Derbi - Big Fun in Small Packages

Wow...that looks like fun! I'd love to have one of those - or that GPR50 Nude from their website.

Power-to-weight is very impressive. The 250 Nighthawk I used to own had about 15 hp and weighed nearly twice what these do. Sluggish, sloppy, and unstopable (in a bad way) though it was, the light weight of that Nighthawk made it fun to throw around. I've considered picking up a Ninja 250 for just that reason, but this looks even better!

If only there were any kart tracks around here, I'd have to smuggle one into the country

(BTW: Looks like you can get one of those GPRs from a place in Oregon - www.derbiwest.com)

FIRST POST!!!

DerbiWest

Actually, DerbiWest was Derbi's latest importer for the USA. As the importer, they would not sell units directly to the public, but only to dealers, who then sell to the public.

As of a few months ago, Piaggio (VespaUSA) will handle Derbi in this market. I'm assuming they will handle parts and warranty claims, (I hope!)but as of right now, they have no plans to offer any Derbi products in the USA market. I hope they prove me wrong!

One way I can be proved wrong is if everybody who is interested in purchasing a Derbi would write, email or call VespaUSA and tell them to carry Derbi, hopefully with 150cc or larger four-stroke engines so we can enjoy them when two-strokes are banned for good.

I have a CB125 and it is as much fun to ride as any of my other bikes, at times more so.

Hear hear! On a 125 you can have no doubt that it's the one motorcycle you can use 100% of. I had loads of fun on my CB125 until it gave up the ghost.



I'm seriously considering one of those Hyosung 125s or 250s if they ever open a dealership in Utah.

Like they say, corner speed is everything.

By amazing coincidence over lunch yesterday I went with a co-worker (who needed to buy hundreds of dollars worth of small shiny parts for his Ducati including, pardon my laughter, a $180 chain) to the local purveyer of fine European moto-porn and they had three of these Derbi motard bikes on the floor.



If I recall correctly they were all priced around $2600 or so.

cool little bikes, its a shame that the US of A riders don't buy stuff like this. The point about the pocket bikes misses the mark some, the idiots on those are riding around illeagally, and generally being a nuisance. But Derbi might have a market in more congested areas. Albeit a small one

Where was this, Tom?

Re: DerbiWest

Contact info for Vespa USA, please.

These are the bikes that should be used in MSF classes. Teach the newbies how to slide around a bit. It might also put the fear of god into them when they realize what a 50 will do and they were thinking of buying a 600-1000 cc supersport.

Gabe wrote:

"Japan requires a special license for just about every displacement category over 50cc, with anything over 400cc almost impossible to get."



Actually, there are quite a few owners of larger bikes in Japan. There is a thriving outlaw movement who ride larger modified crotch rockets, and Harleys both old and new are also popular.

Maybe when gas hits 3 dollars a gallon…



This spring!

What if I said...

..."very difficult and expensive to get?" Would that be a more accurate statement?

MY BROTHER HAD ONE OF THOSE BUT TRADED IT FOR A HAYABUSA CAUSE IT WAS TOO SLOW TO HOLD HIS OAKLEY BLADES IN PLACE, AND THE BACK TIRE KEPT GETTING STUCK IN HIS GIRLFRIEND'S CRACK. I COULD SEE OWNING ONE TO CIRCULATE THE FLUID IN MY TANK, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT.

I think the smoke might contaminate your fluid.

Great ariticle Gabe. Thanks for the adventure into the world I never knew existed (two-stroke streetbikes). Fun stuff.