Good buy for this YZ 125? Please help!

[Ryan314]

Ok so I'm in the market for a bike. I'm new to bikes and I'm finally going to buy one. I've always wanted a YZ 125, so that's what I'm going for most likely.

I found an ad for one in my local paper. It's a 97 Yamaha YZ 125 with new top end, new plastics and graphics, pro taper bars, new tires, full exhaust, rep ported and full suspension. Says bike is in amazing shape and is faster than his 03 YZ.

Here's a pic of it:

He's asking $1600 for it.

Good bike from what you can read/see? Good for a beginner like me? I'm not looking to spend much so this almost looks perfect.

Thanks,
Ryan.

 

[Xtremesports445]

make sure he has proof of all of those upgrades. (mainly new top end). otherwise looks like a good bike. considering it's a '97, you could probably get him to go even a little lower on the price. as long as you're the right size (5'5" or higher, 120+ pounds) then you should be able to begin on a yz, although you'll have to take it a little easy at first. Also, make sure u ride it before u buy it

 

[Ryan314]

Ok, thanks. I'm a total newb when it comes to bikes, I'm just starting out. I am 5'7", 125 pounds. I'm gonna see if he'll do $1200.

 

[yz125yo]

Ok, thanks. I'm a total newb when it comes to bikes, I'm just starting out. I am 5'7", 125 pounds. I'm gonna see if he'll do $1200.

that would be a better buy. what he is asking is WAY to much for a 97

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

Agree that it is too much money. My son just bought a '96 YZ-250 for $1600, included a spare (new) pipe, a couple extra sprokets, new brake pads (still in blister pack), and a few other spare parts. Tires were in really good shape. He picked it up from the guy and hauled it out to the desert for the Thanksgivin gweekend and has been just pounding that bike since.

The new tires are certainly a good thing, IF they are appropriate tires for the terrain you will be riding in. The tires look like great rock tread, but there is snow in the background of the picture so I am wondering if mud might be a bigger issue than rock.

A new "top end" is not a selling point to me. That just tells me that it was ridden hard and it seized, unless the top end was just new rings to freshen it up a little.

New plastics, new handlbars: Tells me he crashed. Okay, maybe not, some people have a preference on the bar bend and don't mind spending a couple hundred $$ for their choice of plastics. Check the radiators though, make sure they aren't smashed in.

Check the areas that you might like to ride and see if a spark arrestor is a requirement. Having an aftermarket race exhaust is not an advantage if you get turned away from areas you might like to ride.

Overall, a YZ-125 is a great bike and from the picture it looks good, but I think the price is a bit high.

Rod

 

[Ryan314]

I ended up getting that bike for $1500. It really runs great, no problems at all.

 

[Chili]

A new "top end" is not a selling point to me. That just tells me that it was ridden hard and it seized, unless the top end was just new rings to freshen it up a little.

So you would rather purchase a ten year old bike with the original piston in it? Anyone who takes care of their equipment would be changing top ends regularly. Under normal circumstances I generally expect to change the top end on my kids 125 at least twice per season. Comments like these are the exact reason I'd rather buy a bike from a racer than a non racer, more often than not the racer actually maintains his bike to keep it competitive.

 

[Ryan314]

^ Thats a good point :)

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

So you would rather purchase a ten year old bike with the original piston in it?

Absolutely!

Without knowing if the new top end was a preventative measure or if it was done because the engine seized then it is simply that: an unknown.

Let me ask you this: When you change your top end twice a season, do you have the cylinder replated or do you just replace the ring(s) and possibly piston? I would be very surprised if you re-plate twice a year unless you are a very serious racer.

I doubt that unless the piston actually seizes the cylinder is not going to significantly degrade any faster with old rings vs new rings. So, hypothetically speaking, consider a choice between two bikes, both 10 years old, one has had the rings changed 20 times and one still has the original piston & ring in it. I submit that if you bought either bike and immediately refreshed the top end the bike that had the original piston would be just as good if not better than the bike that had the top end refreshed 20 times. After all, honing the cylinder down 20 times has got to take a toll.

So, to reiterate what I said, a new top end is not a selling point to me, any more than a recent oil change, radiator flush or other maintenance item.


Ryan: The first thing you should do with that bike is change the oil in the transmission.

 

[Chili]

I re-plate the cylinder if it was destroyed or worn beyond use (we rarely keep a bike that long) I've never taken the term new top end in an ad to refer to a replated cylinder but simply a fresh piston and ring(s) as Im sure the majority of folks who would view that ad would interpret it as well.

When the piston and ring(s) get done the cylinder is not honed but simply de-glazed with a scotchbrite pad.

A 10 year old 125 MX bike that still had the original piston in to me would speak volumes, and unless it said that previous owner bought me as a museum piece and never rode me then the message is loud and clear and that is that they have no clue how to maintain their equipment and lord only knows how the rest of the bike has been treated.