Urgent Help Needed- YBR125K or YBR250?

After getting my licence a week ago I'm craving a chance to get off my electric scooter and onto something real. Not only that, but am planning on several months on the road come July, and want to break in my ride before then, as well as make all the necessary adjustments.

After looking at the options available, I'm settled on getting either the YBR125K (off-road version), or the 250.. this is where I need help. I went down to the only Yamaha dealer in Kunming on the weekend, down near Dianchi Lake, and had a look at what was on offer. There are quite a few YBR125 models, the latest and seemingly the most suited for a long journey over (probably) some rough roads is the 125K. It's an upgraded version of the original dual-sport YBR125G, and has a few improvements; http://www.jym.com.cn/Simplified/Pro...ra=48&meterb=3, including a larger rear tyre, fairing, kick-start, engine guard, luggage rack, etc.

I took a few rather crappy shots of their brochure which I've attached below, you can see the differences between the 125G, 125K and 250.

Was unable to test-drive but liked the look of the K.

The issue is, I will be travelling with my girlfriend, probably at quite high altitudes for a while. I weigh just under 80kg, she's a little under 60, and then there'll be the luggage of course. I'm really not sure whether a 125cc is capable of this, even one as reliable as a Yamaha. What's the consensus?

The dealer didn't have any 250's in stock, and claims there are none available in all of Yunnan until start of July, when they release the new model. This is an issue, as we're looking at leaving around mid-July. I got on the phone today to a dealer in Chengdu and he said he can get a 250 in, and have it sent down to Kunming. He also said he would have the newer model some time next month. From what I've read on MCM, both the 125 and 250 are good, even great, bikes; I would prefer the power of the larger engine, but the 125K seems to have a lot going for it in terms of off-roading.

So basically I need to call on the experience here to help make a decision. Do I sort out buying a 250 from another city such as Chengdu and having it sent down (on this, any recommendations for Chengdu dealers- the gentleman today seemed quite helpful, he's located at 成都雷力, 成都市武侯区西南摩托车批发市场B区2-12), in order to get the extra power and the fuel-injection which will be a big help higher up, and will a 250 be up to handling rougher road surfaces, or do I go ahead and get the 125K locally and look into rejetting the carb for altitude?

Any thoughts are very welcome. As far as price goes, the K was 10,800, was able to knock it down to 10k with some light bargaining, probably can do a bit better. The 250 seems like it will be in the 22k-24k range, but if I get the current model just before the latest one comes out I'm sure I can knock that down a little.

The dealer in Kunming was confident any bike I bought from them could be fully registered in my name in a day or two. I insisted on this as may be taking it out of the country for a spell, so want all the papers and rego in my own name.

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When I spoke to the dealer about dealing with altitude he didn't mention anything about rejetting but said that I needed to tweak the gold-valve part (see pink arrow and circle above) to achieve the right mixture of fuel and air being fed into the engine, any confirmation on this, and what the gold-valve is called? Also, the tyres are CST, Chengshen Tyres, which seem to have mixed reviews- what is better, and would they even be up to the task with a max. load of 175kg?

In my opinion the YBR250 is the better bike, so it really comes down to price and convenience. Both bikes are underpowered, 15kw from the 250 and 7.5kw from the 125, I'd want the extra especially with two and luggage that 125 will struggle in the mountains, in fact the torque is king in this regard rather than power. From previous direct knowledge the only problem with the YBR250 is light corrosion especially on the exhaust system. Have you also counted out the humble Sundiro Honda CBF150? A little tad more powerful than the YBR125 and in my opinion a slightly better bike.

Some people will say the the YBR125K or 125G are a must for off-road work. However in my view an neutral riding position high ground clearance single cylinder is nearly equally capable it's just a question of modifying the bike for your needs or being less aggressive when the roads get tougher. YBR250 needs hand-guards, sump guard, luggage rack and dual-sport tires if you are really going to ask it to do off road touring. In fact previous riders who have ridden it back to Europe said just wack on a dual sport front tire on it for some extra bite as front end low side scrub type accidents are so common on poor quality surfaces out west. With a regular rear road tire and you still get some well mannered on road handling.

I completely agree with ZMC888

I've owned all 3 of the mentioned bikes (forgot that I also had a Honda CBF150).

The YBR125 is a great little bike, very reliable, and almost bulletproof. I had both the G ("dirt") and the K ("street") models. They are the exact same bike, with the G having the "off road" options of more aggressive tires, fork socks, wind protectors for the hand, luggage rack, a raised front fender, and a kick starter (which is a very nice thing to have). I have not seen the new YBG125GK yet.

