Is a KX125 worth it in 2021?

nissan_
Profile picture for user nissan_
Posts
72
Joined
10/18/2021
Location
IE
nissan_ 11/4/2021 1:08am
11/4/2021 1:08am Edited Date/Time 11/4/2021 1:14am
theycallmeebryan wrote:
Yes. I have a shit ton of fun on mine. Im 6'1" 190lbs and i scream the tits off it but it gets me around just...
Yes. I have a shit ton of fun on mine. Im 6'1" 190lbs and i scream the tits off it but it gets me around just fine. It does have a slightly smaller rider triangle than modern ergos (kinda feels like a 7/8 scale bike to me, like an adult supermini), but the bike is so light and turns really well and is fun to rip around on.
Yeah, not everyone is saying they’re competitive but man everyone at least everyone says they’re fun. Do you have any trouble getting parts by any chance?
nissan_
Profile picture for user nissan_
Posts
72
Joined
10/18/2021
Location
IE
nissan_ 11/4/2021 1:14am
11/4/2021 1:14am Edited Date/Time 11/4/2021 1:15am
Ryan625 wrote:
I have ridden a lot of 2000’s+ year 125 and 250 two strokes. What I can tell you is that a good rider can still haul...
I have ridden a lot of 2000’s+ year 125 and 250 two strokes. What I can tell you is that a good rider can still haul ass on them and parts are still available. We will see if that changes post Covid bullshit.

I have two older two strokes and love fixing them up riding them, and I can maintain a pretty fast pace on them both, but my daily rider is definitely the new bike.

I’d suggest a newer yz or ktm if you wait to be competitive on it consistently.
The newer KTM or Yamaha is much more expensive. The trouble with finding a good YZ here is that the new ones are asking for 4500-6000 or the older ones have all been tampered with and have 2005 forks. I was looking for a YZ and believe me I still keep an eye out for one but they are so damn beat up or not even put together right in this price range.

Ireland’s bike market sucks but it’s the only thing I have at the moment. The cheapest KTM that was newer was like 4500 also which is absolutely horrible. That’s nearly 2 times more money. Maybe it will help you go 1-2 times faster but you’ll have the same fun. I also noticed that certain KTM parts go for more than other bikes.
Austin_Rankin
Profile picture for user Austin_Rankin
Posts
1119
Joined
9/3/2019
Location
Georgetown, KY, USA
Austin_Rankin 11/4/2021 1:14am
11/4/2021 1:14am
Im not saying this is true, but i heard through rhe grapevine, KX125s are the jap bike to go up against new Austrian 125cc engines.

I heard the chassis is also amazing.

I had a 2004 Honda CR125R and dang man was it the worst 125 i ever had.

I had a 04Rm125 and a 05Yz144

And both of those bikes were light years ahead of the cr.

The Rm125s handling was kinda trash due to the triple clamps just being so raked in and straight up and down but thats fixible.

The yz was kinda the same now that i think about it.

The kx i heard comes stock with 22mm clamps right off the bat, and kayaba fork. I could be wrong on that.
2
1
nissan_
Profile picture for user nissan_
Posts
72
Joined
10/18/2021
Location
IE
nissan_ 11/4/2021 1:26am
11/4/2021 1:26am
hanzhonglboy1 wrote:
looks like an old bike someone just put a restyle kit on. I cant believe the ask price is almost 4k usd. Like at that point...
looks like an old bike someone just put a restyle kit on. I cant believe the ask price is almost 4k usd. Like at that point you can go finance a new one if you had simply a fraction (say half) of that up front and pay comparatively little per month. Sometimes financing makes sense, especially if you have zero percent or low % interest.

To me, paying 4k usd for a 04 kx would be a time it does make sense. I know EU is more expensive and less bikes tho and that the situation isnt even remotely comprable to here in the usa. But damn, there must be some decent yz125s around, not those pieces of crap you posted the other day with the wrong year of forks on them and who knows what else problems with them.
The good YZs are 4500-6000. As a 16 year old guy who works on weekends not sure in how much time I’ll be able to get one.

If I’m buying a bike in that price range I’d buy a KTM/HUSQVARNA.

The bike is pretty old yeah, being an ‘05 the condition is fine and the restyle kit looks nice but it’s really about what’s on the inside.

