written by brian3578 on 06/11/2013
well i have 1 of these bikes and havent had any problem they keep on going .once u look after it. i have 31,500 miles on my bike right now bought her in 2009 . great little bike.From Ireland.
written by on 25/09/2013
Been driving the bike for a few weeks and now it seams to not run right. The bike drives but keeps jumping around feels like it's running out of fuel not sure what this could be any ideas people.
written by on 23/10/2012
Guys - never buy this rubbish. You won't find spare parts in UK. I had to change entire engine 3 times in 1 year !!!
Written on: 15/11/2012
great machine altogether i have mine 3 years now with 28,000 miles great bargain. u can get parts on ebay..u just dont know how to maintain it.:)
Written on: 03/02/2014
Don't know what you done to replace an engine 3 times, mines runs superb....did you bother to run the engine in according to the manual, change filters and oil etc
written by on 10/10/2012
I have had the Sanya for 3 1/2 years and now done over 20,000 miles (or 32,000 kms). The bike is used every day and has never failed to start. Good points Reliable Does 120 MPG Cheap parts Quiet Never burns any oil Good lighting and indicators Bad points Chrome is just OK Rack is very weak, keeps breaking Gear lever very sloppy Very slow. 55 on a good day but not happy Brakes dontt work in the wet In conclusion, the bike cost me £720 on the road and has been REALLY reliable and gets me to work every day. I think if you keep the bike clean and do oil changes every 1000 miles, the engines goes on forever.
written by on 20/09/2012
does any 1 know how much it takes to fill the tank from empty at all
written by on 07/08/2012
For its price I cant fault this little bike, Sanya SY125-11 125. Two year old and 7500 miles on the clock its got me where I wanted to go with little fuss but there are a few pointers I would like to mention. Be careful on wet roads with original tyres on bike it does get a little twitchy until they wear a bit and the front wheel seems a little light accelarating out slow corners. I had early problems with brakelight blowing early on which I replaced and a issue with a loose wire underneath ignition socket breaking (was soon resoldered and resin encased worked great ever since). Recently my flasher unit packed in, a quick search on ebay and a 12v univerasl 2 pin sorted that and apack of 12v23w for the indicators total cost about £7. I never been shy on changing oil and I change it every 1200miles with a 10w40 air cooled mineral oil I get from Halfords, costs me about £5 to change. I run the engine methodically and as it said in the handbook it was boring as hell but I reckon am reaping the benefits of it now. On a good day it does 70 on the clock at 8750 and I know theres a little bit more there cause I`ve had to throttle back I dont want to redline it too far! I havent replaced the chain and sprockets yet but am gonna put the 17tooth front sprocket on and stretch out that 1st gear a bit its a just a little bit slow pulling out at junctions and find myself hitting 2nd gear a bit too quick just to try and get some speed up. I paid £700 for mine new and the obligatory £70 reg fee....100mpg, cheap to insure through Rampdale and for short journeys way cheaper than public transport. This little bike tries its best and if you just spend a just a few hours a week checking everything on the bike you soon pick up on the little niggles and problems.I didnt expect a superbike or cutting edge technology for the low price but I`ve been pleasantly surprised and chuffed with this bike mine definately does what it says on the tin.
Written on: 03/02/2014
Small update on the bike since I last posted this review. Bike passed mot no problems at all. I did have a issue with the calliper clips though, mines were corroded and fell apart after replacing the brake-pads, hunted high and low EVERYWHERE on the net for these little spring steel square clips and the only way I was getting a set was if I bought the whole brake unit!...fortunately I made a pair to fit. Metal-work is starting to suffer a little, but the bike is kept outside all year with a cover, and given the circumstances this is expected. Exhaust is getting bad with rust though, treated that with heat paint which works for quite a while...not too fussy on the bikes looks it does its job good for short journeys and for a bog standard ohc engine am really amazed at what it does for a little bike, when that oil warms up its a nippy little machine and still has the original 15t front sprocket on. Still happy with this little bike for running about just gota keep an eye on it give it a little attention every week and it will go good. Had a few probs sourcing brake-pads at first but am out of time writing this comment but if anyones stuck needing help sourcing parts pls reply to my post and I`ll look out the sources.