The YBR250 is a better bike for 2-up, and it is also almost bulletproof. One key difference, aside from size and power, is that the 250 has EFI. And as ZMC notes, all that would be needed is to swap out the tires, and add a luggage rack. Both the 125 & the 250 would need "proper" hand guards, in my opinion (the 125G's hand guards are just flimsy plasitc that bends easily and is mounted only on one end).

The Honda CBF150 would be my choice over the YBR125 because it feels just a little bit bigger and stronger. But the Honda is a street bike, that would also require a few add-ons. I seem to recall that the CBF150 is a few thousand rmb more expensive.

If money was no object, I would select the bikes in the following order:

1) YBR250
2) CBF150
3) YBR125

Still, the YBR125 is a fantastic bike - so easy to ride, reliable, proven, and it will get you around the world with minimal costs in fuel and repairs.

By the way, when you head towards high mountain passes in China, you will often see guys on the side of the road that will rejet your carb at a very low cost. TIC and where there is a need, there is always someone willing to make a few rmb. They handle all the well-known bikes, including the Yamaha and Hondas. And there will be another guy on the other side of the pass, to put you back to normal, again.

Good luck!

Hi Foxy

Due to leave Hainan next week on a NEW YBR GK to travel all the way to Thailand about 2000 KM one way , i picked the YBR G due to the reasons it has some off road design and capability built into the bike .
In 6 weeks use from new i have done over 9000km on the roads of Hainan, on roads and off road as well at times i was up to 1300 meters and the roads in Hainan are very hilly, i am 80KG and my wife is 55kg , most of the time i rode solo and with just me on the bike the YBR done very well with the hills yes it is a bit under power and you will find it hard work with 2 up going up some hills , but the bike will do the job just takes a bit longer to get there lol. The CST tyres are very good on and of road and holds the road very well but the back will only last about 5000km with the front about 10000 km, i would suggest taking a spear back tyre with you as the back tyre size is a bit odd ball 90-90 18 ? the front is 3.00-18 .
The YBR will sit at 80 km all day and will top out about 110km , brakes are ok but need to bed in and with 2 up both front and back brakes will have to be used hard to stop the YBR, and the cost to buy is a lot less then the 250cc . tank holds 13.5 L and will do well over 500km per tank should hit close to 600 km with some careful riding, i took the YBR off road a lot on Hainan as well it cope with all that i asked it to do, The only maintenance i have had to do is adjust the chain a few times oil the clutch cable and change the cushion rubber on the back hud and oil change every 2500 km , its a good all round give me one more week and i will be on my way so i can report back more on the YBR with me and about 40kg on the back .

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If you are really going to stick with the Yamaha brand then hold out for the newer model IMO. The difference might be a couple/several weeks between delivery. But, you might be able to secure an early pre-release model. As for buying from outside the province, that might work, but sometimes that can also prove a problem with the fapiao issued in another jurisdiction. Also, buying local means the dealer can assist with plating, but even so, you need to stay on top of this! The local PSB might say they can't plate in a foreign name, or even your Chinese name. Also you have to have something that ties your given Chinese name in with everything else. Basically a proven paper trail so to speak. Not all jurisdictions or Traffic PSB's can be bothered doing anything other than the usual daily routine, so anything that creates more work, is fobbed off, into the "too hard basket" or "can't do that - it's not possible" dept. Again if the dealer helps do the plating process you need to be prepared to micro-manage each step. Normal in PRC. BTW, even those with the best intentions everyone local will tell you what you want to hear, and then there are those with less than the best of intentions from your point of view.

I'd be more inclined to go for the YBR125... with the dual sport attributes, but then there are as stated the tradeoffs with weight carried, carbs vs EFI, displacement and HP etc. If you had the time, it might be worth investigating the possibility of swapping the 125cc engine for the 250cc from the road version. Not sure at all if it's feasible, and it's a wonder that the dual sport isn't manufactured with the bigger engine.

If you go with any bike, you may very well need to complete some upgrades on the bike. The YBR125G needs a better horn, better lights (go for HID's like Prince666) has done on his YBR125G. Better hand guards might be a consideration. Better seat support. The tyres by all accounts while ok, aren't so easy to obtain. Ping Prince666 a PM for the down low on the YBR125G.

