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Keeway RKS 125 Review 2013
By Ren Withnell
When considering which bike to purchase the gf's hand was forced by one major over-riding consideration. Size. At only 5 feet tall just about any motorcycle that is "not a cruiser" is too big. My CBF 125, the Yamaha YBR 125, anything off road style, in fact just about any "not a cruiser" motorcycle we came across. Eventually we found the Honda MSX 125 was about the right size...but as very few were available in the country they were also expensive. In case you haven't worked it out, the gf does not want a cruiser.
Nope...it's definitely not a cruiser.
Then one day we came across the Keeway RKS 125. "That looks small" I said. To cut a long story short the gf can sit on it with feet almost flat on the floor, at £1799 the price was good but at £1500 the price was excellent and so a deal was struck. The gf became the proud owner of a diminutive motorcycle made by a relatively unknown Chinese manufacturer
We had fears about Chinese bikes. They're much lambasted as being rust buckets, poorly built, badly engineered and pretty crap. Of course the first of the Japanese bikes fitted this same bill but they improved with time. It was a tough call...the Honda MSX is £2,600, we were offered the RKS at £1,500. That's £1,100 difference, that's almost another brand new RKS, that's a lot of spares. The gf might not like motorcycling. She may only keep the 125 for a year or so then pass her test and get a bigger bike. There were lots of sensible reasons for risking a Chinese bike. So she did.
The RKS, not a bad looking machine
My first ride on the Keeway RKS 125 with only 6 miles on the clock was an experience. First off it is tiny. I'm only 5 feet 8 inches and it's a tad cramped for me. Putting my feet on the floor I could stand over the bike, wobbling it between my thighs. The geabox was tight and clunky, the motor was tight and the handling was abysmal. Other than that t it felt like a serviceable small 125.
The tyres. They seemed to be too sticky, like I was riding through glue. I thought the steering head bearing was too tight but I checked and it was in perfect adjustment. It tracked and drifted across the road and it took a great deal of concentration to keep it going where I wanted it too. It was a strange sensation and one I was very concerned that an inexperienced gf might not cope with too well.
I'm now going to jump forward 1 month and 600 miles later, just after the first service. I am riding the small RKS through the countryside around Wigan and Preston with a grin as daft as a cat with catnip. With the running in almost complete I'm allowed to take the machine up to 50 mph which means these roundabouts, gnarly country lanes and crazy back roads can be attacked with lust and gusto. The RKS is just stupidly happy fun fun fun!
The suspension is not subtle or sublime, it's basic, hard and jarring. It works in keeping the tyres on the road in all but the most broken bits of tarmac. It also allows most of the lumps to be felt through the seat and the bars. It's not uncomfortable or painful but I can tell it's not world class either. I do suspect in the fullness of time it will soften up and ease in. It's still new and the gf has only been riding the bike learner style and she is very light. I think the suspension is yet to be fully "run in".
I really cannot make my mind up about the tyres at all. The "tracking" and riding through glue sensation has almost completely gone. I suspect it's a combination of the tyres are now scrubbed in and upon the advice of a good friend we've upped the tyre pressures 2 psi above the recommended level. They stick like pooh to a blanket. Through gravel bends, around rough roundabouts, over cow dung, across polished tarmac they feel completely planted. I'm loving the tyres and the small size and the light weight, I dip the footpeg into the tarmac on several roundabouts. It's been a long time since I did that!
Either these cheap unknown "Cordial" tyres are secret super sticky gems with magic ingredients, or they simply do not feed back any twitches, slippage and danger signals to the rider at all. I feel so confident on them compared to the costly Continentals on the CBF I almost turn around and go back to buy myself my own RKS 125 there and then. I get a twitch through one corner on a patch of damp. I carry on. I'd love to hear other people's views on these tyres, I don't know enough but today I'm loving them. There's no chicken strip on the right side now, not with these roundabouts.
One occasional gripe with the tyres is under braking. That first moment of jamming the front brake on hard causes a tiny but noticeable shimmy through the bars. I suspect the tubed tyres are not as stiff as the tubeless I'm used to and I'm feeling the rubber buckle and compress. It has never caught me out or done anything dangerous but for that tiny instant until everything settles down my heart skips a beat and I fear a puncture or a slide.
The motor is sweet too. As yet it's still tight, it doesn't have the free revving willingness of my 125 but that ought to come in time and miles. However it is solid, torquey and determined. It pulls in a dogged manner up a steep hill, not much speed but it never feels like it is about to give up or give out. At a guess acceleration will match my Honda as most 125's put out similar power levels. The gearbox is another gem. Snick snick clickety click up and down. It's a little grumpy about going down 3 or 4 gears when I've rushed to a stop at the lights but it's no worse than any other bike I've owned.
Not many pictures yet...so you'll have to make do with this from the Keeway website.
The handling is not too subtle either. My experience may be the cause of this. The bike has wide bars and a short wheelbase which makes it feel twitchy. Just a hint of steering sees it dive left or right, on a straight it's fine until you sneeze and cause the bars to move then whoosh! It's ready for a corner that's not there. Perhaps my 600 Fazer and my dull CBF have numbed my senses and when this lively nimble pretender comes along I'm intimidated, scared. If I treat it with the respect it deserves it is perfectly safe, it's only when I do silly things does it show that excitable side. If treated right it can corner very well, as the scratches on the footpeg attest.
So why am I grinning like a fool? Why are my cheeks hurting inside my helmet? This twitchy, cheap, unpolished, imperfect, basic, unsubtle bike is an absolute hooligan! It just laps up the road and all that I throw at it with relish and a little shimmy. It doesn't want to spit me off and eat me up like a monster sports bike. It wants to play, it wants to grind it's pegs, it wants to burn off cars from the lights. It just makes me think of those little dogs that try to take on dobermans then run away when the going gets tough. It's a toy, a fun thing and all it's quirks make it loveable.
EXHAUST KEEWAY RKS 125 14-15 HOMOLOGATED
And the build quality, the biggest issue with Chinese bikes? So far... Yes, yes you can see in several places where the paint is thin here and thick there. The nuts and bolts don't have quite the same tactile firmness of Jap bikes. The chrome doesn't shine as bright. What you do get is a smart digital speedo with analogue rev counter that sweeps round when switched on. Sensible rubber mounted footrests. A real, proper and easily accessible oil filter (far better than the CBF 125's nasty piece of metal gauze inside the engine). An oil sight glass, not a dipstick. A centre stand as well as side stand. A "flash" button and kill switch (again not featured on the CBF 125). This bike has many features much more expensive 125's lack.
