What will make the best 125cc learner motorcycle?
If it’s a straight head to head between the two bikes you suggested, my vote would go for the Yamaha YZF R125. It’s by far the nicest looking of the two bikes – the CBR125 looks quite weedy in compairson when you get up close to it. I had a Honda Varadero XL125 which is the daddy of all 125s, it’s an absolute beast! The build quality is excellent and it looks more like a 600cc bike than a 125 and is definitely a good choice if you’re a tall/big rider. It also looks good but without making you look like a boy racer…but if you’re 17 you may be in to that kind of thing a bit more. The performance of the Varadero, CBR and YZF125 will be quite similar, topping out around 75-80mph. The other learner legal 125 I like is the Honda CBF125. It’s not quite as pretty as the others but is a good budget choice – £2200 new (~£1300 for 1 year old bike), cheap insurance, 130mpg. It also has an easier riding position than the 125 sports bikes. It’s a little slower though, topping out around 65-70mph.
