Top 10: 125cc bikes with manual transmissions

If you work in a busy town then trading four wheels for two might seem like a great idea – a small, light motorcycle is cheap to run, immune from traffic jams and usually free to park. A scooter, with its automatic transmission, is easiest in stop-start traffic – but if you have any to do any riding on the open road a manual bike is a better bet.

We’ve picked 10 manual motorbikes that can be ridden after a CBT with L plates. If you’re planning on taking a full motorcycle test in the future then these bikes will help you prepare far better than a scooter, too. Our list is in price order. 

1

Lexmoto Michigan 125 - £1399

It might look a bit like a Harley Davidson, but this budget commuter bike can be ridden with L plates after completing a CBT. With a low seat and light controls it’s very easy to ride both in and out of town, but being Chinese made it isn’t likely to last as well as Japanese rivals through a winter of road salt and rain.

It’s also carburetted instead of fuel injected, which can affect starting on cold mornings – though there is a kick start as a back-up. But at this price it’s hard to complain too much – just remember that when you come to sell it won’t hold as much of its value as a Honda or a Yamaha. 

2

Sinnis Apache - £1595

Another Chinese-made bike, the Sinnis Apache is styled like an off-road bike, but with road-focused tyres. Performance is hardly scintillating and build quality isn’t up to the standard of Japanese manufacturers, but it’ll keep up with traffic on the open road and has more road presence than a scooter.

Shorter riders may struggle to get both feet flat on the floor too, thanks to the fairly high seat. But if you want something that looks and feels a lot like a big bike and your budget is fairly tight it’s not a bad choice. However, like the Lexmoto it is unlikely to hold its value well when it comes to resale time. 

3

Honda Wave 110i – £1999

There is no clutch lever on the Wave – it has a semi-auto transmission, so bridges the gap between a motorbike in a scooter. It’s designed to be as durable and practical as possible, so should run and run through all seasons. It has Honda’s well proven fuel-injection system too, so there’s no issues getting it to start on cold days.

Unfortunately, it’s a little bit on the slow side, with a top speed of around 60mph and lethargic acceleration. Still, if dependability is important it’s hard to do better. Additionally, its Honda badge should make it easy to sell and it is likely to retain its value well compared to most other brands. 

4

Kymco CK1 125 - £1999

Kymco bikes and scooters are competitively priced and well-made, bridging the price gap between Chinese-made bikes and Japanese machines. There are some obvious areas in which prices have been cut, including the use of a carburettor instead of fuel injection, which is used on the Yamaha YBR and Honda CB125F.

But otherwise the CK1 is easy to get on with. It will manage more than 60mph, so is fine if your commute isn’t all around town, plus it will achieve fuel economy of more than 100mpg. If you can’t quite afford a Japanese-made commuter bike than it’s a very good bet. 

5

Yamaha YBR 125 - £2599

Yamaha has been producing the YBR since 2005. These days the recipe has been perfected – it’s a sturdy, well-made and tremendously reliable bike that is all a commuter could really ask for. Upwards of 100mpg is easy to achieve and top speed is close to 70mph.

It’s a little pricier than Chinese and Taiwanese rivals, but it’s easy to see where that money has gone – quality is excellent and values remain strong even on 10-year-old examples. There are accessories available to improve practicality, including a small windscreen and a huge range of top boxes.