Would I recommend one? Yes...so far. Especially if you are lacking in height and/or money. What remains to be seen is how well the bike will age. At present it is only 1 month and 600 miles old and the gf is religious in her zealous cleaning. We fully intend to keep you updated with details on reliability, servicing and how well it ages.
Also if you have under 2 grand to play with and want an absolute hoot riding something that will remind you of your youth then this could also be a fun plaything! Come on...under 2 grand for a brand new bike? So what if ya fall off and scratch it. It's a toy and it's a bloody cheap fun toy.
CLICK HERE to see Sharon's Update Review on the Keeway RKS 125
We'd love to publish your personal review on your motorcycle. We like real world reviews from real riders and owners who can offer honest opinions. Please contact ren@bikesandtravels.com
Reader's Comments
Boris said :-
Really lovely review, thanks.
I'm weighing up a yamaha ybr or one of these Chinese bikes. I'm of the opinion that ill only own it for a year anyway, so perhaps rather than spending out £2.6k on the yamaha that I save myself a grand and get one of these?
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi Boris.
It's a very fair thing to consider, especially if money is tight. There is no doubt the Yamaha YBR 125 is a better quality machine but is it really £800 to £1000 better than this Chinese motorcycle? Personally I don't think so.
If you plan to keep this bike for a year then look at resale values. Take some time to look at Bike Trader to see how much 1 year old YBR's sell for versus 1 year old Chinese bikes. I'm sure you're intelligent enough to do the mathematics.
Look at your dealer too. Does he or she strike you as the kind of person that will honour any warranty claims? The gf's has had 2 minor issues which have both been fixed under warranty with no complaints from our dealer. There are however some unscrupulous types out there who just want you money.
I'd love to hear what you decide and what you think of your purchase.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Sharon said :-
Hi Boris,
I have had my Keeway for nearly 5 months now. Not having rode another bike I have nothing to compare it by. I can only tell you how I feel about it and that is I love it. I have done over 2000 miles on it so far and it has taken everything I have thrown at it. This includes twisty wet country tracks and being dropped a good few times.
Yes it has been in the garage a couple of times for a couple of teething problmes but this is fairly typical of any new bike. I would highly recommend this bike from my experience so far. I did hear that it may rust more easily than other brands so I am careful that I wash it carefully and polish it after rides. It has been out it some pretty rough weather and to date it has kept its shine.
I chose the Keeway for two reasons, it had a smaller seat height tham most other bikes which I needed and of course the price was right.I have not been disappointed. So far, so good.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
David said :-
Have a guess where ybr125s are made?
Cbf125s are made in India (so are ktm duke 125) and have a reputation for poor finish, I owned one from new dry riding only, put in garage over-winter sprayed all over with wd40 and it still rusted due to slight condensation, it had to go, shame - otherwise a great little bike.
Considering getting the new Keeway rkv 125, a bigger sportier version of the rks, (same bike as ksr/generic code 125, well reviewed on 2commute.co.uk
As for the yam ybr, well they are made in .......................China!
Its pointless generalising about Japanese v Chinese quality based on assumtions as opposed to real world experience and knowledge.
Love this site, small is beautiful (e.f. shumaecer)
Cheers, david barwick, Norfolk, Jan. 2014.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
duke said :-
I am also a proud owner of the keeway rks 1500 km and still the bike rides good,only problem ...i hate the shaky feeling its gives when u hit the front brakes byt hey thats not a problem next bike gonna be the bennelli keeway 600 lovely!
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Rich said :-
Hey Ren,
Great review!
I'm looking at this bike at the minute but I'm concerned about the availability of parts.
I've got a 94 CG125BR-K at the minute and its a bit frumpy now, the Keeway fits my budget but I can't decide if it's a good switch?
Also, How is the bike now?
Cheers,
Rich
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi Rich
You can catch up on the Keeway here on this link -
Short Update Review On Keeway RKS 125cc April 2014
Keeways are imported by Moto GB based in Adlington, near Chorley. They certainly carry some stock as the gf dropped her bike and it took 1 day to get a replacement clutch lever, for £6. You can find out about Moto GB at
http://www.motogb.co.ukThe other option of course if you are mechanically minded is to restore the CG! They're a great bike and if you do a good job they are actually starting to gain in value a little. You'll have no issue with parts, both genuine and Chinese copy. I have a friend who is restoring a 1970's CG and he can get everything.
Whatever you do, just enjoy it and ride it!
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Dylan said :-
I own a Keeway RKS is a great little runner but its horrible to get pars for as i am finding out trying to buy new sprockets and a new chain
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Z Khan said :-
Any one please share me about its millage per litter....???
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi Z Khan
The last time we checked Sharon was getting approximately 110 to 120 mpg
That's 24 miles per litre to 26 miles per litre (mpl)
Or 2.6 litres per 100km to 2.4 litres per 100km (l/100km)
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Z Khan said :-
This model "Keeway RKS 100cc" bike is available or not? And it available how about its performance?
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Md. Hossain said :-
I have some question about this bike, will u please help me out by giving answer....
Q 1. Keeway RKS 100 cc bike is originally available or not, because internet have no info about it but i found it in showroom.
Ans...
Q 2. Will u please give me idea about Keeway RKS 100 cc millage per litter.
Ans...
Q 3. Please can u tell me about its approx service life.
Ans...
Q 4. Price of Keeway RKS 100cc bike?
Ans...
I will be very grateful if i get those answer because i m planing to purchase this bike.
Thanks..:)
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
To both Z Khan and Md. Hossain
I can't find any mention of the RKS 100 on the official Keeway website. you can see their current range at http://www.keewaymotor.com
If you need any further details about availability of UK models, parts, servicing or prices then the UK importer for Keeway can be found at http://www.motogb.co.uk I'm sure they'd have the details you need.
Cheers, Ren.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
said :-
When talking about chinese bikes, two huge red flags appear to me.
First, every says they have improved since some years ago, ok, so have Japanese and Italian bikes, they haven't been sleeping. Considering that, it appears to me that the same gap between chibese and Japanese bikes might still be there.
The other huge red flag is this, everybody says they are great but Tey also report problems at a very low mileage and age. Been looking at used Chinese bikes and everybody said how great keeway, zontes and others are but they are all for sale with 1 or 2 years and 1000 miles. 1 or 2 thousand miles is nothing and we can't say a bike is reliable after just that. Reviews on keeway superlight are terrible! Lots of issues with build quality.