If budget will allow, have you thought about other bikes...
Jialing JH600... 2 or 3 wheeler
KTM Duke 390 with ABS standard
Suzuki GW250
Loncin LX650 (has the 650 single BMW G650GS engine)
Benelli/QJ BJ600GS-A (also known as BJ600GT) release is 27 May, but pre-release models already available. Search MCM for the relevant info.
There are also legal imported bikes... International MC Brands

Also have you checked out the bike market classifieds?

Shameless plug for my CF650TR for sale... :riding:

My two cents worth. If you can afford it buy the YBR 250 rather than the 125. As has been mentioned it is not overly powerful but it has gobs of torque ( compared to a 125) and that is what you need to tour. The suspension is a bit shite imo but some preload spacers and oil in the forks would improve it , nothing to be done with the rear shock sadly .. with a rack and some dirty tyres it will go about anywhere..fit a gps tracker so you can find it again if it gets nicked. Don't ask how I know this.

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Originally Posted by bikerdoc

I'd be more inclined to go for the YBR125... with the dual sport attributes, but then there are as stated the tradeoffs with weight carried, carbs vs EFI, displacement and HP etc. If you had the time, it might be worth investigating the possibility of swapping the 125cc engine for the 250cc from the road version. Not sure at all if it's feasible, and it's a wonder that the dual sport isn't manufactured with the bigger engine.

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Some great advice especially as buying outside of your local area will cause mega headaches, but some not so good here. Firstly a YBR125 is a stressed member engine and a YBR250 is not. Also the YBR 125 G and K are to my eye the exact same bike as the street version, just dressed with off-road parts making it a dual sport as far as I can see. The suspension travel and suspension looks the same, swingarm, brakes, engine. Why the hell would you need to do an engine swap? Just bolt on some dual sport bits as needed to a YBR250.

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

a YBR125 is a stressed member engine

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No, it sits in the frame.

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

... the YBR 125 G and K are to my eye the exact same bike as the street version, just dressed with off-road parts making it a dual sport as far as I can see.

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Yes, they are the exact same bike, although the G has some nice "off road" goodies that one would need to put on the street K version (including a tire swap). The newest KG version (which prince666 has) also has a sump guard and a mini-screen. The KG is a nice bike, but I've just heard that the Beijing dealer is totally firm on the 10,800 price. The YBR125 is carb'd (in Europe, it is EFI), but that can be good for China because every village mechanic can fix it.

If you can afford it, the YBR250 would be the way to go as a 2-up bike, IMHO, but the margin of comparison is slight. In some provinces, there are a lot of YBR250s around, so you might be able to purchase a nice used one for a reasonable price. And the YBR250 has a gigantic fuel tank for long distances.

EDIT: You know, another option is to teach your GF how to ride and get two YBR125s for the price of one 250. I've never liked a passenger, especially on a smallish bike.

There is a dealer near you that may be able to get the new version of the Qingqi 250.

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Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

No, it sits in the frame.

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:thumbsup:.

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Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

You know, another option is to teach your GF how to ride and get two YBR125s for the price of one 250. I've never liked a passenger, especially on a smallish bike.

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Good call. If it's possible since two bikes provides more options - just in case.

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Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

No, it sits in the frame.

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?

YBR125
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^Stressed member^
YBR250
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^Sits in frame^

Apologies, my bad - too many bikes. I forgot the 125 was a diamond-style frame.

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Some great advice especially as buying outside of your local area will cause mega headaches, but some not so good here. Firstly a YBR125 is a stressed member engine and a YBR250 is not. Also the YBR 125 G and K are to my eye the exact same bike as the street version, just dressed with off-road parts making it a dual sport as far as I can see. The suspension travel and suspension looks the same, swingarm, brakes, engine. Why the hell would you need to do an engine swap? Just bolt on some dual sport bits as needed to a YBR250.

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I must ask ?? what bits was not so good ??? ok ZMC888, like you i have a CF as well but the TR ...and i am just about to leave on a 10.000 KM ride so why am i not taking the TR ??? . i tell you because i don't think it will make it lol and because i don,t know what i am going to hit around the corner with Chinese roads so the YBR G will cope with what either i do find ??? as we all know but not sure if you do ???? some Chinese roads can be pretty messed up to say the lest and for over 8000KM in the last 6 weeks i have put this little girl through some hard shit and it has come out with my respects, sure 2 up with gear could be asking to much from the 125cc . But if Foxy wife can ride what a great idea to get 2 YBR and still have change if foxy decides to buy 1 YBR 250 ??? of maybe saying that is not so good ....:confused1:

If Mrs foxy has some riding experience that would be awesome , but the highways of China laden with gear and trying to get on ... No place to learn

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as buying outside of your local area will cause mega headaches,

