APRILIA RS125

Everyone has to start somewhere and for the lucky few, it doesn't get much better than starting on one of these little gems.

RS125 HISTORY
Racing improves the breed. Aprilia cut its teeth in the world's two stroke championships, so the public had the race team's R&D department behind them.

The Italians have always been good at making small capacity bikes. As far back as 1949, Mondial, Morini and MV Agusta dominated the championships. By 1998, new boys Aprilia had made their mark, first with the elbow-scraping Loris Reggiani in the 250cc class, then a year later with Fausto Gresini in 125cc class. It was at around this time the Noale, based factory launched the road legal AF-1 Sintesi, abike that most seventeen year old boys would have given their right arm to own. And for most lads of that age, that 's a huge sacrifice...

The AF- 1 was leagues ahead of anything of its time. It had a single-sided swinging arm for chrissakes, it was beautiful. The bike went through a fairly gentle evolution with first the AF- 1 Replica, then the AF-1 Futura before the RS was born in the guise of the RS125 Sportpro in 1993. followed by the RS125 Extrema. Along the way, many top GP riders made their names with the factory, giving birth to some stunning RS replicas: The likes of Valentino Rossi, Loris Capirossi, Max Biaggi, Marco Melandri and Harada all, having had bikes built in their honour,

Just seven years ago Casey Stoner took the 2000 Aprilia RS125 Superteens Championship, a series that still runs today in the UK. So, not only is the RS125 a dreams. We got our hands on a 2004 Manuel Poggiali Rep (2003-250GP Champion) and a brand spanking Jorge Lorenzo Rep (2006, 2007, 250GP Champion) to find out for ourselves just how good the kids have got it these days.

The simple fact that both of these bikes are in replica colour instantly knocks year off you. You see, I couldn't afford to own one of these little beauties in my teens so I had to make the occasional ten-minute blast on my wealthier mate's Futura. Despite the fact that these days I get paid to ride just about every modern sports bike (lucky bastard, I know). I've to come clean and tell you that I'm really very, very excited about having not one, but two 'full power' RS125s to myself for more than 10 minutes.

Jorge v/s Manuel
The ride up from DK's Newcastle under Lyme showroom up into the Peak District National Park is hilarious. Absolutely wringing the life out of old Manuel (the '04 Poggiali replica) in a bid to keep up with young Jorge harder than he's ever been ridden before, is the most fun I've had on two wheels in months. The fast, winding roads up towards Buxton provide the perfect playground for these two bikes as we race towards as imaginary finish line, motor screaming, slipstreaming on the straights and double daring each other stay off the brakes through the turns.

Power to weight ratio
For a while I'm convinced that the new RS125 has a lighter weight and smaller frame is aiding both horsepower and aerodynamics as Jorge clears off from the lights and steals yards out of the corners on Manuel.

An RS125 in bits isn't going to get you into a girl pants, so do your research before blowing your young life's savings. Fools rush in, so tread carefully in this highly populated minefield

In a world increasingly concerned about greenhouse gases. fuel economy and other such nonsense, the thought of owning and running a two-stroke is to many people, about as appealing as stripping off, covering themselves in jam and taking a baseball bat to the nearest wasp's nest. Some might even say that the noise wouldn't be too dissimilar and that there's every bit as much chance of getting badly stung.

But, if you were born in a time before the ice caps started to melt, and started riding before all the rainforests were chopped down, then you'll know just how satisfying a two-stroke is to ride and more importantly, how simple it is to work on. There's a lot less to go wrong with a two stroke and despite a reputation for fragility and unreliability owning and running a stroker can often be one of the most rewarding times in a biker's life.

The RS125 is actually a pretty reliable bike but it doesn't take a genius to work out that most will have been preowned by seventeen year olds, so you can expect neglect and bodged repairs. Here's what to took out for,

Engine and gearbox
The simple fact is that two-stroke motors need to be cared for. The longevity of the RS125 engine is heavily dependant on using the right grade of oil. Fully synthetic is the only choice, with Motul 800 Factory Line being a popular choice amongst Aprilla dealers. Most of the problems associated with the RS can be avoided by following the correct service schedules, though unsurprisingly, this isn't something that most teenage owners are any good at. The piston and rings will need to be inspected at 5,000 miles and pistons should be considered a disposable service item Genuine Aprilia pistons can be pricey, but aftermarket ones are readily available and don't give any known problems. Engine seizures are rare with the RS, thanks to a reliable oil pump and qood carburation as standard. The biggest known fault with the RS motor is weak main bearings - any hint of bottom end noise should mean you walk away. The latest model is very expensive to upgrade to full power from learner legal. Our advice is to not bother - just trade it in for a full power version.

The RS125 Came with 2 types of engine from 1996 to 1998 Aprilia fitted the Rotax 123 type engine, and from 1998 to present day they fit the Rotax 122 type engine. Please note both the 122 and the 123 type engines are 124cc the 122 and 123 is reference to the type.

