A resurgence in biking has meant that many manufacturers are
producing new model 125 cc machines.
There is no shame in any biker riding a 125 because they are not the noisy, irritating machines of the 1980s which a generation of Learners rode. Modern 125s are quiet, relatively, the electronics work, and they are reliable. You also don't have to mix oil or kick-start them.
Dropping down in CC is rare, but many people are returning to riding after being off bikes for years, or older riders purchase smaller cc bikes to keep biking without the weight of larger machines. I have to do it to review the bikes and the issues I have found which are not exclusive to the VSR 125; I hit the rev limiter as I strive for power and speed. You do have to change your mindset and your riding.
I went to overtake a car pootling along on a 40 mph road, dropped down to third, and the revs shot up, and as I continued to twist the throttle, the bike hit 8500 rpm and started to stall as the limiter cut the engine. I had to back off the overtake and the power, so the revs dropped. Pulling away from junctions requires planning because you can get out in a gap on a larger bike and quickly get to speed. On the 125, you can't take any risks on openings; you have to leave more room and time to pull out.
For purely urban use, the Kymco VSR 125 comes into its own. Speed is irrelevant in towns and cities, and vital factors such as lightness and agility take precedence, in which the VSR 125 excels.
The front wheel is 80/100-17, and the rear is 110/80-17, so the 17-inch (25 cm) front and rear are good for stability & build-up of speed but still relatively narrow, allowing you to throw the bike around with ease. Slim tyres are standard on the majority of 125cc bikes.
