Kawasaki EL 125 Eliminator

This low, light and easy-to-ride Kawasaki gets the cruiser look with tank-top instruments mounted in a chrome housing and foot-forward controls for a laid-back riding style.
Easy handling, learner legal and with an ultra-low seat height of just 680mm, the Kawasaki Eliminator 125 is a good choice for a first bike. The sweet changing five-speed gearbox means that you can make the best of the 12.5bhp available at 8000rpm.
 

This is a learner bike with a decent seat - there's plenty of room for a passenger for when you pass your test. And with its miserly fuel consumption, it's as cheap to run as it is easy to operate.
Service intervals are every 8000 and they should be amongst the lowest charges on any motorcycle. This is a lightweight motorcycle in the truest sense - it weighs in at just 135kg. But the simple four-stroke single could do with a bit more stonk.

It's up against the Yamaha Drag Star XVS125 in the learner cruiser class, and that is a pretty impressive package with 12.8bhp at 10,000rpm and much nicer lines.
A new 2003 Drag Star costs £3324 on the road, compared to £2935 for the Kawasaki. If you can afford the extra £389 we'd recommend you go for the Yamaha. It will hold its price better as well.