Honda xl125s

[Acton67]

Anyone familiar with this bike? I'm looking at one for my 16yr old nephew for $500. The one I'm looking at is a 1980, owner claims it runs. Apparently it's missing the brakes and head pipes/exhaust. From what I can find it runs front and rear drum brakes. Looks like I could pick parts up for it on ebay, but it's hard to find any head pipes /mufflers for it in any sort of decent shape. I'm wondering if an exhaust from another bike might fit on this thing. Apparently it's possible to make this thing street legal too but this one doesn't come with a title.

[navigator]

No title and open heads.
Make sure it turns over, let alone runs.
2 stroke?

[sgtcall]

I never liked the XLs in the 80s but never owned one. My cousin had one and I didn't really like him so it may have been bias. I rode RMs back then and loved them. I would up the price range a bit and get something with a title. I had a motocross Husky back in the 80s and 90s that I added a head light and tail (brake) light to and got tags for it. Turn signals were not required. But that was in Georgia and they are, or were, more open to these kinds of things. Don't know what your state law requires.

[Acton67]

No title and open heads.
Make sure it turns over, let alone runs.
2 stroke?

4 stroke. I was gonna let my nephew use it as a dirt bike. The previous owner said he had no exhaust/head pipes on it, not that the cylinder heads were off. I agree that's still not a good thing though since debris can easily get into the cylinder that way. He said someone else is coming to look at it today and would tell me if it sells. Not sure if he's trying to use this as a way to keep the price up or if someone else really is interested.

I'd love to get some type of bike like this for my nephew though to get him on 2 wheels. Something he can use off road but could be made street legal and is cheap. Plus I'd have fun with it too. If this one sells ill probably be in the market for something similar.

[Acton67]

I never liked the XLs in the 80s but never owned one. My cousin had one and I didn't really like him so it may have been bias. I rode RMs back then and loved them. I would up the price range a bit and get something with a title. I had a motocross Husky back in the 80s and 90s that I added a head light and tail (brake) light to and got tags for it. Turn signals were not required. But that was in Georgia and they are, or were, more open to these kinds of things. Don't know what your state law requires.

I'm in NY, so if you can think of something that they might require for it to be street legal they probably do require it.

RMs? Tell me more, I'll definitely look into it. I can do anything <$1000 for the right price. I just like going for the cheaper deals and fixing them myself. Seems like any bikes that need work can be had for a deal since a lot of people seem to not want to wrench on their bikes these days and want them ready to ride.

[sgtcall]

The RMs are pure motocross bikes so if you want something street legal I would go another way. If you like Suzuki's the Suzuki TS 250 Hustlers or any of the TS line up would be a good way to go for a street/trail bike. They also had the DR line that leaned a bit more to trail than road. Lots of great street/trail bikes from the 80s in the Suzuki lineup.

http://suzukicycles.org/1970-1979/index.html

[sgtcall]

This could be a fun project bike for both of you.
https://newyork.craigslist.org/que/mcy/ ... 15645.html

[Acton67]

The TS 250 is exactly what I'm looking for. Something that can be used as a trail bike but can be made street legal and simple to work on. Looks like there's no good deals on them in my area. There's more intruders on the market then these bikes. The ones I do see are going for $1500. I'd be looking for something in the $700-$1000 range. If I picked up one for $1000 I'd be expecting it to be ready to go with no work. Doesn't make sense to me that these small bikes are going for so much in my area (hudson valley ny).

[sgtcall]

The TS 250 is exactly what I'm looking for. Something that can be used as a trail bike but can be made road legal and simple to work on. Looks like there's no good deals on them in my area. There's more intruders on the market then these bikes. The ones I do see are going for $1500. I'd be looking for something in the $700-$1000 range. If I picked up one for $1000 I'd be expecting it to be ready to go with no work. Doesn't make sense to me that these small bikes are going for so much in my area (hudson valley ny).

In some ways they are becoming collector bikes now, driving the prices up.

[Acton67]

The TS 250 is exactly what I'm looking for. Something that can be used as a trail bike but can be made road legal and simple to work on. Looks like there's no good deals on them in my area. There's more intruders on the market then these bikes. The ones I do see are going for $1500. I'd be looking for something in the $700-$1000 range. If I picked up one for $1000 I'd be expecting it to be ready to go with no work. Doesn't make sense to me that these small bikes are going for so much in my area (hudson valley ny).

In some ways they are becoming collector bikes now, driving the prices up.

