Rs125 vs gs500f?

[remo2k9]

what do u guys noe about the rs125? lol ive never ridden one or seen one , i really wanna noe how GOOD this thing is....i read comments on youtube and ppl say its fast n stuff =/

[tt_four]

Haven't heard much about them around this forum, but I think they have around 15hp and weigh a good 75lbs less than the GS. It probably doesn't have a ton of outright pull to it, but I bet it's ridiculously fast. Quality wise it's a really nice bike, the finish is probably way nicer than a GS. It's a 2 stroke though, are you from the U.S.?

[Affschnozel]

Year (of specifications)     2005
Engine    125 cc, 1 cylinder
Transmission    6-speed, chain
Max speed    100 mph
0-60 mph    6.5 (est)
Horsepower    33 bhp @ 11,000 rpm (derestricted)
Weight    121 kg
Seat height    805 mm

[gregvhen]

looks small. even for me being only 5' 6" i dont think i would want that as a regular road bike. well, let me rephrase, i do WANT it, but at 125cc, and that small, it wouldnt be worth the money for me cause it wouldnt be practical, but your just looking for a bike to have fun on, aprilia makes some of the funnest looking bikes ive seen.  also, check your state laws to see if you can have a street legal 2-stroke. if in fact it is a stroker

[tt_four]

I really like the shape of the old one, specifically the tail. What are you looking to do with it? I think it could be great depending on how you wanted to ride it. I live in the city, and my wife regularly gets around on a 50cc moped that tops out at 35mph and she loves it, so if you're not looking to get on the highway and weave in and out of cars, I definitely think you could have some fun on it. Even my GS only goes 95 anymore now that I changed the gearing, so the 100mph top speed on the RS125 doesn't sound half bad.

[bombjack]

RS125s are horrible bikes, IMO. They are 2 strokes and have no torque whatsoever.
They have 34 hp but the power is only delivered at 8000+ rpm, so you have to constantly work the throttle and the gears.
Highway ride is pain because of the constant high rpm's.

It's great for cornering though. It might be nice for track days.

[drincruz]

read a review once; i think they're pushing it to be a beginner's track bike. it's pretty cheap and pretty much nothing needs to be done to get on the track (though, obviously you're gonna want to).

that's all i can remember. i don't know anyone that has one or has ridden one. just my 2 cents.

cheers,
~drin

[tt_four]

They have 34 hp but the power is only delivered at 8000+ rpm, so you have to constantly work the throttle and the gears.

The GS has peak HP closer to 9k, and a lot of other sportbikes are way higher than that. A bike with a peak HP of 8k rpm doesn't sound too bad. Buells peak at 7500 and Ducati Monsters peak at 8000, so that sounds about right for the street.

[Jay_wolf]

I have a Honda NSR italian import *33bhp* model , there a blast to ride , im lucky to get 40 mpg , ussually around 37 , the rs125 has a gearbox that will just blow up , they top out at a claimed 120, the NSR a claimed 115, it is like a pig under 5k , and hits power band at 7 all the way too 11 , going up a hill means u have to shift right down because of the lack of torque , but there are awesome , id vote NSR , my one had been parked in a garden under cover for 3 years , stripped the carb ,. and it has run perfect ever since

[remo2k9]

mmm thanks im looking to buy one and sell my gs500..... ive watched some motocycle review on youtube LOL they say its good and ppl make it go like 200kms?? on 125cc??? HOW? =/ lol so i thought it wud be as good as gs500! but i donno thats y im searching for some answers in here 

[gregvhen]

IMO if your looking to get more out of this bike than just some fun on the weekends, then I wouldnt trade a GS for it.  Partly due to the 2-stroke factor, means you gotta stay on the pipe if you want the bike to do anything for you, partly to due to the 125 factor, 1/4 the displacement of your GS, being a 2 stroke the top speed will be comparable to the GS but you have approximatley negative 100 ft/lbs of torque to haul your grown man ass around with.  It'll move, dont get me wrong but, it'll be loud as hell on the band, crazy vibrations probably (although Apirlia is a high class bike vibrations may not be an issue) and you have to deal with premixing all your fuel.  unless it has the seperate oil container like some stroker quads got.  Personally I have no interest in using a 2 stroke (or any 125) for anything but dirt play, but if your just lookin to zip around on and tell people you got an Aprilia, i think it looks fun

[jserio]

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/27/1925/Motorcycle-Article/2009-Aprilia-RS125-First-Ride.aspx    This should give you some good info. 

[johnny ro]

no torque means really no torque. 2 stroke with expansion chamber tuned for high rpm, you need to keep it in the power band or you go nowhere. Looks like a lot of fun though.

[BaltimoreGS]

My advice would be to borrow an old 2 stroke dirt bike first if you've never experienced a 2 stroke power band before, it is a completely different style of riding.

-Jessie

[Jay_wolf]

Honda Nsr is oil pump,watercooled ., yea its really wierd how it needs to stay in revs , but when it takes off , the sound , the scream, the accelaration is impressive for such a little thing, but has to be kept in the power band , i only have a 2mile commute to work , so its easy . but if it was 60 miles u would get bored , personally i love two smokes , i love the smell , the feel , the sound ,. but its not for every one

[bombjack]

They have 34 hp but the power is only delivered at 8000+ rpm, so you have to constantly work the throttle and the gears.

The GS has peak HP closer to 9k, and a lot of other sportbikes are way higher than that. A bike with a peak HP of 8k rpm doesn't sound too bad. Buells peak at 7500 and Ducati Monsters peak at 8000, so that sounds about right for the street.

I said power is delivered at 8000+ rpm (note the plus). Meaning that you have to ride it between 8000-11000 rpm just to get any kind of power. You don't have to do that with 4 stroke engines because they are torquey.

[bill14224]

A liquid-cooled two-stroke 125 can either give you about 20-25 HP with a nice spread of torque, or 33 HP in this case with no torque to speak of until it's wound-up.  33 HP is a lot for a 125 stroker, so the grunt is going to be all at the top with nothing below.  Such an arrangement is great for the track, lousy for the street, but two-strokes aren't inherently lacking torque.  It's all in the tuning.

The GS, on the other hand, was designed for the street, with good usable torque from about 3000 on up.  No high-revving and constant shifting necessary.  You can put racing cams in the GS and advance the timing and you'll gain top end power, but that nice torque in the 3000-6000 range that's so nice for street use will be reduced.  For street use, the only engine mod that really makes sense is to bore it out and get bigger pistons.  That gives more power and torque everywhere.

[bettingpython]

Are you planning on using the RS125 as a daily ride? 2 stroke race engine bikes are a blast but heres something to consider a few of the guys I know who run them as track bikes say the same things. They have to rebuild them every other track day or your looking at a good chance of an engine seizure. I thought about buying one as a play bike till I looked at the actual maintenace needed.

[BaltimoreGS]

I guess it's the same as my old motocross bikes where you are always rebuilding the top end.  One of the downsides to 2 strokes.

-Jessie

[ver4]

I think I read somewhere that the RS125 isn't legal for road use.