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What headaches ???? My Chinese DL is from Shandong my home address is from Shandong the chinese goverment things i live in shandong . so how is it i go all the way down south to Hainan and buy and plate a bike in 1 day with no headaches at all and i can't get much further out my local area can i ???? so please enlighten me please

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Better hand guards might be a consideration

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The OE hand guards are fine can't see you will find much better IMO

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Originally Posted by zhu

If Mrs foxy has some riding experience that would be awesome , but the highways of China laden with gear and trying to get on ... No place to learn

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For sure, Mr Foxy could be laden with all the gear so Mrs Foxy can ride with no gear hehehheeh but china is not a place to learn how to ride, well not learn and live to see the sun rise the next day ....

Hey fellas,

Can't thank you guys enough for all this info, this is gold.

First, to clarify, the 125 I'm considering is the latest, dual-sport model, the YBR125KG, the same as prince's bike. As far as off-roading goes, this seems to be the best Jianshe Yamaha China has come out with so far.

@ZMC Thanks for those tips re. the 250- as much as I want to be spending a lot of time in the dirt, the reality is that in China most of the time will be on well paved, wide roads, so if I can set the bike up to handle a bit of both that would be ideal. To be honest, after looking fairly extensively through the information available on MCM and other places, I have narrowed my gaze to Yamaha, as the other options are many, time is limited, and YMH is known for it's reliability. I do love Honda bikes, having thrashed one in India for a year with no adverse affects except on the occasional stray goat, but for the moment I've got the blinkers on, and Yamaha is in the spotlight.

@LJH I knew the market forces were strong in the Middle Kingdom, but this even extends to rejetting mountain-bound motorbikes? All the merrier. Money is not of great concern, I probably won't have the chance to do a trip like this again for a while afterwards, but probably don't want to spend much more than 23k odd on the bike, as I will also have to fork out a bit on mods..

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You know, another option is to teach your GF how to ride and get two YBR125s for the price of one 250. I've never liked a passenger, especially on a smallish bike.

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This would be be the best situation, in a perfect world. Unfortunately this ain't that. While 'Mrs Foxy' has ridden a motorbike a little, I'm not willing to be responsible if anything should happen out in the big bad China because her experience is limited to <50km on a village Sanling :wheelchair: I know what you mean though, a passenger doesn't make for the smoothest ride, however Mrs Foxy is an essential :icon10:

@bikerdoc Your bike is a babe, probably a bit larger that what I was looking to start off with in China though, and maybe a bit more than I was looking to spend. Good luck with the sale though, hopefully you can find someone who appreciates it for what it is. Must have taken some work to get that in and legal, unless you picked it up here? Those upgrade tips are great, I'll probs need a little more help with specifics in the future, we'll get to that tho :mwink: As far as engine swapping goes, due to time, knowledge and availability constraints that might be a bit too complex.. The local PSB will be registering my bike, in my name, come what may. They didn't want to give me a licence in the first place, 'too-hard basket', but I've discovered that sustained nagging can achieve wonders, and I won't be going anywhere unless I'm fully legal (a month in Mongolia with a hand-typed 'International Licence' caused me to lose enough sweat, don't want a repeat experience in the police state that is China!).

@Zhu I saw your post in the classified section, sorry to hear about the loss. It's no consolation, but I had a 5,000yuan ebike pinched after less than a month's use when I first arrived in China, so I'll be going all-out with security installments, regardless of which bike I buy.

@MJH The Qingqi 250 seems like a good ride, I've had quite a geeze at Pat's 'Beijing to Kunming- A Commute to Work' ride, but I think I'd like to stick with Japanese reliability this time. Cheers tho:thumbsup:

@Prince I think ZMC was referring more to the fact of switching engines, rather than commenting on the quality of the YBR125 per se.. Your input is great, as I'm considering the exact same bike. From what you've posted, looks like it can really stand up to a lot. A question, will you be taking the missus along for the SEA ride, or just you, the bike, and luggage? As stated, ultimately Mrs Foxy will be riding on the back of Mr Foxy Esq., what's your opinion. I'd say we'll be taking the bike up to 4,000m at least, quite probably 5,000m, any thoughts? BTW good luck for the upcoming ride, sounds like a beauty. If you have the chance to put up an RR as you go that would be fantastic. Time permitting, will be making a similar trip after returning to Kunming from the China tour.

