So my buddy is selling this, it's been sitting 20 years, engine turns over, been stored dry, but plenty of corrosion. Six thousand km on the clock and it's probably true. Tell me I don't want a finicky 250 bhp/ltr explosive powerband impractical smells great does something funny in my pants purple two stroke. I am struggling so hard not to.
Only good for masochists, it'll need a new one of everything from rusted-in brake seals to rusted-in swingarm bearings. And when it's all done you'll be left with a bike that's only slightly better than other featherweights, is completely impractical, and cost the same as a new bike to put together even if it was free.
If you already have another one that runs nicely but needs new plastics, then go for it!
Agree it'll be a balls to fix up, but i don't think any other bike, especially "newer" bikes, can match that special thing only a highly strung 125cc two stroke can provide. maybe it's rose tinted glasses, looking back at my rg125 gamma2. it really did eat power valves and slurp fuel like v8, but was a whole lotta fun i haven't had since.
I can understand the allure, when it feels like you're pushing the envelope of whats possible with WOT on a screaming engine ... FWIW new Aprilia 125s don't make the same power (because 4 stroke, legal power restrictions, and emissions) but they do sound like a Moto GP bike when you keep them above 8K (they make no power below 7K). The local teenagers here love the Supermoto version, which can push the envelope in other ways ... namely backing it in while scraping the pegs. Also, they don't have to strip the bike apart every week just to keep moving like we did, lol
A highly tuned four stroke is fun, but it's not the same, am determined now, I will have a little ripper!
Fair enough, if you can get this one for near-free then it can fit the bill if you're determined and have the skills.
My baby is a 1980 Yamaha TY175 that was pulled from a shed and I custom built it into a full competition machine so I don't think I can criticise. It cost me about 5000€ in total, and still needs a couple of things, lol