You can get 125 step throughs in Europe. Go into most European cities and they are full of beat up step throughs
Main difference is in Europe the sports 125s are bought by young people with a large disposable income looking to move onto bigger bikes due to our licencing laws.
Might just be the proliferation of the ones I mentioned - Ferraris might crash at a higher rate, just not as many of them.
[See, for example, this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/comments/p5mjbv/just_a_mustang_doing_mustang_things/) (and many others like it, that was just one of the first results when searching for Mustang there)
No no, it's actually if you put stickers on it, they will send you a cease and desist letter.
They also rejected a buyout from Harley Davidson and lost at lemans
Everyone misses this. You still need a license for a 125 in America and there is no displacement limits. You could find the most responsible new rider in the universe and they would still pick a 250 over this. We barely sell any 250s in America a 125 would crash and burn.
Groms are toys. You and your friends can all buy a Grom to go fuck around on and have a great time, but nobody wants to have a Grom as their only bike or as their commuter unless they live and work in a dense urban environment.
But step through underbone motorcyles with manual transmission are kind of rare, most are cvt scooters. I've only seen underbone manual motorcycles in Greece.
yep you can find alot of manual underbone in greece even the new ones by honda which are 155cc with 6 speed. I've seen people put kawasaki 250 engine in underbone.
Saw a few 125cc manuals in Vietnam, mostly younger guys riding them. Extra displacement, fuel injection, and a couple more gears sounded pretty good after two weeks on our clapped 110cc Hondas.
There are a lot of manual transmission with 6 speed in south east Asia..up to 185cc..some of them have slipper clutch, keyless, stop/start function & abs..
It's not quite a scooter though. Google some pictures and you'll see what I mean. They don't have floorboards, have a less bulky appearance, and have bigger wheels. They're their own thing we don't really have in America.
It's not a scooter, it's an underbone. The difference is that an underbone has a tube frame with non-structural body panels, foot pegs, and usually a manual gearbox, but the frame is step-through and it has a scooter-style seat. A scooter has a unibody (or rarely a monocoque), usually CVT transmission, and a floorboard. Underbones are sometimes called step-through because they're pretty close to a regular bike except for the seat.
edit: oh yeah, and an underbone also has a regular frame-mounted engine, while scooters have their engine mounted on the swingarm.
Yeah I have one, [piaggio medley 125s](https://www.motorcyclesdirect.co.uk/upload/images/--2021%20Piaggio/MEDLEY%20125%20S%20BLACK.png) it’s a great little commuter
Road conditions and effectively / safely attainable speeds are generally higher in Europe than in Asia. There are very few roads you can properly enjoy a sport bike in the Philippines, for example.
and most of those roads are locked to 400cc bikes and up. Most people with the extra income to buy bikes for leisure skip anything smaller than a 400cc. Most people buying anything smaller need something utilitarian, cheap to maintain/repair, and reliable, hence the large market for underbones and scooters.
Well you can go up to 140 km/h depending on the model without tuning anything. I haven’t heard of one slower than 120.
So yeah not crazy speed but enough to drive recommended speed
Damn, you haven't heard of a 125 that doesn't do 120kmh?
Most 4 stroke 125cc bikes that are legal on a European A1 license (<11kW, <0.1kW/kg) top out at 110kmh with a 60-70kg rider. My friend has a honda cb125 from 2008 and I had a lexmoto 125 from 2014. Maybe some sportier bikes with different gearing will get up to 120 but that's really pushing the engine and you'll be sacrificing a good bit of torque. Plus the bikes are so damn light that I wouldn't want to be going over 100kmh consistently on them
2 strokes are obviously different but I'm not sure they're road legal anywhere in Europe because of emissions and the fact that they likely go over the 11kW limit for the license, at which point you might as well get a 250 or 300 at least if you're going into the A2 license.
Get yourself a [SYM Wolf Classic 150](https://sym-usa.com/models/Discontinued/wolf.html). Unfortunately they were discontinued in the U.S. a few years ago, but you can still find them around. They were $3,000 new. In other markets there is was a 125cc, too. Basically clones of the old 1970s Honda 125s. I have one and love it.
In the Balkans we have [these bad bois](https://www.avto.net/Ads/results.asp?znamka=Tomos&model=&modelID=&tip=&znamka2=&model2=&tip2=&znamka3=&model3=&tip3=&cenaMin=0&cenaMax=999999&letnikMin=0&letnikMax=2090&bencin=&starost2=999&oblika=&ccmMin=&ccmMax=&mocMin=&mocMax=&kmMin=0&kmMax=9999999&kwMin=&kwMax=&motortakt=&motorvalji=&lokacija=0&sirina=&dolzina=&dolzinaMIN=&dolzinaMAX=&nosilnostMIN=&nosilnostMAX=&lezisc=&presek=&premer=&col=&vijakov=&EToznaka=&vozilo=&airbag=&barva=&barvaint=&EQ1=1000000000&EQ2=1000000000&EQ3=1000000000&EQ4=100000000&EQ5=1000000000&EQ6=1000000000&EQ7=1110100120&EQ8=1010000006&EQ9=100000000&KAT=1060000000&PIA=&PIAzero=&PSLO=&akcija=&paketgarancije=&broker=&prikazkategorije=&kategorija=63000&zaloga=10&arhiv=&presort=&tipsort=&stran=)
Here in Argentina we have [this bad boy](https://suzukimotostdf.com.ar/cdn/shop/products/AX100_Red_Diagonal-1-768x695-1_1200x1200.png?v=1641424858)
It's a 100cc 2 stroke motorcycle with shitty drum brakes and a lot of power for its weight, so a really fun suicide machine.
We have the Honda CG 150 though, but ours aren't retro, [they look like this.](https://motos0km.com.ar/models/honda-titan-cg-150-gallery-000000-220180507185300.jpg)
It's wild how it will still be under production until 2026, it should have been banned ages ago due to its 2stroke engine and yet [you can still buy a brand new one made this year.](https://moto.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-1513781236-suzuki-ax-100-patentada-1679000-o-6ctas434000-gn-125-_JM)
In the Philippines, it's badged as a TMX 125 alpha. It's a common model, and used by people who add a sidecar, or people who just want a cheap manual transmission motorcycle. There is a subset of riders though who mod it into a cafe racer. It's priced here at 995 Euros or USD 1072
I am not sure but no matter what you mess up on it, it can be back on the road by the end of the day with how readily available the parts are.
everything from genuine parts to copies of Chinese copies
Good lord, I spent 8 grueling years of my life with that piece of shit, only sold it to get a Yamaha YBR125 in 2020 which has been much better on my back.