By the other hand, I see the honda cbf and vision from the mailman an pizza delivery and they have lot and lots of miles on it,3 times that age and still brand as new. My neighbour has a yamaha Wr and another an ybr kept on the streets and they are just as new, yesterday saw an 2009 ybr, thought it was living the showroom for the first time.
So, although I liked the keeway rks and it looks great, I will stick to a reliable and well proven, fuel injected Yamaha ybr instead. Maybe when Rks will have 10 years and 20.000 miles I will change my opinion.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Sharon said :-
Well my Keeway RKS is now 11 months old so I cannot say yet how it will age in 10 years but it has clocked up over 6000 miles now in less than a year, which is more than your usual average.
Most of the mileage has been through the cold, wet and dirt of a typical British winter. It has been taken on long mileage rides of nearly 300 miles in a day. It has been on rides where it has been asked to reach it limits on dual carriageways for most of the day. It has done stop, start city traffic. It has done up and down dale. Through out all this it has never missed a beat. The bf has a Honda CBF and what ever that has done the Keeway has done too.
I do wash and polish it regularly and take it for the scheduled services when they are due.
So far I have absolutely no regrets about buying this bike. I once saw 2 YBR's side by side. One an 11 plate looked in good condition the other on a 12 plate was a right state with pipes all rusted. So sometimes it is the care a bike gets that can make a lot of difference.
I do not think the gap between the Japanese, Italian and Chinese bikes is as great as it once was. Yes maybe the Japanese bikes are still advancing but a learning curve is steepest at the outset and I believe the Chinese are coming on in leaps and bounds. They may indeed not be in the same league as some well known brands from other counties. But although I can only speak from my own experience with my own Keeway RKS that opinion is that any crap label can be finally thrown out. Yes they may have a reduced build quality but this means they also come with a much reduced price tag. Do we expect a Corsa to have the same build quality as a Audi? Like with most things in life you get what you pay for. But a lower price does not have to equal a pile of rubbish.
Time will tell what the Chinese bikes of the future will be like but right now I have no complaints at all about mine.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Marie said :-
Well....Keeway rkv125!!
The looks...Is outrages..Tyres not super small, seat very comfortable,and very easy to drive. It does give you the feeling that your not
driving a 125cc but it feels like your driving a 200cc. It is pretty nice as a 125cc bike.
But, having my keeway 125 for the 4th day now it makes me feel like stupid.
Why?!
Here is the why... In the first day, 5 minutes after I had taken out my keeway from the dealer, the engnition just dropped dead. No beam lights, no power nothing. Ok that was only fair, since it wasn't the bike's fault as such, it was the dealer's! But the worst part is, that for the 2nd time my bike just couldn't accelerate and it appeared that there were something wrong with the back wheel / Clutch / and something from my bike was smelling like smoke. i'm no genius I only know how to drive a bike.
Long story short, I suggest that DO NOT BUY any of the chinese bikes since they have been and will be shitty bikes for fucken ever.Keeway is no match for Honda, Yamaha and kawasaki. The keeway is just pretty from the outskirts...but crap from the inside.
Anyway...That is my opinion from my stupidly experiences with this stupid bike.
Thanks,
Marie
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Sharon said :-
Aww Marie it is a shame you are having such a bad experience with your Keeway. Many bikes not limited to those of Chinese origin can experience initial problems when first leaving a dealerships. I have had friends with makes such as Kawasaki etc that have had teething problems when new. Your dealership should sort out those problems for you. Hope it gets sorted soon for you.
I can only speak of my own personal experience and so far that still remains very positive. I have just recently returned from a trip to Scotland on my Keeways RKS 125. It covered nearly 1300 miles and as I was with bigger faster bikes my little bike had to do most of those miles with its revs almost to the max. It never missed a beat and ran perfectly the entire trip.
Have a been lucky and got a particular good one? I suspect not because more and more people seem to be changing their views of Chinese bikes being crap these days.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
fahim said :-
RKS 125 cc is it tubeless or not?????
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Fahim, the RKS 125 (UK model at least) has tubes. Of this I am certain as we fitted a new tyre to Sharon's bike this weekend!
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Allan said :-
Im new to bikes, cannot afford something expensive and was having doubts on cheap ones :) thanks to both of you for taking the time to share your experience, definitely dissipate my doubts. Thanks guys.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
There should always be doubt unless it costs less than a pound. Overall the Chinese bikes are not so bad. There is always the risk that you get a bad one but that happens with any make and model of motorbike...car...washing machine...knitting needles.
It will help a LOT if you look after the bike. Don't ride it too hard, service it or get it serviced properly and care for it. Make friends with people who are good at spannering and willing to show you what's what.
Ride carefully. Even the best bikes in the world don't work too well when parked into a ditch. Most of all enjoy it. Might as well get a car if it's just "transport".
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Paul said :-
Thanks Ren,
nice to hear someone mention all the relevant things about buying a bike unlike other reviews where they have yet to ride a bike
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi Paul. It's one thing to test ride a motorcycle and there's a few reviews on here that I did from test rides. It's another thing to live with a bike.
Ideally any test ride should last 10,000 miles, at least :-)
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ruth said :-
hi ren I recently got the RKV after getting my cbt must say I no nothing about bikes or repairing them lol but I've bought a book so am willing to get stuck in to the basics, I was wondering what top speed Sharon gets outta her bike? My boyfriend reached a speedy 55 on it , is that the norm?? He thought it would at least reach 70 lol
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi Ruth. With a 125 it all depends on conditions. Uphill? Into the wind? Big load? Typically both Sharon and I on our 125s get between 55-62 mph. Downhill with a good wind Sharon has seen 70, uphill into the breeze it can be as low as 40!
I do hope it's not a new bike? If it is you should be running it in carefully not giving it large just yet! And if you've just passed your CBT give yourself a little while before you start worrying about top speeds eh. Enjoy!
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
glenn said :-
Hi guys .i have an rks 150cc.this motorbike is very comfortable to drive and very cool ..and the engine sound is very soft and clear.anyway not all china made are not so bad. So i really like
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
glenn said :-
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi Glenn. Where are you from and how come you look so cool on the bike? And yeah the Chinese bikes are coming on in leaps and bounds. There are still some that are not too good but for the most part they're catching up with the established marques very quickly.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Henrik said :-
Glenn: Nice bike ! and you fit it well, to me RKS is like a toy, I'm 183 ;-)
Ren: The Gap between "japan-chineese" and "chineese-chineese" is most certainly narrowing down, and with something like keeway RKS versus let's say a YBR, I will question if there is much of a gap at all,..