written by poecilotheria on 26/02/2012
At first sceptical about the sanya Sy 125-11 but its turned out rather well so far other than having to replace the tail light bulb and tighten rear drum brake. Got some great power behind it for a 125cc of this price range and great acceleration. Other than its hard to get parts for its a good little bike and mindless fun steering could be lighter though. If your looking for a cheap affordable bike to get around on this is it go buy one, they are really easy on the fuel and cheap to keep on the road. The hayes manual for Chinese bikes can be helpful if you are not too good at mechanics and this bike is not complicated.
written by RisingCruiser94 on 22/02/2012
Ok, i had my Sanya for 2 months. But already since passing my CBT i came off the bike twice. first time car cutting me off and second a oil patch on the road. But twice, the bike a slid along the road and only came with damage to the mirrors and headlight. BUILT LIKE A TANK! and nice and cheap to buy a simple 7 inch universal light that transforms the look of the bike. And some long stem mirrors, so my shoulders isn't taking up the view.
Written on: 23/07/2013
I quite agree. I'm one of those rare dealerships (38 years & still going) who do offer a repair service for Chinese bike owners. I tell them like it is! "You get what you pay for", and having dealt with a few brands the Sanya was by far the better make. Sadly the supply has dried up and so to have the spares. We have one (Sanya) in our cobweb corner of used bikes and can't sell it because no one here likes, even wants Chinese bikes anymore. However we used it for three hard years as part of our CBT fleet and it never let us down. The exhaust corroded a little but the rest of it is in quite remarkable condition, and it did 19k miles, all weathers. Can't get better than that.
written by on 15/07/2011
This was my first road bike having done my CBT. I bought it from another chap at work who bought it new to learn on, for £250. It had various areas of surface rust, and some of the chromeing is about as thick as tissue paper. However for the price i paid and the new price of thses bikes you really cannot complain. If i had it from new i think it would not have suffered as much as the previous owner never cleaned it by his own admission.I have now spent a grand total of 3 hours cleaning it and it looks alot better,not very long but worth the little investment of time. It looks okay and i'm only embarassed by my L plates. I use it for work quite often, a round trip of 38miles, it goes along the Cornish roads both A and B really quite well, and i can pass stationary cars costing lots of money easily as they queue for St ives (he he). The only negative thing i can say about my bike, is that i dont really trust the Chinese tyres. This will be sorted with new ones soon so happy days. Very good on fuel too.
written by colinpb on 30/06/2011
I was looking for a bike to get me to and fro' work, after looking at the market place and seeing the high price of Japanese 125s new and secondhand I was a bit disconcerted as new, the price was too high and secondhand the price still seemed high relative to the risk you take in buying a used 125 learner legal bike. Sanya to the rescue.... I bought the bike from the guys in Plymouth for £599 or there abouts, value for money it appeared and as you will see in this report it really is... I thought I'd be clever and save the £99 delivery charge and with my brother and his van off we went. When the bike is in it's packing crate it weighs a ton and off loading it when we got home was a real mission (take note my brother and I are big fellows but it proved really awkward), take my advise, let them deliver it.... Assembly was quite easy but my brother and I are used to tinkering with mechanical things, my advice is follow the instructions (not the best) as best you can and take your time, Rome wasn't built in a day. Once I'd filled the battery (a pain), checked the oil and put in petrol with the choke on it fired up straight away. The DVLA is easy to deal with, just make sure that you've got all the necessary paperwork including insurance when you go to them. It took a week for my registration number letter and tax disc to arrive through my letter box. I've now covered nearly 1000km's (over 600 miles) and yes I've had some issues but all minor and very easily sorted. 1: Change the Chinese sparkplug for a NGK, it makes a world of difference. 2: Replace the front sprocket with one 2 teeth bigger, you notice no loss in low end pulling power and it's a lot smoother at speed. 3: The Chinese oil is like syrup, use up to 300km and then change with a good quality semi-synthetic oil. I intend to change oil every 1000km, for £10 it has got to be good insurance against premature wear. 4: My gear lever fell off.. I have a good routine of going around the bike checking all the bolts are tight, I missed that one, it was easy to slide back on and tighten when I got home. Moral, Always check your nuts... She fires up first time every time, now the weather is a bit warmer often with little or no choke. I'm averaging 90mpg and that is screwing the thing (my route to work is along open country roads, so I'm not going to potter along at 30 mph am I?). To close, look after it and I think you'll has many years of service...
