The unknown light on your gauge cluster is your side-stand / kick-stand warning light. It should only be on when your side-stand is down. If it stays on when the stand is up, the sensor at the side-stand pivot is faulty and must be replaced.
You made me remember my school days.. i used to wakeup early and get ready for school 1 hour early. And ride my 125 cbf, hard around the town and sometimes to the Neighbouring town and back. . Feeling the that cold morning wind and early morning sunshine and empty roads . . . . Those were the days . . . And entering the school where nobody ever had idea how thrilling my mornings were. . .
The 1992 Aprilia RS125 Extrema was my first bike and I loved every km I rode on it. This was also the most expensive bike I ever owned, as it would break down all the time and needed no end of TLC to keep it happy. I ended up selling it after installing the 6th (!) piston and chamber, as it just broke my bank account at the time. But when it was working it was the fastest thing on the road and by far the coolest looking motorcycle out there
What did you ended buying after that? I have a Tuono 660 as a first bike and I love it. But I have already had to fix a few things. As a 2nd bike most probably I will go for a Japanese one.
4:58 that's because old bikes with carbs could overflow with fuel, so you close the choke, turn the kill switch on "off", open the throttle at full and turn the ignition for a couple of seconds. this will allow you to take care of the overflowed fuel, making it easier to turn on after (just make sure you turn the kill switch back on positon "on").
HEY HEY HEY, you need to take this advice seriously (i am 2 stroke rider). NEVER use oilmaster, that where you put your Motul 710, instead make premix right into gas, it is longer but WAY MORE safer, oilmasters are faulty AF, also on internet find you mix ratio (i got 1:50), so basicly, wehn you are at gas station and u fill up your gass tank also add Motul 710 into it, also u dont need to warm up, but be easy on gas, shift everytime before you hit powerband, around 65*C you can ride to limiter
so nostalgic - owned a NSR125 years ago, incredible machines, mine did 20k km between 'rebuilds'. And rebuilds themselvs are a 4 hour job max Your father did you right with that advice, the amount of money I've spent on gas oil and parts would easily cover buying two 4 strokes and riding the soul out of them :) Great vid!
The yellow light at 9:18 is the kickstand warning light, should illuminate when the stand is down and turn off when its up. My 2020 Tuono Factory has one, super cool to see Aprilia was doing this back then!
One of my favourite bikes, even if it did blow up every other week! Sounds like yours is still all restricted if it feels that underpowered. I had the 3rd gen model, but put the larger carb on it as well as adding the powervalve and derestricted ECU and it was a rocketship! Hit 8k and that PV kicks in and it just makes you cackle like a madman. The one I always really wanted was the RS250, but those things are rare as hens teeth here.
I live on the border with Italy (Slovenia) these machines are still very common. Even i as a teenager had a two-stroke RX125 and i am an Aprilia owner even today. I still remember warming it up every day before going to school, it was an incredible experience for a 16yo. Happy times indeed.
You brought back so many memories for me. My first bike was an RGV 250, and till today, my best bike i ever had. Old with a lot of problems, but it's still the best i ever had.
I raced these when I was 14-15 y/o in an Aprilia RS125 cup. Great bikes. Full power they are pretty fast too. I went through 3 engines in 2 seasons, lol. And about 15 crashes, but also 1 win and a couple of crashes from podium contention. Loved that bike, great brakes and chassis. Solid memories.
Orange dash light is the side stand bud, I blanked mine off on my rs125 because if the stand is down the bike is not meant to start, stand up the light goes off and will start, not ideal when you need to warm the bike up while having a coffee before a lekker skit.
It was such a sweet bike to ride as a 16 year old 20 years ago! Virtually no power under 8k RPM but full 30hp over 8k RPM would be due to missing or stuck open variable exhaust valve. Most 2-stroke bikes had a system like that to have usable power in low RPM (over 4-5k maybe) but still get the maximum power in high RPM. The valve would seize quite easily and it was such a pain to clean / replace the parts. I remember some guys just not installing the variable exhaust valve system at all and running their 2 stroke bikes with a de-restricted exhaust always at high RPM and not caring about the missing power at low RPM.
Mate what a video!! as a 16 yr old unrestricted RS125 ridder you nailed the experience! that light on the left is the kick stand warning light which doesn't kill the engine when you drive away with it down. It only comes on once though cause driving away with the stand down breaks the switch ; ) i really hope enough of these bikes survive. would love to revisit them someday. I'll never forget finding the first stage of the power valve. i used to short shift when i bought it first...until one day coming over the crest of a hill and the revs crept into the power valve range - i'll never forget that shove!!
I used to have a 2009 rs125 from 16 to 18 and after completely rebuilding/restoring her it was the most fun bike i ever rode. Surprisingly didnt have any reliability issues either
Had a lot of stink wheels over the years. My last was a Suzuki RG500 with a Stan Stevens tuning kit on it. I bought it as a track day bike but the temptation to have a road ride was too great and I dropped it on some gravel. It flipped twice and destroyed all the plastic all the four exhausts and the engine cases were scuffed. Luckily a guy bought it for the frame and wheels and it only cost me all the money I had
When I was a teenager, my dream bike was the Yamaha TZR. Little did I know, I was living through what would be the final years for two strokes. In fact I was already past them but not by that much that you didn't still see many of them around. Also the TZR was already super rare but the RS wasn't. But much like you my dad steered me away and I ended up getting a CBR125R too. It was a great little bike, and I came to appreciate that long after I had gone on to bigger and better stuff, but the truth is that I'd never go back to it, or anything like it. I still have not managed to get my hands on a proper 2 stroke 125cc rocket so this video really speaks to me.
