Sym XS125 Reviews

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Latest Reviews

“ I CROSSED HALF THE WORLD ON IT”

★★★★★

written by King203 on 15/10/2016

So I bought this bike last year with an ambition to ride from Austria to Mongolia. Over 16500 km ! And so I did... I can go to many details here but just go on Facebook to my public page : AdventureEAST There you will find all you need to know for this bike.

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“Starting it was never easy.”

★★☆☆☆

written by jimmyhunter on 08/08/2014

I bought this because it was a cheap new bike (1500 pounds) that I could use to learn on, and I had it to commute for 2 years. The bike needed servicing every three months according to the manufacturers, and it certainly needed it every time. All the metal parts rusted within the first year, and the plasticky parts all got worn looking quickly as well. Because of the bloody wind the bike blew over while parked (twice) and the handle bars bent like spoon handles. The indicator switch also popped-off after the first year. In normal conditions, the performance went from difficult to very difficult. From cold, it took several minutes each time to get the motor warm enough to make sure that it didn't stall in the first couple of miles. The speed wasn't great, and the kilometres p/h were much easier to read than the miles p/h which isn't ideal for UK roads. Changing gears was a nightmare especially at slow speeds or when driving away because 1) the cold engine might conk out without the revs and 2) the gear system was so rubbish your timing had to be correct to the nth degree. At speed the machine was very shaky, so that the mirrors just gave approximate information about what was beind. The good points are it's cheap to buy, to run, to maintain, and it didn't really need seeing to more than what the manual said. It was an effectual workhorse sort of bike and I passed my test on it. Possbly because of the travails I had with it, I am a more aware and safer as a rider. In conclusion I would not advise this to anyone because it just wasn't any fun.

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“XS SYM 125cc A badly designed badly put together motorbike”

★☆☆☆☆

written by AllanKoch13 on 12/06/2014

I bought the XS sym about a couple for years ago new for £1600 for commuting in London. Had a ridden the similar (and by far better) Japanese brands before in other countries and was looking for a better alternative to a second hand bike. The bike was very well priced with what i thought was a decent warranty. Turned out it was an absolute bag of bolts. The problems started after the second week, I had not ridden the bike for 5 days (this was in summer) and when I tried to fire it up it wouldn't start, fearing an error on my part I spoke to the shop in London where I purchased the bike who were at first happy to see to take a look, got it going immediately through using draining petrol under the petcock valve and just said it was new, and as it was a single cylinder it needed a good run. I used it for the next three months where it worked fine, until it happened again. In winter it was always having problems starting. Also, when every starting cold, you would need to keep continuous reves up otherwise it would stall for the first 5 minutes until it warmed up. Even then stalling was very common and terrible in winter or rain. I had no faith in this bike and ended up scrapping it, I had tried to sell it but noticed even take away deliveries driver didn't want them preferring a second hand Japanese model with 20,000+ miles on the clock to an almost new Sym XS, this is why you see so many being advertised with low mileage or for parts. You get what you pay for and these are £1000 cheaper than Japanese models for a reason, my advice is avoid at all costs.

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“Good but could be better”

★★★☆☆

written by Symrider on 27/01/2014

I purchased a 2008 sym xs125k 4 weeks ago. It's a good little bike, cheap to run and insure etc. However, watch your bank balance as I've already had to pay out on quite a lot of little bits that mount up. Headlight bulbs seem to blow really quickly already gone through 2 and riding in the dark on side light really isn't fun. The gears can also sometimes play up, going from 1st into 2nd you can sometimes knock it into neutral and you sit there revving in the middle of the road until you have to knock it back down to first and go again. The vibration over 45 mph on the foot pegs and also not being able to see in the mirrors gets quite annoying after a while. However, for only 500 quid how can you really moan, just proves you get what you pay for.

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“sym xs k 125cc”

★★★★☆

written by on 18/08/2013

had sym xs k for nr 3 months now I like it I hsd bikes 30 years ago its good on fuel does 70mph top exceleration not bad handles well I have added a screen led lights for day riding led parking and tail light and a top box I use every day for work only 1 bad thing 1 mirror glass fell out shop replaced strait away no probs headlight bulb went I replaced with a 35w halogen overall I like the sym not screaminly fast but fast enough for a small comuter cheaper to run than most and the car and looks pretty good to only one thing thats a pain is the manual choke but u get over this lol

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“Hi I have sym xs125 I have it for about 11/2years and...”