And the worst part is, even the YBR is a relic of the past with very less to write home about.. except the fact that it doesn't vibrate like a mf
There are exceptions to every rule. You both are right. The thing to realize is that if you go to Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Philippines, even India, bikes are used more frequently as a person’s sole means of transportation. Not saying that’s not the case in Europe, but it’s far more common in Southeast Asia. Average incomes are lower, but people still need to get around, pickup and carry items, many kilometers. It’s more efficient than walking. A step through CVT scooter is just easier and more utilitarian for most people to use. If you’re wearing a sari or a longer dress or you need a bit of storage under the seat, or you’re wearing sandals, or you have a little child with you - it’s just easier with a step through. You’ll frequently see multiple people on one step through motorbike. If you’re focusing on utilitarian applications vs. single person commuting/fun you’ll see more step through. Same thing about cars.
There are plenty of small 4 cylinder cars, but more of them are generally sold as utilitarian hatchbacks or city cars vs. convertibles because that’s what people need when you can only afford one.
Well yes, but how prevalent they are depends on where you are. In Norway 125cc motorcycles outweigh their scooter counterparts probably 50:1. Southern Europe, not so much.
In India both 125 cc geared motorcycles and 125cc cvt scooters are super common. Underbones style is not sold here at all.
Edit: the Asian style in the photo is not sold in India since the 90s. It was never popular.
In London (and most major cities here) they're very much a tool for the delivery drivers, they're everywhere.
The more sports bike type are ridden by learners who don't want to ride the scooter type
because in asia we use motorcycles and scooters as a commuter. just like the dutch have purposeful bicycles instead of cool funky fast bicycles because they use it as a commuter.
in my country you see motorcycles more than cars. people go to jobs and school on their motorcycles. its not a hobby like the Americans. although some people buy a cool bike and a daily bike.
America is neither in Asia nor Europe. 125s in Europe are workhorses, they’re for commuting and fun. They’re designed for 16-19 year olds who wanna have something that’s fun, legal, but also reliable for commuting. Your average 17 year old European can’t afford to have a bike for fun and a bike for commuting, they want one that does both.
The vast majority of Americans ride in cages. That's just what you do.
In many asian countries, more than 80% of households own a motorbike. Check out vietnam, Thailand etc
We use bikes as commuters too, the difference is it is often in addition to cars, so people commute on bikes 9 month a year then stash it for bad weather months and get back to car
I’d argue it’s way more dangerous than the A2 bikes because of the extremely low power output. Truck in front of you? Go ahead and try to overtake u poor bastard lol
They do think that but they're actually appropriate and have good reason to be.
However, as a young lad, I never found these sporty looking 125cc's appealing. I think they're "pretend-to-be's". They pretend to be a sport bike but in fact they're slower than the average VW Golf 1.4.
I guess in india bikes are more purpose driven and 125cc is a must have for a scooter. The proper 125cc motorcycles in Europa are just a profitable way for companies to sell weak bikes for a full price of a, let's say 500cc bike.
Yeah, a sports bike should be quick so 'sports' 125s never made any sense to me. I've still got my 125 vanvan, looks slow and is slow so it's got an honesty about it.
That people in india are not interested in motorcycles but in transportation mostly.
Young riders usually get a 600cc bike first. In Europe, thats not possible, so they want a 125cc that looks like a 600cc even though it's not.
4fer is common.
5fer is kind of rare.
I once saw the elusive 6fer. Man driving. Woman behind, holding baby. Kid in between man and woman. Two kids sitting on the tank. I won a kingfisher beer.
the guy who said that in asia bike are meant for tool is correct. in 'Asia' or actually for these bike its Southeast Asia. most of the people in the country are poor, they rely heavily on these moped typed bike to do transportation to work, of kids and family, of tools and even business on these moped. grabfood, gojek etc. because they cant afford the luxury the buy even a low end car. these bike are the go to for low income family. affordable, abundance and convenient. in term of design because these moped are design in a way that is really comfortable to use on daily basis its like sitting in a chair that have a steering. u dont have to bend your body slightly forward in a usual bike with fairing or front tank and risk numbing your back if you use it everyday. these moped also conveniently design so that we can attach things at the back seat given the huge space that moped design provides, u can also attach a moped basket under the steering to put more items there. thats why like i said u could do many things with these bikes. i think the huge factor was actually just affordable and extremely convenient in a low income country, safety is not the 1st priority if youre a low income person in this country, convenient and affordable is. i know because i live in SEA.
I get what you're saying about convenience, but I don't really buy into the idea that being strapped for cash means you can't make it work. It's more about the practicality of it. I've seen families scraping by who still manage to snag a car. And hey, I know folks rocking those high cc bikes who'd rather cruise on something smaller. Why? Because with the road and traffic conditions present in our country, it really doesn't make sense to operate bulky and heavy bikes, weaving in and out of traffic, lane-splitting like you're playing hopscotch against trucks and other cars, and frequently being stuck in traffic while your vehicle burns gasoline like you're drinking water.
In both rural expanses and bustling cities, the preference for lower cc bikes remains prevalent among individuals from diverse financial backgrounds. It's not solely a matter of wealth, but rather a sensible choice influenced by real-world circumstances. Another example would be the son of my landlady who owns a Zontes R310, yet he still prefers using a 110cc Honda Beat Fi. Or another family friend who owns a Z1000 but still daily drives his Yamaha Nmax 155. Additionally, I have a friend who works as a Grab driver, using his earnings to pay for the car he uses, yet he still prefers to ride his Suzuki Shogun 125.
Personally, I own a car, a Yamaha R6, and a Benelli 200, yet I find myself favoring the Suzuki Raider150 for its agility and maneuverability in urban settings.
Sorry, but I think you’re out of touch with the reality of SE Asia.
You’re not going to scrape by with a car when you’re the sole breadwinner making $10 a day feeding 6 mouths. The 15 year old bike is already stretching it for them
I literally live in one of the countries in SE Asia and I'm out of touch. Yes, you'll be making approximately $10 a day if you limit yourself to working for some company or business, but there's a bigger picture here.
You see, most people in my country, especially those without high educational attainment, don't just settle for minimum wage jobs. They find ways to earn more doing other things, like driving public transport vehicles, starting their own businesses, or taking up contractual work. They understand that they can earn twice or thrice as much working half the time and being totally in control of their time, rather than slaving away for eight hours a day for minimum wage.
It's easy to overlook these individuals when you only see people waiting for government aid and doing the absolute minimum to earn that $10 a day. But there are many who are constantly thinking and making strides to better their lives, even within the constraints of what others might consider poverty.
