Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator

The Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator’s a top little bike to hone your skills on with a responsive, smooth motor and easy handling. The Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator is never going to win any races but that’s not what it’s about: it’ll haul you from A to B with little fuss, enabling you to enjoy the ride.

Engine

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Learner legal but there’s only just enough to propel the Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator around. The Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator is ideal for town riding, and the engine really does pull well right through the rev range, but launching yourself down a motorway could prove optimistic. Still, the Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator is smooth and predictable and, best of all, very reliable.

Ride and Handling

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The Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator is great for novices: everything’s easy to control with no nasty surprises. The throttle’s gentle but responsive, as are the clutch and gearbox. Combined with a great turning circle and low seat height, the Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator is easily manoeuvred, even by nervous novices. The Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator's brakes and handling are great and it’s very well-balanced.

Equipment

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The Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator looks larger than it is (from certain angles, at least), with an ample seat for two, a plush pillion backrest and foot-forward controls for the rider. The ignition’s in a funny place (down below/in front of the fuel tank) and there’s no screen but the Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator's spoked wheels and chrome-housed, tank top dash certainly look the part.

Quality and Reliability

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The Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator is a well built, if fairly basic, machine. Bodily, there’s plenty of chrome to keep shiny and, if cared for, it should last well. The Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator's engine is superb at what it does and few owners have problems with it whilst the front brake is particularly adept. The Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator is relatively low on frills but nicely put together.

Value

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The price of Kawasaki EL125 Eliminators just seems to keep coming down. It’s great value, is categorised in a low insurance group and fuel consumption means big savings on the forecourt. Rivals, Honda’s VT125C Shadow and Suzuki’s VL125 Intruder, are both considerably more expensive than the Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator but the Suzuki GZ125 Marauder is the serious competition, at the same price. Fi

Insurance

Insurance group: 5

Model History

1998: Kawasaki EL125 Eliminator launched (it’s sometimes referred to as a “BN125”). Only minor/colour changes since.

Other Versions

None.

Specifications

Top speed	65mph
1/4-mile acceleration	21 secs
Power	12bhp
Torque	7ftlb
Weight	135kg
Seat height	680mm
Fuel capacity	13 litres
Average fuel consumption	60mpg
Tank range	172 miles
Insurance group	5

Engine size	124cc
Engine specification	2v single cylinder, 5 gears
Frame	Steel double cradle
Front suspension adjustment	None
Rear suspension adjustment	Preload
Front brakes	250mm disc
Rear brake	Drum
Front tyre size	90/90 x 17
Rear tyre size	130/90 x 15

kawasaki D-tracker 125

The supermoto version of a rubbish bike, the D-Tracker 125 is based on the titchy KLX125 trail-style learner machine. Not a great start in life – the D-Tracker’s supermoto-style road wheels and tyres are a minor improvement, but there’s nothing to recommend it unless you’re exceptionally short.

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Compared with its 125 peers, the D-Tracker is gutless, accelerating slowly and rarely breaching 60mph with average sized riders on board. It’s user friendly for an absolute novice, but within weeks you’ll soon tire of feeling vulnerable in 50mph or national speed limits – it needs more go, from both a fun and safety point of view. 

Ride and Handling

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The tiny wheels have relatively wide tyres, so it grips well, but like the KLX, the size compromises the ride. It wobbles at speed if you move around or steer, and the suspension is crude, which exacerbates things more than it would on conventional sized bikes. The brakes work well though – there’s enough grip to coax the little Kawasaki in to a stoppie, or just stop swiftly for right-thinking riders.

Equipment

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Very little – the rims are nicely made, but they’re comedy-small. There’s a nice digital dash, but that’s the extent of the luxuries.

Quality and Reliability

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It’s unlikely the softly-tuned engines will throw up any issues provided it’s cared for, but build quality is lacking – it’s like a Chinese bike in places. The steel chassis has only a thin veneer of paint – expect it to rust fast if you don’t look after it in winter.

