Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Honda CR125R If there's one area where the Honda takes a back seat to the other 125s in this comparison, it's in the motor department. It's not that the CR is slow, but it just doesn't excite you. Yeah, it makes okay power off the bottom, comes on nicely in the middle and moves along quite well on top (can you here us yawning?) however, the riders doing most of the complaining about the Honda were our Pro riders (but they're never happy anyway). 0 Our fast testers agreed that the Honda makes okay power overall but just not enough for their extraordinary needs. For everyone else, though, the Honda is actually pretty good and very acceptable, because what it might lack - which isn't all that much in pure horsepower is nearly made up for in usability. The Honda motor isn't as demanding or as unforgiving as the other five bikes, so it does have its advantages. BOTTOM. LINE: Good for the masses, maybe not good for the Pros. Kawasaki. KX125 This bike's got power. (Yes, believe It or not, where talking about the KawasllkJ here.) After missing the mark in the horsepower department the past few years, Kawasaki finally nailed the horsepower bull's-eye with the KX. Our Pro testers loved the KX's lively motor, saying it's "all midrange" but with decent bottom and top end. "It's quick and pulls strong," said one tester. "You can short-shift it and it still pulls; you can leave it in taller gears through the turns with little clutch action." The motor also seems extra responsive and quick revving. 0 The best compliment these days is when a rider comes back in and says he's able to c1ellr the triples II lot ellsier on bike "A" than on bike "B". In this case, the KX is bike "A." So what's not right with the KX's motor? About the only thing our testers sllid was that it could rev out II little longer. Our Novice testers liked the KX's motor, too, but found it to be a bit more of a handful. as compllred to the Hondll. 0 The KX also shifts well. The 2001 Honda CR125R Is an all around good motorcycle, bu1 It's shortcomings In the motor department lett this bullt-to-Iast motorcycle ou1 of fa_r with our pro testers. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• BOTTOM. LINE: It's a lively motor that'll keep both the Pros and Novices happy. KTM125SX The KTM 125SX lives up to it's reputation as a fast machine. This bike still rips, but unlike some of the other KTMs of the past, the '01 KTM is far more manageable and controllable. It hllS II wide spread of power that all of our testers enjoyed. 0 "Wonderful," said one Pro tester. "From bottom to mid to top, the KTM pulls nicely... but stops [pulling) on top [compared to the Suzuki which, as you will read later, has the motor of choice for our Pro testers]." 0 All of our testers had nothing but good things to say about the KTM's power delivery, but some did say that they experienced some difficulty in shifting while under a heavy load• BOTTOM. LINE: Good, strong motor with KTM's new 12!5SX is ripping fast, bu1 not uncontrollable like some KTMs of the past. It finished a close third In our shootout, which may be the highest a non-japanese motorcycle has finished. In any of our motocross shootouts. II wide (for a 125) powerband. Suzuki RM125 Our Pro riders absolutely loved the RM's super-powerful motor. "The Suzuki pulls strong from mid to top, it's fast and revs out long," said one Pro tester. "It doesn't fall flat on its face when you rev it out, either. It's a little sluggish right off the bottom, but only needs a little clutch action if you mess up." 0 Our Novice riders had no problems han· dling the RM's potent motor, thanks to its semi-broad powerband, but our "extreme" Novice rider (hate to call him a Beginner but... ) felt that the RM was a bit too much for him, though he did like the feel of the RM's outright power on flat, smooth ground. Complimenting the RM's powerful motor is the Suzuki's smooth-working transmission and light-pull clutch. Later in our testing, however, we did start experiencing more missed shifts than usual. o BOTTOM. LINE: Gobs of usellble horsepower; not for the faint of heart. TM125 If you want downright, brute, kick-in-the-butt horsepower, then the TM just might be for you_ This bike has very tittle in the way of bottom-end, but somewhere between mid to top, the TM will - without much waming - come to life and take off. This bike is really, really fast but it all comes at a high price - less rideability. 0 The TM is meant for long, wide and sweeping motocross tracks (like those in Europe), where you can keep the throttle pinned, otherwise, the TM's not-so-user-friendly motor can be a bit of a handful, especially on more techniclll-style-tracks - at least until you get used to it. Once you figure out exactiy where the TM is going to come on the pipe and you master that next-tonothing transition from no power to mo' power, you can actually start taking advantage of the TM's awesome get-up-and-go. Until then. the TM's motor is daunting. BOTTOM. LINE: Ught-switch power that takes some getting used to. Yamaha yzt25 Okay, the YZ might not have the most powerful motor of the group (nor is it the weakest - not even close), but it is the most useable and forgiving. 0 The YZ has an expansive powerband and produces robust power throughout. Simply put, the YZ has it llll: good bottom end, stout midrange and screaming top-end. 0 "The Yamaha has power everywhere," one of our Pro testers said. "It might have little less bottom-end than last year, but it's still better than the other bikes. Midrange is awesome and it still pulls on top, way better than last year." 0 Another rider sllid, "Power is always there when you want it - shortshift it, run it out, it doesn't matter. It's definitely a competitive motor right out of the box." o Even our Novice and Beginner testers loved the YZ's motor, and it's rare when you get a 125cc powerplant thllt pleases such a wide range of riding ability. BOTTOM. LINE: Only the YZ250F's motor might be better. c U a • e n e _ s MARCH 14, 2001 23

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