All in all, after considering the different opinions, I'm thinking like this- I'll go ahead and buy the YBR125KG in Kunming, soon. I know I can get it for 10,000, possibly a little less. I'll make the necessary adjustments, and use this for travel to Chengdu. The route will include, if everything goes to plan, some very rough riding, some very high riding, and certainly quite a lot of riding in total. I'm planning to go via northwest Yunnan into western Sichuan, along the big T border, so the 125 will definitely be put through the motions. Upon arrival in Chengdu, the latest model of the YBR250 will have been released. If we've found that the 125KG is really not up to the task, we'll sell and buy bigger before heading up into Qinghai etc.

I would go for the 250 straight off, and adjust it for the dirt, but it is not available now in Kunming, possibly not in Yunnan (bike market here seems rather limited), and won't be until just before I want to leave. It also seems like purchasing in a different jurisdiction could add unwanted mafan in terms of registration. Bureaucracy in China is already mafan to the maximum without seeking it out, and I'm reluctant to buy a bike I haven't seen yet, so I'd require a trip up to the north to check the bike before purchase, and then would need to have it shipped down; mafan, possible damage, extra costs, you name it.

What do ya reckon? :riding:

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Originally Posted by prince666

For sure, Mr Foxy could be laden with all the gear so Mrs Foxy can ride with no gear hehehheeh but china is not a place to learn how to ride, well not learn and live to see the sun rise the next day ....

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Mr Prince, I would dearly like Mrs Foxy to see the sunrise the next day and every day after that, so it looks like I'll have to be at the wheel. Damn:riding:

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A question, will you be taking the missus along for the SEA ride, or just you, the bike, and luggage? As stated, ultimately Mrs Foxy will be riding on the back of Mr Foxy Esq., what's your opinion. I'd say we'll be taking the bike up to 4,000m at least, quite probably 5,000m, any thoughts? BTW good luck for the upcoming ride, sounds like a beauty. If you have the chance to put up an RR as you go that would be fantastic. Time permitting, will be making a similar trip after returning to Kunming from the China tour

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Hi Mr foxy
no just me on the ride , i just like it that way lol with the YRB fit ...
1.HID cost me fitted by the dealer 150 rmb
2. new very loud horn dealer fitted free.
3. gas shocks ( more easy to adjust ) cost 285 rmb for a pair
4. Top box cost 120 rmb (ALDO) very good





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Now with the question about 4000m or 5000m these are big numbers had mine up at 1400 m still ok but with these numbers you could be in a bit of s##t unless you re-jet

will try and post a RR for my trip and i am 78KG with about 55 KG of gear but can't say yet how it goes untill next week, will soon find out because i will be leaving Wuzhishan Hainan and i need to take the road out of town thats goes up to about 900 M, but have taken the wife on the back and she is 55KG need to pop down to 2nd gear at one point but what is good about the bike is that the revs dont drop much between gears untill 5th so you can open her up in low gears hit 6500 and nock up a gear and the bike still pulls well , you will find that you will use the gears alot but the engine is sweet and can take it .
As i said before the bike will do the trip just take a little bit longer to do ??? and more gear changing then on a 250cc
well good luck

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Time permitting, will be making a similar trip after returning to Kunming from the China tour.

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Hi Mr Foxy

The main reason for my trip is to find out the procedure on taking a chinese plated bike out of China into Laos and then into Thailand for other members here on MCM who are thinking about a trip to Thailand by way of Laos and my be cambodia at the end of this year , so if you are intrested PM me for details
Me and one other member just done over 15k km in Thailand this year on rental bike but would like to take our own bikes next time . so this trip is a test run for all the other heheh i don't mind have time on my side and i can't think of a better way to spend my time . i will report back to the other on route and road condition.

already crossed the border by foot from china to Laos this year so now need to do it with the YBR

:riding:

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Originally Posted by foxy88

What do ya reckon? :riding:

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I reckon ya have a great plan! Good on ya! Frankly, ANY bike can tour, as I'm sure you have already noticed on Chinese roads.

Also, I'm guessing you haven't been together for long with Mrs Foxy? After 20 years, or so, one's decision-making process changes. :lol8: E.g., "Why don't you try this dear? What could possibly go wrong?" Joking ... just joking, of course!

Pat's ride report is a good one. Also check some RRs by Fahni - he toured around on a Jialing JH150, often with Mrs Fahni on the back. Eventually, though, Mrs Fahni acquired her own JH150.

It will be great to get some detailed, first-handed info from prince666 about the bike, and his border crossings. Both valuable & helpful info!

Hi foxy

If you do decide to get the YBR 125 then maybe get a re-jetting kit and have a read up on how to do ? and maybe One more to do is.