In DK you can get 2 new RKS, and a new rks spare-engine, for the same price as one YBR, what solution do you think would keep you on wheel's for longest time ?
Maybe if your GF still have the RKS some more years you can write an article about these two takes on a minimal transport solution, would be interesting.
It's been very interesting reading about the RKS here, I am very impressed
how few problems you have had for mileage, for the price it almost earned its own value by now. In DK it's 9.999 Kroner, (the TX it's 12.999 Kroner),
so guess Keeway is even cheaper in DK than UK
If the engine fail's you a new rks spare engine is 4.999 kroner, my guess is that that this is cheaper than to let someone else make a bigger renovation,
And again, bying one complete ekstra new RKS, just for spares, would make sense also, maybe even more, if you intend to keep the bike longest possible,
(I made some interesting calculations about estimated long-time cost's)
BTW got Haynes "general" manual on small chineese 125 from amazon, secccond-
hand, cheap, just for the curiosity. Strange concept, with one book covering
several models, seemingly they found that the "covered" models is so are almost "the same", (Keeway TX is covered, RKS is not),..
So much for the chineese, tomorrow I'm driving to Malmø, with an empty mc-trailer, hope I have something with me home ;-)
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi Henrik. Is that a Honda Dominator 650?
The gf's Keeway cost £1500 compared to a similar Japanese 125 which would be around the £2600 mark in the UK. That's a saving of £1100. As you say we could purchase another engine for the Keeway for around £300 to £400.
Reliability wise the Keeway now has 12,000 miles on the clock. We had 2 very minor electrical problems, loose wires, that were corrected by the shop free of charge under warranty. Other than that it is still in perfect working order, is still very clean and rides better than new as it has run in now.
There is a little rust coming through here and there. But I must emphasize there is no more rust than I would expect on ANY Japanese, German, British or American motorcycle that has been used all the way through winter like the gf's 125 has.
Yes there are the odd little things here and there which are maybe not as perfect as a BMW might be but they are very minor. An example is the paint over the chain adjuster markings is actually too thick to see the markings! If I were buying new I would put the Keeway on my list of options.
Malmø? Is this the same Malmø made famous here because of the brilliant "Wallander"?
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Henrik said :-
Thanks for feed-bach on RKS, interesting, even when TX is my main interest.
The Innova is likely taken to Copenhagen, as a city bike, that's what it is.
For the longer trips, motorway, two persons, etc, my dream is the Kawasaki
KLE 500, that's what you see on the picture, and what I will get tomorrow, or
later. A rock solid endure/dual-purpose travel-machine, that can be customised even for clean off-road, not as heavy as the big Honda's,..
It's 23 years old, and a "restoring project" even though its should be 100
pct mechanically working, and with license until September
I atach a better model-photo of a KLE in good shape, and link to a video showing what kind of dirt-roads KLE 500 would typically be able to swallow
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDOExrZHwwg...
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Henrik said :-
About Malmø, yes I guess it's the same town, located nearby Copenhagen, I am not soo much into book's and literature, and didn't watch television for the last 25 year's :-)
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi Henrik. I know a lot of people see the KLE 500 as an underrated bike. It was never the best at one thing but good at most things. Powerful enough for 2 up touring, off road enough for serious green lanes and still lots of fun. I'm sure you'll have fun restoring it.
Here in the UK the Swedish Wallander TV series gained popularity even with subtitles. Then we made our own version, which flopped! Not a patch on the Swedish version.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Jwan said :-
hello Ren , just wanted to ask u before buying a new bike, i have got almost 2 grands and i really loved 2015 Keeway Superlight LTD which is for £1899 and i was wondering shall i get a that one or a Yamaha YZF second hand. Many thanks
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi Jwan. I can't tell you which bike to buy! I'd get into all kinds of trouble if it turned out to be the wrong one.
I've never ridden the Superlight. I do know there are several happy owners on Facebook's "125 Owner's Group". I can tell you that Sharon and I are both quite satisfied with the build quality of her Keeway RKS and it is proving to be a good bike. I can also tell you there are many happy owners of Yamaha's popular YZF 125.
Your 2 choices are very different. The Superlight is a cruiser, the YZF is a sports bike! Do you want to ride in laid back style or look like a racer? The choice is yours.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Jwan said :-
Hi Ren , first of all i want to thank for replying to me and i really appreciate that. about the bike i think i have made my decision and would go for Honda pcx because basically i sat down with my dad the other day and i was telling him about the difficulties i might face if i get manual bike plus im overweight so YZF wouldn't suit me . Keeyway motorbike seems beautiful but eventually its Chinese bike and i must take this into account
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Sharon said :-
Hi Jwan,
We must all come to our own decisions when it comes to which bike to buy. But although I can not speak for all Chinese brands as far as the Keeway is concerned my bike has been fantastic. Lots of people told me not to buy it because it was Chinese but after I have covered over 12,000 miles on it I can certainly tell you that I have never yet regretted my decision to buy it. I love mine to bits, well hopefully not to literal bits I hope it holds together for a long time to come :-)
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Henrik said :-
Jwan: Many of the hyped Japanese brands are made in China or elsewhere nowadays anyway, like YBR, so go figure, I guess the PCX that you mention is made in Thailand, just like My Honda ANF 125 Innova also is. Neither my Innova or the YBR 125 that I just saw in a shop is up to old Japanese standards/finish. The body-parts + mounting on the Innova most certainly is not something to write home about. That's reality today, and have to be considered, (not saying PCX is a wrong decision). Certain Chineese bikes like the Keeway RKS has also elevated itself from old chineese garbadge- standards, so the picture is more complex than earlier. The gap has narrowed down so to say.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
The Honda PCX is a popular machine. If you're a little nervous about the gears and riding for the first time on the open road then an automatic bike might just be the way to go. You're free to concentrate on the road rather than fluffing the gears and clutch.
You may, once you're gained some experience, move on to geared bikes when you're ready. However I do think that more and more motorcycles as well as scooters will be automatic in the future.
Scooters are cool too. Look at Honda's Integra as a cracking example. They offer better weather protection, comfort and even safety over a motorcycle as you sit almost "within" the bike rather than on it.
Enjoy your PCX and given time choose your own path, don't give in to peer pressure. Ride what you feel is best for you.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ilyas said :-
Hi guys,
I own a Keeway RKS 125 which has been reliable and never let me down, I use it on a daily basis to commute from and into work except on weekends, but lately I realized after each ride, few drops of oil will be found on the parking spot where I left it, I've checked the engine from both sides and it seems like it's coming from the bottom of the generator, I have ordered a generator gasket which will be arriving shortly, but I was just wondering if there are any tips or tricks to fit it in properly as I've never done it before
cheers
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi Ilyas. Drain the oil and make sure you've fresh oil to put in. WORK SLOWLY! Make a note of where each bolt goes in the casing. Cleaning off the old gasket can take a while, be patient. It is also very very easy to overtighten the engine casing bolts when you're almost done. Just gently nip them up do not heave on your spanner or ratchet handle.