Man, I remember being in STD6 and seeing Gareth G (Matric boy, maniac and all round cool guy) riding his RS125 around and being SO envious. I later got my hands on a RS250 poster that I still have in a box somewhere some 25yrs later. Glad you found joy in riding a dream.
Here in the Texas, you can ride a 250cc at 15, when you get your license at 16, you can get whatever you want. However, I like small bikes and would have loved some of these small 2-strokes. I used to play Tourist Trophy just because I couldn't get anything like that here.
@@ChaosCauses it is fun. I just finished the video bruh, ouch I am so sad, I really wanted to see you on the track. But man does this baby bike have some character! I just subscribed to your channel.
If you are in houston, tx, come out to the kart track in Katy, TX. There are several 2 stroke bikes 125cc and under. Hope to add my rs125 to the mix soon. I will be hunting groms. I did a few simple laps on the rs a few weeks ago to identify what needs to be fixed with my “new” bike. The best I did was 2 sec a lap slower than the best on my Grom.
I had one of these when I was 16 years old. Riding it for the first time was the best feeling ever. No other motorcycle has given me so much joy. Even despite the fact that I had seized the engine three times. Probably there was some problem with my oil dispenser. I remember that feeling when I reached hgh RPM and exhaust valve opened for the first time. For me back then it was a feeling from another planet. I was literally scared of that acceleration at the beginning. It felt so much faster than my previous aprilia RS 50 and that boring CBF 125 from driving school. Those were good times. I only regret that I lived 100m from my school so I didn't ride there xD. In my coutry (Poland) only very rych kids could lay their hands on it and any other 125cc motorcycle, because used one costed about three average monthly salaries which was pretty sad.
@@freddieparrydrums Ahh nice, glad to hear there's still a few about. Yeah I should have probably done a rebuild on mine, wasn't looked after before me I don't think
Classic breaking down on the first lap, never a dull moment with the Aprilia. When it is running well it is such a joy to ride, had mine for 13 years, admittedly half of that was spent in dismantled in the garage. Get that temp gauge fixed, i ran too hot recently and it cost me a top end 😅
Mate I wanted an RS125 when I was 17 I got a CBR125 instead too haha! Sadly mine got stolen after 7 months of ownership, that was 14 years ago. Didn't get on a bike again until a month ago when I took my full test and got my dream bike, an R6. Don't think I've ever been happier in my life.
2-smoke bikes require their maintenance, but when they are made properly, they work very damn well! I've never broken a gas cable while riding, i've had it break when installing it. That it mixes oil and fuel is a gem to have, a Suzuki FZ50 moped made in the early '80's even had it, but i rarely see them today where the mixer works.
Great video. I have an Aprilia RS 125 from 2012 and had the same issue as you have with the motor " bogging down" under 7000 rpm. I fixed it by replacing the spark plug and adjusting the carb by about half a turn of the mixture screw to make it run more lean. If the problem still persists, try replacing the ignition coil as might be electrical related.
Loved the video! My teenager hero was an Aprilia RS250 also 2 stroke and now thanks to you I'm on craigslist searching for one😊 the only problem is that my wife didn't love the video as much as I did!😂
I bought my RS125 new in 1993. I still have it! Looks like most of the issues you have had are due to previous owners. Rear brake is a bit of a pain to bleed, as the bleed nipple is not the topmost point of the caliper. Doing a hill start with a pillion is, err, interesting. A very fine balance between stalling and dropping the pillion off the back!
Could you make a video on your selling process? You've gone through a good heap of bikes and eagerly take on more. Yet some people hinder their choices becausee they are afraid of the selling process. I think a video like that would help a lot of people!
I always liked the Cagiva Mito better. The old ones that had like a bit over 30hp. Rode one once. Something that light going that fast on a highway is pretty scary. and the fact that it looked like an old ducati charmed me and still does. and I also had a CBR, the older, 2006 model, that is not nearly as stable on high speeds as the 2011- JC50. but it was a good bike, if a little small.
I had an Aprilia RS125 but always wanted a Cagiva Mito. The Aprilia was amazing but the Mito looked like a mini Ducati 916. Unfortunately they were hard to find here in Ireland.