Now the confusion is around 1998 (the swop over year) you can not always rely on the date of registration as the bike may have been made in 1996 but not registered until 1998 and thus has the 123 type engine fitted.

2004 RS125

Engine
Type: l/c, single cylinder 2 stroke
Displacement : 124.8cc Bore x Stroke: 40.3x39mm
Compression : 12.5:1
Carburation : Dell Orto PHBH 28BD
Carburettor Gearbox: 6 Speed chain
Power: 27bhp@11,250rpm
Torque: 14.8ft/lbs@10,000rpm

Cycle Parts
Chassis: Aluminium twin spar

Suspension:
(Front) 40mm USD forks
(Rear) monoshock with adjustable preload

Brakes:
(Front) Single 320mm disc, 4 piston caliper
(Rear) 220mm disc, twin piston caliper

Wheel/Tyres:
Cast aluminium
Dunlop GPR70 (Front) 110/70 17
(Rear) 150/60 17
Wheelbase: 1345mm
Fuel capacity: 14 liters (3.7gal)
Dry Weight: 114kg (251.31lb)

Rating:
Engine: 7/10
Chassis : 8/10
Usability : 7/10
OVERALL : 7/10

Picture: Just keep that tacho needle near the red stuff and you'll have fun that will last a lifetime

Good: Great chassis, good looking

Bad : A few niggles, not as grunty

2007 RS125

Engine
Type: l/c, single cylinder 2 stroke
Displacement : 124.8cc Bore x Stroke: 39.86x40mm
Compression : 11.5:1
Carburation : Dell Orto PHVA 175
Carburettor Gearbox: 6 Speed chain
Power: 29.5bhp@11,300rpm
Torque: 15.7ft/lbs@10,000rpm

Cycle Parts
Chassis: Aluminium twin spar

Suspension:
(Front) 40mm USD forks
(Rear) monoshock with adjustable preload
Brakes:

(Front) Single 300mm disc, 4 piston caliper
(Rear) 180mm disc, twin piston caliper

Wheel/Tyres:
Cast aluminium
Dunlop GPR70 (Front) 110/70 17
(Rear) 150/60 17
Wheelbase: 1345mm
Fuel capacity: 13 liters (3.5gal)
Dry Weight: 110kg (242.5lb)

Rating:
Engine: 8/10
Chassis : 9/10
Usability : 8/10
OVERALL : 9/10

Picture: Flash LCD display includes Tetris for da kidz. Beautifully finished parts, so long as they're looked

Good: Pin-sharp looks, great pull

Bad : You'll be too busy riding to pull chicks

Chassis
All the usual rules apply to the RS. such as wheel bearings and head bearings (you'd be surprised at how well an RS will wheelie in first with a bit of practice) and it's definitely worth looking closely for any signs of crash damage. Loose or misaligned handlebars provide an easy clue, as do scratched fork bottoms and any marks on the swinging arm.

Cycle parts can be prone to premature corrosion through poor maintenance and the shock is renowned for leaking oil and losing its darnping at anything between 2,000 and 6.000 miles, so be sure to have a bounce on the bike's rear end and check for signs of oil on the swinging arm and linkages.

So long as you use your noodle, finding a decent RS125 shouldn't be too hard and a well cared for machine will stand out like a shiny penny. Look at the setter as a guide to the state of the machine, If he's an oink who wouldn't know two-stroke oil from chip fat , forget it that the newer bike is much faster than the old one. The acceleration is crisper and there's a ton more torque or at least relatively speaking there is, anyway.

Corner Kings
In the corners the handling is similar, though unsurprisingly the almost brand new, Aprilia UK-maintained press bike is in better condition than the three-year-old, teenager-abused bike. Jorge's radial front disc brake offers stopping power bordering on overkill and the kind of steering sharpness that I last felt on my mate's BMX. The earlier bike isn't exactly hard work through the corners (would be a bloody sight better with new tyres, mind) and the comer speed on both bikes is mind-boggling. Having chosen a corner for photography that we'd been merrily grazing our kneesliders on bigger bikes a few weeks previously. Needless to say after a couple of close calls with cold tarmac, a tucky front end and the Armco, we decide not to bother

We were expecting the novelty of these bikes to wear of after just a couple of hours but it doesn't - instead it makes you reevaluate your riding skiIls and how you need to adapt to less power, how to get the best from the bike and how every little mistake and loss of momentum counts. There's no wonder the Aprilia Superteen race series remains such a strong breeding ground for so many of the UK's top young riders.

The Final Analysis
Of course it would be very easy for me to say that the newer bike is the one to go for, for a variety of reasons not to mention the reassurance of a warranty. The newer bike looks sharper with its Mille-a ping fairing and has all the neat touches like the radial front brake and trick OZ-style wheels.

Either of these two bikes should make any seventeen year old -first-timer happy beyond their wildest and wettest dreams and even for those a little older but still keen to learn the art of riding a sports motorbike from scratch. I've no doubt that there's not a finer bike available to do it on.

Yes, the newer bike is better, but you'd have to be a racer or an overpaid paperboy to justify the extra cost.