If you're nervous maybe getting a mechanically minded friend to be on hand would be a good idea?
I generally work on the principal that if my engine is not leaking oil...I've run out of oil...
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ilyas said :-
Hi Ren,
I just received the new gasket through the post, I'll be doing it over the weekend, I'm confident enough to do it, just needed some tips :) and surely your advice has given me an idea of what needs to be done, especially the part where you mentioned over-tightening the bolts as I think last time I checked it I did over-tighten the bolts which caused more oil to leak.
Thank you for your advice, I truly appreciate it :)
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hope you're successful Ilyas :)
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Simon said :-
Hi,does anyone know what the KSR MOTO GRS 125's are like?
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi Simon. I've seen the KSR or Generic Worx which is exactly the same as the Keeway RKS. As such the two bikes must be comparable. I've never seen the GRS so I can't comment on those. The engine however looks the same so at least the motor should be OK.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
jun said :-
nice site ..this site helped me decide to get the RKS 150
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Sharon said :-
Hi Jun,
Glad you found our site useful. Hope you are having a great time with your RKS.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ben said :-
Hi
I have a keeway rkv. I'm finding it difficult to find the recommended tyre pressures. I can't see anything in the manual
Would you be able to put them here please?
I have been using 35 on back and 30 on front but not sure that's the best feel. I still have that worrying feeling of the tracking taking me off to the left or right :-(
Thanks
Ben
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Sharon said :-
Hi Ben,
I am surprised that your manual does not have the tyre pressures in. The RKS manual does. Have another check through and I am sure you will find them.
If the manual is the similar to mine you will find the information towards the back of your manual. In the Inspection and Maintenance section ,after chain adjustment and bulb replacement.
One thing that might have thrown you is they do not have the pressures in PSI but KPA so I have added a link to a converter for you to use. Just copy and paste the link.
www.puretyre.co.uk/tyre-information/psi-to-bar-conversion-chart/
Now speaking for the RKS only as that is the model I have and not the RKV here are my tyre pressures as per the manual. (Please bear in mind the RKV has different sized and wider tyres than the RKS hence they could be differences in the recommended tyre pressures.
Keeway RKS 125 cc Tyre Pressure
Front 190+10 Kpa (which converts to 27 PSI)
Back 210+10 Kpa (which converts to 30 PSI)
I however have found that for me and my bike I prefer 28 PSI for the front and 31 PSI for the rear. This gives me the best stability. But this is a individual choice and I would therefore recommend in the first instance you check the manual and adhere to the recommended pressures. Only making small adjustments either way if you feel that improves any handling.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ben said :-
Hi Sharon thank you for your quick reply. I will take another look at the manual.
Thanks again! :-)
Ben
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ben said :-
I bought my rkv second hand so didn't get a manual :-(
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Sharon said :-
Ben,
How good I am to you. I think I look after our readers very well. :-) I have only gone and found you an online manual for your RKV and here is the link
http://keewaymotor.co.uk/manuals/rkv.pdf
Page 57 shows you your tyre pressures for you RKV those being 210 KPA for both Front and Rear which translates to 30 PSI for both tyres.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Sharon said :-
For anyone who has the RKS with no manual I have also found that as well. Link is below.
http://www.keewaymotor.co.uk/manuals/RKS.pdf
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ben said :-
Thank you very much Sharon!
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ilyas said :-
Hi everyone,
I own a keeway RKS and have been looking for some parts for it but unfortunately couldn't find what I'm looking for, is there a website anybody knows about where I can order parts as Ebay hasn't got much, and last time I needed a gasket had to contact Keeway's customer service which gave me a phone number of a motorbike shop all the way up in North England to place the order which wasn't cheap at all and took more than a week to arrive.
Thanks
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Henrik said :-
Ilyas: The classic concept, sell something cheap, then rip them off later,
I hope someone from UK can step in and help you, I am located elsewhere, but I have a feeling that the support, pricing, and spare-situation, is not good at all under the UK distributor, guess it's very different from country to country
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Henrik said :-
Found this little candy on google, RKV, but identical to RKS more or less,
http://www.keewaymotor.co.uk/manuals/rkv.pdf
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi Ilyas.
The UK importer is Moto GB (motogb.co.uk). They are based in Adlington near Chorley which is but a couple of miles from where I live. Moto GB also own nearly all the motorcycle shops in the South Lancashire/Manchester area. So when you called Moto GB they just passed you onto one of the shops that they own.
www.keewaymotor.co.uk/dealers.php has a list of dealers in the UK, I don't know where you are from but perhaps there's a dealer closer to you.
The engine in the Keeway is SIMILAR but not necessarily the the same as the much more common and much cheaper Lexmark engines. Some parts are interchangeable, others not. But yes, Sharon has not needed many parts for her bike but those we have required are nowhere near as cheap as other Chinese marques.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
said :-
"Generic Worx", as seen in UK and other EU countyes appears identical, so a little more to feed the search knowing this,...
http://www.motorcyclesupermarket.com/new-motorcycles/UnRegistered-Generic-Worx-125-in-Nottingham-6186389
In DK RKS is 1000 GBP and f.eks. an spare exhaust that everybody would need to change some times cost 300 GBP !!!!! as mentioned before I made an quick calculation that if having an new RKS, to keep, then seen over a 5-8 year periode it would be cheaper getting two bikes from the start, one of the untaxed just to rip little by little, prices can be seen here, divide with approximately 10 to convert from DKR to GBP, unfortunately Thansen does not deliver to UK, sadly, becourse I guess some of the parts are cheaper than under the UK-importer, and likely better overall availability as well, but still, not OK, not at all, not OK charging 300 GBP for an exhaust to a bike representing 1000 GBP, and not OK for what "it is" either, a piece of metal that cost maybe 10 GBP to massproduce, (unless they are totally nuts), what we see here is a well thought out trap to rip people in the long run, just like service schemes/prices and warrenty. (all to be considered before getting any sort of bike). In my opinion a bike such as RKS is a 1oo pct DIY bike, I would not even go to the first service, unless it was free,..
