1980 RM 125

Air boxes are sometimes elusive. Tanks can also be a challenge but seem to come in batches. Most other items are there. Contact Vintage Suzuki for plastic, I hear they are taking orders via email but not through website. Use DC as an alternative. Shocks can be had at Noleens or other similar vendors. Aftermarket pipes/heads/swingarms can be difficult and expensive as well. Have a 79 and it has been a solid bike. Not that I twist the throttle too much. Good luck, bikes handle well, suspended well and decent power.

 Here’s the one I race

 Go for it! the 1979/80 RM125's are very iconic, fun and compeitive bikes to restore and race. I have a complete 1980 RM125 waiting in the wings for this years "race" restoration, I purchased gasket kit, piston kit, complete engine seal kit, main bearings and tank decals in just a few minutes on the computer and they are ready to go this spring. If your 1980 RM shock seals are good you can remove resivoir/ flush shock and resivoir out re-fill with good shock fluid, recharge the nitrogen and be race ready (I did).

 Hi, This is me on my 79 RM125. I raced it for several seasons. I rebuilt it several times through those. I love the bike,,but it's a small lay-out. I'm 5'5" and 150. In this picture I was 132lbs. Larger heavier fellows will struggle on this model.They lack bottom end,,even tricked out like mine for more mid power,,it still is soft compared to my 1980 YZ125 in bottom/mid. This makes a good screamer, at expense of maintenance over the season. I used 2-3 top ends each season.I stocked up pistons and rod kits. The tanks do split from age. The clutch baskets get notchy,,,the swingarm at pivot split under the plastic guide. Shocks I always run foxs I build. Forks I like stock ones. Parts are pretty easy to get. Value isn't high on resale,,,cause it's a small 125. Most old farts are heavy and want 250s/500s to race. Cost to build is same though. I'd suggest looking in mirror,,if your lighter like me, and like to ride aggressive,and scream and clutch them,,this is a great bike. 

I raced a 1980 RM 125 T for 3 years ( 1980-1982) . I was 5’10”and 155 lbs back then and the layout did not appear to be small at all . I almost bought the Yamaha YZ 125 in 1980 as it was much improved engine wise over the 1979 YZ . I still have my notes from when I test rode each bike . The RM had a wider power band than the YZ and just a little bit more hp . If I remember right the RM had about 3/4 hp more than the YZ . The RM also handled better also . A year after I bought my RM I installed Olin’s on the rear and had my forks reworked and had the engine ported . It was very competitive against the 1981 and 1982 125’s .

Not being water cooled did not effect me as I only raced local and only race 30 min motos one time . The rest of the races were 5 lap motos up to 20 min motos 

The only mods I made on my 1979 RM125 were to ditch the stock throttle/cable that would kink if you looked crosswise at it and replaced it with the Gunnar Gasser I'd used on my 77 RM250. The 250 engine ended up in a shifter cart and for some reason I still had the carb, so I wedged it into the 125. It didn't quite fit so I cut an innertube and put it between the engine and the carb. With that setup I was able to pass bikes down the straights when racing it in 1982.