Stock 1983 RM125 vs. TMR modified 2019 125 SX on the track

Tokyo_Tiddler
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Tokyo_Tiddler
Edited Date/Time 12/30/2020 3:20pm
Every once in a while you see a guy flying around the track on a really old bike with seemingly little disadvantage to the newest bikes. Here is a good one..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WURUMB6kc14
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CPR
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CPR 12/30/2020 4:39am
12/30/2020 4:39am
Besides having a big HP advantage, the suspension and brakes alone on the KTM should be worth a handful of seconds per lap. Those early 1980s RM125 were awesome, but not that good, the rider is no slouch!
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OldTiddler
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OldTiddler 12/30/2020 5:50am
12/30/2020 5:50am
The idea of the comparison is interesting but the video itself is not, because the guy on the '19 does not know how to ride a 125. He's blipping the throttle going around a relatively smooth and easy track like he's doing a sight lap on a 450. That thing should be pinned the whole way around. Actually frustrating to watch.
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skypig
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skypig 12/30/2020 6:03am
12/30/2020 6:03am
I have an ‘81 RM125X.
Even though it was great in 1981 - it’s just plain horrible to ride compared to a late model bike.
The ‘80’s are a terrifyingly long time ago.
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beamer
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beamer 12/30/2020 6:16am
12/30/2020 6:16am
And there were have it, a’83 RM is better than a newish KTM. Lol, that was a cool video
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hypermoto
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hypermoto 12/30/2020 6:21am
12/30/2020 6:21am
OldTiddler wrote:
The idea of the comparison is interesting but the video itself is not, because the guy on the '19 does not know how to ride a...
The idea of the comparison is interesting but the video itself is not, because the guy on the '19 does not know how to ride a 125. He's blipping the throttle going around a relatively smooth and easy track like he's doing a sight lap on a 450. That thing should be pinned the whole way around. Actually frustrating to watch.
I believe he just started riding MX last year. He’s a trail guy
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Darrin Willis
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Darrin Willis 12/30/2020 7:04am
12/30/2020 7:04am
Great video. Was that cahuilla vet track?
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H4L
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H4L 12/30/2020 9:06am
12/30/2020 9:06am Edited Date/Time 12/30/2020 9:10am
That was impressive to watch. I had an 84 RM125 & going off memory it wasn’t the fastest 125 of that era. It was all top end or nothing & it didn’t handle that well.

The vid reminded me of a guy AKA the green hornet a local good rider. He was taking it to riders on 450’s with an older late 70’s 2 stroke.
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hogkiller
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hogkiller 12/30/2020 9:15am
12/30/2020 9:15am
I had a 82 and then a 83 Rm 125, The best bikes ever in my 49 years of riding , only thing that comes close was my 1987 Cr 125. That was a Great video
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RMT
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RMT 12/30/2020 9:23am
12/30/2020 9:23am
Yes, Cahuilla Vet track. If you watch until the end, the guy explains his riding skills and time on that bike. The guy on the RM raced expert back in the day so I would say KTM rider was doing pretty good. Not that the RM guy was this quality, but imagine Johnny O riding that RM on that track. Think you could keep up?
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FGR01
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FGR01 12/30/2020 9:45am
12/30/2020 9:45am
It was an interesting mix of factors. The difference in rider experience, etc. The track being so flowy and smooth with no huge jumps makes it kind to that old suspension and brakes and diminishes the advantages of the new bike. Still cool to watch.
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mxb2
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mxb2 12/30/2020 10:33am
12/30/2020 10:33am
Equal skill level. The ktm would destroy. The zook.
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ATKpilot99
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ATKpilot99 12/30/2020 12:16pm
12/30/2020 12:16pm
mxb2 wrote:
Equal skill level. The ktm would destroy. The zook.

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mxb2
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mxb2 12/30/2020 12:20pm
12/30/2020 12:20pm
mxb2 wrote:
Equal skill level. The ktm would destroy. The zook.
ATKpilot99 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2020/12/30/468978/s1200_jFtSPZP4.jpg[/img]

Laughing Laughing
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peltier626
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peltier626 12/30/2020 12:29pm
12/30/2020 12:29pm
mxb2 wrote:
Equal skill level. The ktm would destroy. The zook.
ATKpilot99 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2020/12/30/468978/s1200_jFtSPZP4.jpg[/img]

mxb2 wrote:
Laughing Laughing
This made me laugh my ass off, thanks I needed a good laugh. Awesome video and knowing there is lots of fun to be had on any bike regardless.
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Tokyo_Tiddler
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Tokyo_Tiddler 12/30/2020 2:28pm
12/30/2020 2:28pm Edited Date/Time 12/31/2020 1:05am
wow.. the video practically spoon feeds the obvious, but people still feel the need to debate the obvious. The title screen of the video states 20% bike 80% rider. No one is going to argue that a 1983 RM125 is better than a 2019 125SX, rather, the point demonstrated that some of the old bikes were good enough that in the right hands, they could do a fair job battling a buddy riding a superior bike.

The video clearly stated that the guy riding the RM125 was a former pro rider that raced the same bike. It also states that the guy on the 125SX was 4 months new to riding 125s. The vet rider on the 125SX was no slouch on an MX track though and the former Pro said he was riding at about 85-90% to help even it up so they could hang together and dice in the corners. The smooth fast track also helped equalize the bike and rider skills somewhat.

In this particular situation, noting all the points above, I was surprised how well the old RM did powering out of the corners vs. a superior motor. The 2 riders/ bikes were able to hang together and have a fun little battle as you would with friends at local track. Again, this is the point of the video I believe.

I would have liked to see them switch bikes at the end though.
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DirtRoadmx47 12/30/2020 3:05pm
12/30/2020 3:05pm
That was great !!! I have an 82 Rm 250, the engine has good power up top and the rear suspension feels as good as my 18 Ktm 250sx but it doesn't like to stop and the forks...Meh. Great vid though
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MyBobbym
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MyBobbym 12/30/2020 3:20pm
12/30/2020 3:20pm
FGR01 wrote:
It was an interesting mix of factors. The difference in rider experience, etc. The track being so flowy and smooth with no huge jumps makes it...
It was an interesting mix of factors. The difference in rider experience, etc. The track being so flowy and smooth with no huge jumps makes it kind to that old suspension and brakes and diminishes the advantages of the new bike. Still cool to watch.
And no semblance of whoops. This vid shows a pretty good rider and a not so pretty good rider.
mark_swart
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mark_swart 12/30/2020 3:24pm
12/30/2020 3:24pm
I love these types of comparisons, because I race vintage and modern. On a two minute track, I'd say my 90s bikes have been 3-4 seconds a lap slower than what I do on modern, my 86 CR 500 more like 5-7 seconds slower. I was a little surprised last week when I rode my trusty 500 back to back with a 87 CR 125 build I just finished and my 125 laps were about two seconds faster. But it was also a fairly tight track where any power advantage the 500 had was mitigated by being able to dive bomb the turns on the 125.

I'd really like to get some time on 83-84ish bikes just to feel the evolution between there and 86, because I know it was pretty significant. Such a cool era for bike development - I don't think any other era can compare to the 79-89 decade in that regard.

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