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Gonna sell the KTM pretty soon...

Posted: 02:56 pm Sep 17 2011
by KDXrider1989
And I'm thinking about getting a 2003 RM 125 or a 2002 YZ 125, which one would y'all prefer? I've heard many good reviews about the YZ, but i havn't heard many reviews of the RM but the ones that I did hear about were really good. Parts for the YZ seem a bit cheaper and everything is still being made, the RM has the big stuff discontinued (swingarm, frame, rear shock) but some of the small stuff are cheaper than the YZ. The YZ is in great shape and has an FMF exhaust and probably a few other stuff, the RM looks to be stock but is very clean as well with brand new tires. The YZ is $1200 and 200 miles away, the RM is $700 and about 50 miles away. Both run and have fresh top ends, but the RM has a bad main bearing(s). Which one would yall choose if you were gonna get one of them?

Posted: 06:02 pm Sep 17 2011
by Julien D
assuming they are both in good condition, I'd choose the YZ. If you can do the bottom end yourself, the RM is a good deal though. Kinda tough to buy a bike that's 200 miles away. You have to go that far just to check it out, and it could need more than the seller indicates...

Posted: 07:35 pm Sep 17 2011
by rbates9
Seems to me you may be on the wrong forum.

Posted: 07:46 pm Sep 17 2011
by Julien D
^ true.

Posted: 08:32 pm Sep 17 2011
by gregp
My experience with later model RM125's has not been very good. Shattered clutch baskets and broken power valve parts seem to be the norm for those things. The RM does have great low end power, though, for a 125 MX bike. The YZ's have been consistently rated as the best 125 MX bike since 1998 or so.
I would get the YZ. Their biggest issue seems to be that the blue plastic gets white stress marks when bent. I could live with that.

Posted: 11:59 pm Sep 17 2011
by zomby woof
I've ridden both. The YZ has better low end power, but the RM is (for me) the faster bike. I've been racing a late model RM 125 for the last 5 years with no problems whatsoever. The YZ aftermarket is probably better, but there's not much for any 125 these days.

Woods = YZ
MX = RM

Posted: 12:07 am Sep 19 2011
by Brian
We had a 2001 RM 125. I don't know if it is different from the 03 or not. It was a very good handling bike. It would turn razor sharp and the engine would wind to the moon.

It had a few flaws though. The clutch was not very good. It would drag no matter how you adjusted it. It was so bad that you had to rev the engine up before you put it in gear or it would stall.

It also had no bottom end power. You could rev it all day but it had no low end, even compared to other 125's.

My son only weighed about 135 pounds so he didn't have trouble in the woods but sometimes other riders would complain if they were behind him cause it was always spinning the wheel and throwing mud/rocks.