In DK price for 3 years service will be 50 pct of the bikes own price :-)
http://www.thansen.dk/soeg/?q=Keeway%20RKS
BTW. Try to get a little into CO2 Welding, for small repair, and projects, sustaining life of exhausts, etc, I lost the silencer on the XRX some days ago in the woods, prices not ok, and not even available, I decided to make a new Carbon based exhaust my self over the winter, saving almost 3 kilos just on the silencer alone
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Henrik said :-
I was guilty in the last post ;-)
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Henrik - the idea of buying a second bike as spares is great except for one problem. I/We have nowhere to store the said spare bike. But yeah, when some parts are 30% of the cost of a new bike you start to think is it worth it?
CO2 welding? Not heard of that I shall have a look on Google.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Henrik said :-
Co2, aka the normal "MIG" type welding as seen in the normal auto workshop etc, Co2 in a bottle you know, in general for plate and small/thin materials, where "TIG" is in many ways superior, especially for stainless, but alsohard to learn and control, my Carbon-silencer just arrived from Germany, 1.2 kg, where the old one was 4.2 Kg :-) Link to the type of MIG welder that I plan to get, big and expensie Co2 buttles also nessesary
www.biltema.dk/da/Vaerktoj/Svejsning-og-lodning/MIG-svejseanlag/Svejser-Mig-140-...
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
I have a basic "gasless" mig. It can take gas - I didn't realise it was CO2 gas though. Gasless has a flux core so works similar to the old arc welding but with the wire feed it's easier to control. However I am still only capable of making bird pooh or chewing gum welds basically because I'm useless at welding.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Henrik said :-
Very difficult without real gas, that is the message I get everywhere, so I decided to go with gas, there is small expensive 1 KG bottles, and various systems with 6-8-12-20 kg recycled bottles that you either own or rent, and very high span on prices, a jungle I try to sort out these days, I expect to praksise over the winther,.. don't strive for a championship,.. just decent solid semi-pro work,.. until then,.. sometimes a bird pooh will do ;-)
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Andrew Gaskin said :-
David never spray anything anything with WD40 nothing will make anything rust more quickly. it was developed for use in the space program to be used in an oxygen free environment. Use something that is used on guns that will prohibit rust from occurring.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
Andrew:
WD40 was developed to displace water (the clue is in the initials WD....) and it does this very well. Many many years ago when I was an AA patrol and WD40 was quite a novelty it was invaluable when the inside of distributor caps on things like Ford Escorts (not to mention Minis) got damp with condensation and tracked everywhere. Whip the cap off, a quick squirt with the magic stuff all over inside and outside and the engine would burst into life to the astonishment of the stranded driver.
It does protect against rust to some extent but not nearly as well as ACF50. See David Angell's test: http://f2mcltd.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/winter-salt-protection-acf50-fs365-or.html
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
AA patrol? You've had an interesting life Ian. Ford Escorts and Minis...showing your age too. As for preventing rust...Vaseline pal, cheap and effective. Bit messy like but a proper hairy biker doesn't worry about a bit of dirt.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
John said :-
Hi Ben,
I found your article/site helpful and inspiring. I just bought my RKS 150 4days ago from a dealer hear in the Philippines. The performance is so far so good. at first i have this doubt if this motorcycle meet my expectation since I owned Honda motorcycle as my first bike. I strongly agree to Ren when you take care of your bike regardless who build it, it will last for long.
With regards to spare parts that is our homework. LOL
I am a first time rider of Manual bike / gear bike but i found it so smooth when i ride this bike.
Thank you so much for these review Ben have a safe ride and of course enjoy.
John
Phils.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hi John. I don't suppose you know if the 150 has much more power than our UK 125? Here in the UK the RKS 125 is listed as being 8.4kw or 11bhp.
I note 3 differences with your bike. The exhaust is different and yours has the mono shock setup but I believe yours will be the later model, and the stickers on the tank are a little different too.
Sharon would love to find a RKS 200 but the UK importer is not bringing any in. Sharon has just passed her motorcycle test and now she can ride a larger capacity bike now.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
Congratulations Sharon. You can have a proper bike now (only joking!)
I passed my test in the dim & distant when it only involved a couple of trips round the block and a chap jumping out in front of you for the emergency stop. In fact I'd been riding my 500cc Norton combination around on L plates for a couple of years previously.
I think that only someone who is dedicated will go through the effort to pass these days so all credit to you.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
We were stood in a bike shop yesterday and they had a Kwak H2R on display. I pointed out to Sharon that she is now legally licensed to ride that bike or any other bike in that showroom. If only she was a little bit taller...
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
Platform shoes?
Or how about a V-Max - seat height of 775 mm.
http://www.yamaha-motor.eu/uk/products/motorcycles/sport-heritage/vmax.aspx
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Tony said :-
Hi Sharon,
congratulations on passing your test :) I have to agree with Ian in that it must take dedication today, looking at all the different restrictions and modules. Passed mine in '83 and never looked back (apart from lifesavers)
If you do feel the need for more cc's, there's always ways round the seat height issue. I bet even your 125 looks better now without white/red over it. Anyway happy biking and as they say, keep it between the hedges.
Regards.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Ian - Sharon's Keeway has a seat height of 760mm and is quite narrow. The 775mm of the V-Max and the wide seat would be the problem. That and it is a cruiser...and Sharon DOES NOT want a cruiser! I do rather like the Kwak Vulcan S 650 though.
Tony - We are both very wary of "lowering kits" for bikes. While some seem to be fine others can cause problems with ground clearance, wheels hitting the wheel arches and even handling issues. I'm sure in the fullness of time we can find a solution though.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
I wasn't being entirely serious when I suggested the V-Max - which I wouldn't really characterise as a cruiser with 200 bhp. Always rather fancied a shot on one myself......
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Ian - the V-Max is a serious bike, how could you not be entirely serious? I think moving from a 11bhp 125 to a 200bhp ballistic missile is a perfectly safe and sensible approach. I mean, what's the worst that could happen? Perhaps Sharon could even achieve geostationary orbit?
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Sharon said :-
Thank you Tony and Ian for your congratulations. Indeed with today's tests it does takes a certain determination and also a lot of cash to pass your tests. It becomes even more difficult when your only 5ft tall and 7 1/2 stone and want a A licence. So I am extremely over the moon to finally be able to take oftthe L plates of the little China man. I shall be writing soon about the whole test experience.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Stuart said :-
I bought a keeway 125 speed 5 years ago still going strong use it for work had 800kms when bought has about 3375 kms now dos not use oil paint work like new paint was a bit thin on wheels apart from that happy with keeway.