Written on: 02/07/2011
The most sensible review yet. I've just bought one of these and am waiting for it to be delivered. Getting it insured is proving to be a hassle. Only Rampdale seem willing to give it a quote online.
Written on: 08/07/2011
which type of NGK spark plug did you change to.?
written by brizeeredcaps on 02/06/2011
Hi, my son bought one of these bikes to use as a commuter to and from work. He's done little over a thousand miles and we've found a problem which is a bit of a pain. One of the exhaust studs just snapped whilst out riding. we found the culprit in the car park that we had just left and on closer examination discovered that it was made from a very brittle metal and not up to the job. Since then the other has gone too. We have been in contact with the supplier L S Imports as it is covered by warranty and are awaiting a reply. Updates will be given!! We would suggest that if you buy one of these otherwise decent bikes, replace the original studs for stainless before you even turn the bike over. Also consider getting a couple of new ignition keys cut as these are also quite weak. The plastics are very thin and rubber washers should be used when putting the bike together to avoid damaging them. We also had a little difficulty insuring it, but there are a few specialist companies who cover newly imported Chinese bike and Perseverance is the order of the day. Otherwise the machine runs quite well, we had the recommended full service at 400 miles, it starts first time, every time, looks are quite good and you don't have to worry about mot,s for three years. Apart from the plastics and barrel / stud issues the build quality is OK, It's also quite nippy with a top speed of around 70 mph ( Oh and the clocks hit 70 then drop to 50, another small problem ). So long as the suppliers live up to their warranties I would recommend one of these for a learner, but please do the replacements mentioned above so as not to become unstuck.
Written on: 05/06/2011
hi do u mean the exhaust studs going in to the engine block ?
Written on: 04/11/2011
After 6 months I'm still trying to get a replacement head for that damned bike. The engine was originally from a XL 125 Honda from the 80's, parts are like rockin' horse sh@t and still no joy from the importer who has now changed his name. Suggestions are stay away from this bike and importer.They are very rude on the phone continually cutting you off etc. The build quality is now showing. Rust on all thin chrome work. Nylon tyres have had my son off twice in the rain. ( Now changed to rubber tyres costing £130. plastics have gone really brittle in the summer sun. We engineered a new set of studs to combat that problem and used a whitworth thread as it is coarser and held the exhaust better for a while then the head broke at the collar which holds the exhaust studs due to the cheep aluminium which does not appear to have been hardened properly during production. There's a multitude of other small things too, but in this case I think that you get what you pay for. As you can see from the comments below others are having trouble too so leave well alone and buy a second hand Japanese bike instead. Trading Standards have been informed.
Written on: 17/06/2011
if ur having hell with the people about ur bike try this it help me alot and tell them whats happing [email protected],uk or [email protected] good luck let me kw
written by on 02/04/2011
I can't fault this bike at all. I bought it a couple of years ago from what looks like the same place as many others who have wrote reviews - LS Imports Ltd in Portsmouth (for anyone who doesn't already know, their website can be found at http://www.learnerlegal.com/).
I think the company which the bike is bought from is just as important as the actual bike itself, which everyone should know about. I haven't had a single problem with having my questions answered by the team even when asking what are probably silly questions ("Is it just unleaded petrol I need to use?" - Sorry!). It also looks a big range of spare parts are available should they ever be needed.
Now, back to the actual bike itself, the Sanya SY125. It's a cheap bike, so from the beginning I didn't expect it to be like a Honda, Yamaha, Aprilia or any others. Oh how I was wrong! Found out this model is actually based on a Suzuki equivilent however has a few minor differences, for example to me the tyres look slightly narrower.
Build quality is absolutely fantastic for a Chinese bike, and a far higher standard than some of my friends who have bought bikes from elsewhere online. One other point to mention is some minor assembly is required, but if I can do it I'm sure anyone can.
Happy riding!
written by on 04/03/2011
I bought my Sanya from a dealer in Portsmouth in 2009 and have used it daily since then. I have changed job 3 times and on an average i have rode it 7 - 9 miles each day. It has had it's small "faults" (front brake caliper, gear leaver, and a few other bits and bats) but i would expect this on any bike with this usage. Not once has it failed to start including through-out the cold winters of 2009 and 2010. I have found that the dealer i bought from still stocks any part you could possibly need and at competitive prices. For around £700 delivered to my door it has been fantastic! Don't really know why these bikes arn't massive in the UK!
written by on 20/11/2010
Bought the bike from a dealer in Portsmouth back in jan had for almost a year now.