★★★★☆

written by on 05/04/2013

Hi I have sym xs125 I have it for about 11/2years and I have had problems with the rast all over and head light is giving me problems I need help with this I put the bulb in and I have to ride round with my high beame on because if I put my low beame on it keeps going off so if there is some one out there can help please

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“Please stay away from this bike. ”

★☆☆☆☆

written by Biker2011 on 19/02/2013

I have owned this bike for 10 months and i can honestly say its been of the road more than it has been on. I have has problems with the bike starting, Fault fuel tank, bits falling off, terrible vibration, and now the latest issue the exhaust studs have snapped and the exhaust is blowing. This is not down to poor maintenance the bike has full service history and regular maintenance has been carried of by myself. And when you get a problem with the bike my dealer where the bike has been purchased from (Nightingales in rugby) have always been very rude and unhelpful. My advice is to steer clear of this bike and steer clear of SYM full stop. Sym bikes are no longer a cheap alternative for very little more money you are able to pick up and brand new honda or yamaha alternative, that shall be more reliable, more economical, faster and shall have better build quality. Also to mention the value of this bike when coming to sell the bike after one year of owning the bike you shall struggle because no one wants to pay a vast amount of money for a japanese knock off. For the safety of yourself and other road users stay away from this motorcycle and invest your money in something more suitable.

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“Good and cheap”

★★★☆☆

written by on 22/04/2012

The Sym 125 XS is my first bike and ive had it for 9 months now. It has been a good learning experience, mainly that it has never let me down, has been cheap to run and a good introduction to motorcycles. Good points: Cheap to run (80 - 90 mpg), easy to ride, minimal hassle, cheap servicing Bad points: A few bits of rust on the exhaust, luggage rack and frame (I keep it outside) Overall, I would recommend as a first bike. Depreciation is high but when you can buy it as £1600 new, it isn't terrible. Overall, a good little bike.

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“sym xs 125 1 year on.”

★★★★☆

written by on 18/04/2012

well its almost a year since i purchased my new sym xs 125 & in total i`ve done around 6000k (3500ish miles) on it & ridden virtually every day rain or shine going to & from work , the only slight rust marks have been on the rear rack & on the mirror stalks. i wash the bike every week or two & after its dry i spray the metalwork with a silicone oil or gt85 which keeps things looking nice & also helps keep the rust at bay, the bodywork/plastics get a good waxing too...keeping the sym clean & oiled is the key to its survival as i have seen some very rusty examples about. the engine still sounds nice & quiet but struggles to pull 60mph (50-55 is comfortable with less vibrations!) ecconomy is excellent too at approx 3/350 miles per tank full...not so good points: service every 3000k (1800 miles) vibrates alot at 60mph.. can & will rust if you dont look after it..plastic mounting lugs on the rear of the side pannels are weak..my exhaust inner baffle started to rattle after about 1500 miles probably due to the vibes! i also had to replace the headlight bulb again probably due to vibes?..dont let these put you off buying a sym as its still an excellent little bike..buy new & look after it & it`ll see you fine for a good few years..would i buy another, yes.. would i recommend..yes

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“Sym XS125 What A Bargain”

★★★★★

written by on 10/02/2012

Well bought one of these from the cornwall kawasaki centre who is a sym dealer and im impressed! Excellent build quality, great on petrol and does 80 easily on a nice day with no wind.This bike is a absolute bargain for those who want a cheap good reliable motorcycle, It handles very well and the engine is excellent, The seat can hurt your ass a bit after a long journey but you soon get used to it lol, As one of the other reviews stated it does what it says on the tin and more. The headlights are pretty good, Nice bright indicators and it sounds quite meaty as well! I can really recommend this machine as a real good investment where not only is it cheap to run but its a pleasure to ride. Just make sure you get it from a good dealer who has built it and set it up properly to avoid future trouble and keep up with the regular services and oil changes to ensure reliability. I would also recommend the cornwall kawasaki centre who have been excellent and have excellent customer services and a genuine ethos of helping the customer.

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“Dont be put off by the brand, they are surprisingly good”