17/02/2016 19:25:49 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Cheers Stuart. Sharon's bike now has 19,000 miles on it and is still going strong. There are a few issues here and there but believe me there's nothing worse than many other bikes I've seen.
18/02/2016 14:39:22 UTC
paul said :-
Keyway isn't a Chinese bike. The company is from hungry.
http://www.keewaymotor.co.uk/about/
22/03/2016 08:51:27 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Cheers Paul.
Keeway are also linked to Austria so their origins are from all over! However as the web page states they are now part of the QianJiang Motor Company of China and the bikes are produced there. THAT does not make them bad though! Most of the big established brands like Honda also use China's massive manufacturing facilities to make everything from small parts right through to complete motorcycles.
I suspect that because here in the UK "Chinese" motorcycles still have an undeservedly poor reputation Keeway are seeking to promote their European credentials. I don't care where the bikes are made, I care about how well they are made and how much fun they are to ride.
Good call Paul.
22/03/2016 10:11:28 UTC
Sharon said :-
Hi Paul,
Keeway is most definitely Chinese. I know what it says on the current UK website ie "We are a brand that was born in Hungary in 1999 " but this is err quite frankly misleading to say the least.
Qianjiang-Benelli Motorcycle Group (QJB) is a multinational company in motorcycle production and distribution. The parent company, Qianjiang Group, is based in Wenling in Zhejiang Province, Mainland China and was founded in 1985.
Keeway is a brand of Qianjiang, developed to target buyers in developed markets such as Europe and the United States. First registered in Hungary in 1999, Keeway has grown to a presence in more than 80 countries.
So to be clear Keeway is Chinese, the bikes are manufactured in China, however the brand name Keeway was registered in Hungary. Now for me that does not make these bikes Hungarian.
Other brand name of Qianjiang bikes is KSR or as they used to be know as Generic. Take a look at the Generic Code it is exactly the same bike as the Keeway RKV and the Generic Worx (The same bike as the Keeway RKS.)
Now I have had owners of the KSR brand swear blind that it is not a Chinese bike but Austrian. Look on the website for KSR, it says it is Austrian. No once again the brand name is resisted there the manufacturer of these bikes is our good Chinese friend Qianjiang.
When I bought my own Keeway back in 2013 there was no pretense for it to be anything other than Chinese. The new Keeway 2016 website with this misleading Born in Hungary claim seems to be following KSR's lead.
I am the queen of research, I never believe anything I see or read until my own research has been completed. So please trust me on this Keeway IS Chinese. I for one have no problems with Keeway's Chinese origins. I am just very sad and disappointed to see that after doing much to champion the Chinese quality of Keeway the Keeway brand itself seems to want to deny or at least cover its own roots.
23/03/2016 00:14:59 UTC
Tony said :-
I've just passed my CBT and am looking at a keeway 125 but I am 19 stone ( loosing weight slowly ) and am concerned about how the bike will be able to handle this uphill.
Any feedback would be great
07/04/2016 16:45:57 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
hi Tony. The Keeway will handle your weight just the same as any other 125! They're all about the same power in this sort of class. Sharon's Keeway is actually a tiny teeny bit faster than my Honda 125 these days.
08/04/2016 08:09:22 UTC
Tony said :-
Thanks ren, deffo considering this bike
09/04/2016 08:59:32 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
If you're a tall lad Tony just note the RKS is a small bike. Take a moment to sit on it and see if it's to your liking.
09/04/2016 10:32:20 UTC
georgelee69 said :-
Hi i have just bought a mat black 2016 keyway supperlight 125cc I'm having trouble getting it into gears is this a common fault with this type of bike
24/04/2016 15:55:24 UTC
Sharon said :-
Hi Georgelee, I can only tell you about my own bike and I have never had a problem with the gears. In fact the opposite is true in my case. The gear change has always been super smooth and changing gears really easy.
Maybe any other reader could say if they have had any problems?
If it is a new bike then I would consider taking it back to the shop and getting them to check it out.
24/04/2016 21:05:43 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Hey there georgelee. The engine in the Superlight is a different one to the RKS. That said I very much doubt there's a generic problem with the gears as the superlight has sold very well and I haven't heard of any issues.
The first place to start is to make sure the clutch cable is adjusted correctly. It would take to long to describe in words but I am planning to do a video about this so check back soon. In the meantime as Sharon said I'd seek help from your local bike shop.
Also ask some knowledgeable and experienced local biker to check your adjustment, they'll usually help. Other than that all reports I hear about the superlight is that it's a smashing bike so I hope you sort your problem and enjoy your rides.
25/04/2016 07:53:53 UTC
Alan said :-
Henrik: I brew my own beer and use CO2 bottles from my local brewery depot to pressurise my kegs, bought the bottle through my local pub. You can get different sizes and weights, I think mine weighs around 20Kg full and is maybe 10kg of gas in it and once you buy the first bottle you only pay for the gas refill. Similar to when you refill calor gas bottles on caravans. Would this quality of CO2 be good enough or does it need to be of a higher spec. You can find second hand ones on Ebay and brewing or air rifle websites.
09/12/2016 09:57:10 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
I always thought mig needed argon or something?
10/12/2016 06:51:09 UTC
Henrik said :-
Alan, thanks, I ended up getting 6 Kg buttles from a similar beer-company,
see link, around 40£ each, and around 70£ deposit on the first buttle, got my self a very little Co2 welder also now, and the ability to work with a larger Migatronic industrial type at a friends garage every now and then, but thats one hours drive away, and only certain week-days,..
From a local factory I got som stainless tubes to practise also at last, and
also a very little supply o´f tubes in different size, its all up the hill time-wise, but I made a principal decision and follows it still,..
But I still have to get the gas and new Co2 connected before welding at home
Meanwhile I got some spare down-pibes to my Hyosung XRX ,.. that was what I all needed in the start, haha, but I have no regret :-)
It's nice having this possibility, but its hard to master, but then again, very simple things like small non-visible modifications and repairs I am already able to do now
skafte.dk/kulsyre-til-eget-anlaeg.php...
10/12/2016 20:07:32 UTC
Jacob said :-
Hi Sharon, I see that the last comment on this thread was months ago. I'm just about to get a new KRS125. My question is, the bike is still doing well? What kinds of problems did you have with this bike? Best regards from the sunny Mallorca!
20/03/2017 10:37:16 UTC
Sharon said :-
Hi Jacob from sunny Mallorca,
Here in the grey mists of England my Keeway is still alive and well. Due to the relentless rain and salt on our UK roads he is beginning to show rust in some places. No more than you would expect from any other bike in such circumstances. However I doubt this will be something you need to worry about in your warmer climes.