Increase the gear ratio - replace the front sprocket with one-tooth-less sprocket or the rear one with one-tooth-more.
It will not increase the power output, but will add some torque (with nearly 8%) which is needed especially on 5-th gear.
Easy to do and not expensive.

I think the new YBR has a BS25 Carburetor
have a read on rejetting here.
http://www.bikebandit.com/community/...r#.U31kYiitwmA

http://www.4strokes.com/tech/howtojet.asp

The average altitude of Yunnan is 1,980m (6,496 ft). The mountains are highest in the Northwest where they reach more than 5,000m (16,404 ft). The highest point in the Northwest is the Kawagebo Peak (main peak of the Meili Snow Mountain) in Deqin County, which is about 6,740m (22,113 ft) high; and the lowest is in the Honghe River Valley in Hekou County, with an elevation of 76.4m (251 ft)

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Tiger Leaping Gorge and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain looks intresting .

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Originally Posted by foxy88

Hey fellas,

Can't thank you guys enough for all this info, this is gold.

First, to clarify, the 125 I'm considering is the latest, dual-sport model, the YBR125KG, the same as prince's bike. As far as off-roading goes, this seems to be the best Jianshe Yamaha China has come out with so far.

@ZMC Thanks for those tips re. the 250- as much as I want to be spending a lot of time in the dirt, the reality is that in China most of the time will be on well paved, wide roads, so if I can set the bike up to handle a bit of both that would be ideal. To be honest, after looking fairly extensively through the information available on MCM and other places, I have narrowed my gaze to Yamaha, as the other options are many, time is limited, and YMH is known for it's reliability. I do love Honda bikes, having thrashed one in India for a year with no adverse affects except on the occasional stray goat, but for the moment I've got the blinkers on, and Yamaha is in the spotlight.

@LJH I knew the market forces were strong in the Middle Kingdom, but this even extends to rejetting mountain-bound motorbikes? All the merrier. Money is not of great concern, I probably won't have the chance to do a trip like this again for a while afterwards, but probably don't want to spend much more than 23k odd on the bike, as I will also have to fork out a bit on mods.. This would be be the best situation, in a perfect world. Unfortunately this ain't that. While 'Mrs Foxy' has ridden a motorbike a little, I'm not willing to be responsible if anything should happen out in the big bad China because her experience is limited to <50km on a village Sanling :wheelchair: I know what you mean though, a passenger doesn't make for the smoothest ride, however Mrs Foxy is an essential :icon10:

@bikerdoc Your bike is a babe, probably a bit larger that what I was looking to start off with in China though, and maybe a bit more than I was looking to spend. Good luck with the sale though, hopefully you can find someone who appreciates it for what it is. Must have taken some work to get that in and legal, unless you picked it up here? Those upgrade tips are great, I'll probs need a little more help with specifics in the future, we'll get to that tho :mwink: As far as engine swapping goes, due to time, knowledge and availability constraints that might be a bit too complex.. The local PSB will be registering my bike, in my name, come what may. They didn't want to give me a licence in the first place, 'too-hard basket', but I've discovered that sustained nagging can achieve wonders, and I won't be going anywhere unless I'm fully legal (a month in Mongolia with a hand-typed 'International Licence' caused me to lose enough sweat, don't want a repeat experience in the police state that is China!).

@Zhu I saw your post in the classified section, sorry to hear about the loss. It's no consolation, but I had a 5,000yuan ebike pinched after less than a month's use when I first arrived in China, so I'll be going all-out with security installments, regardless of which bike I buy.

@MJH The Qingqi 250 seems like a good ride, I've had quite a geeze at Pat's 'Beijing to Kunming- A Commute to Work' ride, but I think I'd like to stick with Japanese reliability this time. Cheers tho:thumbsup:

@Prince I think ZMC was referring more to the fact of switching engines, rather than commenting on the quality of the YBR125 per se.. Your input is great, as I'm considering the exact same bike. From what you've posted, looks like it can really stand up to a lot. A question, will you be taking the missus along for the SEA ride, or just you, the bike, and luggage? As stated, ultimately Mrs Foxy will be riding on the back of Mr Foxy Esq., what's your opinion. I'd say we'll be taking the bike up to 4,000m at least, quite probably 5,000m, any thoughts? BTW good luck for the upcoming ride, sounds like a beauty. If you have the chance to put up an RR as you go that would be fantastic. Time permitting, will be making a similar trip after returning to Kunming from the China tour.