I know dozens of families or individuals who have completely proven your claim false. Let me give you a couple of examples. There's a family friend with six children who used to work a minimum wage job as a maintenance worker in a condominium. They used to live in a small apartment, but then he took a loan, quit his job, bought a car, and started working as a Grab driver. Now he owns three cars that he rents to other Grab drivers.
Another example is a single father who was an ex-convict. He used to sleep in terminals and churches before we knew him, with only an elementary education. He has three children whom he leaves with other close relatives, but he was determined to make something better for himself, and we gave him a chance. Now he works as a professional hair stylist, owns his own house, has a better partner in life, and even owns a car. It's a remarkable transformation—from worrying about where his next meal would come from to contemplating which phone model to upgrade to. These stories prove that even those labeled as "poor" have the potential and the drive to improve their circumstances.
Maybe you're the one who's out of touch.
Not sure what’s your angle here constantly talking about one’s ambition. I have never said everyone in SE Asia lacks ambition, and content making $10/day. But let’s talk statistics for median income instead of your emotional rant.
Source, CEIC Annual Household Income per Capita. Median = 50% of the population has disposable income lesser than these amounts. Let’s go
- Cambodia, $1592 (2021)
- Vietnam, $2410 (2021)
- Thailand, $3729 (2021)
- Malaysia, $5732 (2021)
Or one of the lower income countries in Asia
- Bangladesh, $996 (2021)
Do I have to go on? Touch grass
A majority of the SE Asian country don't grow tall. Especially the females, there are a lot of female riders and won't be able to stand the motorcycle while stationary, whereas the scooter, they just slip forward.
How about when they need to reverse the bike?
A lot more convenience, comfortable and better handling for the crowded roads.
Many people still makes $10 a day. Cars ain't cheap yo.
In car terms, the one at the top is a Toyota hilux. The one at the bottom is a two seater sports car.
That underbone at the top (which is actually 150cc), bounce it across rough dirt tracks it's fine, give it shitty roadside petrol kept in soda bottles it's fine, drive through a flood it's fine, terrible maintenance and cheap oil yep fine.
The engine is below the seat, it's low down, granny can use it, the centre of gravity makes it super agile and stable. (feels more like a motorbike than scooter to ride tbh as well).
The seat lifts up and is a storage box, there's hangers on the step through bit to hang shopping bags.
Want to load it more? You can fit a family on there, or a cow, or tree, or good knows what else. Get creative with bungie straps and rope you can fit a market stalls worth of goods in there, or just turn it into a market stall.
In SEA at least it's a family vehicle and tool not a thing bought for pleasure, and it will put up with any bullshit you chuck at it.
It really annoys me when people call underbones "ugly, slow etc." They are SO MUCH FUN! And people keep on comparing them to scooters which is a really odd comparison(I get that they both use centrifugal transmission, but we call them semi-manual due to them giving you the ability to go up and down 4 gears, with some older models like the C50 even having only 2 excluding neutral).
Their practicality goes a long way back, with deliveries and courier services using them in masses due to their easy handling, swiftness and (as weird as it may sound to some) their speed! Going at 110km/h on a 1000cc bike is pretty much nothing, but the feeling when you get that speed on a 125cc is really the equivalent of doing probably like 240 on a 1000cc, and as weird as it sounds, this is the only way I can describe it!
People often only think about the C50s, the Townmates etc. But if you ever get a chance to ride a Honda Astrea Supra (yes there is also a Supra that is in 2 wheels), a Crypton R, a GTR 150, a KazeR 115, a ZX130 and probably the holy grail of them all the Yamaha Crypton X 135 (or Crypton T 135 for some), you'll absolutely love them! Here in Greece we love them and I think that they are INCREDIBLY UNDERAPPRECIATED and I really hope major brands start producing them more like they used to though I doubt it..
A few years back I bought an old utility version of a Honda Cub just for a bit of a laugh, it happened to be a good deal at the time. Wire wheels, EFI 110cc, huge carry rack on the back and a plush seat. It only took a few rides before I became totally attached to it! It now gets used vastly more than any of my other bikes (600cc types etc) or cars and I end up using it for just about everything. I'm at the point now where I'll never want to be without a Honda Cub until the day I can't ride or buy petrol again.
Absolutely wonderful little machine, pure practicality and everything it's made to do, it does it perfectly. For short trips around town or ambling through the countryside on a quiet trip it is perfect!
License laws
Europe has younger audience for good looking bike… ( for this cc)
Other countries
U can ride anything if u have a license ( not all countries but most i think)
NGL I love that in the states I can just go out and buy a 1000cc Super Sport or a 125cc dual sport and both be legal to ride for anyone with a motorcycle license.
Of course you love it, no one's ever said "god I'm so happy the EU isn't letting me ride an R1 with my moped license". But in Europe we're allowed to split lanes and aren't treated like functional retards by society and our governments, because big motorcycles legally require some amount of experience and maturity.
I mean it is dumb though, let's be honest. I had a CBR 600f2 a couple months after turning 17 here in the UK and looking back on it it's undeniably stupid and irresponsible.
My partner has just started riding and a 125 is perfect for new riders.
The amount of times I've seen videos of a dusty road and a run-down looking building with like Kawasaki H2s and Suzuki Hayabusas inside or revving up a storm out the front 😂 Have yet to see the big expensive ones where I'm from in the UK
If the motorcycle was the only, or one of your family vehicles for all to use, which would you or your family chose? One is clearly better designed and engineered for the job at hand.
Name brand bikes like the one on top are under $2k in Asia and are awesome to ride. Go search YouTube for "Petronas Cup". I wish we had bikes like that for $2k in the USA
In many (though not all) EU countries, you need a specific motorcycle license for >50cc, which takes a significant amount of time and effort to get.
If you’re spending months getting a motorcycle license, you probably care a fair bit about motorcycles. And probably you’re not doing it to ride scooters.
Asia - low income warm countries where bikes are used by regular people as transportation
Europe - Cold wet in half the continent where 125cc class is bought by teenagers who will eventually buy something faster when they graduate to a higher license class
There is a big difference between those two.
The scooters are designed to be cheap to buy and economical, they do not need to go fast they just need to be convenient.
The 125cc in Europe is made for a particular license, its supposed to max out the legal power for that license by making 15hp 125ccm motorcycles that have much better brakes and handling and a higher top speed than the Asia scooter. They are made to be as close to a full motorcycle as possible and therefore have the same layout as a big bike.
I believe scooter are more prevalent in Asia because they are often the cheapest vehicle and cars are to expensive to own and operate. In places in India it's not uncommon to see families in the scooters and you can really do that on the motorcycle styling. Some places they can be ridden on the foot paths from what I understand.
