Looking to buy.. need a little help...

[rwhitlock]

Hello all...

I am looking to buy a used TTR 125 within a month. It will be for the wife and daughter to share. I know they will not push the bike to the limits, but hopefully they will ride a couple of times a month.

Now for the questions... Are there any years of TTR's to stay away from? When I look at one, what are the tip offs that its been 'ridden hard and put away wet' ? I can handle the scratches, levers, frame paint, etc.. but is there anything I can look at or listen for in the motor?

As you can tell, I really don't want another bike that I need to spend a lot of time wrenching on. Would rather pick one up, change the oil and air filter and gas.. wanna make it easy.

Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Rod

[MArider]

All years of the TT-R 125 are good, I would look into the TT-R 125L it has bigger wheels and a front disc brake. The bike are very reliable all you have to do is put gas in it and ride it. The maintenance of the bike is cleaning the air filter keeping the chain clean, lubed, and it speck, and changing the oil from time to time.

When you look at a used bike ask the person selling it what has been done to the motor in repairs. Ask how it was kept or put up for winter, also what has be replaced on the bike.

[YamahaRdr4E]

i would get the ttr125le i have it and i like it i havent had to do any major maintance just cleaning air filter and changing oil!! i think your wife and daughter will love this bike!!

[jimyz]

I second the LE. The first time your wife or daughter drops the bike and floods it, guess what you will be doing when they can't get it kick started because they are tired from kicking it? Picking the bike up and kicking away can frustrate anybody if you only ride every now and then. The e-button is nice, even for me when playing around on it.

[CRF250_racer]

ttr125s are damn near bullet prof i loved mine and i rode it so hard big jumps and all i did put and pc exhaust on it and that helped allot but only one prob the frame and i snapped the supporting bars going up by the foot pegs to the gas tank. so take a look at the frame!

[TechGuy]

Try to find one that someone bought for their wife or daughter and has decided that they weren't interested in riding it. In other words, a low hour bike that hasn't been beaten. Avoid at any cost a high hour bike that has been ridden everyday by a teenager.

Just my opinion.

[Ccarl]

Whitlock. Your wife and daughter will love the TTR. I bought one for my girlfriend, and she loves the thing. I got her a 2001 TTR125L, with only 25 hours on it. The original knobbies are brand new and only a couple plastic scratches is all that is wrong with it. Got it for 1300 ?

She rides the heck out of it and does extremely well with it. Its no powerhouse at all, but enough to have fun and do stuff on. I rejetted it and opened the airbox up along with opening the exhaust. the thing runs great, starts first kick, and is soooooooo maintenance friendly and free its not funny.

Here's a pic of her riding her TTR at a local MX track.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/CRFCamKS/racersedgemegs4.jpg

Ask the person you buy it from simple questions, like how do you change the oil? Or what spark plug does it take? Most people will rattle off it right away, but some will be like ? , then you know its been reglected.

Ride the thing, and make sure it isnt warmed up when you get there, that is sometimes a good sign of starting and jetting problems. People sometimes start them before you get there so they will start fist kick when you are there.....happens all the time.

Good luck, you will enjoy riding with them and it will add a whole new dimension to family time well spent together. ?

[motivater]

The TTR is the way to go. I liked my 125 so much....i bought a 230 ??

[rwhitlock]

Thanks for all the replies. I feel a bit more 'armed' for weeding out the abused ones.

I have been looking in the local papers as well as cycletrader.com and ebay, but they seem a bit scarce. There are some that have swapped to the YZ front end, but I tend to shy away from those. Makes me feel that they have been ridden hard. Would hate to have to wrench too much on the wifes bike. I think she would think I bought her a lemon...

Anyway, thanks again!

Rod

[socalxr]

Rod,

I would definitely think about the electric start version. It's way worth the extra $100 or 2. It will keep them from getting frustrated. But also, just in case you want to "test" ride it, I would get a BBR cradle so the frame doesn't stretch.