All in all, after considering the different opinions, I'm thinking like this- I'll go ahead and buy the YBR125KG in Kunming, soon. I know I can get it for 10,000, possibly a little less. I'll make the necessary adjustments, and use this for travel to Chengdu. The route will include, if everything goes to plan, some very rough riding, some very high riding, and certainly quite a lot of riding in total. I'm planning to go via northwest Yunnan into western Sichuan, along the big T border, so the 125 will definitely be put through the motions. Upon arrival in Chengdu, the latest model of the YBR250 will have been released. If we've found that the 125KG is really not up to the task, we'll sell and buy bigger before heading up into Qinghai etc.

I would go for the 250 straight off, and adjust it for the dirt, but it is not available now in Kunming, possibly not in Yunnan (bike market here seems rather limited), and won't be until just before I want to leave. It also seems like purchasing in a different jurisdiction could add unwanted mafan in terms of registration. Bureaucracy in China is already mafan to the maximum without seeking it out, and I'm reluctant to buy a bike I haven't seen yet, so I'd require a trip up to the north to check the bike before purchase, and then would need to have it shipped down; mafan, possible damage, extra costs, you name it.

What do ya reckon? :riding:

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Sounds like a good plan, but buying new and selling and buying again is a tad uneconomical, because of the 2nd hand market and Chinese culture used bikes even with a few kms can lose about a third of their value, and more if you want to sell quickly. I think you'll lose 3-4K doing it this way.

I'd be inclined to sit it out or not take 'no' for answer in terms of the YBR250. There must be a way to source one in your region. My 2nd tier city has five Yamaha dealerships, just because one guy says no doesn't mean that's the end of it surely. If not I'd buy a 2nd hand 125 and get the YBR250 later. For example well cared for Chinese 125s stick at 2-3000 yuan for ages, once they hit 3-5 years old.

I just don't think a 7.5kw carb single is going to be any fun for two and baggage in the mountains. I really advise getting the YBR250 and retro-fitting it to your needs.

I don't really want to get into an internet war but putting a YBR250 engine in a YBR125 is surely one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard. I could go on about to why, but I'd be straying too far offf topic. Also why one member owns a 55KW tourer but is going touring on a 7,5kw 125 is beyond my comprehension too.

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Also why one member owns a 55KW tourer but is going touring on a 7,5kw 125 is beyond my comprehension too.

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Well its like this please tell me ZMC888 have you done a ride into Yunnan Province yet ??? going only on the minor roads ??? are you sure the roads are all well suited for a TR bike because i don't and because my TR is still in Longkou and will cost about 3000 RMB to ship down and the TR drinks fuel and i have time on my side and i don't think the TR would make it with out some break down of some sort and if it does can a find a TR dealer ?? now with the YBR at 90 RMB a full tank and 600 km on a tank and if it does have a problem i am sure it will be easy to sort out the then TR . you are the one who keeps saying how bad the CF are and i think to some degree you are correct . And wont need to worrier about it of a night so much as you would worrier about the TR . So i hope your comprehension my view my reason in a different light now

And yes if all goes well at the end of this year i will take the TR on the same trip but with knowledge i have gained on this trip

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Originally Posted by prince666

Well its like this please tell me ZMC888 have you done a ride into Yunnan Province yet ??? going only on the minor roads ??? are you sure the roads are all well suited for a TR bike because i don't and because my TR is still in Longkou and will cost about 3000 RMB to ship down and the TR drinks fuel and i have time on my side and i don't think the TR would make it with out some break down of some sort and if it does can a find a TR dealer ?? now with the YBR at 90 RMB a full tank and 600 km on a tank and if it does have a problem i am sure it will be easy to sort out the then TR . you are the one who keeps saying how bad the CF are and i think to some degree you are correct . And wont need to worrier about it of a night so much as you would worrier about the TR . So i hope your comprehension my view my reason in a different light now

And yes if all goes well at the end of this year i will take the TR on the same trip but with knowledge i have gained on this trip

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You are perfectly entitled to ride any bike you like, the fact that anyone else doesn't understand why you buy one bike then ride another is not your problem, you've made your decision you don't need to justify it to me, it's your money.

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

You are perfectly entitled to ride any bike you like, the fact that anyone else doesn't understand why you buy one bike then ride another is not your problem, you've made your decision you don't need to justify it to me, it's your money.