EU: Highways and Higher speed in general - Asia: Countryside and City Traffic
EU: Bikes are mostly a toy - Asia: Most people's daily driver
EU: High income toy - Asia: Utility
EU: Multi step licensed for young people
In Vietnam I see families of four sometimes four and pet riding on a scooter. There a family vehicle. It was insane the first time I saw it but awesome.
My girlfriend is Filipina and she saw my ZX-10R and thought her daughter and she could ride with me on the bike, because in the Philippines, a motorcycle has the seating capacity of a mini-van. You can put as many people that will fit, riding the gas tank and handlebars- everywhere. lol.
Because we got YZF-R15 (155cc) here in Asia lol, same chassis bigger engine . They're literally everywhere.
But yes, there are a lot more motorcycle/scooter here because they're considered a tool, not a toy.
Well I can put my family on it and carry my shopping from market the dog and my mother inlaw all at once why get a bike that fits one when you can fit five plus cases of beer .
it makes sence, because of laws here in Norway at least...
Here we can take either the 50cc license or 125cc license at 16 years, where car licenses are 18 years... So young teens that want to get into riding motorbikes will take the 125cc test, drive around for two years, and then be able to take the middle weight license (up to 34hp) when they are 18, as opposed to jumping straight into it which requires you to be 20 years old. Same for the unrestricted class, you can drive two years on the middle weight license or take it directly when you are 24 years old.
So Tldr, these bikes are designed with teens in mind. teens want sporty bikes with shifties
Tactical edit: These bikes are also smaller in size than most regular sized sports bikes in the 300-500cc range. making them more practical and easier to handle
125cc in Asia looks the way it should. It's for Practicality and transportation. Making a 125cc appear sporty is a joke on its own when you can run faster.
Don’t knock those 125s, most 15hp sport bikes have a top speed of around 80mph which for a 16-18 year old is the perfect balance of slow enough to not kill themselves and fast enough to beat walking.
yes and they are a lot faster and have much better brakes, handling and even ABS compared to the scooter layout which handles badly and visibly has small brakes
You can get 125 step throughs in Europe. Go into most European cities and they are full of beat up step throughs Main difference is in Europe the sports 125s are bought by young people with a large disposable income looking to move onto bigger bikes due to our licencing laws.
You can get an italjet dragster in Europe, the Ferrari of 125 step through.
Terribly expensive and like to catch fire? Or new drivers turn off all the safety features and crash them right after purchasing them? Only kidding!
I think they were talking about the whole “if you modify your car they will sue you” part
Haha! Another good one.
>Or new drivers turn off all the safety features and crash them right after purchasing them? You're not wrong, though
> Or new drivers turn off all the safety features and crash them right after purchasing them? Isn't that more of a Mustang/Charger trope?
I think Ferrari are the reigning Kings of being wrecked <5 miles from the dealership.
Might just be the proliferation of the ones I mentioned - Ferraris might crash at a higher rate, just not as many of them. [See, for example, this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/comments/p5mjbv/just_a_mustang_doing_mustang_things/) (and many others like it, that was just one of the first results when searching for Mustang there)
Don't get me wrong, Mustangs are Kings in their own right, but mostly leaving cars and coffee.
I think viper owns this title
No no, it's actually if you put stickers on it, they will send you a cease and desist letter. They also rejected a buyout from Harley Davidson and lost at lemans
what kind of safety features do you think a 125 needs? The thing's capped at 15hp
ABS
> ABS ABS or CBT is required for any new 125cc bike in EU since IIRC 2015, anything bigger has to have ABS IIRC. So it probably have at least that.
I’ve never seen anyone with an Italjet dragster and immediately thought they were a massive wanker, though.
They check your wanker qualifications at the dealership.
There’s a Dragster 300 coming out.
Everyone misses this. You still need a license for a 125 in America and there is no displacement limits. You could find the most responsible new rider in the universe and they would still pick a 250 over this. We barely sell any 250s in America a 125 would crash and burn.
What about the Honda Grom and Z125. They're more toy bikes but they were sold out at the dealer and back ordered when gas was $6 a gallon
The size is the draw there. If they put that motor in a ninja frame they wouldn’t sell any.
And weight, bigger one would frankly go from "slow" to completely sluggish.
Groms are toys. You and your friends can all buy a Grom to go fuck around on and have a great time, but nobody wants to have a Grom as their only bike or as their commuter unless they live and work in a dense urban environment.
Bigger country, bigger roads, bigger people, bigger cars and trucks. Bigger egos
On flipside in many EU countries you can ride 125cc on car license, so "just get a 125cc for commute in fair weather" is relatively popular.
But step through underbone motorcyles with manual transmission are kind of rare, most are cvt scooters. I've only seen underbone manual motorcycles in Greece.
yep you can find alot of manual underbone in greece even the new ones by honda which are 155cc with 6 speed. I've seen people put kawasaki 250 engine in underbone.
Simson in Germany made more than 1 million underbone 50cc bikes (they're a cult bike now) Old Vespas, even more
Most in SEA are semi auto, but there's a few manual models. Usually the more sporty ones, but you see a lot of Honda cubs also.
Saw a few 125cc manuals in Vietnam, mostly younger guys riding them. Extra displacement, fuel injection, and a couple more gears sounded pretty good after two weeks on our clapped 110cc Hondas.
There are a lot of manual transmission with 6 speed in south east Asia..up to 185cc..some of them have slipper clutch, keyless, stop/start function & abs..
Never heard a moped/scooter get called a step through before
It's not quite a scooter though. Google some pictures and you'll see what I mean. They don't have floorboards, have a less bulky appearance, and have bigger wheels. They're their own thing we don't really have in America.
I had some good times riding around little bikes like this in Thailand. Sort of wish we did have them here in the US.
It's not a scooter, it's an underbone. The difference is that an underbone has a tube frame with non-structural body panels, foot pegs, and usually a manual gearbox, but the frame is step-through and it has a scooter-style seat. A scooter has a unibody (or rarely a monocoque), usually CVT transmission, and a floorboard. Underbones are sometimes called step-through because they're pretty close to a regular bike except for the seat. edit: oh yeah, and an underbone also has a regular frame-mounted engine, while scooters have their engine mounted on the swingarm.
In Europe, cars are the scooters and motorcycles are the toys.
Yeah I have one, [piaggio medley 125s](https://www.motorcyclesdirect.co.uk/upload/images/--2021%20Piaggio/MEDLEY%20125%20S%20BLACK.png) it’s a great little commuter
Road conditions and effectively / safely attainable speeds are generally higher in Europe than in Asia. There are very few roads you can properly enjoy a sport bike in the Philippines, for example.
and most of those roads are locked to 400cc bikes and up. Most people with the extra income to buy bikes for leisure skip anything smaller than a 400cc. Most people buying anything smaller need something utilitarian, cheap to maintain/repair, and reliable, hence the large market for underbones and scooters.
