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   4 Reviews found for Sachs Sachs 125cc

Sachs Roadster 125cc Apr '03 (03)
Overall Rating:
Review
Sachs 125 Roadster

An odd and appealing mix is this bike.
Sachs is an old German manufacturer based in Nuremburg - yes the place of the big Nazi rallies in the 1930s.
Sachs claims to go back to the 1880s, making it much older than Triumph, Harley Davidson and certainly BMW.

Nearly 10 years ago they started making a range of bikes from 125cc to 800cc using Japanese engines and a common spine-based frame design with a range of other makers' cycle parts as well as their own. This got them to market quite quickly but the price was they got older designs of engine. the V-twin Roadster is no longer made, but has morphed into a lighter, single cylinder mono-shock machine with some, but not many, common parts.

The Roadster 125 thus has a frame that could basically suit a bigger engine - with all the disadvantage of weight; but the engine is the air cooled single carburettor one from the Yamaha baby Virago V-twin cruiser - never a sportster, even if the max bhp for a UK legal 125 machine was what they claimed it put out. Yamaha itself stopped using this engine at the time Sachs launched, having uprated it to give the 'S' variant in its new cruiser, the 125 Dragstar.

But the appeal of the Sachs is the way this marriage of Yamaha engine and European cycle parts works. For one thing, it's big for a 125. That means as a rider you have plenty of space; and even the pillion is quite well off for space. One rider in our household is 6ft 4" and he finds the Sachs an ample size. The bigness comes at a price: weight. It is nearly as heavy as something like a Honda Varadero; Mitos and the slimmer 125 scooters feel featherweights by contrast. The frame is steel and heavy, twin rear shock springing at the rear adds weight and the forks would look beefy enough on a 750. Sachs made an effort to keep weight down on the wheels - spoked with nice alloy wheels, an (effective) single disc front brake - (Grimeca caliper) and simple drum rear brake. They also kept weight down with the petrol tank which is plastic. But fill it full to give its 200+ mile range and up goes the weight again.

Other features: it comes with a simple white-faced speedometer. The matching tachometer is optional and worth it. (Not expensive new.) There is no centre stand: another optional extra. (Again a reasonable price and available.) The seat unlocks with a single screw and offers up a small storage compartment. The Sachs toolkit is good and well made. Sachs loves Allen key type fastenings, so almost no cross-head screws to chew up. Lighting is good. Yamaha spares are simple to find and all cycle part spares I have looked for have been sent to me by the excellent importer with not that much waiting - even for less commonly ordered parts.

Basic findings: max speed on the flat c.55mph, going up nicely down hill where weight and its sleek profile help. Nicely spaced 5 speed gearbox where top is an overdrive only. Economy: 80mpg possible, but you'll be revving that engine for power, so more like 60mpg. Front pad wear and chain stretch can take you by surprise - they are cheap and simple to change, but watch them.

All in all a good, solid and unusual bike. It will not terrify the novice and its mixture of late 70s naked bike styling and handsome V-twin engine with well chromed Yamaha exhaust make it look very together and no bitsa. But to be really good it should have been re-tuned to make it do 65mph and allowed to shed 20kg.
Submitted by
Magnette in London on 23/05/2008
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Dream Appeal
Sachs Roadster 125cc Sept '02 (52)
Overall Rating:
Review
Excellent around town, very stable in the corners but lacks acceleration and straight line speed (as you would expect). Very comfy riding position for a 6 footer like me and a good looking bike, I think. Highly recommended for a learner but you'll probably soon yearn for something less ponderous.
Submitted by
UKBike Archive in Hassocks, West Sussex on 28/02/2006
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Sachs Roadster 125cc Sept '02 (52)
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I have owned my roadster for a month now and am really pleased with it... it isn't the fastest thing in the world, but it feels really nice round bends and the big bike feel is a definite plus point. Spare parts are a bit of a challenge, and lack of a tacho is a bit annoying... other than that it is a superb learner machine, with looks to match.
Submitted by
UKBike Archive in Hassocks, West Sussex on 17/10/2005
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Sachs Roadster 125cc Sept '03 (53)
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This is a great bike. Its a bit slower than is sporty brother, the XTC but it has more low down grunt due to the huge (looking) v twin engine. If only there was any aftermarket parts available, that would be good. Only thing that is annoying is that I have already worn the brake pads to the metal in 4000KM, but the brakes have great feel.
Submitted by
UKBike Archive in Hassocks, West Sussex on 05/01/2004
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