Nice video with good conclusion. Ive had 3 4 stroke and 5 2 stroke bikes and man 2 strokes are fun to ride but when you love riding you should get a 4 stroke because its just gonna be there instead of dying all the time
56 and still ride a lightly tuned RS125. Aprilia FB chamber, FP airbox snorkel, jettet. So much fun. Used to race 125gp bikes on a Honda RS125R Btw, the Aprilia 125 gp (RSW125) bikes are completely different to the street based RS125.
the OP is still a kid, obviously has not done enough research before getting the bike. i am taking bets that he will sell it in under 2 years like most people do, its a phase of life, unlike me, i am 2strokes till the end and wife complains why they are there in the bedroom. ring a ding ding...
i rode one of these for years, me and my friends all had one and use to ride them "hard", i never had a single issue with mine but maintained it well the sound brings back fond memories
As the owner of one of the "supermoto version of this bike", the HM CRM 125, I can't say anything bad about the Rotax 122. Pretty modern 2 stroke engine that can last a long time with well-timed maintenance, not as powerful as a race-ready MX engine but packs a punch anyways. Treat your RS well, congrats!
To me as a 40 year old the Grom was the cutest and most fun looking bike ever, I got one a week after seeing it and it proved to be true. I got a bigger bike for highway use but I'll never sell the Grom as it's got so much soul.
Wouldn't mind owning an old smoker like this (or even something like a GT550/Original Kawasaki h1/h2) and putting some miles on it, so long as it has expansion chambers. And breaking cables and little issues is par for the course on an old carb'd bike.
Got a 2003 model in the garage.. Fastest 125 I've ever ridden! Can have a lot of fun on it for sure.. I've even blown the piston on it before, but had a lot of fun fixing it.
I saw these for sale in the USA back in 2008. Unfortunately, they were track-only (not road-legal) and the importer had removed mirrors, turn signals, etc from the brand-new bikes.
@@myfacern7232 that is very true! U can literally get any bike you can afford! Well actually I can pretty much get any bike even if you can't afford it. Some people finance bikes they have zero business getting but that's AMERICA!!
well, if you want to bleed your rear brake caliper properly, you need to demount it and turn it upside down, otherwise air will be stucked in the highest part of the caliper and that probably happend in you case, that's why brake lever is soft sometimes
I’m a bit older than you so my dream bike at school was a Honda NSR 250. My mate had one and I was jealous to no end as I rode behind him on my sister’s pink scooter
I am that 50 yr old guy, except mine is a 1991 Suzuki RG125 FN. Had one new at 18 and still own one now, just not the same one. That clutch work you speak of is the "Theatre" of riding a 2T😊. Great watch, well done 👍🏼
Side stand light on the dash. People cut wiring at times. Nice video. I owned an RS & SX which is same engine but in supermoto form. You can get bit carried away with mods but should be able to carry you up a hill lol.
When you mentioned riding all day instead of ending up in school it was too real man. The exact reason I failed my first year of college (albeit an rs50 in the UK) 😂😂
when i was 13 my dad got me a kx85 big wheel, the things i learnt from that snappy little racing 2 stroke is insane, i reckon i spent more time brapping down the street then i did on the track. biggest thing i learnt was that you cant ride a 2 stroke like a 4 stroke, while a 4 stroke will chill around at 3-5k rpm a 2 stroke is crying in that range, im sure the rs125 is similiar to my old kx85 in the sense that its supposed to be ridden like a race bike clicking down a gear if your under 5000rpm. sit a gear lower than you would in a 4 stroke and im telling you the bike will wake up
I had one of these as my 2nd bike and to this day it is still the most fun bikes i have ever owned. The handling and flickability will spoil pretty much all your next bikes moving forward. Currently have a gsxr 750 and it doesnt have anywhere close to the fun factor as one of these
I had an RS50. Dreamt about a 125 for a year... was split between the RS, Mito, and NSR. I really preferred the two Italian bikes but was talked into the Honda for better reliability. I wrote off the NSR within a months, then 6 months later got myself a Mito and loved it - even though it had electrical woes! As a teenager mad about the lightweight and extra power combo of 2-stroke bikes, I was also drawn to the 250s. I still haven't ever ridden an RS 125... my don't ride/buy your hero moment came when I bought myself an RS250. It would've been fine if it was my only bike, and I jumped straight from my Mito to the 250... but I had a CBR400 and come to appreciate that 4-strokes are less of a faff on the road. Plus the razor sharp, quick, flighty handling of the lightweight 250 would be more at home on a racetrack.
i Had the counterpart - a "Cagiva Mito 125" 7 gears - 34 HP. The time i had that motorcycle was the happiest part of my life. Theres nothing crazier than owning a 125 ccm 2 stroke at 16 years old.
Keep an eye on the gear oil - it could be the case that your crankshaft seals have gone and it’s drawing the oil into combustion. Lovely bike though, I had the Cagiva Mito - the RS’ main competitor!
Definitely feel your point. Had back in the day a DT125-X, that time where my mind was coloured blue. :D Unfortunately in Germany you had to cut it down to 80km/h then until 18 years old and also down to 15hp, but it was anyway way cooler, than the 4-strokes :) Despite having a MT09 and a R6, I still miss the small DT
When I was in matriek a girl in our school got a RS125 and to say I fell in love is an understament. Seeing her climb of the bike in the mornings was just so beautiful to my teenage brain. I did not even know bikes well then but you just knew that is a special bike.
Great video about an awesome bike. My older brother imported a Yamaha TZR 50 two stroke. It's another one of those tiny bikes that needs to sing for its supper, but damn did it sing well.
