Which SM would you buy???
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So I've just sold my much loved DTR and I'm looking to get a beastly SM. Yes I could have converted my DTR, but TBH there were too many things to get right. Plus there was not an abundance of straight swap parts too. So I decided to sell up and move on to new adventure's. So now that I'm flush with cash I'm looking at what's available and what's worth investing in? I rarther fancy an Aprilia MX 125, but have heard stories of poor reliability? But this may be down to a lack of servicing by their owners? I would'nt mind a KTM 125 Exc, but they seem to be pricey and super rare?
So my question is if you had the choice to buy any 125 SM, which bike would you go for and why?
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The Aprilia is a road bike built with road reliability. The exc is a competition bike built with competition in mind. It's life expectancy is measured in hours not miles.
The Aprilia suffers from poor owners not paying attention to the maintenance schedule. It is true they break down. Only because maintenance was ignored.
They contain a savage engine, one that I am currently building.
If you have a license then it would pay to get a four stroke SM for reliability.
I would get an MX but they come at a price.
Always Originate, Never Pirate!
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@Calum I don't have my full licence yet, so I am restricted to a 125 ATM. I've also seen that you can swap the Rotax 122 engine for a 257? Which would be interesting for a future project. And I see your point with road verses comp bikes. I'm pretty handy with the spanner's so I don't mind the servicing aspect. What sort of price are you reffering too with the MX tho? Their need for regular maintenance or something else???
SEDUCED BY THE DARK SIDE!!!
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@CYBER-NINJA Those 257 engines are pricey, but makes a beast of an engine.
It's not just maintenance, they're competition bikes. They are not designed for prolonged RPM use on tge road with sufficient cooling. They are designed for the track. Although the exc is more suited to road use. You have to knoxk the compression back a little bike and richen the mixture.
My mate seized his KTM last night riding it like a road bike lol.
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My road-registered KTM 125 SX lasted for over 120 hours before I ended up rebuilding it. Even then i only rebuilt it because I flooded the thing! It was incredibly reliable for me and I hardly ever serviced it. A few times I took it to my dad's place, which is a 22 mile motorway trip. At a constant 60mph, nothing ever went wrong.
It had all genuine parts inside the engine when I bought it so I don't think there is a problem with reliability at all, if you get one that's been well maintained.
TDR 125 - 2001
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Shame you don't have a full licence, I've got a KTM 640 supermoto and that is beastly, if you need it to be a 125 for the road and want something you can enjoy without having to do top end rebuilds on a schedule then the Aprilia would be good, or you could get something older like the Aprilia ETX 125 or Kawasaki KDX125SR which both come with USD forks. Both are reliable and can be bought cheap enough you can get some decent SM wheels and do it up the way you want it.
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@CYANIDE-2600 My plan was always to get a solid years riding under my belt, so that I can experience riding in all weathers etc. And then take my test, so that I also have a years NCB on my insurance. Then look at beastly SM like a KTM or a SXV perhaps? That is still the plan but my next project has also some wiggle room to upgrade so who knows???
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Honestly if I had the licence, I'd get an MZ Baghira. Husqvarna frame, Yamaha 660cc single with an Mz badge. They're the dogs dandies and won't break the bank either
http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w402/Burridge1/Mobile Uploads/image_zpsaxj9ogye.jpeg
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They did the baghira and the mastiff. Baghira has the headlight cowl and the mastiff has twin round headlamps. I remember seeing a baghira for sale and really wanting it. Big. Comfy, and pretty nice to ride.
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@CYANIDE-2600 said in Which SM would you buy???:
Big. Comfy, and pretty nice to ride.
Sounds like my misses - whoops sorry sweetheart I meant the troll next door!!! LOL
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@CYBER-NINJA said in Which SM would you buy???:
@CYANIDE-2600 said in Which SM would you buy???:
Big. Comfy, and pretty nice to ride.
Sounds like my misses - whoops sorry sweetheart I meant the troll next door!!! LOL
Haha
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@MIGHTYMAN said in Which SM would you buy???:
That is odd! Looks like an air cooled cylinder but I'm sure I can also see a radiator..
They are water cooled as far as I know!
The rad is pretty small though