Value

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It’s not particularly cheap, but it is nasty. There’s really nothing to justify the price, and no reason to buy it over any competitor unless you must have one, or are exceptionally small and need a bike of such ludicrously tiny proportions.

Insurance

Insurance group: n/a

Model History

New for 2010

Other Versions

Kawasaki KLX125: Same mechanicals, but with trail-style wheels and tyres.

Specifications

Top speed	62mph
1/4-mile acceleration	secs
Power	10bhp
Torque	7.38ftlb
Weight	113kg
Seat height	805mm
Fuel capacity	7 litres
Average fuel consumption	75mpg
Tank range	115 miles
Insurance group

Engine size	125cc
Engine specification	Air-cooled 2v OHC single. Five gears, wet clutch. Chain drive
Frame	Steel perimeter
Front suspension adjustment	none
Rear suspension adjustment	none
Front brakes	240mm disc, twin-piston caliper
Rear brake	190mm disc, single-piston caliper
Front tyre size	100/80-14
Rear tyre size	120/80-14

aprilia SR50

This is the basic Aprilia SR 50, called the SR 50 Street. There’s also a higher-spec SR 50 R and SR 50 R Factory. With lots of styling cues taken from Aprilia’s fire-breathing superbikes, this 50cc scooter gives Italian style to restricted licence holders. Although it only does 30mph, there are lots of performance parts available to improve speed, braking and handling. It’s a superb scooter, but there are cheaper options out there.

Engine

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All the SR 50 models are powered by an electric start, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled 49cc two-stroke engine, restricted to 30mph with a CVT gearbox. The motor is fed by a single 17.5mm carburettor.  

Ride and Handling

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The SR50 is simplicity itself to just hop on and ride. It’s comfortable enough to zip around on all day in town and the handling is more than a match for its clipped top speed. It has non adjustable telescopic forks up front and single shock at the rear. The front brake is a very sporty single 190mm disc set-up with a twin-piston caliper.

Equipment

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There’s a big dose of superbike styling here as well as a racy front brake set-up, a rear disc light alloy 13” wheels and a single rear shock. There’s lots of optional extras available, but at a price.

Quality and Reliability

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Just like Aprilia motorcycles, this scooter is very nicely put together. It’s built to be abused by 16-year olds, so has Tonka Toy durability.

Value

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If you’ve got the cash, the SR50 is a superb scooter, but it’s a lot to part with for a 16-year old who is only going to keep it for a year, while they wait to trade up to a 125.

Insurance

Insurance group: 2

Model History

1994 – Model introduced

Other Versions

Aprilia SR50 R
Aprilia SR50 R Factory

Specifications

Top speed	30mph
1/4-mile acceleration	secs
Power	bhp
Torque	ftlb
Weight	90kg
Seat height	820mm
Fuel capacity	7 litres
Average fuel consumption	mpg
Tank range	miles
Insurance group	2

Engine size	49cc
Engine specification	Single-cylinder two-stroke
Frame	Tubular steel
Front suspension adjustment	Non-adjustable
Rear suspension adjustment	Non-adjustable
Front brakes	190mm disc
Rear brake	190mm disc
Front tyre size	130/60 13 in
Rear tyre size	130/60 13 in

aprilia RX50

The Aprilia RX50 has the looks of a proper enduro bike, but none of the performance. Restricted, it’ll struggle to break 30mph, and de-restricted (illegal for 16 year-olds) it’ll top 50 eventually. The chassis will cope with gentle off-roading, but ride it harder and the RX50 will be out of its depth.

Engine

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The Aprilia RX50 49cc two-stroke single engine is typical of the class – gutless. It needs revving hard and the clutch slipping to pull away, and you need to continue thrashing it. But as a first motorcycle, it’ll feel lightning quick – it’s all relative.  

Ride and Handling

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The RX50’s chassis is realistically best around town – try ride it off road and you’ll get sick of the suspension clanging in to its bump stops. The wide bars, lightweight and compliant suspension is perfect for urban riding, but the standard knobbly tyres will complain if you push too hard – buy the Aprilia SX50 with its supermoto-style road tyres if you don’t ride off road.