I had and still have the rs50 at 16 man its a blast , the way i used to warm it up before school was just rag the shite outta it to school! Then ride back home again purposely leaving something behind😲
I learned to ride on a CB250, then I learned to ride fast on a RG250. I still remember hitting the powerband for the very first time. I wasn't prepared, so the front wheel came up & I started sliding off the back and I held on to the bars so tightly I twisted the throttle open even more. Good times.
awesome video, got me laughin at that wiring horor that goes on with that bike 🤣 Surely a clasic that every teen dreamt of. My friend had honda nsr 125 and it was a rocket compared to my 4 stroke at that time.
I always use olive oil for getting grease and oily dirt off my hands. Works better than commercial hand cleaner, it is non toxic, and cleans off easily with soapy water.
I had an aprillia RS125 that was tuned to the limit I blew it up twice, it was an absolute beauty in Spain's NO1 livery it was so much fun to ride . It had a serious drink problem when it came to fuel
You have to rev it high :) my cousin got such a motorcycle brand new, I remember how envious I was of him ... we rode it together a lot, I think it went 90 km/h in second gear. During that time and considering that we had 18 years, it was a wicked machine. It looked big and strong (at least to us then). Later, the cousin had several crashes with that bike, the last crash unfortunately caused total damage (the cousin is fine) and after that bike was sold for parts. It's a shame if he didn't save it, it would be interesting to have it today.
great vid! i still have my aprilia rs125 2011 model. seeing as it’s the same engine as the 1999 one, i think the problem with your motor bugging down below 8k rpm should be the carb. it’s not tuned properly & needs to be a lil more rich in the carb, that should fix it. other than that great vid and keep up the good work! love the stories
I got one brand new when I was 19 in 1997. I thrashed it everywhere and luckily never had any problems with it. Had it about 2 years then sold it to a friend who also managed not to blow the engine up. Maybe we were lucky and got a really good one or maybe we looked after it well. Always fully warmed up and good quality oil.
My teenage dream bike too, my first one was not a 125 or a motorbike instead it was an aprilia sr 50 moped and it also was full of italian quirks and brokedown often
You said it all. It is a dream come true! Keep the bike because it is a precious piece of machinery. I did say thank you to my dad too for not letting me buy my first dream xt 350 when I was 18. Now at almost 50 I've had the chance to ride as many as I wanted. Appreciate your videos as well. Keep smiling and keep riding! P. S. The 2stroke odour does not go easy far from you when you are in it!
The unknown light on your gauge cluster is your side-stand / kick-stand warning light. It should only be on when your side-stand is down. If it stays on when the stand is up, the sensor at the side-stand pivot is faulty and must be replaced.
Yup my Moto Guzzi has the same thing. It's a weird looking light, but once you realize what it is, it makes sense. Sort of.
'sensor' is kind of a big word for the floppy switch that is on there 😄
just short the switch in the up position and remove it
Or just leave it and must not replace it
Man we had the same teenage dreams :D I am searching curently for the RS 250 2T - that was a rocket to :D
They are expensive as hell, at least here in spain.
My cousin owns a dealer and has an rs250 here in ireland, has an nsr250 done in the rothmans livery airbrushed on the plastics
The actual dream 🥰
Awesome bike 100%
In Croatia, one rs250 went for
10 000€
The storytelling, filming, setup and conclusions of this video was amazing, thanks for taking us along for the ride!
You made me remember my school days.. i used to wakeup early and get ready for school 1 hour early. And ride my 125 cbf, hard around the town and sometimes to the Neighbouring town and back. . Feeling the that cold morning wind and early morning sunshine and empty roads . . . . Those were the days . . . And entering the school where nobody ever had idea how thrilling my mornings were. . .
The 1992 Aprilia RS125 Extrema was my first bike and I loved every km I rode on it. This was also the most expensive bike I ever owned, as it would break down all the time and needed no end of TLC to keep it happy. I ended up selling it after installing the 6th (!) piston and chamber, as it just broke my bank account at the time. But when it was working it was the fastest thing on the road and by far the coolest looking motorcycle out there
lmao do u mean gs 124? i just bought one 5 days ago. much better than my japanese twostroke
What did you ended buying after that? I have a Tuono 660 as a first bike and I love it. But I have already had to fix a few things. As a 2nd bike most probably I will go for a Japanese one.
My girlfriend has a GSX-S750, it's less fun but you can tell that bike will last for ever.
@@juanesteban8938Ahhhh… Too much too quick imo
@@juanesteban8938it’s less fun!!?? Wtf
4:58 that's because old bikes with carbs could overflow with fuel, so you close the choke, turn the kill switch on "off", open the throttle at full and turn the ignition for a couple of seconds. this will allow you to take care of the overflowed fuel, making it easier to turn on after (just make sure you turn the kill switch back on positon "on").
