Winter hack 125-250cc what?

What Ralph said.

If there is any motorway involved you'd be much happier with the bigger bike. The XT will handle 80mph all day and has a respectable bit of go. Go for the smaller bike if you are happy tooling along at 50-60-ish and don't mind being blown away by Korean hatchbacks. Somehow I doubt slow is your thing and with a bit of performance you will be much happier and more likely to ride the thing.
Out of the bigger Japanese rocks the (96-04) XT600 is still IMO the pick of the bunch.

Bikes like the DRZ400 are worthy contenders... maybe a little tall for a short rider, but they can be lowered a long way.

Smaller... The DR200 is a ripper of a bike that are so cheap that they are affordable new. Yamaha and Honda make similar bikes.

125s are toys.

FWIW.

Originally Posted by MattCollins

if you are happy tooling along at 50-60-ish and don't mind being blown away by Korean hatchbacks.

And being blown over by trucks. They are all restricted to, and hence all travel at 56mph. If you bike is struggling to pull 55mph, which a 125 traillie would be, you'll be getting overtaken by trucks all the time, which is not fun on a small bike, when they are taking 60 seconds to get past you.

Seen a DR350, should be enough for my trip to work. It is primarily going to be a commuter bike with any distance work being done on the Aprilia which will happily do silly enough speeds. There is only about 3 miles over 40mph on my commute so 350cc's should be enough, also I seen one for sale localish so might have to see about goin and having a look. Just hope it isnt toooo tall!

The mondo enduro guys went round the world on DR350's then chose to use them again for Terra Circa. You wont go wrong with a DR350, another lawnmower engine on two wheels, you are still talking top comfortable cruising speed on 65 mph, but thats quick enough to keep yourself ahead of the lorries.

Dont worry about the lorries, it probably wont see much motorway, certainly not more than one or 2 junctions if I really have to use them.

Woo another dr350 to the fold!
They are quiet tall though, i could just get both feet down and im 6ft...but sm wheels have lowered it enough.
Very easy to lower or so ive heard and read.
if your looking at one id get over to "maxisumsuzuki" very good site with lots of tips and general maintenance or little bits on how to boots power here and there.

Also if speed is a worry sprokets are cheap as chips to go up a few teeth and dont wear that quickly as your looking around 30bhp ish.

Im not certain yet... Have to find a good un really... well good ish anyway.

How bad was yours? I had a quick look at your thread but didnt see much on how it was when you first got it? Ridable?

It was abit of a dud tbh but that was my fault for ebay without seeing it.
Sub frame right at the back had a crack but spanner man sorted that for me.
Otherwise just little things like abit gunged up from trail use and fork seals are on their way out and front break had eaten the seals aswell.
Just hadnet been look after that well but you can see its coming along nicely.

Even in its state when i got it it rode well apart from being abit rough due to fuelling and spongy breaks.

Everything else ive done is just preference as i plan to keep this bike indefinitely, and most of the parts i got dead cheap.