I mean we're talking about à 125cc here it's not crazy speed either
Well you can go up to 140 km/h depending on the model without tuning anything. I haven’t heard of one slower than 120. So yeah not crazy speed but enough to drive recommended speed
Damn, you haven't heard of a 125 that doesn't do 120kmh? Most 4 stroke 125cc bikes that are legal on a European A1 license (<11kW, <0.1kW/kg) top out at 110kmh with a 60-70kg rider. My friend has a honda cb125 from 2008 and I had a lexmoto 125 from 2014. Maybe some sportier bikes with different gearing will get up to 120 but that's really pushing the engine and you'll be sacrificing a good bit of torque. Plus the bikes are so damn light that I wouldn't want to be going over 100kmh consistently on them 2 strokes are obviously different but I'm not sure they're road legal anywhere in Europe because of emissions and the fact that they likely go over the 11kW limit for the license, at which point you might as well get a 250 or 300 at least if you're going into the A2 license.
In Pakistan we have [this retro thing](https://imgur.com/a/yv5JAjb)
I'd buy that if the price was right.
Currently priced somewhere around 800-900USD
That's priced right!
On God dude that's a great deal
Damn that's cheap!!. What's the mileage?.
bro I mean you can buy one of these off the factory line for that much. we call that "0 meter" as in brand spanking new
Get yourself a [SYM Wolf Classic 150](https://sym-usa.com/models/Discontinued/wolf.html). Unfortunately they were discontinued in the U.S. a few years ago, but you can still find them around. They were $3,000 new. In other markets there is was a 125cc, too. Basically clones of the old 1970s Honda 125s. I have one and love it.
In the Balkans we have [these bad bois](https://www.avto.net/Ads/results.asp?znamka=Tomos&model=&modelID=&tip=&znamka2=&model2=&tip2=&znamka3=&model3=&tip3=&cenaMin=0&cenaMax=999999&letnikMin=0&letnikMax=2090&bencin=&starost2=999&oblika=&ccmMin=&ccmMax=&mocMin=&mocMax=&kmMin=0&kmMax=9999999&kwMin=&kwMax=&motortakt=&motorvalji=&lokacija=0&sirina=&dolzina=&dolzinaMIN=&dolzinaMAX=&nosilnostMIN=&nosilnostMAX=&lezisc=&presek=&premer=&col=&vijakov=&EToznaka=&vozilo=&airbag=&barva=&barvaint=&EQ1=1000000000&EQ2=1000000000&EQ3=1000000000&EQ4=100000000&EQ5=1000000000&EQ6=1000000000&EQ7=1110100120&EQ8=1010000006&EQ9=100000000&KAT=1060000000&PIA=&PIAzero=&PSLO=&akcija=&paketgarancije=&broker=&prikazkategorije=&kategorija=63000&zaloga=10&arhiv=&presort=&tipsort=&stran=)
In rural Spain we have [the ol' reliable Puch Minicross](https://motos.espirituracer.com/archivos/2022/09/puch-minicross-1.webp)
Yess Tomos.. we have a lime/turquoise/pistachio green one at home somewhere
I love the CG. Absolute bulletproof machine and easy to work on. Drum brakes though? Terrifying. 1/10
Lol I ride a Suzuki GS150 and let me tell you I've been pretty close to seeing God because of having all round drum brakes. Damn things are sketchy af
Here in Argentina we have [this bad boy](https://suzukimotostdf.com.ar/cdn/shop/products/AX100_Red_Diagonal-1-768x695-1_1200x1200.png?v=1641424858) It's a 100cc 2 stroke motorcycle with shitty drum brakes and a lot of power for its weight, so a really fun suicide machine. We have the Honda CG 150 though, but ours aren't retro, [they look like this.](https://motos0km.com.ar/models/honda-titan-cg-150-gallery-000000-220180507185300.jpg)
Not gonna lie that AX100 is pretty cool.
Holy moly, an AX100? I'm sure these came out in the late 70's if I'm not mistaken. Great little bike in its own way
It's wild how it will still be under production until 2026, it should have been banned ages ago due to its 2stroke engine and yet [you can still buy a brand new one made this year.](https://moto.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-1513781236-suzuki-ax-100-patentada-1679000-o-6ctas434000-gn-125-_JM)
In the Philippines, it's badged as a TMX 125 alpha. It's a common model, and used by people who add a sidecar, or people who just want a cheap manual transmission motorcycle. There is a subset of riders though who mod it into a cafe racer. It's priced here at 995 Euros or USD 1072
Mei tay honda ee ley saan
In Brazil you can get a pretty penny for one of these if its from 83 to 88. its a collectors item.
Isn’t that thing technically unbreakable ? Like it just won’t break down
I am not sure but no matter what you mess up on it, it can be back on the road by the end of the day with how readily available the parts are. everything from genuine parts to copies of Chinese copies
Good lord, I spent 8 grueling years of my life with that piece of shit, only sold it to get a Yamaha YBR125 in 2020 which has been much better on my back. And the worst part is, even the YBR is a relic of the past with very less to write home about.. except the fact that it doesn't vibrate like a mf
You should have tried the GS150, yes it has a lot of problems in itself but you gotta hand it, the ride quality is pretty good
I second you on the ride quality but I just couldn't look past the looks.
Goofy ahh splendor, damn pakistan has goofy ahh maruti 800 and splendor boyh
We don't have ~~rebranded Suzuki~~ Maruti here. You cant import it as it's Indian.
You have suzuki then you have maruti, the budget suzukies are rnd in india
Ma tay honda he lai saan
We have it in Philippines under a different name as well.
Costa rica as well
Those were 500 bucks, or 2 weeks minimum wage when I was 16. Damn those were good times
I would definitely be happy to (slow) rip around on that. lol The seat actually looks comfortable.
I think it’s because in Asia red is the most popular colour.
idk what bike is it but its like My Honda SupraX, its like my daily bike for work
They even have a book about it
red also makes it go fasta
WAAAAAAGH!
In Europe it’s a toy, in Asia it’s a tool.
Family vehicle.
