125gp bikes.

cole · 06-27-2004, 11:37 PM

I'm trying to find out all that I can about these bikes. I'm just starting to get into track days and next year, when I buy a track bike, I really want to get a 95+ Honda rs125.

Does anyone on here race them or used to race them? If there is, please tell me everything you can about them. I'm really interested.

My friends keep on telling me to get a 600ss as a first track bike but I think it would be too much bike and the cost to run them is pretty high I hear. I was talking to the 125 guys on the WERA board and they were saying that a 125gp bike is cheaper to run than a 600 because of the tire costs. The top end only needs to be done every 500-600 kms and the bottom end roughly every 2500 kms which isn't all that bad.

I'll be doing track days at two different tracks next year. One is a very tight track and the other is a lot more open with a 1 mile straight. I know the 125 will not be as much fun on the big track but it should be a blast on the small one. The small track (Mission raceway in Vancouver) will be the one that I race at when I get into racing. One guy who rides there can do 1:13s on his 125 and the track record is something like 1:09 so a 125 won't be very far off pace from any bike at that track.

I know that 2 strokes are kind of being phased out but I think they would be an execellent tool to learn how to race and ride in general on. I hear that the corner speed on them is amazing.

Anyway, if anyone here races one, let me know what you think of it.

Jammin_Johnny · 06-27-2004, 11:54 PM

There is nothing wrong with learning on 125GP rides. If you ever get the chance to meet and seriously talk with John Hopkins, ask him. John began racing 125GP and other machines @ WILLOW SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY (WSMC) some half-decade or so ago. HE IS NOW RIDING GP ALL OVER THE WORLD!

Those that say to start 600ss may not have all the facts. First of all, the 600ss class is overflowing with racers. It is the most contested class. 600ss will give you the top end on the track. Racing GP machines will teach you respect for proper cornering and carrying good corner speeds. Riders that chose the larger, inline 4 rides may not have the smoothness needed through the corners to race the GP machines. CORNER SPEED IS CRITICAL WITH THESE RIDES!

BEST WISHES & GOD BLESS!

cole · 06-29-2004, 12:04 AM

Thanks Johnny.

Anyone else have experiences?

Strick · 07-11-2004, 09:42 AM

Alhough I have never ridden a 125 I think they are a great track/race bike to start on, but only if you like to work on your bike. I am not saying they are hugely labor intensive but they do take more work than a 4 stroke. They are alot easier to wrok on compared to a 4 stroke but they need it more often. Alot of the guys racing in the top classes on the world stage started on 2-strokes but at thi time there were plenty of classes and competition, now at most club events it is rare to see a lot of them. I personally would look at a SV or similar small displacement 4-stroke. They will teach you the same things as a 125 but all you need to do is add gas and go.

firefighter81 · 07-18-2004, 01:14 PM

Gotta reccomend my own bike here, Aprilia RS250, great power, light enough, it's not a TRUE GP bike, but it's a great learning tool, hell basically every track I've been to, the lap record is held by an RS250 or other 2-stroke. I love beating up on bigger bikes. Also the RS250 isn't as labor intensive as true GP bikes.

cole · 07-18-2004, 11:14 PM

Hey firefighter,

Are tracks a lot more common in europe? Around here, I have to travel minimum 4 hours to get to the nearest track, is it the same down there? What about cost?

firefighter81 · 07-19-2004, 12:32 AM

Cost is a little more expensive here because of the exchange rate. Tracks are somewhat more common, I've got 4 tracks within 3 hours, depending which way you go. Rules here at trackdays are real relaxed, so we get the occasional oil slick that shuts down the track for a few minutes while they clean it up. They really should require safety wire here, but they don't.

Darkstar · 07-20-2004, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firefighter81

Gotta reccomend my own bike here, Aprilia RS250, great power, light enough, it's not a TRUE GP bike, but it's a great learning tool, hell basically every track I've been to, the lap record is held by an RS250 or other 2-stroke. I love beating up on bigger bikes. Also the RS250 isn't as labor intensive as true GP bikes.

very well put. arpilia