HEY HEY HEY, you need to take this advice seriously (i am 2 stroke rider). NEVER use oilmaster, that where you put your Motul 710, instead make premix right into gas, it is longer but WAY MORE safer, oilmasters are faulty AF, also on internet find you mix ratio (i got 1:50), so basicly, wehn you are at gas station and u fill up your gass tank also add Motul 710 into it, also u dont need to warm up, but be easy on gas, shift everytime before you hit powerband, around 65*C you can ride to limiter
I absolutely love seeing people live out their dream. Congratulations my guy. 🎉
so nostalgic - owned a NSR125 years ago, incredible machines, mine did 20k km between 'rebuilds'. And rebuilds themselvs are a 4 hour job max
Your father did you right with that advice, the amount of money I've spent on gas oil and parts would easily cover buying two 4 strokes and riding the soul out of them :)
Great vid!
The yellow light at 9:18 is the kickstand warning light, should illuminate when the stand is down and turn off when its up. My 2020 Tuono Factory has one, super cool to see Aprilia was doing this back then!
It even looks like a kickstand ;) But yeah maybe I am already familiar with it from my '17 Tuono as well.
One of my favourite bikes, even if it did blow up every other week! Sounds like yours is still all restricted if it feels that underpowered. I had the 3rd gen model, but put the larger carb on it as well as adding the powervalve and derestricted ECU and it was a rocketship! Hit 8k and that PV kicks in and it just makes you cackle like a madman.
The one I always really wanted was the RS250, but those things are rare as hens teeth here.
One of those bikes I’ve always wanted to own too
You're welcome to ride mine in a TikTok video lol
I live on the border with Italy (Slovenia) these machines are still very common. Even i as a teenager had a two-stroke RX125 and i am an Aprilia owner even today. I still remember warming it up every day before going to school, it was an incredible experience for a 16yo. Happy times indeed.
You brought back so many memories for me. My first bike was an RGV 250, and till today, my best bike i ever had. Old with a lot of problems, but it's still the best i ever had.
Oh man the 250 2-stokes were amazing. Have had a TZR250 3MA and a NSR250 MC18
I raced these when I was 14-15 y/o in an Aprilia RS125 cup. Great bikes. Full power they are pretty fast too. I went through 3 engines in 2 seasons, lol. And about 15 crashes, but also 1 win and a couple of crashes from podium contention. Loved that bike, great brakes and chassis. Solid memories.
I know I bought your parts of your dad
Orange dash light is the side stand bud, I blanked mine off on my rs125 because if the stand is down the bike is not meant to start, stand up the light goes off and will start, not ideal when you need to warm the bike up while having a coffee before a lekker skit.
Haha thanks, mate. I figured it out eventually.
It was such a sweet bike to ride as a 16 year old 20 years ago! Virtually no power under 8k RPM but full 30hp over 8k RPM would be due to missing or stuck open variable exhaust valve. Most 2-stroke bikes had a system like that to have usable power in low RPM (over 4-5k maybe) but still get the maximum power in high RPM. The valve would seize quite easily and it was such a pain to clean / replace the parts. I remember some guys just not installing the variable exhaust valve system at all and running their 2 stroke bikes with a de-restricted exhaust always at high RPM and not caring about the missing power at low RPM.
Hahaha, the "cranking" with kill switch on is such Italian thing :D I bought super cheap Cagiva Mito SP525 which did the same thing
Mate what a video!! as a 16 yr old unrestricted RS125 ridder you nailed the experience! that light on the left is the kick stand warning light which doesn't kill the engine when you drive away with it down. It only comes on once though cause driving away with the stand down breaks the switch ; )
i really hope enough of these bikes survive. would love to revisit them someday. I'll never forget finding the first stage of the power valve. i used to short shift when i bought it first...until one day coming over the crest of a hill and the revs crept into the power valve range - i'll never forget that shove!!
I have a 2007 rs125 PY and I absolutely love it
I used to have a 2009 rs125 from 16 to 18 and after completely rebuilding/restoring her it was the most fun bike i ever rode. Surprisingly didnt have any reliability issues either
Because most people cant ride two strokes. They dont warm them up properly they dont change the piston often and they engine brake.
I swear these bikes never get old!! Small 2 strokes will always put a smile on your face, no matter what age you are 😁
Had a lot of stink wheels over the years. My last was a Suzuki RG500 with a Stan Stevens tuning kit on it. I bought it as a track day bike but the temptation to have a road ride was too great and I dropped it on some gravel. It flipped twice and destroyed all the plastic all the four exhausts and the engine cases were scuffed. Luckily a guy bought it for the frame and wheels and it only cost me all the money I had
When I was a teenager, my dream bike was the Yamaha TZR. Little did I know, I was living through what would be the final years for two strokes. In fact I was already past them but not by that much that you didn't still see many of them around. Also the TZR was already super rare but the RS wasn't. But much like you my dad steered me away and I ended up getting a CBR125R too. It was a great little bike, and I came to appreciate that long after I had gone on to bigger and better stuff, but the truth is that I'd never go back to it, or anything like it. I still have not managed to get my hands on a proper 2 stroke 125cc rocket so this video really speaks to me.
Man, I remember being in STD6 and seeing Gareth G (Matric boy, maniac and all round cool guy) riding his RS125 around and being SO envious. I later got my hands on a RS250 poster that I still have in a box somewhere some 25yrs later. Glad you found joy in riding a dream.