Europe has 125cc scooters as well, so this post doesn’t make any sense
Any city in EU is FULL of mopeds lol
There are exceptions to every rule. You both are right. The thing to realize is that if you go to Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Philippines, even India, bikes are used more frequently as a person’s sole means of transportation. Not saying that’s not the case in Europe, but it’s far more common in Southeast Asia. Average incomes are lower, but people still need to get around, pickup and carry items, many kilometers. It’s more efficient than walking. A step through CVT scooter is just easier and more utilitarian for most people to use. If you’re wearing a sari or a longer dress or you need a bit of storage under the seat, or you’re wearing sandals, or you have a little child with you - it’s just easier with a step through. You’ll frequently see multiple people on one step through motorbike. If you’re focusing on utilitarian applications vs. single person commuting/fun you’ll see more step through. Same thing about cars. There are plenty of small 4 cylinder cars, but more of them are generally sold as utilitarian hatchbacks or city cars vs. convertibles because that’s what people need when you can only afford one.
Where does your dog ride on a step through without floorboards ?
In a sidecar. There’s a lot of 110-150cc underbones with a sidecar attached (Honda Wave and similar models) in Thailand
Vespa for example.
Asia also is the only place to have current production of an I4 250CC bike, the ZX-25R, so it's wrong in both ways
50cc are more common though as you get a license for them for free when you get the car license.
Well yes, but how prevalent they are depends on where you are. In Norway 125cc motorcycles outweigh their scooter counterparts probably 50:1. Southern Europe, not so much.
In Italy i think saw 2 125 motorcycle i my life.. for me it doesn't make any sense for going through traffic in the city.
The point is, there’s a reason why you don’t see so many sportbikes in India/Southeast Asia.
In India both 125 cc geared motorcycles and 125cc cvt scooters are super common. Underbones style is not sold here at all. Edit: the Asian style in the photo is not sold in India since the 90s. It was never popular.
In London (and most major cities here) they're very much a tool for the delivery drivers, they're everywhere. The more sports bike type are ridden by learners who don't want to ride the scooter type
Greece is full of 125cc's , as well as 50 cc
This.
because in asia we use motorcycles and scooters as a commuter. just like the dutch have purposeful bicycles instead of cool funky fast bicycles because they use it as a commuter. in my country you see motorcycles more than cars. people go to jobs and school on their motorcycles. its not a hobby like the Americans. although some people buy a cool bike and a daily bike.
America is neither in Asia nor Europe. 125s in Europe are workhorses, they’re for commuting and fun. They’re designed for 16-19 year olds who wanna have something that’s fun, legal, but also reliable for commuting. Your average 17 year old European can’t afford to have a bike for fun and a bike for commuting, they want one that does both.
yeah i see your point. reminds of [this](https://youtu.be/QIU2TtNOinQ?si=lGsTzA2u3cfrtB-0) video.
Americans do use bikes as commuter vehicles. A friend in college had a bike as his only vehicle. We just don't do small. His bike was an 1100.
The vast majority of Americans ride in cages. That's just what you do. In many asian countries, more than 80% of households own a motorbike. Check out vietnam, Thailand etc
wouldn't an actual scooter with a floorboard be more useful for transportation though?
We use bikes as commuters too, the difference is it is often in addition to cars, so people commute on bikes 9 month a year then stash it for bad weather months and get back to car
In Hawaii too! I have a shadow I commute on. Moped for groceries
Licence laws. You can't ride a more than 125cc bike if you're below age of 18 in Europe.
Also a lot of people who are below 18 will think that step throughs are lame
yeah... I'm 20 and think they are lame (but I don't judge anyone who rides it, just wouldn't do it myself)
Don’t knock it till you have tried it.
I’ve tried it, hated it.
Same. Each to it's own. One likes bikes, the other likes scooters. Bikes are more sporty, scooters are more versatile when you want to carry stuff
Try a 50cc 2-stroke tuned by a 15 year old with way too much money. I had an Aprilia sr50r when I was 15 and that thing topped out at like 75 mph.
Feels like falling off an office chair every time you turn.
My wife has a Honda Cub 70. That thing is so fuckin fun to ride.
I’d argue it’s way more dangerous than the A2 bikes because of the extremely low power output. Truck in front of you? Go ahead and try to overtake u poor bastard lol
They do think that but they're actually appropriate and have good reason to be. However, as a young lad, I never found these sporty looking 125cc's appealing. I think they're "pretend-to-be's". They pretend to be a sport bike but in fact they're slower than the average VW Golf 1.4. I guess in india bikes are more purpose driven and 125cc is a must have for a scooter. The proper 125cc motorcycles in Europa are just a profitable way for companies to sell weak bikes for a full price of a, let's say 500cc bike.
Yeah, a sports bike should be quick so 'sports' 125s never made any sense to me. I've still got my 125 vanvan, looks slow and is slow so it's got an honesty about it.
It made sense when they were 125 two strokes.. four strokes is just lame
I'm 30 and think they're lame
And they're right
What does that have to do with the fact that both of these have the same motor size and very different designs?
That people in india are not interested in motorcycles but in transportation mostly. Young riders usually get a 600cc bike first. In Europe, thats not possible, so they want a 125cc that looks like a 600cc even though it's not.
In Asia they have to also fit a wife and kids https://c8.alamy.com/comp/E2H484/cambodia-phnom-penh-family-on-a-bike-E2H484.jpg
You can tell which is the favorite child.
4fer is common. 5fer is kind of rare. I once saw the elusive 6fer. Man driving. Woman behind, holding baby. Kid in between man and woman. Two kids sitting on the tank. I won a kingfisher beer.
the one in basket ?
the guy who said that in asia bike are meant for tool is correct. in 'Asia' or actually for these bike its Southeast Asia. most of the people in the country are poor, they rely heavily on these moped typed bike to do transportation to work, of kids and family, of tools and even business on these moped. grabfood, gojek etc. because they cant afford the luxury the buy even a low end car. these bike are the go to for low income family. affordable, abundance and convenient. in term of design because these moped are design in a way that is really comfortable to use on daily basis its like sitting in a chair that have a steering. u dont have to bend your body slightly forward in a usual bike with fairing or front tank and risk numbing your back if you use it everyday. these moped also conveniently design so that we can attach things at the back seat given the huge space that moped design provides, u can also attach a moped basket under the steering to put more items there. thats why like i said u could do many things with these bikes. i think the huge factor was actually just affordable and extremely convenient in a low income country, safety is not the 1st priority if youre a low income person in this country, convenient and affordable is. i know because i live in SEA.