If you want all the info I have wrote about the Keeway so far just type Keeway RKS into our search box at the top of the page and your will find all our articles about the Keeway. The latest update I did was 3 months ago and I have posted that link below for you for quick reference. There is not much to add to that update other than he now will shortly need a new fork seal due to general wear and tear.
My Keeway has been a really fantastic little bike. The fact I chose to keep him when I bought a new bike says it all really. He was simply too well loved and too good a motorcycle to part with.
I hope you have as much fun as I have had with your new bike. Happy and safe riding to you.
www.bikesandtravels.com/biker.aspx?ride=955...
21/03/2017 08:49:27 UTC
Jacob said :-
Hi Sharon,
thank you for your post.
I have also read your other threads which were very helpful. Thanks to your threads I decided to get a new RKS 125 2016 (which has now both front and back disc brakes!) and already bought it. I will get mine this Friday or following Monday, i can't wait for it!
Can I ask you another question? How did you exactly done the "teething" period with your bike. Do you have any advises for the 1st 1000km ?? In the user guide is stated that first 300km can not be drove faster then 40km/h/25mph and then up to 1000km no faster then 50kmh/31mph. I can not imagine that :-(
Regards from sunny Mallorca!! (+20ºC today ;-) )
22/03/2017 19:28:23 UTC
Sharon said :-
Congratulations Jacob on your new Keeway. How exciting for you. I am so pleased for you, even if you are a tease about your lovely weather. I think we managed about 6 degrees here today. With lots of rain thrown in of course.
I certainly hope your Keeway is as good to you as mine has been to me. Take care of it well and I am sure it will serve you well in return.
You are right about the running in speeds being ridiculous. My dealer advised me to take the km speed to read as miles. Therefore between 0 to 300 miles I rode to around the 40mph mark. Then building slowly in 5 miles an hour increases until after 1000 miles I could go up to 60mph. I did this for the main part but there were times when needs required a little more than the stated lower speeds so I did not always stick to the guidelines.
The best thing to do is yes run it in slowly but don't be afraid to up the revs now and then. If you ride the first 1000 miles at a normal steady pace you will be fine. The thing not to do is nail the throttle and hold it there for miles. The bike will not thank you for that. If you take it easy those first few miles you will then be rewarded in having a bike that like mine allows you to push it all day in the hills with its throttle fully open and the engine revving it's guts out.
So my best advise is just ride the bike sensibly at first. Just take it easy and get to know your new bike. Before you know it those running in miles will have been covered and it is up, up and away then.
Most importantly of all ride safe, enjoy and smile always.
23/03/2017 01:40:26 UTC
Andreas said :-
Any idear how much it looses in value over time? Mine has never been used and been standing still for 1,5 years.
Any thoughts?
24/05/2017 13:51:50 UTC
Sharon said :-
Hi Andreas,
The best thing is to look for a bike similar to yours on selling sites such as autotrader. Such as same year,mileage etc. That will give you some idea of the price.
Don't forget all new bikes lose money the minute you ride them off the forecourt.
25/05/2017 08:16:34 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
Remember that autotrader and the like show you what people are asking, not what they actually get, which can be very different.
I find the best guide to real prices is to use ebay and use the "ended item" option after selecting the make / model you're interested in. It can be quite educational. You will see that many end the auction without being sold - sometimes no bids at all, sometimes without reaching a reserve.
As Sharon says, price drops dramatically as soon as you buy a new bike (which is why I never do).
25/05/2017 09:29:49 UTC
Paul m said :-
My son purchased a Yamaha ybr new in 2015 by the time it was 12 months old it had required several repaires and the bike was embarrassing rusting. He would of been much better off buying a Chinese bike as they could not of been worse, but at least half the price
02/02/2018 14:22:26 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Cheers Paul m. There's 2 things that give a motorcycle longevity. Firstly it has to be made well, secondly it has to be cared for.
I'm not sure all other Chinese models are as well made as Sharon's Keeway although for the most part they're all improving. The YBR has a good reputation as a solid reliable bike. I daresay your son's had a very hard life before it came to you.
But yeah the Chinese bikes are so cheap you could have 2 for the price of a "brand" bike.
03/02/2018 08:28:10 UTC
Henrik said :-
Geuss Paul said: "purchased a Yamaha ybr NEW in 2015" so there have been no previous owner to destroy it ;-)
Also surprises me, since most people seems to be ok with their YBR
My favorite next time would be CBR250L slightly rebuild for touring
Or Versys X-300 if a very good offer appeared, generally X-300 is priced to high, compared to stepping up to a good deal on a basic CB500X, (DK-prices)
03/02/2018 12:50:09 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Whoops! I missed the "new" bit. I know a few people with YBRs and they've not had any real issues with rusting.
03/02/2018 13:59:31 UTC
ilan said :-
Hi sharon.First i was reading your revews and its very halpful. I OWN a keeway tx 125 2018 that i was recently perchused. I think it has the same motor like the rks. How meny k"m you were allreddy did ON your bike? and are you still happy with it?
05/05/2019 10:27:12 UTC
Sharon said :-
HI Ilan,
My Keeway has around 24 thousands miles on it. That's around 39,000 Kilometres.
I admit that I haven't rode it as much since getting the Kawasaki but I hope to rectify that this year by going out on the Keeway more and doing narrow back lanes etc on it. I still love it that is why I have kept it.
I have not been liking the new tyre a put on the front some time ago so I will be changing that and hopefully it will be back to riding like it used to.
I hope you have a great time on your Keeway. Glad the reviews were helpful to you. The engine on my mine still runs perfect, no problems at all.
281637...
12/05/2019 20:34:42 UTC
Ilan said :-
Thank you. Im a mtb rider for the last 22 years and im trying to use the tx125 as my transportation to my work 3 times a week 40 km each direction offroads. Dont want to be on the traffic. Prefer to ride in the nature. Its an experiment and i hope il like it. The motorbike is doing well until now but he and i are working hard (;.
Enjoy your new motorcycle and drive carefully.
Ilan from israel
14/05/2019 20:34:21 UTC
Ilan said :-
Thank you. Im a mtb rider for the last 22 years and im trying to use the tx125 as my transportation to my work 3 times a week 40 km each direction offroads. Dont want to be on the traffic. Prefer to ride in the nature. Its an experiment and i hope il like it. The motorbike is doing well until now but he and i are working hard (;.
Enjoy your new motorcycle and drive carefully.
Ilan from israel
14/05/2019 22:15:39 UTC
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