One of your best videos yet! You really captured the essence of the bike and your connection to it
Here in the Texas, you can ride a 250cc at 15, when you get your license at 16, you can get whatever you want. However, I like small bikes and would have loved some of these small 2-strokes. I used to play Tourist Trophy just because I couldn't get anything like that here.
That's interesting. Another reason to live in Texas!
@@ChaosCauses it is fun. I just finished the video bruh, ouch I am so sad, I really wanted to see you on the track. But man does this baby bike have some character! I just subscribed to your channel.
If you are in houston, tx, come out to the kart track in Katy, TX. There are several 2 stroke bikes 125cc and under. Hope to add my rs125 to the mix soon. I will be hunting groms. I did a few simple laps on the rs a few weeks ago to identify what needs to be fixed with my “new” bike. The best I did was 2 sec a lap slower than the best on my Grom.
@@sportytoes I live in the Seabrook area, I will have to try this!!!
I had one of these when I was 16 years old. Riding it for the first time was the best feeling ever. No other motorcycle has given me so much joy. Even despite the fact that I had seized the engine three times. Probably there was some problem with my oil dispenser. I remember that feeling when I reached hgh RPM and exhaust valve opened for the first time. For me back then it was a feeling from another planet. I was literally scared of that acceleration at the beginning. It felt so much faster than my previous aprilia RS 50 and that boring CBF 125 from driving school. Those were good times. I only regret that I lived 100m from my school so I didn't ride there xD. In my coutry (Poland) only very rych kids could lay their hands on it and any other 125cc motorcycle, because used one costed about three average monthly salaries which was pretty sad.
Great video! Used to have an RS50 when I was 16, only got to ride it twice though because of the same Italian reliability
I own one. Now at 56k miles, 7k on new engine rebuild, sweet as a nut. Electrical issues though!
@@freddieparrydrums Ahh nice, glad to hear there's still a few about. Yeah I should have probably done a rebuild on mine, wasn't looked after before me I don't think
Classic breaking down on the first lap, never a dull moment with the Aprilia. When it is running well it is such a joy to ride, had mine for 13 years, admittedly half of that was spent in dismantled in the garage.
Get that temp gauge fixed, i ran too hot recently and it cost me a top end 😅
Love your content bro
I had an -03 tuono as my first bike when i was 16. That engine note brings back so much memories.
This video shows the underrated side of these small cc bikes! Great video as usual, love your content! 🔥🔥🔥
Mate I wanted an RS125 when I was 17 I got a CBR125 instead too haha! Sadly mine got stolen after 7 months of ownership, that was 14 years ago. Didn't get on a bike again until a month ago when I took my full test and got my dream bike, an R6. Don't think I've ever been happier in my life.
2-smoke bikes require their maintenance, but when they are made properly, they work very damn well!
I've never broken a gas cable while riding, i've had it break when installing it.
That it mixes oil and fuel is a gem to have, a Suzuki FZ50 moped made in the early '80's even had it, but i rarely see them today where the mixer works.
The bump in production is phenomenal ! I love it !
Great video. I have an Aprilia RS 125 from 2012 and had the same issue as you have with the motor " bogging down" under 7000 rpm. I fixed it by replacing the spark plug and adjusting the carb by about half a turn of the mixture screw to make it run more lean. If the problem still persists, try replacing the ignition coil as might be electrical related.
Loved the video! My teenager hero was an Aprilia RS250 also 2 stroke and now thanks to you I'm on craigslist searching for one😊 the only problem is that my wife didn't love the video as much as I did!😂
I had one at 16, rode it to school everyday, loved every second of it
a few bikes later and i still miss it sometimes
I bought my RS125 new in 1993. I still have it!
Looks like most of the issues you have had are due to previous owners. Rear brake is a bit of a pain to bleed, as the bleed nipple is not the topmost point of the caliper.
Doing a hill start with a pillion is, err, interesting. A very fine balance between stalling and dropping the pillion off the back!
Could you make a video on your selling process? You've gone through a good heap of bikes and eagerly take on more. Yet some people hinder their choices becausee they are afraid of the selling process. I think a video like that would help a lot of people!
I always liked the Cagiva Mito better. The old ones that had like a bit over 30hp. Rode one once. Something that light going that fast on a highway is pretty scary.
and the fact that it looked like an old ducati charmed me and still does.
and I also had a CBR, the older, 2006 model, that is not nearly as stable on high speeds as the 2011- JC50. but it was a good bike, if a little small.
I had an Aprilia RS125 but always wanted a Cagiva Mito. The Aprilia was amazing but the Mito looked like a mini Ducati 916. Unfortunately they were hard to find here in Ireland.
Nice video with good conclusion. Ive had 3 4 stroke and 5 2 stroke bikes and man 2 strokes are fun to ride but when you love riding you should get a 4 stroke because its just gonna be there instead of dying all the time
Gorgeous bike bud, hope to see some full laps on the track!
