as lifan and sanya and spares are no problem or alternatively a good bike shop can match parts easily (everything on them will be a copy of something) I broke an exhaust stud on my sanya, so when i took the head off I took the head gasket to my local honda dealer who matched it to a cg125 gasket without any trouble. The Honda gasket was about half the thickness too, so the bike was slightly quicker afterwards. As for fun? The sanya was plenty fun enough to ride, any comparable cost jap 125 would have been completely shagged. It seems like Chinese 125 prices have rocketed in the last few years - I paid £425 for the Yamasaki and £625 for the sanya (both in 2008) brand new in the crate. A £500 jap 125 would have been scrap at that money. All of my Chinese 125's have been absolutely fine, no hassle at all. Don't write them off until you've ridden a sanya sy125 - good enough even on stock tyres to get sparks as the brake pedal touches down on roundabouts in total confidence. A comparable cost CG125 would have been wearing Chinese brakes, Chinese tyres Chinese chains and probably Chinese cables by then anyway so do spending £500 on a commuter it will be more Chinese than jap by now. At the time I was doing far too many miles to risk Lerner bodges and crash worn iron on the second hand market. I'm absolutely confident I made the right choice, and would have another in a heart beat, especially the sanya.
