RS 125 not for the city???

[louster35]

Hey guys i live in athens greece.
Ive been driving a small 100 cc moped? papaki we call it here for some time now and i want to buy something bigger and faster.

Anyways the first bike that came to me was the Aprilia RS 125.
So i went to the dealerships to ask around and everyone kept telling me its no good for the city. only for the race track. that it will keep breaking down if i drive at low revs and that it will heat up in traffic and burn too much gas and that i wont find parts and so on and so forth....

what do u guys have to say about this? Anyone here that lives in athens, or a big city in general and owns this bike?
I mean yes i want to show off to the chicks and have fun driving it but if things are THAT damn bad what is the point.

is it really no good for everyday use?

[priller]

Personally I wouldn't buy one JUST to ride in the city.

I was using mine for commuting, doing about 50km a day, 45km of that in town/city. Bike was fine, I got fed up of buying petrol every 3 days.

I was happy the job ended and I didn't have to do the commute any more.

[m505]

no good for the city. only for the race track.

really depends i think on how comfortable you want to be....how far you travel each day and how heavy the traffic is...if its only light traffic and you dont travel far.....i don't see the RS being a problem.

that it will keep breaking down if i drive at low revs and that it will heat up in traffic

you shouldn't ride a 2stroke at low revs as you will be run into low running speed problems such as fouling a spark plug and other issues. Yes, it definitely does heat up in traffic if it is a hot day and you are not moving quickly.

Anyone here that lives in athens, or a big city in general and owns this bike?

I do, ... Sydney,....but i dont ride it in traffic.....i only take it out on weeknights when there are not many cars around...and on the weekends....soi can't say i ride with the same purpose as you.

I mean yes i want to show off to the chicks

Nothing wrong with that!! hehe...

[random0082]

its fine for commuting in that it handles well and you can do most of the things on it to get between traffic, no problems. keep it maintained and itll keep going fine too

Downsides - i also commute about 25 miles a day on B roads / city roads. and yep, i fill petrol up about every 3 days too, also gets through brake pads at an alarming rate, seemingly replace them every month! if you can live with that, go for it. i also have to adjust chain very often too, prob ready for a new one really if im honest.

re fouling the spark plug etc, that something ive never had. on a bike like the RS even on busy roads youre never at that low revs for too long, before you get a clear stretch and can accelerate a bit and clear it. make sure you service it regularly though

[zEr0]

I used to ride my RS125 everyday, going to college then out with friends later on around town, had no problems with that. Only thing I was annoyed was the fuel comsumption.

[sexydean123]

i have to say the rs is a good bike, i had a full engine rebuild and i hammered it from pretty much day 1, people say it will never last,had to strokes for 7 years on the road, and the aprilia is as reliable as my dt125r's just revs a lil bit higher lol, but i think the bike will go well around the city as long as u give it abit now n then, but i think it should be fine

[matt2301]

its fine for commuting in that it handles well and you can do most of the things on it to get between traffic, no problems. keep it maintained and itll keep going fine too

Downsides - i also commute about 25 miles a day on B roads / city roads. and yep, i fill petrol up about every 3 days too, also gets through brake pads at an alarming rate, seemingly replace them every month! if you can live with that, go for it. i also have to adjust chain very often too, prob ready for a new one really if im honest.

re fouling the spark plug etc, that something ive never had. on a bike like the RS even on busy roads youre never at that low revs for too long, before you get a clear stretch and can accelerate a bit and clear it. make sure you service it regularly though

Every word of what he's said is bang on.

Especially the brake pads, I could swear I was getting through a front set every 3000km!

[Peasnall]

Every word of what he's said is bang on.

Especially the brake pads, I could swear I was getting through a front set every 3000km!

3000kms

mine only last 1500 max, lmao

[matt2301]

3000kms

mine only last 1500 max, lmao

Mine were the sintered ones. Do they fuck last longer

What were you doing to yours to wear them out so quickly?

[priller]

I've changed the rear pads 2 times & the front pads 3 times in 18,000km, do people ride with the brakes on?

[matt2301]

I've changed the rear pads 2 times & the front pads 3 times in 18,000km, do people ride with the brakes on?

My commute was dual carriageway. So all I did was accelerate to 80 or so, then slow down for a roundabout. Repeat about 20 times each way, and it ate my pads.

[RiejuR51]

My commute was dual carriageway. So all I did was accelerate to 80 or so, then slow down for a roundabout. Repeat about 20 times each way, and it ate my pads.

was gonna say cos im always racing around on my 50 (to the speed limits) and i dont each nowhere near as that much pads, and im constantly top speed to crawling pace then top whack agen, yes i know 60 but still

[williamr]

You can ride it in the city, but it won't be very comfortable or particularly easy to control in congested traffic. In Athens it will tend to get very hot and it will not be fuel efficient.

If you have only one bike, and use it for decent runs on good twisty roads, then the RS is as good choice and will be manageable in town. If it's mainly for city use, get something else.

What are your licensing restrictions? If you can have one, I'd suggest a 250cc 4-stroke scooter for city use.

On the subject of pads, I expect at least 4,000 miles from fronts and at least double that from rears on any bike. The only exception was an XJ900 which did about 3,000 miles front and rear. I could never figure why it was so heavy on rear pads.

A lot of heavy pad (and chain) wear is due to poor riding technique. I often follow 125s through a sequence of bends on a road I use every day. Generally the bikes average about 65mph, constantly on the brakes into each bend and on the throttle coming out. Just by knowing where I have to be positioned exiting each bend to be ready for the next I can travel through them at a steady 75 without touching the brakes, and only a little throttle to steady the bike through each curve. A majority of the bigger bikes I see manage to do the same unless they're in a hurry.

Rob

[Gearbox Geezer]

I live pretty much in the city area and I think its great. Im often in london on it ( when my bikes working that is ) and I love it, still got power yet its light. Isnt very good at making tight turns in standstill traffic but what sports bike is?

[random0082]

William, i dont think its poor riding technique in all cases. me and Matt at least id say, know enough about positioning, reading the road and maintaining momentum to have an average knowledge of it. its just that sometimes its fun to enter fast-ish, brake harder than usual (read harder than usual, not dangerously or ridiculously hard) and accelerate out. maybe not the most efficient way, and yes, it will get through pads quicker, but hey, sometimes at least, its fun. remember fun, that thing you used to have when you were young? and yes, other times im happy to pootle along at 5000 revs too, im no stupid kid who wants to ride everywhere full pelt.

and yes, in traffic too, even if you anticipate things as much as you can, itll still eat pads quick. dont think all weather riding helps it either, probably get covered in grit and crap. in all, as long as youre aware of petrol consumption rate and getting through consumables quick, go for it