Started riding in 99 in South Africa on a 93 Yamaha 2 stroke TZR 125 4JB then a 2 stroke Suzuki RGV 250 Gamma.
that should be the way of life. don't lose your dreams and fulfil them, when you can. ❤️
56 and still ride a lightly tuned RS125. Aprilia FB chamber, FP airbox snorkel, jettet. So much fun. Used to race 125gp bikes on a Honda RS125R
Btw, the Aprilia 125 gp (RSW125) bikes are completely different to the street based RS125.
the OP is still a kid, obviously has not done enough research before getting the bike. i am taking bets that he will sell it in under 2 years like most people do, its a phase of life, unlike me, i am 2strokes till the end and wife complains why they are there in the bedroom. ring a ding ding...
Loved this video. Had been waiting for another upload. 2 strokes are amazing!
i rode one of these for years, me and my friends all had one and use to ride them "hard", i never had a single issue with mine but maintained it well the sound brings back fond memories
Glad to see this old friend again!
On the left there is a small button to start the stopwatch, but if the screen does not work...
As the owner of one of the "supermoto version of this bike", the HM CRM 125, I can't say anything bad about the Rotax 122. Pretty modern 2 stroke engine that can last a long time with well-timed maintenance, not as powerful as a race-ready MX engine but packs a punch anyways. Treat your RS well, congrats!
Them crm 125s are sick, it looks like the plastics are exact same as the old Hondas and even the frame shares similarities
To me as a 40 year old the Grom was the cutest and most fun looking bike ever, I got one a week after seeing it and it proved to be true. I got a bigger bike for highway use but I'll never sell the Grom as it's got so much soul.
Wouldn't mind owning an old smoker like this (or even something like a GT550/Original Kawasaki h1/h2) and putting some miles on it, so long as it has expansion chambers. And breaking cables and little issues is par for the course on an old carb'd bike.
Got a 2003 model in the garage.. Fastest 125 I've ever ridden! Can have a lot of fun on it for sure.. I've even blown the piston on it before, but had a lot of fun fixing it.
I saw these for sale in the USA back in 2008. Unfortunately, they were track-only (not road-legal) and the importer had removed mirrors, turn signals, etc from the brand-new bikes.
Idk y they won't let us have fun 2strokes on roads here! 😭
You can find replacements if you look hard enough...
There are ways...
@@22smcrrider96 Yeah but you can straight up buy a liter bike once you get your license in the states.
@@myfacern7232 that is very true! U can literally get any bike you can afford! Well actually I can pretty much get any bike even if you can't afford it. Some people finance bikes they have zero business getting but that's AMERICA!!
well, if you want to bleed your rear brake caliper properly, you need to demount it and turn it upside down, otherwise air will be stucked in the highest part of the caliper and that probably happend in you case, that's why brake lever is soft sometimes
I’m a bit older than you so my dream bike at school was a Honda NSR 250. My mate had one and I was jealous to no end as I rode behind him on my sister’s pink scooter
I do love those too!
Morning coffee and watching this, what a great way to start the weekend! Top video mate
I am that 50 yr old guy, except mine is a 1991 Suzuki RG125 FN.
Had one new at 18 and still own one now, just not the same one. That clutch work you speak of is the "Theatre" of riding a 2T😊.
Great watch, well done 👍🏼
Side stand light on the dash. People cut wiring at times. Nice video. I owned an RS & SX which is same engine but in supermoto form. You can get bit carried away with mods but should be able to carry you up a hill lol.
When you mentioned riding all day instead of ending up in school it was too real man. The exact reason I failed my first year of college (albeit an rs50 in the UK) 😂😂
When you just carrying on riding right past the college gates like "have fun with your education, fools"
Been there too🤣
I remember the days of the RS50 free first years insurance deals etc. Then the derbi 50 gangs
when i was 13 my dad got me a kx85 big wheel, the things i learnt from that snappy little racing 2 stroke is insane, i reckon i spent more time brapping down the street then i did on the track. biggest thing i learnt was that you cant ride a 2 stroke like a 4 stroke, while a 4 stroke will chill around at 3-5k rpm a 2 stroke is crying in that range, im sure the rs125 is similiar to my old kx85 in the sense that its supposed to be ridden like a race bike clicking down a gear if your under 5000rpm. sit a gear lower than you would in a 4 stroke and im telling you the bike will wake up
What a great video ! the story, the shots, everything. I would only add more on board time ;)
My hero was the 999/749 ducati from 2003, bought one and man the sensation this kind of bike gives you is so good
Makes me smile seeing this, al a 2004 boorn guy growing up in germany my eyes ware glaring at this kind of bikes
I had one of these as my 2nd bike and to this day it is still the most fun bikes i have ever owned. The handling and flickability will spoil pretty much all your next bikes moving forward. Currently have a gsxr 750 and it doesnt have anywhere close to the fun factor as one of these
I had an RS50. Dreamt about a 125 for a year... was split between the RS, Mito, and NSR. I really preferred the two Italian bikes but was talked into the Honda for better reliability. I wrote off the NSR within a months, then 6 months later got myself a Mito and loved it - even though it had electrical woes!
As a teenager mad about the lightweight and extra power combo of 2-stroke bikes, I was also drawn to the 250s. I still haven't ever ridden an RS 125... my don't ride/buy your hero moment came when I bought myself an RS250. It would've been fine if it was my only bike, and I jumped straight from my Mito to the 250... but I had a CBR400 and come to appreciate that 4-strokes are less of a faff on the road. Plus the razor sharp, quick, flighty handling of the lightweight 250 would be more at home on a racetrack.
