Can you tell me about the Aero 125?

[Swordsman]

Hey guys! I know this isn't 50cc related, but I have no idea where else to check, and this forum was recommended.

I've run across an old '84 Aero 125 that seems to be in decent shape and decently priced. I have no experience with scooters aside from a test ride on a Buddy 150, and none whatsoever with 2 stroke engines. I'm mechanically inclined enough to do most of my own work (I currently service a Ural and have done some middle-weight wrenching on a Buell and several cars).

My biggest question is: since the Aero 125 was made for only one year, how difficult is it to round up parts?

Secondary question: what kind of reliability/longevity should one expect from a mid-80's Honda 2 stroke?

As cool as it would be to keep original, I have no qualms with replacing bits with whatever I could get my hands on, so long as it could be made to work. I'm just trying to figure out if this scoot would be worth purchasing, or if it would ultimately be more of a headache than it's worth.

Thanks for any insight you can give a noob!

~SM

[PolarIce]

I happen to know a guy that has a few Aero 125's in his stable....

If you read the manual, ask intelligent questions and not get your panties in a bunch over "straight forward" answers to your questions then you and BEAR will get along fine.

Atleast that's been my experience. Buy it I say.

[GKinTN]

I searched Honda a few months back and found that some of the top end parts were unavailable, though I seem to recall others have perhaps subbed CR125 pistons with good results. I'm sure others will know way better than I. That said you might search around on the "Service Honda" site (FYI great prices!) to give you an idea what is or is not still available for these bikes. The Aero 125 is a nice peppy scooter for sure!

[motormike]

Here's a tip for you. Take this Aero for a ride and make sure it is turning both directions with no "odd feeling" either direction.
There's a chance this bike has some hidden damage to the fork or frame.
I say this because a friend went down to NW Georgia to buy an Aero 125 and he came back with this report.
I do like my Aero 125 better than any scooter I've ridden.
I ride with 750 Hondas on twisty roads and keep pace no problem. (until we hit a straightaway)
Granted, mine has a CT intake and Mikuni 24mm carb, but otherwise stock.
In the last year, I have put an additional 5,000 miles on this scoot with everything just as it came from Honda.
Having only 891 miles when picked up last year, the motor had never been apart, and still has not.
No sign of performance falling off either, and i ride it as hard as possible most of the time....
Bear 45-70 has cornered the market on 125's and can help you with any specific about this one-of-a-kinder.
I have a thread about mine>>>>>>>>>> viewtopic.php?f=1&t=20478&hilit=flamin%27

[GKinTN]

True. Back in the spring or so I drove down to check out a quite clean Red Aero 125 that was on the Chattanooga craigslist. It was very clean and ran strong. However there was an odd crunch in the lower fork/fender area and to me it felt like the bike oddly pulled a hair sideways on acceleration. My gut feeling was the fork and or frame or something had taken a hit from a backed up car or something and it just wasn't quite straight. Could be the same bike so check carefully.

[breaze]

Greetings Swordsman,
Don't often see posts from GA.

I've been watching for an Aero 125 for some time - saw a couple down in Jacksonville but never made the trip. I wonder if we're looking at the same ones - one in Bessemer, Ala. and one in Powder Springs, GA. They are both a little over-priced at the moment.

I have the same concern about parts but that's just the chance you take when you get one that was only made for 1 year. One good thing about living in Ga. is that you don't need to be worried about having a title to get a tag. The only concern is if they find it's stolen when they run the VIN. When I tagged my 85 Aero 80, they told me I can't get a title even if I wanted to. When the police officer came out to run my VIN number (required along with insurance proof to get a tag), he never even ran it, just signed my form and went on his way.

Best I can tell, neither of these guys knows much about the history of their scoots and neither has a title. That could mean buying it, bringing it home, and then finding out the VIN is registered as stolen. I assume you would then be out the money and the scoot.

As many 125's as Bear has, I notice that his riding preference seems to be one of his 80's - always wondered about that. Not sure if that says something negative about the 125 or not.

Good luck - I'd be interested to hear more about your decision/experience if you go for it.

[motomech]

I had a scooter shop back in the '80's and I would have to say the Aero 125 was probably the least reliable scooter that Honda made back then.
It uses an Alum cyl. that is a little short on fining and was somewhat seize-prone. And I don't recall any over-size pistons.
That could be a factor as to why there is a shortage of top-end parts.
The Aero 80 on the other hand was probably the most reliable scooter ever made by anybody.
I would recommend passing on the 125 and keeping your eye out for an 80.