★★★★☆

written by slotman on 09/07/2011

Before i get into the review, im sure most of you have heard of how bad chinese bikes are and how they fall apart etc etc, well the truth is this is usually because they are imported to the UK in shipping crates part assembled, then put together by whoever imported them, or thier mate, who once built a bmx or something. Now while i cant speak for all chinese brands (cos some are dogs) Syms are not too far behind japanese build quality PROVIDED THEY WERE ASSEMBLED BY A COMPETANT PERSON TO BEGIN WITH! It may be worth checking all the nuts and bolts were tightened up properly cos if something drops off its most likely the fault of the clown that put the bike together not the quality of the components themselves. On to the bike... Build Quality... Well nothings dropped off mine, a 58 plate with 3000 miles on. Paintwork is still mint on tank, fairing etc however the frame seems to have a very thin coat of ordinary black paint that is flaking in places and rust is starting. I could see this being a problem if not sorted quickly so i am just gonna touch my frame up with black hammerite, you could strip the bike and get the frame powder coated i guess... but i cant be bothered with that. The chrome exhaust is also rusting but if taken care of and cleaned regularly it should last well. The instrument cluster rattles rather loudly at high revs on mine, although i reckon i can sort that out easily by tightening a few nuts (see intro). The drive chain is rather skinny for a 125 and will probs need replacing regularly, ive had to tension mine up after 300 miles but then i do drive it hard ALL the time. Everything else seems at least as good as a jap bike, remember, this is a copy of a Yamaha YBR 125 and is very close in terms of quality, even down to the sticky gearbox! Ill get to that in a bit. Performance and ride... well its a 4 stroke 125 so it isnt going to set the world on fire, expect 70-75 MPH on the flat with no wind although this will drop to 65 with a slight headwind and 60 if you add a slight incline. Conversely if you have the wind behind you or are going slighly downhill you can get 80 MPH, ive had mine up to 90 (OFF THE CLOCK) down a very long, steep hill. Engine vibration can become uncomfortable at 70 and beyond and will seriously numb your backside on long rides. Handling is decent, very easy to control due to being quite light, it can be leant over quite far before the pegs hit the deck too, grip depends on what tyres you have, the chinese things on mine are good in the dry but a bit twitchy in the wet. Brakes are adequate, nothing amazing but they will stop you plain and simple. Suspension is adjustable on the rear, not on the front, again this is adequate for the job its supposed to do, nothing more nothing less. Sometimes the gearstick jams when going from 1st to 2nd, sticking you in neutral, which makes you look like a fool when your stuck in the middle of the road, engine screaming and going nowhere, you have to go back to 1st then back to 2nd to sort it, doesnt happen often enough to be a major problem but its annoying when it happens, apparently the YBR suffers the exact same quirk. Fuel consumption is excellent, £15 fills it and you can get 250-300 miles on a tank. Equipment... besides what youd expect (a headlight, indicators etc) you get a fuel gauge, electric start, a gear indicator, rev counter, steering lock, luggage rack, side and centre stand, you even get a small toolkit stowed under the battery behind the fairing, at least YOU might, MINE was missing, and you need a phillips screwriver to remove the fairing to get access to it which seems kinda dumb!? So to summarise you really can do worse than this bike, its super cheap to buy and run, will keep up with most traffic and looks good too. Parts availablity could be better, but there are dealers all around the UK and a few websites (startright.co.uk being one) that sell new and used parts.

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“2011 sym 125 xs”

★★★★☆

written by on 04/06/2011

i needed a new motorcycle for work but didnt fancy anything too expensive however it had to be reliable & economical as i will be useing it on a daily basis rain or shine...the sym xs 125 was large enough & what with a 3 year warrantee & a tad under £1600 seemed like a bargain..the overall finnish of the bike was better than i expected however upon delivery i did notice that the clutch cable was touching the exhaust header pipe ( a quick fix with a cable tie to the front down tube & around the clutch cable sorted that) & the air box to carb clamp wasnt fitted properly,again just a matter of un-doing & pressing on firmer sorted this.. another small problem was the plastic adjuster nut on the rear brake switch was cracked making the rear light not come on unless you pressed the rear pedal down very hard, again a trusty cable tie kept this in place & the rear light switch now works fine..silly little things i know & i guess they should of been picked up on the bikes pre delivery inspection..on the road the sym behaves well albeit a little under powered (mind you i have to run it in first),the switches are nice & easy to use & the little engine sounds nice & quiet & fires up easy on the push of the button ..the gearing is a little low but pulls well throughout the gears (perhaps an extra tooth on the front would help it top 70mph? ) i have also changed the spark plug for N.G.K as the plug that came with the sym i`ve never heard of so i though that would be a safe option. I have taken the mrs out on the back & the sym pulled well & is also quite comfortable 2 up around town..so my opinion of the sym is yes its a good little bike with a good price tag it may not be honda quality but its not honda money either..if your looking for a good friendly commuter then it may be what your looking for.

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“Well, got my sym 125 on a 09 plate with 1600 miles on...”