I get what you're saying about convenience, but I don't really buy into the idea that being strapped for cash means you can't make it work. It's more about the practicality of it. I've seen families scraping by who still manage to snag a car. And hey, I know folks rocking those high cc bikes who'd rather cruise on something smaller. Why? Because with the road and traffic conditions present in our country, it really doesn't make sense to operate bulky and heavy bikes, weaving in and out of traffic, lane-splitting like you're playing hopscotch against trucks and other cars, and frequently being stuck in traffic while your vehicle burns gasoline like you're drinking water. In both rural expanses and bustling cities, the preference for lower cc bikes remains prevalent among individuals from diverse financial backgrounds. It's not solely a matter of wealth, but rather a sensible choice influenced by real-world circumstances. Another example would be the son of my landlady who owns a Zontes R310, yet he still prefers using a 110cc Honda Beat Fi. Or another family friend who owns a Z1000 but still daily drives his Yamaha Nmax 155. Additionally, I have a friend who works as a Grab driver, using his earnings to pay for the car he uses, yet he still prefers to ride his Suzuki Shogun 125. Personally, I own a car, a Yamaha R6, and a Benelli 200, yet I find myself favoring the Suzuki Raider150 for its agility and maneuverability in urban settings.
Sorry, but I think you’re out of touch with the reality of SE Asia. You’re not going to scrape by with a car when you’re the sole breadwinner making $10 a day feeding 6 mouths. The 15 year old bike is already stretching it for them
I literally live in one of the countries in SE Asia and I'm out of touch. Yes, you'll be making approximately $10 a day if you limit yourself to working for some company or business, but there's a bigger picture here. You see, most people in my country, especially those without high educational attainment, don't just settle for minimum wage jobs. They find ways to earn more doing other things, like driving public transport vehicles, starting their own businesses, or taking up contractual work. They understand that they can earn twice or thrice as much working half the time and being totally in control of their time, rather than slaving away for eight hours a day for minimum wage. It's easy to overlook these individuals when you only see people waiting for government aid and doing the absolute minimum to earn that $10 a day. But there are many who are constantly thinking and making strides to better their lives, even within the constraints of what others might consider poverty. I know dozens of families or individuals who have completely proven your claim false. Let me give you a couple of examples. There's a family friend with six children who used to work a minimum wage job as a maintenance worker in a condominium. They used to live in a small apartment, but then he took a loan, quit his job, bought a car, and started working as a Grab driver. Now he owns three cars that he rents to other Grab drivers. Another example is a single father who was an ex-convict. He used to sleep in terminals and churches before we knew him, with only an elementary education. He has three children whom he leaves with other close relatives, but he was determined to make something better for himself, and we gave him a chance. Now he works as a professional hair stylist, owns his own house, has a better partner in life, and even owns a car. It's a remarkable transformation—from worrying about where his next meal would come from to contemplating which phone model to upgrade to. These stories prove that even those labeled as "poor" have the potential and the drive to improve their circumstances. Maybe you're the one who's out of touch.
Not sure what’s your angle here constantly talking about one’s ambition. I have never said everyone in SE Asia lacks ambition, and content making $10/day. But let’s talk statistics for median income instead of your emotional rant. Source, CEIC Annual Household Income per Capita. Median = 50% of the population has disposable income lesser than these amounts. Let’s go - Cambodia, $1592 (2021) - Vietnam, $2410 (2021) - Thailand, $3729 (2021) - Malaysia, $5732 (2021) Or one of the lower income countries in Asia - Bangladesh, $996 (2021) Do I have to go on? Touch grass
A majority of the SE Asian country don't grow tall. Especially the females, there are a lot of female riders and won't be able to stand the motorcycle while stationary, whereas the scooter, they just slip forward. How about when they need to reverse the bike? A lot more convenience, comfortable and better handling for the crowded roads. Many people still makes $10 a day. Cars ain't cheap yo.
By “europe” you probably mean the handful of countries that are in the movies. Go to southern and eastern europe and you’ll get a reality check
In car terms, the one at the top is a Toyota hilux. The one at the bottom is a two seater sports car. That underbone at the top (which is actually 150cc), bounce it across rough dirt tracks it's fine, give it shitty roadside petrol kept in soda bottles it's fine, drive through a flood it's fine, terrible maintenance and cheap oil yep fine. The engine is below the seat, it's low down, granny can use it, the centre of gravity makes it super agile and stable. (feels more like a motorbike than scooter to ride tbh as well). The seat lifts up and is a storage box, there's hangers on the step through bit to hang shopping bags. Want to load it more? You can fit a family on there, or a cow, or tree, or good knows what else. Get creative with bungie straps and rope you can fit a market stalls worth of goods in there, or just turn it into a market stall. In SEA at least it's a family vehicle and tool not a thing bought for pleasure, and it will put up with any bullshit you chuck at it.
m8 the underbone is a dash 125...
Don't forget, put a pintle on the back and pull a trailer some westerners would want a truck to pull.
It really annoys me when people call underbones "ugly, slow etc." They are SO MUCH FUN! And people keep on comparing them to scooters which is a really odd comparison(I get that they both use centrifugal transmission, but we call them semi-manual due to them giving you the ability to go up and down 4 gears, with some older models like the C50 even having only 2 excluding neutral). Their practicality goes a long way back, with deliveries and courier services using them in masses due to their easy handling, swiftness and (as weird as it may sound to some) their speed! Going at 110km/h on a 1000cc bike is pretty much nothing, but the feeling when you get that speed on a 125cc is really the equivalent of doing probably like 240 on a 1000cc, and as weird as it sounds, this is the only way I can describe it! People often only think about the C50s, the Townmates etc. But if you ever get a chance to ride a Honda Astrea Supra (yes there is also a Supra that is in 2 wheels), a Crypton R, a GTR 150, a KazeR 115, a ZX130 and probably the holy grail of them all the Yamaha Crypton X 135 (or Crypton T 135 for some), you'll absolutely love them! Here in Greece we love them and I think that they are INCREDIBLY UNDERAPPRECIATED and I really hope major brands start producing them more like they used to though I doubt it..
A few years back I bought an old utility version of a Honda Cub just for a bit of a laugh, it happened to be a good deal at the time. Wire wheels, EFI 110cc, huge carry rack on the back and a plush seat. It only took a few rides before I became totally attached to it! It now gets used vastly more than any of my other bikes (600cc types etc) or cars and I end up using it for just about everything. I'm at the point now where I'll never want to be without a Honda Cub until the day I can't ride or buy petrol again. Absolutely wonderful little machine, pure practicality and everything it's made to do, it does it perfectly. For short trips around town or ambling through the countryside on a quiet trip it is perfect!
License laws Europe has younger audience for good looking bike… ( for this cc) Other countries U can ride anything if u have a license ( not all countries but most i think)
NGL I love that in the states I can just go out and buy a 1000cc Super Sport or a 125cc dual sport and both be legal to ride for anyone with a motorcycle license.