I remember at 17 being limited to a 125. But would then go race a 750 at the weekend.
Used to really annoy me!
i Had the counterpart - a "Cagiva Mito 125" 7 gears - 34 HP.
The time i had that motorcycle was the happiest part of my life.
Theres nothing crazier than owning a 125 ccm 2 stroke at 16 years old.
7:37 50cc 2 stroke scooters also have oil pumps, its on basically anything.
My first bike was literally exactly the same, was a super late one registered in 2006. I would love to find it and get her back.
You can ride 125 bikes with a1 license, which you can get at 16 years old at least in poland
I had a full power 1996 in silver, exactly the same as the one on the timeline. Absolutely loved it
"You should allways ride your heroes"
I love this guy
Bruce Willis better watch out
Keep an eye on the gear oil - it could be the case that your crankshaft seals have gone and it’s drawing the oil into combustion. Lovely bike though, I had the Cagiva Mito - the RS’ main competitor!
i have one from 2011 its so perfect
Definitely feel your point.
Had back in the day a DT125-X, that time where my mind was coloured blue. :D
Unfortunately in Germany you had to cut it down to 80km/h then until 18 years old and also down to 15hp, but it was anyway way cooler, than the 4-strokes :)
Despite having a MT09 and a R6, I still miss the small DT
When I was in matriek a girl in our school got a RS125 and to say I fell in love is an understament. Seeing her climb of the bike in the mornings was just so beautiful to my teenage brain. I did not even know bikes well then but you just knew that is a special bike.
Great video about an awesome bike. My older brother imported a Yamaha TZR 50 two stroke. It's another one of those tiny bikes that needs to sing for its supper, but damn did it sing well.
I had and still have the rs50 at 16 man its a blast , the way i used to warm it up before school was just rag the shite outta it to school! Then ride back home again purposely leaving something behind😲
I learned to ride on a CB250, then I learned to ride fast on a RG250. I still remember hitting the powerband for the very first time. I wasn't prepared, so the front wheel came up & I started sliding off the back and I held on to the bars so tightly I twisted the throttle open even more. Good times.
you need more subs bro this content is magical 🥰🥰😍
awesome video, got me laughin at that wiring horor that goes on with that bike 🤣
Surely a clasic that every teen dreamt of. My friend had honda nsr 125 and it was a rocket compared to my 4 stroke at that time.
Justin. This film you made is a work of art just like the 125
I just bought a 2004 one and love it
I always use olive oil for getting grease and oily dirt off my hands. Works better than commercial hand cleaner, it is non toxic, and cleans off easily with soapy water.
To this day every time i see this bike a tear comes to my eyes, i love it so much, my first bike that i'll have in my heart forever ♥
Wow. I never new this bike existed! What a cool machine!! Great video man!
Watching this made me miss my RS 250 ❤
Video quality has been going up significantly in the past year!! Good work
I had an aprillia RS125 that was tuned to the limit I blew it up twice, it was an absolute beauty in Spain's NO1 livery it was so much fun to ride . It had a serious drink problem when it came to fuel
I have a 1998 model added a powerband. Loved it around town
You have to rev it high :) my cousin got such a motorcycle brand new, I remember how envious I was of him ... we rode it together a lot, I think it went 90 km/h in second gear. During that time and considering that we had 18 years, it was a wicked machine. It looked big and strong (at least to us then). Later, the cousin had several crashes with that bike, the last crash unfortunately caused total damage (the cousin is fine) and after that bike was sold for parts. It's a shame if he didn't save it, it would be interesting to have it today.
I'm hoping you have invested in a jollymoto corsa exhaust.... they sound phenomenal and when jetted correctly make a good power gain
great vid! i still have my aprilia rs125 2011 model. seeing as it’s the same engine as the 1999 one, i think the problem with your motor bugging down below 8k rpm should be the carb. it’s not tuned properly & needs to be a lil more rich in the carb, that should fix it. other than that great vid and keep up the good work! love the stories
Those sounds bring back great memories of all the miles I did on a Suzuki RG150
As for your temp gueage issue, the cable that connect to the top of the temp sensor is probably loose, had that happen to me not so long ago 🫡
I got one brand new when I was 19 in 1997. I thrashed it everywhere and luckily never had any problems with it.
Had it about 2 years then sold it to a friend who also managed not to blow the engine up. Maybe we were lucky and got a really good one or maybe we looked after it well. Always fully warmed up and good quality oil.
My teenage dream bike too, my first one was not a 125 or a motorbike instead it was an aprilia sr 50 moped and it also was full of italian quirks and brokedown often
You said it all. It is a dream come true! Keep the bike because it is a precious piece of machinery. I did say thank you to my dad too for not letting me buy my first dream xt 350 when I was 18. Now at almost 50 I've had the chance to ride as many as I wanted. Appreciate your videos as well. Keep smiling and keep riding! P. S. The 2stroke odour does not go easy far from you when you are in it!