125's Enough! Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Greetings from Warsaw, Poland. Lived here 18 years now. Have dreamed of a Harley or something Harley-like ever since hitting my mid-life crisis some 15 years ago, then filed it under 'impossible dream' and left it there till last August. The Polish government passed a law allowing all drivers with normal car licence (Cat.B) ride a motorbike of up to 125cc/15BHP. GREAT! So I bought a bike to learn on (Derbi CrossCity 125 which I highly recommend once it has a decent set of dual-sport tyres on it), with the ambition of doing a full Cat. A course and test.Anyway - this summer I went to a local driving school, which said fine, but you need a medical check. No problems - I'm super-healthy guy. Until I had to do the eye test covering up my right eye. I could not read the letters on the third line. FAIL. Polish regulations allow you to drive a car with one eye (as in the UK), but for a motorbike, bus or HGV licence you need two eyes of equal strength. I go to an optometrist. Turns out my right eye is 80% of full strength - my left eye a mere 5%. I get some driving glasses made up on prescription. This boosts my right eye to 100% - my left eye to 30%. Too big a difference to be allowed on a full-sized motorbike.So it's corrective surgery (replacing lens in left eye ARRRRGH!) or 125cc bikes for the rest of my life. I'm squeamish.So how to realise that ancient dream of a big cruiser? After months of research, I found the answer - the Yamaha XVS 125 Dragstar. Based on the XVS 250 - same engine block even I read somewhere, though bored out less. I wanted an air-cooled classic - water-cooled may be more efficient, but the radiator kinda spoils the looks, don't you think? As it happens, the change in the law in Poland has made the country a 125-magnet. Bikes from Germany, Switzerland, France, Denmark - UK even - are pouring into Poland because they are so easy to own and ride - legally. I bought my XVS 125 from a family firm just west of Warsaw that used to import used trucks, and has now discovered a brand new market. An amazing place - the showroom is stuffed with Honda Shadows and Varaderos - all 125s. There were two Dragstars. One belongs to the owner, who like me, is stuck with 125 for reasons of driving licence. The owner has been doing up his Dragstar with lots of extras - it looks real cool. My Dragstar - a black 2004 model imported from France - has a front screen, passenger backrest and parcel rack, plus two capacious panniers. With 16,153km on the clock, zero rust but plenty of dust lurking in the interstices suggesting long lay-ups in a garage, it looked a sound buy. I checked the previous French owner on LinkedIn. Born 1984, a banker working in France for a British bank. Not exactly a tearaway.The shop gave me great service - delivered the bike across town to my house, provided me with full documentation that made registering the bike a doddle. So now I'm the owner of two motorcycles - one for a bit of offroad, and one for touring. My mission in life is to get the most pleasure and satisfaction from riding, limited to 125cc.So that's my story - will be covering it on the sub-forum about the Dragstars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted September 6, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 6, 2015 wow, great intro. looks like you have covered most biking needs for now. I'd get the op if you really want something, but that's up to yu to the forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slice Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 To the YOC, love the intro, as above get the op, laser surgery is supposed to be better than it used to be and only a few hundred quid to get it done, we all have a mid-life crisis mine was do I take the 1300 out or the 750? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vayduh Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 If it's just laser surgery definitely get it done. A few minutes of discomfort to get better sight is an easy decision (was for me).however I think he needs a full lens or cornea replacement.I'd still say get it done. My MIL got it done in both eyes and does not regret it. The fact that you only have one eye to get done would probably make me do it as it reduces the risks significantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator drewpy Posted September 6, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 6, 2015 my mum had the cornea replaced, never regretted it. just think 1 year down the line after its done, just a memory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhat250 Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 GREAT INTRO ." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatloaf Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 (edited) My mission in life is to get the most pleasure and satisfacition from riding, limited to 125With a positive attitude like that I'm sure you will get a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from your 125, there are guy's on here that have done just that.Brilliant into by the way. Edited September 6, 2015 by meatloaf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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