Equipment

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The Aprilia RX50 is basic motorcycling – no storage, a riding position that makes no concession to comfort and a simple electronic dash displaying only basic information. There is a pillion seat – but only for the very stupid. The chassis looks nice, but is nothing special underneath the fancy façade.

Quality and Reliability

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Build quality is basic but OK – the main problem comes from abusive teenage owners. Cleaning, basic maintenance and using top-quality two-stroke oil should keep it happy for most of the time, but being both Italian and two-stroke expect the odd foible.

Value

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£2399 is a lot of money for a first bike that you’re unlikely to keep more than a year. Insurance isn’t cheap for a young rider – motorcycles like the Aprilia RX50 are towards the upper end of the risk scale compared with twist-and-go scooters.

Insurance

Insurance group: 2

Model History

Year: 1997-2005. Uses an earlier version of the same engine, but in a steel chassis. The looks mimic Aprilia’s 1990’s 125cc enduro bikes. Very rare now – patchy build quality, abusive owners and bike thiefs looking for field bikes are responsible for the demise of most.

Other Versions

Aprilia SX50 2006-current. Much the same as the RX50 but with 17” road wheels and tyres and a larger front brake disc. Unless you really must ride off-road there’s no reason to buy the RX50 – the SX50 offers a much better ride on the road.

Specifications

Top speed	50mph
1/4-mile acceleration	secs
Power	6bhp
Torque	9ftlb
Weight	92kg
Seat height	880mm
Fuel capacity	7 litres
Average fuel consumption	mpg
Tank range	miles
Insurance group	2

Engine size	50cc
Engine specification	Liquid-cooled, two-stroke single. Six gears.
Frame	Alloy beam
Front suspension adjustment	none
Rear suspension adjustment	none
Front brakes	260mm disc with two-piston sliding caliper
Rear brake	180mm disc with single-piston caliper
Front tyre size	1.85 x 21”
Rear tyre size	2.15 x 18”

yamaha aerox 50cc

Yamaha’s funky race replica two-stroke scooter is nippy, agile and lots of fun, although the single seat limits pillion options. It’s one of the best looking scooters around and can be seen tearing up city streets as well as being paddock transport for Yamaha-sponsored MotoGP/WSB and BSB stars. Upside forks and disc brakes means the little Aerox R can be knee-scrapingly good. 

Engine

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Making a claimed 2.6bhp, the Aerox R is powered by a liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, carburetted two-stroke motor. It has an electric start and a CVT gearbox. In restricted from it’ll only do 30mph, but there are derestriction kits available to unleash more power. 

Ride and Handling

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The Aerox is very light and nimble, so perfect for nipping around town. With its upside forks, fat 13” tyres and discs brakes, the Yamaha handles far better than the average shopping scooter.

Equipment

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It’s pretty basic, but you do get sporty bodywork and racy graphics, a supersports-style filler cap, discs brakes and upside down forks.

Quality and Reliability

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Sports scooters like these are going to be used and abused by their 16-year old owners, or wheelied around paddock by racers, so they need to be durable. The Aerox R ticks that box and is well finished.

Value

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As cool as the Aerox R is, three grand is a lot for a moped, especially when it doesn’t offer any performance gain over the competition. Save your money for a 125 and buy a cheap moped when you’re 16.

Insurance

Insurance group: 2

Model History

Introduced 1998

Other Versions

Aerox R Fiat Yamaha Replica

Specifications

Top speed	30mph
1/4-mile acceleration	secs
Power	2.6bhp
Torque	2.7ftlb
Weight	97kg
Seat height	828mm
Fuel capacity	7 litres
Average fuel consumption	mpg
Tank range	miles
Insurance group	2

Engine size	49cc
Engine specification	Single-cylinder two-stroke
Frame	Tubular steel cradle
Front suspension adjustment	Non adjustable
Rear suspension adjustment	Non adjustable
Front brakes	190mm disc
Rear brake	190mm disc
Front tyre size	130/60 13in
Rear tyre size	140/60 13in