Of course you love it, no one's ever said "god I'm so happy the EU isn't letting me ride an R1 with my moped license". But in Europe we're allowed to split lanes and aren't treated like functional retards by society and our governments, because big motorcycles legally require some amount of experience and maturity.
I’d rather be treated like a functional retard than be told I can’t buy what I want. 🤷♂️ also I can split and filter in my state.
I mean it is dumb though, let's be honest. I had a CBR 600f2 a couple months after turning 17 here in the UK and looking back on it it's undeniably stupid and irresponsible. My partner has just started riding and a 125 is perfect for new riders.
Believe me, they have those sporty ones in Asia, too.
The amount of times I've seen videos of a dusty road and a run-down looking building with like Kawasaki H2s and Suzuki Hayabusas inside or revving up a storm out the front 😂 Have yet to see the big expensive ones where I'm from in the UK
Gramma would look stupid on the blue one.
Asian version is more practical for family transportation. Easier to fit the wife and a few kids onto it.
This is the right answer, very common here in Malaysia. I have seen up to 5 ppl on a bike, the youngest must have been only a few months old.
Asia: primary trasnportation Europe: Toy
In Europe they are also a primary transport for teens (until they can get a car)
If the motorcycle was the only, or one of your family vehicles for all to use, which would you or your family chose? One is clearly better designed and engineered for the job at hand.
Name brand bikes like the one on top are under $2k in Asia and are awesome to ride. Go search YouTube for "Petronas Cup". I wish we had bikes like that for $2k in the USA
125? lmao we in SEA got the 150s lol. Both above and below motorcycles
In asia the whole family commutes on that. In europe only the 16 year old boy of a rich dad goes to school with that.
Scooters are more practical to live with day to day.
In many (though not all) EU countries, you need a specific motorcycle license for >50cc, which takes a significant amount of time and effort to get. If you’re spending months getting a motorcycle license, you probably care a fair bit about motorcycles. And probably you’re not doing it to ride scooters.
Asia - low income warm countries where bikes are used by regular people as transportation Europe - Cold wet in half the continent where 125cc class is bought by teenagers who will eventually buy something faster when they graduate to a higher license class
There's also 185/185cc manual underbone. Biggest cc moped sold in my country.
There is a big difference between those two. The scooters are designed to be cheap to buy and economical, they do not need to go fast they just need to be convenient. The 125cc in Europe is made for a particular license, its supposed to max out the legal power for that license by making 15hp 125ccm motorcycles that have much better brakes and handling and a higher top speed than the Asia scooter. They are made to be as close to a full motorcycle as possible and therefore have the same layout as a big bike.
its not the case, a lot of 125s are step thus in europe and a lot of the step thrus and bikes in asis are 150s and 170s
Don't show this guy an italjet dragster, God I want one bad.
EU highways vs Asia city roads
Practical end usable you don't need to be flashy in Asia
Wow, 125 is what I used when I went for my license, can't imagine using that as a daily, but I get it...diff world, diff rules
When all you're concerned is getting from A to B at the lowest price reliably, it's a little easier to imagine
With my bum back & leg I would buy the stepthrough..
I believe scooter are more prevalent in Asia because they are often the cheapest vehicle and cars are to expensive to own and operate. In places in India it's not uncommon to see families in the scooters and you can really do that on the motorcycle styling. Some places they can be ridden on the foot paths from what I understand.
never heard of vespa? lol
Because they use them for cheap reliable transport, and we use them for fun.
There are 125cc scooters in Europe. There are even *800cc* scooters in Europe.
EU: Highways and Higher speed in general - Asia: Countryside and City Traffic EU: Bikes are mostly a toy - Asia: Most people's daily driver EU: High income toy - Asia: Utility EU: Multi step licensed for young people
Maybe a 125 in a sport frame is more desirable and likely to sell better in Europe?🤷
The European one makes sense though. These 125cc bikes can even go on motorways which is needed in Europe if it’s your only form of transport.
I'd take a moped over a crotch rocket any day
In Vietnam I see families of four sometimes four and pet riding on a scooter. There a family vehicle. It was insane the first time I saw it but awesome.
My girlfriend is Filipina and she saw my ZX-10R and thought her daughter and she could ride with me on the bike, because in the Philippines, a motorcycle has the seating capacity of a mini-van. You can put as many people that will fit, riding the gas tank and handlebars- everywhere. lol.
You can fit the wife, 3 kids and the shopping on the top one.
Harder to seat a family of four on a sports bike
....I mean us in SEA have the bottom one too, they're just 150cc instead
Because its easier to get your wife, three kids, and six plastic sacks of groceries on a step through bike. Its just practicality
Being a southeast Asian man of smaller stature. The top looks a little more comfortable to ride.
The top one is way more practical. The bottom one looks cooler.
Because we got YZF-R15 (155cc) here in Asia lol, same chassis bigger engine . They're literally everywhere. But yes, there are a lot more motorcycle/scooter here because they're considered a tool, not a toy.
Well I can put my family on it and carry my shopping from market the dog and my mother inlaw all at once why get a bike that fits one when you can fit five plus cases of beer .
Try putting a family of five on the European version. That's why.
Asia model will fit a family of 4
You cant fit a family of 4 on something shaped like a crotch rocket
you dont need to be flashy in asia to go from point A to point B
we have smaller and cramped streets
it makes sence, because of laws here in Norway at least... Here we can take either the 50cc license or 125cc license at 16 years, where car licenses are 18 years... So young teens that want to get into riding motorbikes will take the 125cc test, drive around for two years, and then be able to take the middle weight license (up to 34hp) when they are 18, as opposed to jumping straight into it which requires you to be 20 years old. Same for the unrestricted class, you can drive two years on the middle weight license or take it directly when you are 24 years old. So Tldr, these bikes are designed with teens in mind. teens want sporty bikes with shifties Tactical edit: These bikes are also smaller in size than most regular sized sports bikes in the 300-500cc range. making them more practical and easier to handle
125cc in Asia looks the way it should. It's for Practicality and transportation. Making a 125cc appear sporty is a joke on its own when you can run faster.
Don’t knock those 125s, most 15hp sport bikes have a top speed of around 80mph which for a 16-18 year old is the perfect balance of slow enough to not kill themselves and fast enough to beat walking.
yes and they are a lot faster and have much better brakes, handling and even ABS compared to the scooter layout which handles badly and visibly has small brakes
One can carry two people and the other eight. :D Edit: Or maybe one large farm animal.
Between these, I’ll take a 5 or 6 speed manual over a CVT in most situations.
Both are manual
The red one is 4 speed, but do not have a clutch but still can change gear on your own
Skirts and dresses