Everyone says they’ve at least had fun on the Kawasaki which is the bare minimum for me. Considering this bike is 2900 and I need some sort of a trailer for a maximum of 500 more quid I’d already be down 3400 which is quite a bit of money, but it gives me some more leeway into getting parts and other bits and bobs given that they could be harder to find and more expensive.

I was talking to a racer a few months ago. He was showing me an ad that he was gonna get his kid some KTM 125. It was an ‘06 and he told me he had good experiences with older bikes and previously raced them. But he told me to avoid 250 2 strokes for some reason.

I always see guys at the races on these new bikes. Yeah, they’re cool, but most of those kids didn’t spend their own money on it, and going to those races and looking at those bikes, I feel like I could literally shoot myself in the leg to own one. I’m sure those kids value them. Also that guy paid like 2600 for the bike, but he had a sweet spot for the euro bikes like I have for the Jap two strokes.

I personally want a YZ but chances are that I won’t get one as they seem to be messed with and new ads don’t pop up very often here. I’m popping in and out of two advert sites on a daily basis and don’t see much new.

The Shop

See All »
Kelz87
Profile picture for user Kelz87
Posts
1369
Joined
7/21/2018
Location
Phoenix, AZ, USA
Fantasy
1654th
Kelz87 11/4/2021 1:29am
11/4/2021 1:29am Edited Date/Time 11/4/2021 1:36am
I kept my 05 even tho I’m not riding anymore. I’m not competitive, but I def had fun riding it. Flickable, no arm pump like my 250/350 gave me, just a fun bike.

Those older bikes can have one thing lead to another tho. I paid 1800 for it stock with a gummed up power valve. Oil was in the exhaust so the silencer packing had to be replaced. Linkage was shot, discovered a broken bolt in the swingarm and had to find one on eBay.

My opinion is they make a great second bike. If you want it, go for it








2
nissan_
Profile picture for user nissan_
Posts
72
Joined
10/18/2021
Location
IE
nissan_ 11/4/2021 2:13am
11/4/2021 2:13am Edited Date/Time 11/4/2021 2:14am
Kelz87 wrote:
I kept my 05 even tho I’m not riding anymore. I’m not competitive, but I def had fun riding it. Flickable, no arm pump like my...
I kept my 05 even tho I’m not riding anymore. I’m not competitive, but I def had fun riding it. Flickable, no arm pump like my 250/350 gave me, just a fun bike.

Those older bikes can have one thing lead to another tho. I paid 1800 for it stock with a gummed up power valve. Oil was in the exhaust so the silencer packing had to be replaced. Linkage was shot, discovered a broken bolt in the swingarm and had to find one on eBay.

My opinion is they make a great second bike. If you want it, go for it








Might’ve got unlucky and got a clapped out bike. I’ll be having a thorough look at the bike if I go to check it out. Even if I had to spend 500-600 more on the bike it’d still be cheaper than a KTM and YZ. In all fairness anything can happen to old or new bikes.

It looks great though.
nissan_
Profile picture for user nissan_
Posts
72
Joined
10/18/2021
Location
IE
nissan_ 11/4/2021 2:16am
11/4/2021 2:16am
Austin_Rankin wrote:
Im not saying this is true, but i heard through rhe grapevine, KX125s are the jap bike to go up against new Austrian 125cc engines. I...
Im not saying this is true, but i heard through rhe grapevine, KX125s are the jap bike to go up against new Austrian 125cc engines.

I heard the chassis is also amazing.

I had a 2004 Honda CR125R and dang man was it the worst 125 i ever had.

I had a 04Rm125 and a 05Yz144

And both of those bikes were light years ahead of the cr.

The Rm125s handling was kinda trash due to the triple clamps just being so raked in and straight up and down but thats fixible.

The yz was kinda the same now that i think about it.

