After a couple of years without a bike, and with my CBT (Compulsory Basic Training certificate) due to run out for the 4th time, I decided I wanted another bike.
I wanted to do my full test fairly quickly - it was getting embarrassing to keep taking my CBT test, the guys at the test centre knew me by name!
However, although I was over 21 and could therefore do direct access, I decided that I would go for the A1 licence. This meant that I would be restricted to a bike of 33BHP for 2 years after passing my test. I didn't think this would be a problem for me as I drive a car as my regular transport and couldn't afford to insure and run a big bike anyway.
The A1 test is taken on a 125cc bike as opposed to the Direct access test which is taken on a bike of at least 35kw - usually a 500cc, so I decided to get a 125 to use until I passed my test. This meant that I could get comfortable with my new bike and use it for my training as well as the test, plus I wouldn't have to hire a bike.
I started to look for a bike, but didn't want to spend a fortune. I also didn't want something that would be unsafe (the training centre wouldn't allow me to use it then anyway) or unreliable. I was struggling to find something and was moaning about it to my boyfriend. He asked me what sort of bike I wanted, and I mentioned that I used to have a Honda NS125R and I love it. I didn't think I would be able to find a decent one for a sensible price though and had almost ruled it out.
About a week later my boyfriend came round and said that a friend of his had an NS125 in the back of his shop - it was in bits but did I want to have a look?
I didn't hold out much hope, but decided to give it a once over. I went round that day, and after a quick glance I nearly walked away. It was an old model, an F Reg, like the one I had previously.
It had no panels on it and looked terrible. After rooting around I found most of the panels and had a better look at the bike. The engine was in-situ and all the running gear seemed to be there. I talked to the owner and found that he had bought it for his son, who was going to rebuild it. He had taken the panels off, started to rub them down and got bored. That had been over a year ago, since then it hadn't moved.
He wanted £150 for it, and assured me that it ran - in fact that it ran very well. It was an Italian import and had been used for racing - hence the vast array of dubious colours adorning the panels.
Always one for taking a chance - I bought it and took it home in a van, complete with boxes containing all the panels and various other bits which looked like they belonged.
Whilst continuing the strip-down of the panels for respraying-me and my boyfriend, with some help from a friend Paul, started trying to figure out any missing parts or anything that needed replacing.
The front fairing was missing, including the headlight, and the chain/sprockets needed replacing, but that was about all. If the engine was okay, like we'd been promised, we were on a winner.
By the time the panels had been rubbed down and were ready for spraying, a new headlight cowling had been bought and the new chain and sprockets were fitted.
The panels were resprayed in white and peppermint green - I know it sounds awful, but look at the photos before you judge - and I had some NSR stickers made to match.
I bought mini purple anodised indicators, front and rear, but had to make a bracket to fit them at the front as the originals were mounted on the fairing.
The bike was put together like a big jigsaw and we tried it start it for the first time.................... .......It started!! And what's more, it sounded fine. I put my helmet on after a quick check over and took it round the block. At the first corner I leaned over slightly and turned the bars to put it into the bend and nothing happened, it wouldn't turn1! Argh! I managed to stop the bike, although I nearly dropped it because I was leaning.
A quick check around the headstock found the problem; the clutch cable was nor routed right and was stretched to the max. I walked the bike back home, re-threaded the cable so that it wasn't fouling and set off again.
The bike was sweet going around the block, so I rode past the house where my boyfriend and Paul were waiting anxiously. I waved, and then carried on taking a route to the nearby bypass. The bypass runs between two roundabouts. I got on at one roundabout and cautiously headed up the twin lane road. The bike felt fine, so I went round the roundabout and back onto the bypass, opening it up a little on the approach. It sailed around the bend, so I opened it up a little more. It felt nice and nippy, with no nasty noises- well no more than any other two-stroke. It was about 11pm by this time so I took the bike home, reluctantly, and decided to give it a proper run in daylight.
I must stress that I didn't take this first ride lightly. I did not just jump on an unproven bike and thrash it. For a start I had full leathers and good bike boots on, and a good quality helmet and gloves. I started off very carefully with the bike and slowly built up the speed, constantly "feeling" for anything that wasn't right. I am an experienced rider, even though I had yet to pass my test, I had been riding for 10 years, and had restored 5 bikes myself before.
Anyway, getting back to the review..... I had this bike for around 6 months, and as it was summer I used it almost every day. It was lovely to ride and was very reliable. When it had proved itself a little I started to push it. It was unrestricted, I presume, because it would do around 90mph consistently. A group of us used to go out for rides on Sundays and it would comfortably keep up with the bigger bikes most of the time - the bikes weren't race bikes, but it still did well. It was up against a couple of Moto Guzzi's, a triumph, a Harley, and a few others.
The bike had a nice low centre of gravity and felt quite big for a 125. I think when it was made it was the largest, physically, of all the 125s.
All the switchgear was easy to find and use, even with winter gloves on and the riding position was comfy for a race-style bike, particularly a small one. I loved how easy the fuel tap was to operate, but the position of it meant that sometimes the seam of my leathers caught it and turned it slightly, which meant I had to check it regularly or risk running out of fuel if it turned to off.
The NSR has been around for a long time now and has changed a lot over the years. The later ones were almost completely different from this bike, but I have never met anyone who own one that didn't love it.
I sold this bike to buy my GPZ500s (see my other reviews for that one, if you're interested), but sometimes I wish I had kept this one. It was an excellent bike and there are not many of this model left that haven't been crashed and bashed.
I was lucky with this one, I took a risk and it paid off. The bike cost me £150, and with all the paint, chain/sprockets, etc, I spent another £150 on it. I sold it for £600, so I made a profit, but the friend that bought it knew he was getting a bargain and snatched my hand off. You can still pick these up cheap, and although most of them are tatty, you can see what is achievable with a little work and a couple of weekends. Just look for evidence of bad treatment - check fork seals, as this is the first thing to go if they get wheelied a lot, and look for crash damage.
Above all, have FUN - that is what the NS125R is all about!!