★★★★☆

written by on 26/02/2011

Well, got my sym 125 on a 09 plate with 1600 miles on it, I've had it about 2 months now and thought would share my thoughts, Its a cheap little commuter runaround that does exactly what it says on the tin, a few small niggles like the chain getting loose due to not being run in properly and a few screw heads going rusty a bit quick, but a a through clean regulary and it pretty much takes care of itself. What with the current fuel hikes I'm glad to say that I'm getting good mileage out of it so its paying for itself.

The bike has a good sitting position and rides well in the corners and back roads near swindon, had it up to 75mph and not still got a little bit of pull in it.

All in all a good buy so far.

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“I have this bike since 6 Weeks, and I have done 1200...”

★★★★☆

written by on 24/08/2010

I have this bike since 6 Weeks, and I have done 1200 Kilometres now.
Last Saturday i drove more than 300 Kilometres, on this bike.
It was Awesome.
My Bike is slowed down to 80KPH, because of the A1 Driving License.
Anyway my Topspeed was already 102 KPH!!! Unbelievable.
It looks realy nice, and the only bug I found were some screws, wich were not fixed perfectly, but after my 500 Kilometres inspection, everything was perfect.
Guys, I give you a Idea:
Buy this bike, its nearly as good as a CBR, and the best is, it needs just 3.1 Litres Fuel for 100 Kilometres!! Fantastic Bike!!!

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“What a bag of nails! For the first couple of weeks I...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 25/06/2010

What a bag of nails! For the first couple of weeks I thought that it was a great first gear bike, that is until things started falling of it! Head gasket failed, some engine seal failed, oil leak, exhaust fell off, rear break pedal fell off, kick stand fell off, chain fell off...you get the picture.

I am no mechanic and unless you are DONT BUY THIS BIKE

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“This is the second Sym motorbike I have owned and...”

★★★★★

written by on 19/06/2010

This is the second Sym motorbike I have owned and can't fault it in any way i brought it second hand with 650 miles on the clock for £800 i get about 90mpg out of her and a top end speed of 80mph.
very reliable starts right away every day. and I do a lot of miles 7000 in the 10 months of owning it.

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“Just thought I should right something about this bike...”

★★★★☆

written by on 30/03/2010

Just thought I should right something about this bike to help people like me who wants a good bike but can not afford to pay more.

Honestly speaking, this bike is much better than you could imagine. It is definitely not HONda/yamaha quality but it will take you form a to b.

I bought this bike 6months ago and it served me well. It gave my a2 license and I never had to replace anything or to go to riding school.

Very easy to ride and very comfortable riding position. but you need to get used to change gear from 1st to 2nd. It often get stuck on neutral and you literally have to go back to 1st and change again because it wont just go to 2nd. Better to move off from 2nd straightaway regardless the gradiant, you will never stall. Thats what i do.

I have done 50 easily on A406 but I recon it can go up by another 10miles. May be a little slower on motorway but than again look at the price you are paying for it.

the best thing is, it has a kick start as well and thats what keeps you assured that your bike will start no matter what. I started it with the kick and full choke on empty battery.

Build quality is not as good as Honda. Made out of cheap plastic but the engine and performance is superb. Parts are not very easy to find unless you have a local dealer in your area. I am lucky in that way. Since it is a replica of yamaha ybr125, most ybr parts should fit in it. Unbelieveably economical. I am doing delivery with it now and still £3 petrol lasts for two days.

I would say it is a good commuter bike. It is for people who prefers a motorbike over scooter and performance over appearance.

Thanks for reading

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“The Sym XS125 has good quality and finish , 3 year...”

★★★★★

written by on 07/05/2009

The Sym XS125 has good quality and finish , 3 year warranty

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“The Sym XS125 is a fantastic bike at a bargain price -...”

★★★★★

written by on 18/09/2008

The Sym XS125 is a fantastic bike at a bargain price - I bought it for commuting as I have not had a bike for past 30 years! Far better than I ever imagined with loads of character and charm - why would you spend twice as much on a Jap bike! Remember this bike is from Taiwan and build quality is FAR better than Chinese products. Get yourself one before they catch ona nd raise the price!

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Robhd1960's Comment

Written on: 20/06/2009

... I wrote this original review last year - since then I have put about 5000KM on the Sym and it has been very reliable - only irritation was some dirt getting in the carb and upsetting the choke. Apart from that and a couple of bolts working loose nothing else - though you do need to keep on top of the cleaning or it does start to go rusty - but then after a winter wading through the salt so have i!!! Have now past my test and am off to play with the big boys so bike was sold to the local training school who got me through the test - which shows I was not the only one impressed with it! Have now bought a CB500 so yes I do like nice reliable bikes which cost zip to run.. anyone got a problem with that??? Have fun everybody and whatever you buy ENJOY IT!!!

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