These 125 bikes were the dream of Italians in the 80s: do you remember them all?

Between the 1980s and 1990s, 125 racing motorcycles became very popular in Italy. Here is what I dreamed about most.

Today we see many kids dreaming of the latest generation of smartphones to take high-resolution photos and post them on social media, or create high-quality videos to upload to YouTube or other channels, maybe to earn some money. But once upon a time, in Italy, the dreams of children, especially sixteen-year-olds, were completely different. There was a phenomenon between the eighties and nineties that overwhelmed our country and affected an entire generation of young people. It is among 125 bikes.

It was the era in which a certain motorcycle championship was held Sports productionwhich helped launch a real craze in those years. In that decade, they wanted a racing motorcycle, even if it had a smaller displacement. It was a crazy boom. Even brands like Honda And Yamaha They had to open two factories in Italy to be able to keep up with the demand for this type of motorcycle and above all Italian motorcycle production, which was threatening to take away market shares.

125 Most Liked Bikes of the Past

Even today, the 125 models are among the favourites, but at the time they were a real trend. And many models, still today, win for their lines and performance. So much so that they are in high demand in the vintage motorcycle market. Among the nicest out there for sure Honda NSR-F, 1988, which is actually an exception to the time since it was a completely bare 125, leaving the cast aluminum frame in plain sight. It was probably one of the first naked bikes in history and was a true status symbol in Italy.

Another gem it wasAprilia AF1 Project 108 (1987)for which the pilot served as her testimony Loris ReggianiBecause it was the first production motorcycle in the world with a chain final drive and single-arm rear suspension, in short, the first real motorcycle derived from those that competed in MotoGP. The speed, which approached 170 km/h, made it the fastest 125 car ever. And in that year as well Cagiva freesiaDesigned by the legendary Massimo Tamburini Which contains the best technologies. Real bomb, which was the direct predecessor of mythone of the most popular 125 cars of its time, not only thanks to its shapes and performance, but also thanks to its racing-inspired designs.

Another historical piece like this dates back to 1986 Gilera K.ZWith an impressive chassis and 26 horsepower, it pushed it to the company’s declared speed of 150 km/h. But the mother of all the legendary 125 was there Laverda LZ, was born in 1977 but was also one of the best-selling motorcycles of the following decade. Property? The liquid-cooled engine, produced by the German company Zundap, was considered the jewel of that time, allowing it to reach a speed of 120 km/h.