The kx i heard comes stock with 22mm clamps right off the bat, and kayaba fork. I could be wrong on that.
I like these bikes and people who ride genuinely don’t have a bad opinion about them. No one has said it’s bad, just not the best but a good rider can still ride the hell out of it. I watched a video of some guy on a CR125 shredding so anything is possible. I want the bike and if I check it out and it’s good I’ll buy it. We only live once anyway.
suspensionguy 11/4/2021 10:03pm
11/4/2021 10:03pm
Hollywood009 wrote:
price seems high, grated its in Europe, but I see older 125s all the time for around $1500
Where are you seeing last generation Japanese 125’s for $1,500? I’d own two if that was the case here in the pac nw.
3
theycallmeebryan 11/4/2021 10:40pm
11/4/2021 10:40pm Edited Date/Time 11/4/2021 10:53pm
theycallmeebryan wrote:
Yes. I have a shit ton of fun on mine. Im 6'1" 190lbs and i scream the tits off it but it gets me around just...
Yes. I have a shit ton of fun on mine. Im 6'1" 190lbs and i scream the tits off it but it gets me around just fine. It does have a slightly smaller rider triangle than modern ergos (kinda feels like a 7/8 scale bike to me, like an adult supermini), but the bike is so light and turns really well and is fun to rip around on.
nissan_ wrote:
Yeah, not everyone is saying they’re competitive but man everyone at least everyone says they’re fun. Do you have any trouble getting parts by any chance?
I haven't had trouble getting parts really. The 2003 is the one off year. 04+ has a decent amount of parts available. RMATVMC and many other retailers have many OEM parts available as well.

BTW, you can bolt on triple clamps and suspension from modern KX 4-strokes onto the bike so you can have more modern forks. You just need a steering stop adapter from trickengineering. http://trickeng.com/product/kx125-250-steering-stop-adapter/ I had a full front end from a 2015 KX450 (Showa SFF TAC air forks) on my 04 KX125 for a good while. Saved 3 pounds off the front end and the forks performed better than the stock Kayaba open chamber forks. There are many fork options for kawasaki 4 strokes that are way better than the stock kayaba's. That said, i'm currently running the stock kayaba open chamber forks with racetech gold valves with pro setting and they work pretty dang well.

Also, KX450 wheels at least up to 2015 bolt right up to it.
DB97
Profile picture for user DB97
Posts
1179
Joined
7/28/2016
Location
Orlando, FL, USA
DB97 11/5/2021 7:47am
11/5/2021 7:47am
You can buy pretty much every part for the kx. I’m just putting mine on display or something now.
4
rosebud441
Profile picture for user rosebud441
Posts
1764
Joined
1/25/2012
Location
Bellingham, WA, USA
rosebud441 11/5/2021 8:10am
11/5/2021 8:10am
After a slew of yz 125's. i settled on these two kids and yes its true the yz is faster the alum frame was noticeably rigid compared to the KX,, I could ride the green bike on the edge, (my little edge anyway,Wink if your kx is running good and parts are fresh, they can go good,, I have never riddin current gen 125 so i don't know what i'm missing there.



1
dirtbikemike 11/5/2021 8:38am
11/5/2021 8:38am
I bought this 2003 KX125 for $300 a couple of years ago.





I bought some parts to restore it and then gave it to my son who finished it. He kicks ass on this bike in the +40 class locally against 450s. I don't think they like that too much. I won't speculate on how much we have invested in this bike. I just know he loves to ride it.












2
nskerb
Profile picture for user nskerb
Posts
542
Joined
11/21/2019
Location
Kelso, WA, USA
nskerb 11/5/2021 8:49am
11/5/2021 8:49am
suspensionguy wrote:
Where are you seeing last generation Japanese 125’s for $1,500? I’d own two if that was the case here in the pac nw.
125 Dream Race at the is cool and all but it has singlehandedly destroyed the used 125 market in a 400 mile radius.
1
Phillip_Lamb
Profile picture for user Phillip_Lamb
Posts
2117
Joined
12/14/2010
Location
ORANGEVALE, CA, USA
Phillip_Lamb 11/5/2021 10:15am
11/5/2021 10:15am
nissan_ wrote:
What’s up guys, do you think this ‘05 KX125 is still worth it in 2021? I like them but not sure if I’ll have to hunt...
What’s up guys, do you think this ‘05 KX125 is still worth it in 2021? I like them but not sure if I’ll have to hunt for parts or not.

Here is an advert I’m looking at right now.

https://www.donedeal.ie/view/29561828

Thanks
check parts sites for OEM parts of less often replaced items such as gear, cases etc.

the kx125 is still a good bike by today standards of 125. the engine is a little behind the KTM but close to a yz.

Swap out the forks from a newer kxf model 06+ 47mm showas work great.

only hiccup is the rear end, no one really makes the extended linkage arm any more which helped balance the chassis, and a shock swap has challenges


My brother has one with a PC ported motor, it rips and is a fun 125 and wouldnt be worried to race it against new 125s

Pit Row

See All »

Post a reply to: Is a KX125 worth it in 2021?