Its been great only niggles i had is to change the front sprocket size.Rang round for insuarnce quotes and found Rampdale were the cheapest followed by mce.
I think its best to change spark plug and oild every 4000 miles the reason i went for the Sanya was that i took my test on one at the training center.
Sure there are a lot more dearer bikes out there but i would rather save the money for the family its only a work hack.
written by on 09/11/2010
Having only bought this bike about 4 months ago, i must say. First impressions are amazing. I'm coming from a family whose father has been a biker for 38 years, and even he was impressed.
I got this bike in a crate from a dealer in Portsmouth, £599+99P&P.
As i'm a trained mechanic, putting this together was simple. I suggest to anybody who's destined to get a chinese import, is to LOCTITE the bolts.
I've lost both bolts from my exhaust heat shielding, but have managed to find replacements. The revs are high on this bike, i'm getting 7000rpm at 60mph+. A simple change of the front sprocket (Suzuki EN125 17t) will bring the revs down to around 5000rpm at 60mph. After the initial wear in, (Dont ever follow what the books say,) which took me about 3 hours (Different techniques) i then took the engine apart, to see the pistons; low and behold, there were no oil burn marks. I can get about 70-80mph from this bike, 80 down hill, and 70 on flat.
For the price i paid for this machine, there is nothing wrong with it. You can buy a new 125cc motorcycle for £3-4000 and encounter more severe problems. Engines, are like bodies; If you care for them, they'll be reliable. That's what it all comes down too.
Preservation.
I hope this review has been helpful, and do NOT be put off by other peoples misfortunes. They obviously have NOT looked after the bike.
written by on 19/10/2010
ok so the bike is good sound's good ride's good gear shifts dont last long but easy fix , but cannot get insurance :( no insurance company will insure the bike not even company's that insure chinnese bikes anyone know a insurance company i can go with i live in walsall (west midland's) i really need it i only brought the bike to get to work and back :(
Written on: 27/10/2010
I used rampdale to insure mine. Cost about £200 for my partner and I 3rd party only.
Written on: 29/10/2010
Dialdirect insured mine, when you get to the bike selection its under s-other.
<br/>got 3rd party for a new rider for £126
written by on 26/06/2010
This bike is good, from ebay Lsimports. just passed 4000k no problems at all.
550quid brand new, £15 tax, 220k per gallon. bargin.
written by on 23/06/2010
Ok, having written a previous review, outlining whaat i thought of it when it was going well, now, with just over 8000km on the clock, around 6000ish mules, the bike has really let me down, it has cut out on me at several roundabouts, causeing a lot of embarrisment, and also, with its comedian breaks, you really have to break well before you have too. i really put a lot of trust in the bike, but now, after spending over £150 on small things such as tyres, gear linkage and chains and sprockets, i just dont want to spend much more to repair it. it is now in the garage refusing to start, i rode it down to the garage, it ran like a dream, but once i turned it off, that was that, so just beware anyone buying, it steals your heart when it takes you everywhere, but as an everyday commuter, im not so sure! thanks.
written by Baconbuttie on 08/05/2010
Hi i have just bought a sanya 125 in a crate it took me a few hours to build i am very impressed with it . i have also fitted a 17 tooth engine sprocket so it dose not rev as much. I am still running in but for the money it is fantastic value ,china is catching the rest of the world up and the prices will go up . take no notice what people say if you cant afford a lot then this is the bike for you .Mark
written by on 14/02/2010
This is my second Sanya as the first one got knicked.Its returning nearly 100mpg and costs next to nothing to service just oil changes.Build quality is as good as my mates YBR125 lets face it both are now made in the PRC.
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As rated by our community of reviewers
Brian3578's Comment
Written on: 06/11/2013
could be the coke is staying on ,well i have 1 of these bikes and havent had any problem they keep on going .once u look after it. i have 31,500 miles on my bike right now bought her in 2009 . great little bike.
Brian3578's Comment
Written on: 06/11/2013
sorry i ment choke.