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From what I understand "you" are the only one
Who has made a comment on this subject
No I was not just justify my reason to you please don't
over estimate youself, but to Post my reason for other
people to understand.
And I could ride my CF Jetlux or my Suzuki swift car
Or as you pointed out the TR. . But with all
The different choices I have for this trip
The YBR is still the best one ! IMO

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Sounds like a good plan, but buying new and selling and buying again is a tad uneconomical, because of the 2nd hand market and Chinese culture used bikes even with a few kms can lose about a third of their value, and more if you want to sell quickly. I think you'll lose 3-4K doing it this way.

I'd be inclined to sit it out or not take 'no' for answer in terms of the YBR250. There must be a way to source one in your region. My 2nd tier city has five Yamaha dealerships, just because one guy says no doesn't mean that's the end of it surely. If not I'd buy a 2nd hand 125 and get the YBR250 later. For example well cared for Chinese 125s stick at 2-3000 yuan for ages, once they hit 3-5 years old.

I just don't think a 7.5kw carb single is going to be any fun for two and baggage in the mountains. I really advise getting the YBR250 and retro-fitting it to your needs.

I don't really want to get into an internet war but putting a YBR250 engine in a YBR125 is surely one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard. I could go on about to why, but I'd be straying too far offf topic. Also why one member owns a 55KW tourer but is going touring on a 7,5kw 125 is beyond my comprehension too.

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I took this advice onboard, I called the 2nd tier city, no go, so got onto the 3rd largest city in Yunnan, very helpful lady tells me that they have one, as well as the Suzuki GW250, I believe. Any she calls back a while later, unfortunately the bike has already been reserved. I've asked her to look into ordering another one for me, she would need a guarantee of some sort，I offered to transfer a deposit, so she's going to find out if its possible to get one in and call me back.

prince from what you and ZMC have said perhaps I am expecting a little too much of the YBR125KG, considering the heights we will be going up to. I think, despite the possible loss in value, I will still go ahead and get it, try it out, then swap it over in Chengdu if I absolutely can't get hold of a 250 in Yunnan, but I'll exhaust all avenues doing that first. So you think that it shouldn't be too much of a problem to have the bike fully licensed in my name, in Kunming, if I was to get it in another province and have it shipped in?

Your upcoming ride sounds fantastic, jealous you've got that amount of time to play around with. I took the bus down into Laos from Kunming last year, some beautiful jungle scenery along those roads on the way down to Luang Prabang, would be blissful on a bike. Will certainly let you know if joining you for the ride at the end of the year is possible. :thumbsup:

@bikerdoc Why would you wait out for the latest model? Do you think there will be much difference between the two? Obviously I'd prefer to have the latest tech but the difference would probably be being able to buy a bike in the next week or so, ride and get accustomed to it, smooth out any issues, mod it up and have it ready to roar (maybe there won't be so much roaring on a 250) come mid-July. If I wait for the latest model it probably won't be available until start of July, which will delay the trip departure. Also I may well be able to get the current model at a lower price..


EDIT: Just received a call back, they're able to get a grey YBR250 in for me as early as tomorrow (I was sort of more hoping for red.) The lady seemed to think it was fairly urgent that I decide now though, and she said it's priced at 26,000. This seems very high- I gave the dealer in Kunming a call and he said the normal price is 23,800. I'm not sure what her rush was, or why the given price is so high, but I told her I would definitely be looking for a cheaper price. She said get back to her and let her know what price I had in mind, and wanted me to see about making a deposit. All seems a bit quick.. If I can't have the auspicious red, and if I have to buy the current model a couple of months before the latest one is released, I'd want to be paying closer to the 22,000 mark, does that seem reasonable?

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Your upcoming ride sounds fantastic, jealous you've got that amount of time to play around with. I took the bus down into Laos from Kunming last year, some beautiful jungle scenery along those roads on the way down to Luang Prabang, would be blissful on a bike. Will certainly let you know if joining you for the ride at the end of the year is possible.

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You me a like i took the bus from Kunming to Xishauangbanna then over the border to Laos
even the roads from Xishauangbanna to Laos was great to ride on a bike i think, yes would be nice to see you on the trip later this year i have many years and KM riding in north Thailand with loads of friends and contacts .
But here are a few pictures taken in Laos from the bus last year

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I don't really want to get into an internet war but putting a YBR250 engine in a YBR125 is surely one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard.

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Do you know the bikerdoc ???? have you met him before ??? because i have and he is one of the nices guys you would every like to meet who has a lot a good things to say on MCM . i can call him many things but to say "surely one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard." The guy is not DUMB ?? For sure not the route i would take but if it could be done it would make the YBR G into a very nice bike to have and ride in China , so therefore worth considering but not dumb ??? and coming from a moderator on MCM you are out of line IMO