[motormike]

the Aero 125 was probably the least reliable scooter that Honda made back then.

Take into consideration that in '84 Honda scooter manufacturing was in the infant stage.
Compared to the sister bikes of Aero 50, Aero 80, Spree, Gyro, the 125 was most expensive and consequently least often purchased. Scooters were viewed pretty much strictly as toys. Maintenance probably didn't exist in many cases, especially in the 125's that were bought by older, wealthier people who got tired of the fad immediately and parked the scooter so they could ride the golf-cart more. Just speculation on my part, but my experience with Aero 125 has been spectabulous ! ! !..........

[motomech]

the Aero 125 was probably the least reliable scooter that Honda made back then.

Take into consideration that in '84 Honda scooter manufacturing was in the infant stage.
Compared to the sister bikes of Aero 50, Aero 80, Spree, Gyro, the 125 was most expensive and consequently least often purchased. Scooters were viewed pretty much strictly as toys. Maintenance probably didn't exist in many cases, especially in the 125's that were bought by older, wealthier people who got tired of the fad immediately and parked the scooter so they could ride the golf-cart more. Just speculation on my part, but my experience with Aero 125 has been spectabulous ! ! !..........

Take into consideration that in '84 Honda scooter manufacturing was in the infant stage.

I don't know, but by 1985, Honda built some scooters, with exception for some newish features like disc. brakes, haven't been surpassed to this day. The Aero 50, Aero 80 and Elite 150 come to mind.

90% of my customers were college kids, so no, maintenance wasn't a priority.
My shop was in Southern Az. and perhaps the Aero 125 didn't like the heat there.

[Swordsman]

Ha, well, GA has it's fair share of heat, so that's definitely something to keep in mind, because I'd probably be WOT 85% of the time. I can't seriously consider any scoot less than 125cc. I have a fairly distant commute over open country roads, where the speed limit is 55 but everyone thinks it's 70. I do the commute on my Ural though without any problems, 55-60 mph, but I don't think I'd want to risk anything slower than that. The Elite 150 would probably be just the ticket, but I've yet to find one of those within my price range that wasn't half destroyed or suspiciously lacking the instruments (and probably the ignition switch, if I had my guess). I ran across this Aero 125 online in a dealer ad and thought it might be worth looking in to.

~SM

[motomech]

Well, if a dealer has it, he probably would want too much money. Big 2-strokes don't make the best cruisers anyway.
Don't want to go Chinese huh?
How about Kymco?
I had a KYMCO 250 when I lived in Puerto Rico and it was awesome. Every bit as good as a Honda I.M.O.

[Swordsman]

Oh, I LOVE Kymco. And Genuine, and Sym, And Yamaha, and... well, you name it. My budget is the problem: sub $1000, and the closer to $500 the better! Hence the reason I'm looking at such old scoots. If I had my pick of the litter, I'd probably be rockin' an Sym HD 200 Evo or a Kymco People GT200i. But alas, I'm still paying on my Ural for another 2 years, and the Ural's just too darn cool to trade in.

~SM

[motormike]

Do you consider the Ural too cool to trade in, but too poorly built to trust as a daily driver ?
Ural has a very poor reputation among the riders here, especially those who own them, have owned them and have worked on them.

[Swordsman]

Do you consider the Ural too cool to trade in, but too poorly built to trust as a daily driver ?

Not at all. I've read that the pre-2006 models were a total crapshoot, but mine's a 2010. I've had it for a little over a year and logged about 7000 miles myself (~11k miles total on the bike) with nary an issue. It's not a smooth-riding machine and it stops like a loaded freight train, but otherwise it performs admirably. I want a scooter for 2 main reasons:

1.) The Ural gets roughly 30 mpg, a whopping 3 mpg better than my 300 HP Mustang. Other than feeling the wind in my hair (so to speak, I do wear a helmet!), there's no advantage to taking the Ural over my car on my commute.

2.) I've always had a fascination with small stuff, and scooters have always intrigued me. They just look like fun!

~SM

[motormike]

2.) I've always had a fascination with small stuff, and scooters have always intrigued me. They just look like fun!

Surprising the lack of mpg's on Ural...
I share you fascination, so much that I have vowed to sell my only motorcycle larger than 125cc's....