10 Best 125cc Motorcycles On The Market For CBT Riders

Every year we see more and more manufacturers throw their hats into contention for the best 125cc motorcycle on the market. From electric scooters and supersport motorbikes to adventure bikes and retro classics, no matter what your styling, we guarantee there will be something to suit you. So if you’ve just passed your CBT or perhaps you're looking for some inspiration to get yourself booked in, have a gander at our list below and let us know what you think.

Maeving RM1 - £4,995 (Dual battery £5,990)

Nabbing a handful of engineers from Triumph you can see how Maeving oozes style and class. The new RM1 is electric-powered with a top speed of 45 mph and a range of up to 80 miles thanks to its dual battery system. The bike is super light, coming in at 110kg, it's very easy to manoeuvre, Maeving also includes a two year warranty and an option for their fantastic anti-theft track and secure GPS app to ensure your pride and joy is properly secured.

We love the RM1 with, in my opinion, the only downside being the price. Whilst it secures you a premium bike, considering you can pick up a brand new Royal Enfield Interceptor for less than the duel battery version it may rule itself out for the masses.

Mutt Razorback - £3,500 + OTR

Similar to Maeving, Mutt have clearly used the modern classic styling of Triumph and packaged it up and a super cool, affordable package. Now there's a whole bunch of 125 models but the one thats stood out to us is the Razorback. It's super simple scrambler ‘esk’ stance is such a head turner. With a new frame and featuring a monoshock, it's a very clean yet aggressive stance.

It’s clear to see the Razorback is as happy on road as it is off.

NIU NQI GTS - £3,799

Another electric bike takes its place on our list. The NIU NQI GTS is the perfect city commuter with 3 rider modes and cruise control, NIU have pulled out all the stops to make city cruising a joy. NIU lists a 161 km range, which you can’t argue is pretty impressive and its fast charging to 85-95 km of range with a 7 hour charge.

Along with all electric bikes, they are generally much cheaper to run and with a two year warranty and almost no maintenance costs it’s hard to look past how cost effective this scooter is.

Sinnis T125 - £3,599 + OTR

For those with adventure touring aspirations look no further than the Sinnis T125. You’d be forgiven for mistaking this 125 for a full size bike, its stance makes for a commanding road position.

Another pretty affordable option, for £3599+otr you can secure yourself one fantastic looking machine. The T125 is powered by a liquid cooled 12.7bhp engine, with a 6 speed gearbox and 66.5 litres of luggage space on their full adventure panniers. You can also get an opportunity to test your hand at off-roading with the Sinnis Off-Road Riding Academy to master the basics of off-roading with the experts.

One of the key talking points around Sinnis of late is their UK first, 7 year warranty on all of their machines. Which we have to say is quite the selling point and also shows their commitment to the quality of their machines.

Honda Dax 125 - £3,799

Named due to its frame's similarity to a dachshund, how can you not love the Honda Dax… I mean just look at it. Throwing back to its initial launch in 1960, the Dax is retro styled fun. Ok so its going to be a different style of riding for most of us but tell me you wouldn't have a smile on your face cruising along Brighton beach en route to the chippy.

It’s clearly not a performance machine so I wont go into the specification but everything from the bars to the suspension has been upgraded but fits in with the overall retro aesthetic.

For £3749 you could pick up one of these little beauties.

Zontes ZT124-U - £2,999 + OTR

As with many things in this world, people have a wide range of opinions when it comes to Zontes, but quite frankly the only one that matters is yours.

We love the ultra-modern styling and angles of the ZT125-U and it's not only the styling that is modern, but quite unusually for a 125 and one at this price point, the Zontes features a keyless ignition along with two riding modes. Alongside this, the ZT125-U also features dual-channel ABS, another brilliant feature at this price.

Overall if you’re looking for a great modern-looking streetfighter-styled 125 then this Zontes has got to be worth a test ride.

KTM RC 125 - £4,699

The 125 sports bike sector has for such a long time been dominated by the R125, however, KTM’s RC 125 could be a new contender.

With the recent development and success of KTM’s MotoGP team, the RC125 boasts an all-new trellis frame which saves over 1.5kgs over its previous iteration. Full WP Apex suspension makes this bike handle like a dream, ideal for the sportier rider. A superb TFT display gives you a perfect vision of your bike's display whilst the liquid-cooled single-cylinder pumps out 15bhp.

KTM has put together a great accessory package too, including an AKRAPOVIČ slip-on end can to get that full KTM sound!

Husqvarna Svartpilen 125 - £5,599

This Husky is a frequent member of our top 125’s list and well… that's because it's blooming brilliant. With looks unlike anything else, the Svartpilen 125 could easily be mistaken for its bigger siblings the 250 and 401. Which is another great point, if you love your 125 you have an awesome route to larger capacity machines. The Svartpilen features a 6-speed liquid-cooled single-cylinder providing the punch, with spoked wheels and pirelli scorpion rally STR tyres as standard, you will be sure to turn heads on this Swedish steed.

It's pretty mid-range as far as price goes but based on the quality of the machine you get for that money it’d be hard to be disappointed.

Yamaha XSR 125 Legacy ‎‎- £5,203

This one is a personal favourite of ours, the Yamaha XSR range has proven time and time again just what a brilliant machine it is and the little brother does not disappoint. With all the fantastic styling notes of the rest of the XSR range, the 125 Legacy boasts a classic colourway that nods back to Yamaha's heritage.

The XSR for me, is the perfect mix of modern machine and classic styling, suited for a Saturday ride out as much as a daily commute. It boasts USD forks, sport tyres, LED lights and an LCD display. Having added to their faster sons collection, it's clear Yamaha is aiming this 125 at the lifestyle/retro classic market akin to the Bike Shed and Malle.

Overall a great mix of looks and performance in the small capacity sector.

Suzuki GSX-R125 - £5,199

Another one to add to the sport bike category, the GSX-R125 is a classically Suzuki-styled motorcycle. Not only sporty but Suziki reckons it’ll be good for 117.70 mpg which is pretty excellent. The GSXR is another of the ever-popular 6 speed liquid cooled engines putting out 15 bhp but weighing in at 137 kg the power-to-weight ratio is impressive. Suzuki also offers a fantastic range of accessories ready to personalise your machine.