Is this a good bike to learn on?

[mivaldes]

I'm buying my first motorcycle and wondering what your opinion is on this for a first one. Will I be able to transition to a bigger bike with more confidence later? How much is the lack of a clutch going to play into that?

Your thoughts??

Thanks!
Marcus

(My first post!)

 

[SneakyDingo]

This bike has some quirks with the lack of clutch. Probably the biggest things that will matter will low speed turns where feathering the clutch and balancing rear brake plus throttle is important, and that downshifting without chirping the rear tire will have different muscle memory.

Saying that though, I’m going to have to learn to do that on the 125 because I’m going the other way.

I think it will be good in that you won’t get into much trouble and it will teach you the more important thing, road craft and experience, without relying on power to get you out of the way. I also think the mass appeal of the bike will encourage people to help you when you run into trouble more than other bikes. Overall I consider the Trail 125 a good first bike and a good last bike.

 

[dmonkey]

If you're looking to transition in steps then it's a good starter bike, and importantly a starter bike that you might want to hold onto even when your own limits and capabilities have exceeded that of the bike. Plenty of people start out on semi automatic or automatic bikes. If you want to practice clutch work or get used to the geometry of a motorcycle for transitioning to a bigger bike soon then no, it's got a lot more scooter feel to it than "motorcycle" in my opinion and something like a TW200 translates much better to a bigger motorcycle and that's why you'll see them at almost any Motorcycle Safety Foundation course that provides the bikes for students.
Learning in stages isn't bad if you've got the time. Whatever you do, I highly recommend taking the time to invest in yourself by taking classes, watching educational materials (Dan Dan the Fireman, MotoJitsu, Jocelin Snow, etc), reading theory (David L. Hough), and practicing riding techniques, braking, etc regularly to stay sharp and improve your confidence.

 

[mivaldes]

Well I hope it's a good starter bike because I bought it today!

 

[op46]

Learn to ride it well and then transition to a dual sport with clutch. Will be so much easier to learn the clutch cause you will have all the rest of the riding down. I started on a Honda SL125 with clutch in 1972 after riding a CT90 no clutch a friend had and it just didn't go fast enough to commute on from north of Simmons AAF to 82nd Division row back in the '70s even on two lane 55mph Honeycutt road. The engine in the SL125 was the great grandfather of the CT125 engine. The CT is a rough terrain scooter more than motor cycle but will do just about anything you want as long as its under 55 mph and not to wet, slippery, steep, etc.... A light weight dual sport like the Suzuki DRZ400 or one of the new Honda's is what you should move up to, but keep the CT125. I had a DRZ650 and loved it, but it was to heavy. When I want to ride on the interstate or fast I get on the Harley. Now thats heavy and I tend to streak my undiees every time I lay it down trying to pick it up. So I don't lay it down much, but almost did trying to park it yesterday. I won and didn't brown out but I would have after eating a rockn' mexican #9 meal at the El Paso resturant in New Hope Al. (really good, real Mexican especially the chilie relleno....) I was really careful mounting the Harley and getting home and parking it to deal with later. The CT-125 weighing 500lbs lighter than the Harley and is a piece of cake to pickup especially if your 73 like me.

 

[m in sc]

my opinion, no. learn on a clutch bike 1st. trails are pretty far 'out of the norm' as far as shift pattern and riding behavior, you'll have to 'relearn' if you ever get a bigger bike. Angie learned on a gladius , then msf'd on a 500 street harley, then got her cub, her transition onto the cub was fast. and over a year later she still reaches for a clutch, those habits are learned early. my .02. if anything, get a grom to learn on, at least is has a proper clutch.

 

[AZ7000']

Clutches are for poor people! #rekluse
I started riding at about 38, I don’t see the need for “learning to use a clutch”. I’ve ridden to Cabo 5 times with pro riders, 10,000+ miles of dirt in northern Baja and raced the state series for 8 seasons.
The old timers will reply about clutch control, slow speed turns, etc. we have recluse auto clutches on the other 4 dirt bikes in the garage. Ironically the 8yo is the only one without one. He will learn a clutch!!
It just allows us to enjoy the ride and is on Many of the pros bikes. The 125 is a blast!!

 

[mivaldes]

Well, I bought a Trail 125 over the weekend so it will be my "starter" bike. I've got a Suzuki TU250X I'm buying very soon as my first "real" bike.

 

[m in sc]

Poor people? wtf. lol..... this group sometimes... I swear. Those who don't want a clutch don't know how to properly use one IMHO. On baja racing, i sort of get it but please.

 

[mivaldes]

Poor people? wtf. lol..... this group sometimes... I swear. Those who don't want a clutch don't know how to properly use one IMHO. On baja racing, i sort of get it but please.

I DO want to learn the clutch. I drive a manual auto so I "get" it. I wish the Trail had one.

 

[m in sc]

That wasn't directed at you, trust me. I would love to swap over to a manual clutch on the trail, at some point i'll probably swap in a grom lower end and do just that.

 

[m in sc]

fwiw, the tu250 is a great bike. last year my buddy matt and i did the deals gap area, me on the trail he on his tu250. keep in mind, we both own multiple bikes, from his ar80 as his smallest to a gsx1100g as his biggest, and i have a slew of bikes as well, but we took these to do it the slow way, and it was very fun indeed. both been riding about 30 years. the one thing i did miss was a clutch... but you can half step the shifter and disengage the auto clutch to get the same effect if need be, for the most part. just my .02

 

[AZ7000']

Poor people? wtf. lol.....

Its a jokey joke, Rekluse clutches are EXPENSIVE!!!

This is a hilarious topic on bikes, never have I ever said "you need a rekluse" but I often say you can ride just fine and have fun with one and every, and I mean every time some old timer says I'm wrong...

The old timers will reply about clutch control, slow speed turns, etc.

Those who don't want a clutch don't know how to properly use one IMHO

Told ya so! Way easier to hold a beverage without one or a bowl of noodles as Mr Honda requested the legend goes!

(The laffy guy means I'm not too serious about it, like what oil do you use???)

 

[SneakyDingo]

I'm somewhat looking forward to learning how to do the downshift properly. I understand how the clutch system works under the covers, so hopefully it's as simple as I think it is. Of course, if it's not, I'm gonna upload it on youtube for all of you to laugh at me

 

[mivaldes]

Thanks for the vote of confidence on the TU250X. I think between the two of these I should have a solid foundation for learning to ride.

 

[bigcanoe]

I had a TU250X, and a Monkey 125, and a TW200, and a XT250, and a DR200, and a old Trail 90 and a new Trail 125. I love the small bikes! I still need to get a new Grom I think