I hear you, everyone and their mom wants to be on a "cafe racer" right now. Cafe racers seems to be all the rage. I guess the ts250s are kinda close to cafe racers in terms of target market? I've also noticed there's not as much demand for cruisers like there was 10 years ago. I think in 5-15 years these "collector" bikes will be dirt cheap, most commodity items like these will be as well since we're going through a huge generational shift. The markets going to be flooded with them.

It's already starting to happen too, people just don't have the disposable income they once had and it's going to get worse. I know a lot of guys in their late 40s and 50s with multiple "toys" in their garage they'll be selling in the next 10 years. Most of the guys I know my age or are in their early 40s have significantly less material goods. I'm an ER nurse too and I get to talk to a lot of people, I've noticed the difference. Maybe I'll be wrong though, I just find it interesting. These bikes could be outlawed with the whole "e-bike" phenomenon too. I dread the day I'm forced to sit on an electric starter motor bike on 2 wheels!

They've got these cheap China dolls on Amazon too, I just don't trust them and figure I'll get killed in shipping.

https://www.amazon.com/X-Pro-Dirtbike-M ... 2dd61d30d4

I'd rather wrench on an old bike from the 80s then buy one of those things. Guess more people are willing to work on these smaller bikes as well, maybe that could be another reason why the market is so inflated with these smaller bikes?

[sgtcall]

You didn't see this?
https://www.foxnews.com/tech/how-e-bike ... ing-people

How e-bikes are exploding and killing people
What's causing these electric bikes to catch on fire and explode

[sgtcall]

They've got these cheap China dolls on Amazon too, I just don't trust them and figure I'll get killed in shipping.

https://www.amazon.com/X-Pro-Dirtbike-M ... 2dd61d30d4

Have you looked at Tractor Supply?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/produ ... zd-110a-rd

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/produ ... zd-x125-rd

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/searc ... ini%20bike

[Herb]

The XL's were really good beginner bikes, lots of low end torque, easy starting and a lot of fun. Not a racer but they did a great job.

Since you didn't hear it run and have to buy parts it isn't worth the asking price.

BTW, there are a number of bike dismantlers that are not bad on price. One of them is in Las Vegas and is reasonable. I know there are some on the east coast also. I bought a gas tank for my 92 Yamaha TTR125 LE from one in Las Vegas for $45, including shipping and it came with the petcock and cap.

The RMs were great bikes like the yamaha DT's but they were peaky and required a rider that knew what they were doing.

My son bought one of the chinese 125's for his 13 year old son for Christmas, $950, shipped to his house in Portland, Or. Of course there is some assembly required but the 2 of us put it together and my son rode it down the road in 2 hours.

It is a clone of the honda's and a really sweet little bike.

His is not street legal but they sell a lighting kit to make it legal.

[sgtcall]

Just saw this on another forum. Not a dirt bike but it would be cool for a teenagers first bike.

"Hello everyone I have a 83 CX 650 custom for sale in New Jersey need to get rid of 2500 miles with title no key no gas tank 750 or best offer contact at 9085316411"

https://www.motorcycleforum.com/threads ... le.246917/

Example of the bike not the one for sale.

[hillsy v2]

Sorry but CX500 / 650s are fucking horrible bikes. Heavy, slow, need a triple bypass, just horrid.

If the idea is to get something small, dirt capable but road registersble look for something like a Yamaha TTR230 or Honda CRF230. Yeah it's more money but your nephew will enjoy riding more.

Buying a $500 125 in that state will probably empty your wallet for the same amount again....assuming it isn't totally shot.

[sgtcall]

Sorry but CX500 / 650s are fucking horrible bikes. Heavy, slow, need a triple bypass, just horrid.

What better way to is there to learn!

Never had a CX650, never rode one, but I thought it looked like a Magna and have heard that they were good bikes.

[Herb]

Back in 83 I was going through the Smokey Mountains. I ran into a couple that were touring on a CX 650 with a windjammer fairing, hard bags and a tour pack. They had no problem maintaining speeds well above the posted limits on the uphill pulls. We both stopped at the park dedication memorial and talked about our bikes. I was on the 78 CB750 A and well loaded with a windjammer fairing. I was realy impressed with the way it pulled and handled.

[sgtcall]

In south Jersey.

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/mpo/ ... 63311.html

[hillsy v2]

From an XL125 to a Vulcan

I was looking at VN1500/1600's before I found my LC. I didn't mind them but they were just a bit too cramped for my long legs. The LC was a perfect fit as far as bars / seat / boards were concerned.

[Acton67]

In south Jersey.

https://southjersey.craigslist.org/mpo/ ... 63311.html

That's actually a really good deal but looking for something <250cc that can be used in the dirt but then made street legal later on down the line. I'm finding bigger bikes like that cheaper then 250cc Enduro type bikes.